Thursday, October 24, 2013

POMPEII HISTORY

POMPEII WAS AN ANCIENT CITY NEAR NAPLES IN ITALIAN REGION OF COMPANIA NEAR NAPLES.  POMPEII WAS DESTROYED AND BURIED UNDER 6 M OF ASH DURING MT VESUVIUS IN 79 A.D.

THE TOWN WAS FOUNDED IN 6TH CENTURY.  IT WAS CAPTURED BY ROMANS IN 80 B.C. DURING DESTRUCTION IT HAD 20,000 FOLKS WITH COMPLEX WATER SYSTEM AND AMPHITHEATER.  THE ERUPTION WAS A DISASTER FOR THE TOWN.  THE SITE WAS LOST FOR 1500 YEARS UNTIL DISCOVERY IN 1600.  THE OBJECTS THAT LAY BENEATH THE CITY HAVE BEEN PRESERVED FOR 1000'S OF YEARS BECAUSE OF LACK OF AIR MOISTURE.  THESE ARTIFACTS ALLOWED DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING LIFE OF THE CITY WHEN ROMANS TOOK OVER.  THE PEOPLE  WHO DIED HERE WERE WELL PRESERVED AS THE ASH LAYERS PRESERVED THEM.

FOR 250 YEARS POMPEII HAS BEEN A BIG TOURIST DESTINATION FOR ITALY.  THEY HAVE 25 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR.  POMPEII IS TRANSLATED IN LATIN AS "5" - PERHAPS 5 HAMLETS.  IT COVERS A BOUT 163 ACRES AND WAS A MAJOR CITY.  

THERE WERE OLDER PARTS OF POMPEII THAT HAD OTHER EXPOSED LAYERS THAT HAD BEEN COVERED DURING OTHER ASH EXPLOSIONS. MANY FOLKS ARE EMPLOYED IN THE TOURISM BUSINESS.  THE RUINS ARE EASILY ACCESSED.  ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND LAVA BELOW THE CITY WITH BITS OF ANIMAL BONE,  POTTERY SHERDS AND PLANTS.  BY C 14 DATING THE OLDEST LAYERS DATE FROM 8TH CENTURY B.C.  IT WAS USED AS A SAFER PORT BY GREEK PHOENICIANS, GREEK SAILORS.  ACCORDING TO STRABO, ETRUSCANS CAPTURED EXCAVATIONS.  POMPEII WAS FIRST CAPTURED BY THE GREEK COLONY IN 525 B.C.

THEY BUILT SEVERAL TEMPLES FOR JUPITER AND APOLLO THAT WERE DESTROYED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTION.  SOME MOSAIC PORTRAITS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED.  WINE JARS HAVE BEEN FOUND BEARING THE WORLD'S  EARLIEST  BLEND.  DURING THE EARLY PERIOD OF 89 B.C POMPEII WAS ANNEXED TO ROMAN REPUBLIC.  THEY BUILT A LARGE AMPHITHEATRE AND HAD MANY EROTIC DECORS IN THEIR ART AND SCULPTURE.  THE AREA HAS A GOOD FERTILITY OF THE SOIL WITH MUCH ASH.  THE TOWN ASKS FOLKS TO VISIT HERCULANEUM AND ITALIAL AS WELL.

WIKIPEDIA.ORG                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
















Wednesday, October 23, 2013

HOUSE TYPES IN CALIFORNIA

THESE NATIVES INSULATED THEIR REDWOOD POLE HOUSES WITH CONICAL EARTH BANKED FOR AROUND THE THE WALL.  THEY BANKED EARTH EXTERIORS AS SWEAT HOUSES OR ASSEMBLY LODGES.

THE MONARCHE AND YOKUTS, POMO AND MODOC, PATWIN MIWOK BUILT EXCAVATED PIT HOUSES FOR WINTER SHELTERS.  GROUPS IN WARMER CLIMATES CLIMATES ERECTED CONICAL WIKIUPS OF GRASS AND REEDS.

THE MONARCHS WHO LIVED IN THE 2000' IN ELEVATION ALONG THE SIERRA MADRES MADE PINE POLE TIPIS ABOUT 10' IN DIAMETER.

SOME OF THEM HAD FIRES IN THEIR TIPIS OR ON THE OUTSIDE DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER.  THE YOKUTS MADE BRUSH HOUSES OF THATCHED ROOFS OF LEAFY BRANCHES.  THEY WERE ABOUT 20' IN DIAMETER.  THE POMO BUILT CONICAL EARTH LODGES ABOUT 60' IN DIAMETER CENTERED OVER EXCAVATED PITS 60' IN DIAMETER.

THE HUPA HAD PLANK CEDAR AND REDWOOD HOUSES IN 1920 ALONG THE RIVERS.
THEY HAD CIRCULAR ENTRANCES BARELY THE SIZE OF THE HUMAN BODY.  WE HAVE ENTERED SIMILAR ONES RECONSTRUCTED BY YUROK FOLKS IN THE PRAIRIE REDWOODS STATE PARK BY TRINIDAD.

THEIR WERE 34 BANDS OF POMO SPREAD IN FOUR COUNTIES..  THEY HAD HOKAN DIALECTS.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRA

POMO HONORING MONTH

FOR MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS SOME OF THE POMO MADE THEIR HOME IN WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE LAGUNA.  THEY HUNTED ELK, MOUNTAIN LION, DEER, AND SMALL BIRDS, AND COLLECTED OVER 400 ROOTS, SEEDS AND BERRIES FROM NATIVE PLANTS.  SEBASTOPOL IS HONORING MANY ARTISTS AND THEY HAVE VARIOUS PAINTINGS, WEAVINGS, BASKETS, EXHIBITS, AND ONE ACT PLAYS THIS YEAR IN OCTOBER. MANY POMO YOUTH ARE LEARNING HOW TO DANCE.

SONOMACOUNTY.COM   

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

THE ART OF BASKETRY

THROUGHOUT LIFE MANY TRIBES HERE WOVE INTRICATE BASKETS INCLUDING HATS .  IN A POMO LEGEND MARUNDA CREATED THE WORLD FOR PLANTS USED IN BASKETRY.  THEY ORIGINALLY HAD A LOT OF RAW MATERIALS AND THE WOMEN MADE BASKETS FOR ALL PURPOSES.  KUBURN IS THE TERM FOR RAW MATERIALS.  THE MEN MADE WILLOW BASKETS FOR THE INFANTS.

BASKET MAKING WAS SIMILAR IN MANY TRIBES. ALL TRIBES USED TURNING AND OR COILING.THEY WOVE BASKETS SEATED WITH ASPHALT UM OR PINE PITCH.  THEY EVEN USED BASKETS FOR CATCHING ANIMALS.  SOME EVEN MADE PRIZED GIFT BASKETS.

EVEN THE YOKUT NATIVES MADE DETAILED DECORATED BASKETS MADE FROM REDBUD, SEDGE, WILLOW AND QUAIL FEATHERS.  ALL TRIBES CONSIDERED TO BE SPIRITUAL.  THEY CONSIDERED THE BASKETS TO BE ALIVE.

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THEY USED GRASS STALKS AND REEDS USED FOR DESIGNING.  THE POMO ALSO USED REEDS IN THE NORTH MADE BASKETS FOR COLLECTING ROOTS, SEEDS, AND NUTS.  THEY MADE A PADDLE OF REDBUD AND WILLOW AND USED A BASKET TO COLLECT TARWEED, AN IMPORTANT SEED.  POMO MADSE LARGE TWINED BURDEN BASKETS ON THEIR BACKS TO COLLECT ACORNS AND SEEDS. 

THE WOMEN POUNDED ACORNS IN AN OAK DISH AND THEN THEY LEACHED THEM IN A LARGE BASIN IN THE SAND.  SOME WOMEN LEACHED THEM IN SHALLOW OAK MADE FROM TUBS.  SOME WOMEN USED LARGE WOVEN BASKETS WITH HEATED  STONES TO COOK MUSH.  MANY BASKETS WERE  BURNT FROM STONES.  THEY MADE FEATHERED BASKETS ALSO.

MOST NATIVES WOVE BASKETS FROM VARIOUS REEDS AND MANY FOLKS USED DIFFERENT TYPES OF BASKETS FOR GIFTS, CEREMONIES AND UTENSILS.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA  

Friday, October 18, 2013

Thursday, October 17, 2013

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   

T

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

LIFEWAYS OF INDIANS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

ACHUMAWI PIT HOUSES IN THE 1920'S WAS  A LARGE MOUND OF EARTH WITH GRASS GROWING OVER IT AS THE LADDER STICKING OUT MIGHT LET OUT THE SMOKE.

A LOG FRAMED IN TIMBER OVER AN EXCAVATED PIT OR SPLIT WOOD OVER AN EXCAVATED PIT OR SPLIT WOOD OVER THE EARTH WAS COMMON TO THE HILLS AND VILLAGES OF POMO, MIWOK, MODOC AND ACHUMAWI.  SOME HAD ATTACHED REMEDIES FOR CURING.

REDWOODS WERE USED FOR YUROK, HUPA, KAROK,AND OTHERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR PLANK HOUSE'S.  TRIBAL SWEAT HOUSES WERE LAYED WITH SWEAT HOUSES AND GATHERING PLACES FOR MEN.  POMO BUILT EARTH LODGES (SEMI-SUBTERRANEAN TO HOLD ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE 60' IN DIAMETER).

SOME POMO AND YUKI BUILT MADE HOMES ALONG WELL RESOURCES STRINGS.  THEY HAD SUBSISTENCE STRATEGIES TO HARVEST THE WILD PLANTS ANDTHE FISH FROM OCEAN AND STREAMS.  THE NATIVE AMERICANS WERE MOVING MOVING TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCES.  THEY EVEN USED A BOOMERANG.  THEY HAD LARGE NETWORKS OF TRADE.  THE POMO MADE BOATS OF TULE TO FISH IN CLEARLAKE ON THE OCEAN.  THEY BECAME EASILY WATERLOGGED AND THEY HAD TO DRY THEM OUT ON THE SHORE. THE COASTAL NATIVES LEFT REMAINS OF THEIR FEASTS - SHELL MOUNDS AS HIGH AS 30 FEET AND UP TO 1/4 TH MILE ACROSS AND CAN BE SEEN ALONG THE COAST TODAY.  THEY ATE SHELLFISH, ABALONE, OYSTERS, CLAMS, AND MUSSELS AND CRABS.

THEY ATE TULE SHOOTS AND OTHER SEEDS.  THE POMO BUILT LOG THATCHED BUILDINGS  35' X12' HIGH FOR FEASTS.  THEY USED TULE MATS TO FASTEN  OVER THE  FRAMES OF WIKIUPS.

SOME TRIBES LASHED OUT  TULE PLATFORMS TOGETHER TO FORM 50' LONG BARGES.  SOME FAMILIES LIVED ON THEM AS EXTENDED FISHING EXPEDITIONS.

SOME PEOPLE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST MADE DUGOUT CANOES HEWED TOGETHER TO FORM 50' LONG BARGES.  SOME FAMILIES LIVED ON THEM FOR EXTENDED FISHING EXPEDITIONS.

SOME PEOPLE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST MADE DUGOUT CANOES HEWED FROM STRAIGHT GRAINED REDWOOD - A TREE SACRED TO THE VARIOUS TRIBES.  SOME HOUSES WERE BUILT OF REDWOOD AS WELL AS USING ELK ANTLER WEDGES.  HUPA BUILT HOUSES OF CEDAR.  THEY PASSED DOWN LEGENDS ABOUT THEIR HOUSES. 

THE YUROK COLLECTED RED OBSIDIAN, WOODPECKER SCALPS AND ALBINO DEERSKINS THAT WERE PART OF A SACRED CEREMONY TO PLEASE SPIRITS TO RENEW WORLDS.

EACH GROUP OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS CONSIDERED THEIR HOME TO BE THE CENTER OF THE WORLD AND THOUGHT OUTSIDERS AS SUSPICIOUS.  MANY PEOPLE STAYED WITHIN  THE GROUNDS OF THEIR ORIGINAL VILLAGES UNLESS FORCES TO LEAVE.  MOST TRIBES TRADED BETWEEN EACH OTHER  AND COMPENSATED FOR DEFICIENCIES.  SHELL BEADS, FISH, ACORNS, ACCESS TO OBSIDIAN.  SOME POMO GROUPS HAD HOSTILITIES.  BOUNDARIES OF TRIBES WERE MARKED AND CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT THE BOUNDARIES.


VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA

MODOC AND OTHER TRIBES IN CALIFORNIA

THE MODOC LIVE NEAR A SACRED REGION BY MOUNT SHASTA WITH A SPRING THAT HARBORED THE TEARS OF LIFE.  THEY TOLD CHILDREN OF THIS MOUNTAIN AND A SPRING WHERE DEER WOULD CRY WHEN HUNTERS CAME.  THEIR LEGENDS ARE PASSED DOWN.  THE CHIEF OF THE SKY GREW TIRED OF HIS HOME IN THE ABOVE WORLD THAT THE AIR WAS ALWAYS BRITTLE WITH WITH AN ICY COLD.  THE ICE SKY CHIEF CARVED A HOLE IN THE SKY WITH A STONE AND PUSHED ALL THE SNOW AND ICE DOWN BELOW AND HE MADE A GREAT MOUND THAT FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY.  IT IS MT. SHASTA!

THE EUROPEANS CAME DOWN TO EXPLORE THIS REGION AND AGREED THAT IT WAS BLESSED.  THE VARIOUS SETTINGS OF THE YUKI, AND OTHER NATIVES OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BELIEVED THEIR CREATOR PROVIDED EVERYTHING AS A GIFT.  THEN THE CREATOR PROVIDED EVERYTHING - PLANTS, TREES, AND ALL OF NATURE.  THE YUROK FISHERMEN PRAYED FOR SALMON FROM THE PACIFIC TO LAY THEIR EGGS UPSTREAM.  CLEAR LAKE HAD ABUNDANT WATER FOWL.  THESE WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO NEARBY TRIBES.

V. ALEXANDRIA

ART TRAILS WEEKEND

THIS WEEKEND I VISITED MANY ARTISTS WHO HAD VERY NICE HOUSES AND HAD PAINTINGS, WEAVINGS, PENCIL DRAWINGS, WOOD, IRON SCULPTURES.  MANY OF THE HOUSES ARE OF A BRIGHT COLORS INSIDE.  THEY HAD ART ON THEIR WALLS.

SOME OF THE FOLKS HAD GREAT FOOD AS WELL.  THEY EXPLAINED HOW THEY DID ART WORKS WITH PENS AND OILS.  SOME OF THE ARTISTS HAD LITTLE TIME TO TALK AS THEY WERE GETTING MORE PEOPLE.  OTHERS HAD NO PEOPLE THERE!  MANY WERE SELLING THEIR ARTWORK!  THAT'S A GOOD SIGN OF OUR ECONOMY.

MANY ARTIST I HAD MET FROM LAST YEAR AT THIS OPEN HOUSE EVENT  THAT IS SO POPULAR

CHURCH OF RELIGIOUS SCIENCE

THIS WEEKEND THE CHURCH SAID TO DO SOMETHING CREATIVE.  THEY HAD A YOUNG POET WHO WANTED TO BE VERY EXPRESSIVE.  OUR TOPIC WAS HOW TO BE VERY EXPRESSIVE. THEY GAVE US WAYS TO CREATE BY MEANS OF THOUGHT THROUGH ME.  EVERYTHING I DO IS A PRODUCT OF CHOICE AND PREFERENCE AND CREATIVE POWER.  THE POET GAVE A WORKSHOP OF HOW TO USE CREATIVE WAYS TO VIEW OURSELVES AND STRUGGLES.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

INDIANS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

THEY KNEW HOW TO MANAGE LAND THAT WAS PLENTIFUL FOR BASKET COLLECTING, GROWING FOODS AND MAKING AND TENDING CERTAIN PLANTS THAT WOULD BE EASY TO USE FOR COLLECTING AT SEASONAL PERIODS,  POMO, WAPPO, PATWIN, COAST MIWOK AND YUKI KNEW AT LEAST 450 PLANTS THAT WERE NATIVE AND EASY TO USE AS FOOD, MEDICINE OR CLOTHING.  THEY KNEW HOW TO USE FIRE TO HELP WITH REDUCING OLD GROWTH.  THEY WORKED THE LAND INTENTLY  AND THEY KNEW WHICH SEEDS TO KEEP AND COLLECT FOR SEEDING THEIR VILLAGES.

