RENEWING THE WORLD

TRADITIONALLY THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIANS -THE HUPA AND HE YUROK THOUGHT OF THEMSELVES WHERE TRAIL AND JOURNEYS LEAD BACK HERE.THEY COULD NOT CONCEIVE OF A PATH THAT DID NOT RETURN TO THEIR VALLEY HOME.  MOST NATIVES HERE BELIEVE THEIR BOUNTY WAS BEQUEATHED TO THEM BY IMMORTALS. THESE LAWS WERE GIVEN TO THEM HOW PEOPLE SHOULD RELATE TO ALL CREATURES.  ANY MISCONDUCT VIOLATES THE SPIRITS.  IT CAN PRODUCE DISHARMONY WITH EARTHQUAKES, FLOODS , AND EPIDEMICS.

THEY HAVE CEREMONIES AS DO THE YUROK.  THEY ASK THEIR SPIRITS TO MAINTAIN HARMONY.  THEY MAKE SHELLS, WOODPECKER SCALPS, AND BLACK ANDWHITE DEERSKINS ARE BLESSED SPIRITUALLY.  IT IS A TIME FOR PERFORMING THE HUPA JUMP DANCE AND WHITE DEER SKIN DANCE.

THE IMMORTALS LEFT INSTRUCTIONS AS TO HOW TO HAVE RENEWAL CEREMONIES SO THE HUPA COULD RESTORE BALANCE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.  THEY DISPLAY TREASURED REGALIA, STRINGS OF DENTALIUM SHELLS,  WOODPECKER SCALPS, RED AND WHITE DEERSKIN BLADES.  THESE ARE RED AND WHITE DEERSKINS AND BLADES.  THESE ARE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.  THIS TIME THEY PERFORM THE WHITE DEERSKIN DANCE,  THE DANCE IS COMPLEX AND IT TAKES 10 DAYS TO PURIFY PEOPLE.  THEY HAVE MUCH REGALIA.  ALONG THE TRINITY RIVER THE DANCERS LINE UP IN FRONT OF OF A FIRE.  THE DANCERS PERFORM  THE ANCIENT STEPS WITH A SINGER.  PART OF THE DANCE IS IN A LARGE DUG OUT REDWOOD CANOE.  THEY DANCE 10 JUMPS AND RESTORE HARMONY BETWEEN THE TURNING POINT AND THE EARTH BELOW.

THEY HAVE SPECIAL DANCERS TO HANDLE THE LARGE CEREMONIAL BLADES OF RED AND BLACK OBSIDIAN.  THE FOLKS WHO HOLD OBSIDIAN CUT AWAY SICKNESS AND DISEASE FROM MANKIND.

THEY JUMP DANCE PERFORMS 10 DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE DEERSKIN DANCE.  TWO VIRGINS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THEIR1ST PERIOD WEAR HEAD DRESSES AND CARRY BASKETS AND LIFT THEIR BASKETS IN PRAYER. 

THEY JUMP10 TIMES TO RESTORE HARMONY BETWEEN LIVING AND EARTH BELOW.  THEY CLOSE THE FIRES AND RELIGHT THEM TO RENEW THE EARTH.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRA   

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