Monday, Nov. 8, 2004

native american arts daily news, presented by
amerindianarts.us

City Spotlight
San Francisco Examiner - San Francisco,CA,USA
... 8 pm Wednesday at Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia St., San Francisco. ... A series of performances and activities celebrating Native American traditions. ...

Keeping the tradition alive
Hernando Today - Brooksville,FL,USA
... "Kayote" is the Native American name of Kate ... More than 30 demonstrations and displays of "living arts" were at Pioneer Day 2004, said Kristin Wood, director of ...

Research Center Helps Preserve History Of Local Tribes
TheDay - New London,CT,USA
... Working long before local Native American tribes had achieved fame and fortune with ... She was also involved with the Industrial Arts Cooperative Service, a group ...

WSU Organization of Black Alumni hosts 11th Annual Achievement ...
The South End - Detroit,MI,USA
... Hill earned a master of arts degree in mathematics from WSU ... the number of underrepresented African-American, Latino-American and Native-American students by ...

 This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

---

Web Sites:
Indigenous Peoples Literature
Essay on the Zuni World View

Notices:

Precious Cargo -- Cradle Baskets and Childbirth: California Indian Traditions

In the last couple decades, it has become common to see modern parents carry babies in back packs or slings. It is thought to be good for babies to feel the body warmth and closeness of a parent. Interestingly, this was exactly the approach taken by California Indian groups for many generations. Carrying her infant in a basketry cradleboard allowed the mother to keep the baby close and respond to its needs, while at the same time continuing the cooking and collecting needed to provide the necessities of life for the family. As with many Native American artifacts, the objects of daily use became an art form, reflecting both the Indian aesthetic and the habits and belief systems of the various Indian groups. A new exhibit at the Maidu Interpretive Center in Roseville depicts and explains the many characteristics of Native practices relating to childbirth and childcare. The exhibit shows the varying cradle basket styles, some of which had pointed designs at the bottom, allowing the mother to stand the cradleboard in the ground while she tended to some brief task. Others were designed to be temporarily attached to a tree, letting the baby look around. Some cradleboards kept the infant swaddled tightly, others allowed the baby to be in a sitting position. Some were constructed with hoods to protect and give shade to the baby. Throughout California, mothers and grandmothers made model cradles for their children and grandchildren to play with. It was more than a toy, it was a model for the girl’s future role. The child might also make her own, representing her first attempt at weaving a cradle basket. The cradle design varied from group to group, so an infant was instantly placed in a device that gave it a sense of cultural identity as well as security. While the exhibit displays cradle boards from the Pomo, Chumash, Yurok, Miwok, Washoe, Mojave, and 22 other native groups, it also covers other aspects of birth and childrearing. It explains how the father also changed his lifestyle while awaiting the birth of the child, how he might entrust the child briefly to a fast runner, hoping to transfer that skill to the youngster. Child naming practices are also described in the exhibit, as are the use of ‘touchstones’ and rituals to help women achieve conception. Fertility was believed to be under the control of the supernatural, and spiritual considerations were embedded into childbirth and child raising practices. This unique exhibit, opening November 26, is called Precious Cargo: California Indian Cradle Baskets and Childbirth Traditions. It explores traditional beliefs and practices concerning childbirth and the use of cradle baskets, both historically and today, The traveling exhibit was assembled by the Marin Museum of the American Indian and will be on tour for three years. The Maidu Interpretive Center will have community activities and demonstrations related to the exhibit. The center is at 1960 Johnson Ranch Drive in Roseville. For further information, call the center at 916.774.5934 or 772-4242

"Honor Your Spirit, Protect The Children"
Winter & Christmas 2004 - Request for Donations
http://www.geocities.com/honoryourspirit/home.html

If you wish to make a difference and help children and elders through the harsh winter months in Montana, please take the time to read our request. On behalf of reliable Northern Cheyenne contacts from Lame Deer, we are once again collecting donations for those in need on the Northern Cheyenne reservation.
There is a large need especially for new and good quality used warm items, as well as toys.
List of useful donations :
- warm clothing such as knitted items for children of all ages from babies to teenagers, and for elders - jeans and T-shirts, all sizes - socks, gloves, boots, hats and scarves - blankets - toys for Christmas
Donations should be sent to the following address:
Honor Your Spirit - Protect the Children
% Sue Buck
PO Box 901
Great Falls, MT 59403-0901 (USA)
Please contact suemontana@mcn.net for mailing information other than regular US Mail service. (Also please include your name and address if you would like for us to acknowledge/confirm receipt of your donations.)
The toys will be distributed during the Christmas give away but the warm clothes and blankets will be distributed right away. During Montana winters, the temperature can drop to 30 or 40 degrees below zero so warm winter clothing and blankets can be lifesaving.
Our goal is to help the children, the elders, the single parent families, or families unable to make ends meet due to the high unemployment rate, the difficult conditions and the extreme poverty on the reservation.The children need all the help and encouragement they can get!
Other items that would also be appreciated: grooming supplies like toothpaste, tooth brushes,soaps and shampoos, combs, hair brushes, hair barrettes, rubber bands or other types of hair or pony tail holders. Last but not least : pampers diapers or pull-ups.
Thank you for being a part of this project and supporting it."
Respectfully,
Manuel Redwoman,
Northern Cheyenne/Lakota/Arapaho
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support !