KATHLEEN SMITH OF POMO/ MIWOK ANCESTRY SAID SHE LIVES IN SPIRITUAL BALANCE WITHOUT NEEDING TO GO ELSEWHERE.  HER REGARD FOR NATURE REQUIRES KEEN SENSE OF NATURE.  HER MOM TAUGHT HER EVERYTHING FROM NATURE -PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE OUR RELATIVES,

AS SHERRI FERRI, CURATOR OF THE UKIAH MUSEUM (GRACE HUDSON)STATED THE ART OF MAKING POMO BASKETS IS A COMPLEX TOPIC TODAY.  MORE YOUNG FOLKS ARE GETTING INVOLVED.  THEY ARE PLANTING BASKET MATERIALS NEAR THEIR HOUSES/RANCHERIAS TO HAVE THEM READILY AVAILABLE.  SHE HAS BEEN A CONSULTANT FOR EXHIBITS, BUT ADMITS IT IS QUITE A DIFFICULT TASK.  THE MUSEUM IS DEVELOPING AN OUTDOOR SPACE FOR FOLKS LEARNING BASKET MAKING.  THE ANGLOS SAW THEM WORK THE LAND TO IMPROVE IT BY BURNING,SOWING AND WEEDING, TILLING AND HARVESTING.

THESE NATIVE AMERICANS ENJOYED A VAST AND VARIED DIET.
IN THIS AREA IF THE ACORNS WERE NOT PLENTIFUL THEY HAD BEAR, FISH, OR 500 OTHER ANIMALS OR PLANTS TO RELEY ON THAT ENCHANTED VISITORS.  THESE LANDS THOUGHT THEY LIVED IN A LAND OF FERTILITY.  IN THE EARLY 1880'S THERE WAS MUCH ABUNDANCE.

AS MISSIONSECLINED THE SPANISH  FRIARS CONFINED 1000 INDIANS TO CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY..  SOME WERE ABUSED AND OTHERS WERE TAKEN TO THE MISSIONS TO JOIN OTER INDIANS.  THEY ATE BRODEA OR ROUND BULBS AND WERE CALLED DIGGERS BY THE SPANISH.  THEY RETURNED TO THEIR GATHERING SPOTS AND AERATED SOILS WITH THEIR STICKS.

EVN THOUGH SPANISH CAME HERE THEY USED LOCATIONSTHAT THE ANGLOS THOUGHT WERE OVERUSED.  SOME OF THEIR TRADITIONS WERE LOST.  MABEL MCKAY, A 20TH CENTURY POMO HEALER, AND BASKET MAKER SAID SOME BULBS WERE MADE TO BE TAKEN WITH CARE.  WHEN PEOPLE DO USE PLANTS, THEY GET SCARCE.  IF PLANTS AREN'T GATHERED OR TALKED TO. THEY MAY DIE.  SAME WITH WILDLIFE.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA

Monday, October 7, 2013

JOY IS THE MEANS TO THE END

JOY IS INDEPENDENT OF CIRCUMSTANCES, PEOPLE, OR ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF.  THAT IS ITS PARADOXICAL NATURE.  WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR CONNECTION WITH A STEADY STREAM OF JOY THAT IS WITHIN YOUR ESSENCE, JOY IS A CONSTANT UNDERCURRENT .  REGARD JOY AS A SWEET HOME WITHIN YOUR INNERMOST BEING  AND A PLACE WHERE YOU AND THE DIVINE CONNECT

ERNEST HOLMES

INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA MISSIONS

IN THE MISSIONS THE INDIANS WERE TREATED POORLY WITH CHILDLIKE BEHAVIOR.  THEY HAD WHIPPING AND ALMOST AS SLAVES IN THE 1700'S.  THERE WERE 21 MISSIONS FROM SAN DIEGO TO SAN FRAN.  THEY WERE GIVEN FOOD AND SHELTER.  SOME SPANISH ROUNDED UP WHOLE VILLAGES TO BRING TO MISSIONS. THEY THEN WERE GIVEN MUCH TYPES OF DISEASES THEY WERE NOT USED TO MEASLES, SMALLPOX, DIPTHERIA, ETC.  SOME MISSIONS SAW 1/2 OF THEIR POPULATION DIE FROM DISEASE.  SOME INDIANS BEGAN DRINKING AND WERE THROWN IN JAIL.  BY 1834 THE MISSION SYSTEM BECAME A LOCAL CHURCH.  MANY FOLKS MOVED OUT TO THE CITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.  OTHERS LIKED SOIL, MADE BRICKS, SHEARED SHEEP AND BUILT HOUSES, AND MADE HIDES FOR CATTLE. THE INDIANS IN THE INTERIOR CONTINUED THEIR WAY OF LIFE .  ON THE COAST THEY JOINED RELATED GROUPS FOR NEW COUNTIES.  IN 1760 THERE WERE  @ 310,00 INDIANS AND BY 1900 IT CUT TO 20,000!

BY 1850 THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PROPOSED RESERVATIONS. TO HELP THE INDIANS HAVE THEIR OWN LAND.  IT REALLY DIDN'T WORK.  THE WHITE RUN SCHOOL DESTROYED THEIR LANGUAGE AND LIFEWAYS.  MANY KIDS WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOLS AND MISSED THEIR FAMILIES.  IN THE 1800'S THEY HAD BEEN OUSTED FROM SOME LANDS.  INDIANS IN SAN DIEGO ATTACKED THE MISSION IN PROTEST IN 1775.

DURING THE GOLD RUSH THE RANCHERIA USED INDIANS TO MINE GOLD.  THEY THOUGHT FOLKS WERE A THREAT TO IN THEIR VIEW.  MOST RESERVATIONS WERE PLACED ON POOR LANDS AND THE WHITES DID NOT WANT THESE AREAS.   MOST OF THEM FAILED AS WELL AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO USE BETTER LANDS.  IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT 1/4TH OF INDIAN LAND WAS LOST.  IN 1920 SOME INDIANS WERE SUED THE GOVERNMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM MORE LAND.  TODAY THEY ARE MAKING CHANGES TO THEIR SITUATION - INCREASING VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND IMPROVED SERVICES.  THEIR SPIRIT HAS SURVIVED MUCH.

C  KEYWORTH  

THE WHITE DEER DANCE

THE KAROK MEN WEAR SHELL NECKLACES AND HAD HEADDRESSES THAT SYMBOLIZE DEER ANTLERS.  THEY WEAR WHITE DEERSKINS THAT GAVE IT ITS NAME. PRIESTS AND SHAMANS WERE OTHER RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE MEMBERS COUNCIL THEY HAD MUSIC AND DANCING IN A SPECIAL BUILDING, SWEAT HOUSES OR A COMMUNITY DANCE HOUSE.  HERE THEY TRANSMITTED STORIES, SONGS AND DANCES.  THE KAROK MEN USUALLY HAD THESE ACTIVITIES. 

THEY HAD A WORLD RENEWAL CEREMONY THAT TOOK 1000'S OF PEOPLE FROM MANY TRIBES INTO CAME FROM 50 MILES AWAY FROM MANY MILES AWAY.  THEY GAMBLED, SWEATED, AND COMPETED IN ATHLETIC EVENTS, TOLD STORIES, AND ENTERTAINED EACH OTHER.  THESE FOLKS BELIEVED THAT REGULAR REGULAR CEREMONIES NEEDED TO KEEP THESE FORCES IN CHECK - SUCH AS LIGHTENING AND EARTHQUAKES, FIRES, OR ACCIDENTS.  THE CEREMONIES KEPT AND PROTECTED HEALTH OF FOLKS.  THEY REPLENISHED GAME AND ACORNS.  THE CEREMONY COULD LAST TWO WEEKS.  SHAMANS RECITED WORDS OF SPIRITS WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CEREMONY WAS TO SHOW OFF ELABORATE COSTUMES AND WEALTH AND PROCESSIONS.THEY HAD A JUMPING DANCE WITH COLORFUL HEADBANDS OF WOODPECKER SCALPS.  THE POMO KUKSU WAS A COLLECTION OF HIGHLY SECRET SOCIETIES PRIVATE CLUBS.  THESE FOLKS ORGANIZED THE CEREMONIES AND INSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN.  THIS RELIGION WAS A BELIEF THAT A SPIRIT HAD BEEN SENT BY THE CREATOR TO TEACH PEOPLE.  THE MAIDU HQD A CREATOR STORY .  THEY HAD THEIR BOY GROW UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.  THE MEN INITIATE THE BOYS AND WOMEN INITIATE THE GIRLS. HE OBSERVES SACRED DANCES.  IF YOU WORSHIP ME IN NIGHT AND DAYLIGHT , YOUR TREES WILL BE FULL OF NUTS. AND THE RIVERS WILL BE FULL OF SALMON.
  
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THEIR THIRD RELIGIOUS SYSTEM EVOLVED AROUND THE USE OF DATURA, JIMSONWEED.  THE USED IT AS A PAINKILLER AND ONLY A SMALL ROOT WAS STEEPED IN WATER.  THE BREW WAS DRUNK. GIRLS AND WOMEN SMOKED ALSO.  IT WAS USED ONLY FOR 1 TO 2 TIMES A YEAR.  IT WAS FATAL IF THEY USED TOO MUCH!  THEIR INITIATION RIGHT WAS A SOCIAL CONDITION TO REINFORCE THE STATUS OF SHAMANS AND INVISIBLE POWERS.

C. KEYWORTH

Thursday, October 3, 2013

MY WORK AS AN UNDERGRADUATE

AS AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT IN DAYTON. OHIO I WORKED SEVERAL P/T JOBS.  ONE WAS AS A PART TIME MUSEUM ARCHAEOLOGIST AND THEN AS A RECREATION LEADER I HELPED CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS KEEP BUSY AFTER SCHOOL.  THEY DID SOME OF MY ARTISTIC CREATION.  THE YOUNG ADULTS SIS A GOOD JOB KEEPING ACTIVE AT A POOL TABLE AND PLAYING BASKETBALL.  SOME NIGHTS THEY DANCED.

MY PART TIME WAS A NIGHT TIME LIBRARIAN AT WSU.  THIS WAS A KIND OF A FUN JOB AS WE GOT TO GO BEHIND THE SCENES AND LEARNED ABOUT MICRO FISH WHERE THE RECORDS WERE STORED AND WHERE THE RECORDS WERE STORED AND WHERE VARIOUS TYPES OF BOOKS WERE FILED. 

I ALSO WORKED AS A NIGHT TIME COUNSELOR IN A FACILITY FOR TEENS.  IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING PLACE.  I HELPED TEENS MAKE CHOICES ABOUT HOW TO LIVE A HAPPY AND PROGRESSIVE LIFE.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIANS

THEY THRIVED IN BARREN WASTELAND.  THEY HUNTED DEER AND ELK AND DID A LOT OF TRADING. TRADING MISSIONS WERE USUALLY UNDERTAKEN BY HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS OR THEY MADE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TRIPS.  THEY MIGHT TRADE ACORNS FOR DRIED FISH  OR A SCARCE COMMODITY.  THE KAMI INDIANS LIVED WEST OF THE COLORADO RIVER.  THEY TRADED MESQUITE FOR ACORNS FOR DRIED FISH OR A SCARCE COMMODITY.  THE KAMI INDIANS LIVED WEST OF THE COLORADO RIVER.  THEY TRADED MESQUITE FOR ACORNS.

THE ATSEGEWI AND ACHOMAWI GOT SALT FROM THE YANA.  THEY WERE ALLOWED TO FISH AND GATHER ACORNS AND HAD HARVESTING RIGHTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

WAR WASN'T A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE AND THEY WERE DEFENSIVE OF THEIR OAK GROVES, HUNTING AND FISHING LANDS.  SOMETIMES THEY JUST HAD A FORMAL CONFRONTATION INSTEAD OF WAR.

KLAMATH INDIANS DID HAVE ATTACKS AND TOOK OTHER INDIANS FOR SLAVES.  THEY HAD A CLASS OF WARRIORS.  MARRIAGE BETWEEN THESE GROUPS WAS COMMON.

THE POMO GOT TOGETHER TO HAVE RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS SUCH AS WORLD RENEWAL CULTS INCLUDING MANY VILLAGES.  THEY BUILT MANY TRAIL SYSTEMS FOR SEASONAL EXCHANGE.
THROUGHOUT TRADE THEY COULD USE MONEY SHELLS FOR EXCHANGE.  THE SHELLS WERE BROKEN ROUNDED AND POLISHED AND DRILLED INTO BEADS AND STRUNG ON LEATHER THONGS.

SOME VILLAGES GOT TOGETHER TO FISH OR HUNT .  WOMEN TAUGHT THE GIRLS AND MEN TAUGHT THE BOYS.

C KEYWORTH

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIBES

THE HUPA, YUROK, SHASTA AND TOLAWA WERE FAIRLY DIVERSE YET ISOLATED.  THEY HAD PLENTY OF SALMON.  THEY HUNTED WITH WOODEN BOWS..  THE MODOC LIVED ON BARREN LEVELS OF CASCADES.  DID NOT HAVE MANY ACORNS OR SALMON  THEY CAPTURED DEER AND SMALL GAME ANIMALS BY DIGGING PITS.
3/5TH OF ALL CALIFORNIA  LIVED IN CENTRAL  CALIFORNIA.  HERE THEY GATHERED HUGE ACORNS., HUNTED, FISHED, AND GATHERED PLANTS.  MANZANITA BERRIES  WERE GATHERED FOR IMPORTANT FOODS.  THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIANS TENDED THEIR AREAS BY PLANTING SEEDS GATHERED FROM THE WILD.  THIS INCLUDED TOBACCO SPECIES THAT THEY HAD SMOKED IN SMALL QUANTITIES,  SHAMANS SMOKED IT AS A PAINKILLER.  

PLANTS WERE IMPORTANT FOR WEAVING BASKETS. THESE INCLUDED HEMP, MILKWEED, AGAVE, YUCCA, AND IRIS, REDBUD, DEER GRASS AND CATTAIL AND TULE..  NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIANS USED USED PLANT DYES AND POISON OAK FOR TATTOOS.  THEY HAD CEREMONIES.  THESE FOLKS LIVED AS WASTE NOT WANT NOT.  THEY DID NOT OVER FISH AND THEY GATHERED WHAT THEY NEEDED.  THEY WERE GOOD LAND MANAGERS.

C KEYWORTH.

WEEKEND EXHIBIT

I ATTENDED THE WEEKEND ART, JAZZ AND MUSIC FESTIVAL IN HEALDSBURG.  THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE THERE AND THEY PEOPLE THERE AND THEY WERE MILLING AROUNDAND HAD SOME PEOPLE LISTENING TO MUSIC.  IT WAS A HOT DAY THERE AND THEY HAD MANY FOLKS IN ART TRAILS.  I MET SEVERAL FOLKS WHO I KNEW THERE.  ONE CHINESE LADY SAID THEY CAN ONLY HAVE ONE BABY IN ORDER TO REDUCE POPULATION.  I DIDN'T SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN MOMS WHO I KNEW.  IT WAS AN INTERESTING DAY.

SCIENCE OF MIND

THEY HAD CHANTING  WITH A PARTICULAR PRAYER WAS "ON MAUI PADRE UM".  THIS IS THE MOST WELL KNOWN CHANT IN THE WORLD.  CHANTING CALMS THE WORLD.  CHANTING CALMS THE MIND AND EASES NEGATIVE ENERGY.  IT ADHERES TO INCREASES  AWARENESS WITH GOD.  WE ARE INFINITE HARMONY.  REMEMBER WE ARE BEING LEAD FROM PURITY TO SACREDNESS.

AT NIGHT I WENT TO A SERVICE THAT WAS ABOUT SINGING TO CALM THE MIND.  WE SANG OH WHAT A JOYFUL DY THAT BRINGS THE LIGHT HERE.   WE ALSO SANG I AM WHO I AM.  IT IS A GREAT SONG TO SING AS YOU MAY  SING TO THE BACK OF .  " I AM REMEMBERING WHO I AM."  THESE CHANTS DECIDED TO BE WHAT WE ARE PRAYING ABOUT.

WE HAD A PRAYER FOR ALL WHO HAD PAST ON OR WERE IN NEED.