Haidu Language Project
Did you know that before Christopher Columbus arrived in the new world, the "Indians" in North America spoke over 300 indigenous languages? Today, roughly 20 of these languages have speakers of all ages. Unfortunately, the Haida language of Kasaan, Alaska is not among them.
Currently, only seven Kasaan Haidas speak the Kasaan Haida dialect with varying degrees of fluency--all elders over the age of 75. I know this because my dad grew up in Kasaan, 25 miles from my birthplace of Ketchikan, Alaska. We belong to the Haida tribe. This summer, I urged the Kasaan Haida Heritage Foundation (KHHF) to allow me to utilize the foundation's nonprofit status to seek funding and conduct projects that preserve our elders' knowledge.
In September, we created the position of Media Specialist in which I intend to raise money and interview our elders, especially in regards to the Haida language. I will produce, direct, and coordinate a video documentary to raise awareness and archive the language. I plan to make the results available in digital formats on the KHHF website.
If given the chance, I believe people would rally to this cause. We need to get the word out. So, I call on friends like you to get the ball rolling and join "The Grassroots Founders Campaign" Grassroots because the idea is to reach out to many individuals on a personal level; Founders because you will underwrite the beginning of our preservation effort.
Donations received from now until December 31, 2004 will earn the donor a Grassroots Founder designation. I ask for a relatively small gift of 25 to 100 dollars. Donor's names will appear in the KHHF newsletter and donations will be eligible for a tax deduction for this year. Grassroots Founders get special on-screen mention in the documentary.
Please send checks (payable to "KHHF") to:
Kasaan Haida Heritage Foundation
600 University Street, Suite 3010
Seattle, WA 98101-1129
Write in the memo area on your check or include a note designating funds for "Media Specialist/Projects".
Very importantly, SPREAD THE WORD. Please pass this on to 5 to 10 friends, or more. You will multiply your donation exponentially and play a vital role in preserving the Haida language for future generations. We appreciate anything you can do to help us preserve our language and heritage.
Sincerely,
Frederick Olsen, Jr.
For more information, email me or go to
http://kavilco.com/pages/
aboutkhhf.html
KHHF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-0169568).

"what has happened to him is outrageous" Dr. Noam Chomsky, speaking of Kevin Annett, August 7, 2002 Read Kevin's personal story of uncovering Genocide in Canada, and the price he has paid for doing so: Order "Love and Death in the Valley" by Kevin Annett through First Books at: www.1stBooks.com/bookview/11639

---

Alsea

A corruption of Älsé, their own name, meaning unknown. Also called: Kûnis'tûnne, Chastacosta name. Päifan amím, Luckiamute Kalapuya name. Si ni'-te-le tunne, Naltunne name, meaning "flatheads." Tcha yá?o amim, Luckiamute Kalapuya name. Tehayesatlu, Nestucca name. Connections. The Alsea belonged to the Yakonan linguistic stock. Location. On Alsea River and Bay. Villages.Chiink, on the south side of Alsea River. Kakhtshanwaish, on the north side of Alsea River. Kalbusht, on the lower course of Alsea River. Kauhuk, on the south side of Alsea River. Kaukhwan, on the north side of Alsea River at Beaver Creek. Khlimkwaish, on the south side of Alsea River. Khlokhwaiyutslu, on the north side of Alsea River. Kutauwa, on the north side of Alsea River at its mouth. Kwamk, on the south side of Alsea River. Kwulisit, on the south side of Alsea River. Kyamaisu, on the north side of Alsea River at its mouth. Panit, on the south side of Alsea River. Shiuwauk, on the north side of Alsea River. Skhakhwaiyutslu, on the south side of Alsea River. Tachuwit, on the north side of Alsea River. Thlekuhweyuk, on the south side of Alsea River. Thlekushauk, on the south side of Alsea River. Population. Mooney (1928) estimates the number of Indians belonging to the Yakonan stock at 6,000 in 1780. The census of 1910 returned 29 Indians under this name, and that of 1930 only 9 under the entire Yakonan stock. Connection in which they have become noted. Alsea or Alsea River, Alsea Bay and the village of Alsea, Benton County, Oreg., preserve the name of the Alsea Indians.
The Indian Tribes of North America (1910) ~ John R. Swanton
From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories