Friday, March 18, 2005
native
american arts daily news, presented by:
amerindianarts.us
Museums
and Galleries
Long Beach Press-Telegram
- Long Beach,CA,USA
... metalwork, textiles and works
on paper showcasing the arts and crafts ... The museum's
permanent collection includes artifacts of the Native American
tribes of the ...
See all stories on this topic
Community
Calendar
Stoughton Journal -
Needham,MA,USA
... Also featured at fair: vitamins, Native
American, therapists, srafts ... contact Gail Bork at the
American Cancer Society at ... 2003-2004 Arts ASPIRE
exhibit.To July 18 ...
See all stories on this topic
Special
Events
Times Picayune - New Orleans,LA,USA
...
"Spring Into The Arts" Series Smith ... Cannes
Brulee Native American Village Events Cannes Brulee Native
American Village, Louisiana Wildlife Museum, 303 Williams ...
Get
Out Guide
OregonLive.com - Portland,OR,USA
...
indoor exhibit areas that include "By Hand Through Memory,"
a permanent exhibit of Native American artistry by Doris
Swayze Bounds; visual-arts displays; and ...
Get
out there!
Birmingham News -
Birmingham,AL,USA
... Museum and Arts Center,
Sylacauga. Where else can you see, in addition to the permanent art collection,
Sylacauga marble sculptures; native American artifacts ...
Things
to do
Providence Journal (subscription)
- Providence,RI,USA
... & Lowenstein at 2 pm at the
Margaret L. Jackson Arts Center at ... Dighton Intertribal
Indian Council will hold its fourth annual Native American
Snowcrust Powwow ...
Five
Live: Get Out
OregonLive.com
- Portland,OR,USA
2. Native American Club Powwow
Beaverton High School hosts a powwow that includes arts and crafts
exhibits, jackpot dancing, color guard and Native American
...
Openings
this week New exhibit Art event Current exhibits
Barre Montpelier Times Argus - Barre,VT,USA
...
Catamount Arts: Thom Rock, March, "Precarious/Prayer,"
assemblages; Nita Penfold, March ... May 15, the impact of Ledger
drawing on Native American art; Marks of ...
This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google.
From: "apcKaruk"
The Northern California Indian Development Council has a web-based
archive of
traditional images and sounds.
Photo Galleries: Three galleries of stunning photography with
accompanying descriptions,
as well as the NCIDC Staff Photo Gallery and Council Member Photo
Gallery.
The NCIDC Song Gallery contains sound clips that are small segments of
Traditional Karuk
songs. They were recorded by Andre Cramblit, the Operations Director of
NCIDC, a Karuk
Tribal Member.
To find the site go to:
click the galleries link underneath the picture of the traditional Pit
House.
To subscribe to a news letter of interest to Natives send an email to:
IndigenousNewsNetwork-subscribe@topica.com or go to:
http://www.topica.com/lists/
IndigenousNewsNetwork/subscribe/?location=listinfo
From: "ghwelker"
Saving Tribal Tongues
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1995/0301/tribal.html
California's Native Americans Are in a Race Against Time
by Patricia McBroom
Native Americans in California are working against enormous odds to
save their ancestral languages before the last speakers die, a
Berkeley linguist told American scientists Feb. 18 at their annual
meeting in Atlanta.
Progress is being made with an apprenticeship program to teach
indigenous languages to younger members of native groups, but it is a
race against time, said Leanne Hinton, associate professor of
linguistics.
"It's like trying to stitch together the fragile threads of a precious
cloth that is coming apart in your hands," said Hinton of the language
preservation program.
A woman who may have been the last speaker of Northern Pomo, native to
Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California, died in January
in the midst of teaching a younger member of the tribe her language.
She was almost 90. Many other Indian languages in the state have only
one or at most a handful of speakers still alive, all of whom are
older than 60, said Hinton.
Hinton spoke recently in Atlanta at the annual meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science.
The good news is that some languages will be saved, thanks to a
Master-Ap-prentice Language Learning Program run by a Native-American
network with Hinton's help.
Beginning in the summer of 1993, the program has enlisted teachers and
apprentices in 10 languages that are on the verge of extinction. This
represents about a fifth of the 49 native American languages remaining
in California.
The program's aim is to keep a language alive by teaching it to at
least one younger member of the group who is then encouraged to set up
language training for children of that tribe.
In many cases, there is only one master-apprentice pair per tribe--an
elder who is the last speaker and a younger relative who agrees to
work closely with the elder and learn not only the ancestral language,
but the cultural traditions that go with it.
"This is very fragile work," said Hinton. "Oftentimes, the elder whose
language was ignored for years must be convinced that this is a
sincere effort, while the apprentice must dedicate a large portion of
his life to the relationship, putting aside other career and
educational goals."
The model that keeps the California teams going is that in less than
20 years, native Hawaiians have saved their language and culture from
extinction. Now there is a generation of Hawaiian children who really
know their ancestral language, said Hinton.
So far, good progress has been made with Karuk speakers in Humboldt
County. When the program began, there were only 12 Karuk speakers left
in the world, all elderly. Now four young Karuks speak it fluently.
"Even two or three new fluent speakers in a generation can extend the
life of a language by 50 years or more," said Hinton.
Terry Supahan, one of the Karuk apprentices, works with his wife to
teach the language to Karuk children in school, hold summer language
camps and perform ceremonial dances.
Supahan is spending 20 hours a week learning the language from his
elderly blind aunt and according to his own account is keeping one
step ahead of the children.
The move to save these languages was given impetus in 1990 by passage
of the Native American Language Act, which reversed the federal
government's centuries-old drive to obliterate Indian languages and
cultures.
The act gives Native American languages special status and pledges
government help in saving them.
"It was very nearly too late," said Hinton of the legislation. "But
still it is important."
She said that even if many of the languages do not get passed on, the
effort to preserve them will have a positive impact on the self-esteem
of Native American children.
"With previous policies, Indian children formed identities that were
damaged," she said. "They became people who were ashamed of their
heritage.
"Whatever happens to the dream of reconstructing communities of native
speakers, we will at least have the languages documented on tape and
video and we will have kids with strong identities," said Hinton.
Groups in the Master-Apprenticeship program are:
o the Hupa and two Karuk-speaking groups in Humboldt County, Northern
California
o the Washo near Reno, Nevada
o the Yowlumni around Porterville near Fresno, Central California
o the Mohave along the Colorado River, Southern California
o the Chemehuevi, also along the Colorado, Southern California
o the Tubatulabal near Bakersfield, Central California
o the Western Mono in the Sierra foothills east of Fresno
From: Glenn Welker
National Museum of the American Indian
National Powwow
Actual Location MCI Center, 601 F Street NW, Washington D.C. 20004
Event Dates August 12, 13, 14, 2005
Event Hours Fri - 10am to10pm; Sat - 10am to 10pm; Sun - 10am to 8pm
Admission Fee(s) Adult: $12
Senior 65 yrs & older /Child - 4 to 11 years: $10
Special Members Price: $10
Group Rate (25 or more):$10/person
Three day pass: $30
Educational Comp. "Origins and Evolutions of the Powwow" (more
information to follow as this is currently being developed)
Type of Event Contest Powwow
Prize Purse $100,000
*Head Staff*
MC(s) Wallace Coffey (Comanche) OK,
Dale Old Horn (Crow) MT
Jason Goodstriker (Blood) AB
Head Man: Spike Draper (Navajo) NM
Head Lady: Karen Pheasant (Ojibway) ONT, CANADA
Arena Director Randy Frazier (Shawnee & Pottowatamie) OK
Randy Medicine Bear (Rosebud Sioux)
Dance Judge(s) Jim Red Eagle (Lakota & Dakota Sioux) CA
Ralph Haymond (Pawnee & Otoe) OK
Drum Judge(s) Jonathan Windyboy (Plains Cree) MT
Host North. Drum Midnight Express (Chippewa & Sioux) MN
Host South. Drum Yellow Hammer (Ponca) OK
Host Contemp.Drum Bear Creek (Sault St. Marie Chippewa) ONT, CANADA
Invited Drums "All Drums Invited"
*Vendors*
Fees $600 (10'x10' space)
$800 food vendors - TBD (not sure if we will be able to accommodate
food
vendors because of MCI Center restrictions)
*Vendor applications will be ready for distribution within the next
couple of weeks. We will allow ample time, approx. 2 months for vendors
to apply. Justin Giles will be the point of contact for vendors and he
is currently taking names and info and will send application forms when
ready.
*General Contact*
Number 877-830-3224 or 301-238-3023
Email Address nmainationalpowwow@si.edu
Website www.americanindian.si.edu
"For the Children - Our Future" - Running Deer
From: George Lessard -media@web.net
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 15:23:17 -0700 (MST)
From: Government of Nunavut Press Release
IQALUIT, Nunavut (March 1, 2005) ñ Honourable Louis Tapardjuk,
Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is pleased to release
Taimanit: Short stories written about life on the land. The book
features the two winning entries from the 2004 Nunavut Literary
Prize. The publication was a joint effort between the Department and
the Nunavut Literacy Council.
"Taimanit is an important step towards creating new and exciting
literature in Inuktitut," said Minister Tapardjuk. "The Nunavut
Literary Prize is a great initiative, and I am very hopeful that this
publication will lead to the growth of Inuit literature."
The Department launched the Nunavut Literary Prize to encourage the
writing and publishing of new Inuit literature. A $6,000 first prize
and a $4,000 second prize are awarded each year for the best stories.
Morty Alooloo was the first prize winner in the 2004 Nunavut Literary
Prize. She wrote about the changing way of Inuit life and the
importance of traditional advice to strengthen the culture. Paul
Issakiark received the second prize for his story about a father
going out on the land with his son and teaching him traditional
hunting knowledge. The book features a forward by the Commissioner of
Nunavut, Peter Irniq and illustrations by Andrea Noveya Duffy of
Rankin Inlet.
"There is very little published reading material that is written by
Inuit for adult readers of Inuktitut. Stories in print are necessary
for the development of strong reading and writing skills. They play
an important role in the preservation of language and culture," said
Kim Crockatt, Executive Director of the Nunavut Literacy Council.
"The publishing of Taimanit is a great addition to writing by Inuit.
Continuous efforts need to be made to support the writing and
publication of literature, stories and poetry by Inuit authors in
Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun."
Judging of the 2005 Nunavut Literary Prize is currently underway.
Over the coming months, Nunavummiut will be asked to pick the winners
from three finalists. The top three stories will appear in the
northern newspapers and readers will be asked to decide the $6,000
first prize and $4,000 second prize recipients.
For more information, contact:
Penny Rumbolt
Kim Crockatt
From: George Lessard
From: NAJA-Email Alerts
Nominations sought for American Indian Journalism Institute, June 5-24,
2005
Nominations and applications are being accepted for the fifth annual
American Indian Journalism Institute, June 5-24, 2005, a concentrated
three-week academic program at The University of South Dakota. The
nomination deadline is March 31.
An informative 11-minute video and other information are available
online at
http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=17963
To nominate a student, write an e-mail or letter explaining why the
person should be accepted into the institute and how the student can
be contacted. Please include the nominee's mailing address and e-mail
address. Self-nominations also are welcome.
Send nominations to Jack Marsh, executive director, Al Neuharth Media
Center, 555 Dakota St., Vermillion, SD 57069 or via e-mail to
jmarsh@freedomforum.org. Telephone 605/677-6315.
AIJI is a college course sanctioned by the university and funded by
the Freedom Forum's Al Neuharth Media Center. It trains about 25
Native students each year in the fundamentals of print journalism and
is the largest program of its kind in the country. AIJI students
attend classes and lectures and receive hands-on experience in
reporting, writing and photojournalism. The Al Neuharth Media Center,
a newly refurbished state-of-the-art facility where AIJI is held,
also is home to the Native American Journalists Association.
Tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies are free. Those who
successfully complete the program earn four hours of college credit
that can be transferred to another college. They also receive a $500
stipend/scholarship when they re-enroll as full-time college students
in the fall.
About a dozen participants will go directly from AIJI to paid summer
internships at daily newspapers. AIJI graduates also are eligible to
apply to work for www.Reznetnews.org, the country's foremost online
newspaper produced by and for Native students.
AIJI is open exclusively to Native students interested in journalism
who have completed at least one year of college and who intend to
return to school in the fall.
Preference will be given to those applicants interested in journalism
careers and who show the greatest potential to become journalists.
Previous journalism coursework is not required. The program forbids
the use of alcohol, other intoxicants and illegal drugs at any time
from June 5 through June 24, 2005. Violators will be dismissed from
the institute.
From: "ghwelker"
Greetings fellow readers,
I invite you to experience the world as seen from the
eyes of a traditional Navajo boy on the largest Native American
Reservation in the United States. Although I am a member of the
Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma, I was raised from the age of eight years
old in Window Rock, Arizona and consequently married into the Navajo
Nation to a beautiful woman from the Pinon, Arizona area. We have
three children and continue to live near her family as is the way of
the matrilineal people of the Navajo Nation.
As my soul took me through the pathway of life, I went
to school and received my Bachelor's of Science and became a
Registered Nurse; however, my heart belonged to the written word.
The Fourth World is my first fiction novel and I believe you and other
readers will greatly enjoy the special insights that I share about the
Navajo people. I write under the pen-name W. Tussinger. I have
included a print of the front and back covers. The book is published
by Publish America under ISBN # 1-4137-4547-4.
This is, obviously, a promo letter. My interest in
writing is really to enquire how I might work with your fine
organization to our mutual benefit. I'd be open to working closely
with you to let your readers/viewers know of my work. Rather this
entails personal appearances and/or writing articles per your
guidelines.
As a legitimate media representative you are invited
to request a complimentary copy of Fourth World from
support@publishamerica.com.
Thank you very much.
Bill Elliott,
Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand CHICAGO - A translucent, larger-than-life hand with long, tapering
fingers lends an air of mystery to a new exhibit of ancient and
little-known tribal art at the Art Institute of Chicago.
"Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand" is scheduled to be shown at The St. Louis Art Museum from
March 4 to May 30, 2005, and at the Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural History from early July to late September.
Navajo artist Teddy Draper Workshops
Workshop information for 2005
March 15-19, instructor Elmer Yazzie, "cut yucca brush" watercolor technique.
May 16-20, instructor Teddy Draper, Jr., pastel techniques, insights into art, culture, and connecting to nature.
June 7-11, Indian Jewelry Basics (class limited to 4 students).
June 7-11, instructor Teddy Draper, Jr., pastel techniques, insights into art, culture, and connecting to nature.
Web Sites: Literacy in Indigenous Communities by L. David van Broekhuizen, Ph.D. (2000) Essay on the Zuni World View
Cushing also cited an
incidence where he showed a pole that accompanies a theodolite to an old Zuni
man and asked him what he thought the name of it was. In response the old man inquired as to the
use
of the
item. After briefly describing the
implementation of the device the old man provided a rather lengthy
sentence-word that Cushing translated as "heights of the world progressively
measuring stick". The next day Cushing
took the pole to the extreme corner of the pueblo and began "to flourish it
around" until a middle-aged man relented to curiosity and asked what it
was. Cushing then provided the Zuni
name he had learned the day before and the man promptly requested, "Can they
actually tell how far up and down journeying the world is?"
[105].
Indian band seeks to regain its birthright
Wintu Indians
NATIVE VILLAGE
NATIVE VILLAGE YOUTH AND EDUCATION NEWS is a free newsletter which
informs
and celebrates in the education, values, traditions, and
accomplishments of the
Americas' First Peoples. We do not release subscriber or visitor
names to
anyone. Some articles presented in NATIVE VILLAGE news and at our
NATIVE VILLAGE
website may contain copyrighted material. We have received appropriate
permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is
distributed
without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an
interest. This is
in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. Coyote and the Creation - Apache
"I am going away again." said Coyote.
"Why are you going to tire yourself out? Just now you were very tired.
You
no sooner come in and sit down on the ground at home than you dash out
again. Now I've become tired of you. You are continually leaving us in
an
empty camp. We too would like to see other places. Take us with you
over
there." said Coyote's wife to him.
Coyote said to her: "How are you to do that? I want you to go over
there
with me. [But] the children are small. The place to which I am going is
far
away. There are many broad rivers on [the road]. There are many big
canyons.
And the mountains also are very high. There are many steep cliffs. And
there
are also dense forests.
"You see, some of those children of mine are small. Some of them cannot
swim. There is much that frightens them. They soon become tired.
"I know about all sorts of places. Therefore, I will get all sorts of
things
from people of many kinds. I am learning as I travel about. Therefore,
do
not follow me over there. Let me go about by myself. Do not speak of
this to
me again.
"Good things are said about the Frog people. Because of that, I shall
go to
them. I shall bring back something for you."
"My father, [said Coyote's son] I like it right here. So, you go on. I
will
take care of everything: water, wood, and all. Therefore, my mother, do
not
speak [further] to him. Let him start out over there. He will bring
back
something for us."
Coyote's wife spoke thus to him: "All right, go ahead. [But] do not
imitate
anyone again. Though I do not do it, I am ashamed at your failures."
"Very well, I shall not do so again. When I have been to these people,
then
I shall not go anywhere from you again. We will return to our own
people. I
do not know where the camp is but someone somewhere will tell us about
it.
Later, when I return, I will tell you the story. Therefore, all of you
embrace me well. Then I'll leave you."
Then they embraced one another. And he started to leave them. He waved
his
hand to them. They also waved their hands to him. Then he got to the
road.
As soon as he had gone nearly out of sight, he looked back. And his
wife and
children were still standing in the doorway. They were still watching
him
from there. He had waved his hand to them once more. Then they also
waved
their hands toward him again. He turned around and his head disappeared
out
of sight.
From there he went on. A little way down the road a Bird flew across in
front of him. He looked over that way. There, on a tree, [Bird] was
sitting.
"Coyote." he said to him, "Where are you going?" said the Bird to him.
"Where is the camp of the Frog People?"
"Go right on in that direction." [the Bird] said to him.
"Thank you." said Coyote to him.
From there he went on farther. He walked along looking at the ground.
In a
little while someone spoke. [Coyote] raised his head. He stopped right
there. He looked everywhere. Someone spoke to him again. Then he saw
him. It
was another Bird.
"Coyote, where are you going?" he said to him.
"Over yonder." he said, "I am going to the Frog People." he said to
him.
Without speaking to each other again, they parted. [Coyote] went on,
turning
his head in all directions. Further on over there, someone was moving
about
doing something. He was digging at the foot of a stump standing there.
He
was picking up small objects and putting them in his mouth.
Coyote stopped before him. Coyote said to him: "What are you doing?"
"Huh?" he said to him. He raised his head. "Where are you from?" he
said to
him.
"From right here." said Coyote.
"I [am one of] those who are called Rump people1. And they [also] call
me
Bear. That's who I am. I know you, Coyote."
"Tell me exactly where the camp of the Frog people is."
"On the farther side of the fourth ridge from the edge of the
mountains,
there are four little mountains. At the edge of the farthest [little
mountain] are four cliffs. Under them and on the east side of them,
there
are four lakes. On the east side of the uppermost lake, four rivers
flow
into it. On the [river] bank farthest away lie four clumps of tule. On
the
east side of the uppermost [clump] lies a black stone. And, sitting on
it,
is the Frog chief."
"Friend, I am grateful to you. Thank you many many times." he said as
he
stood before him. [Bear] stood up facing him. They embraced each other.
They
held each other tightly. They released each other. And then [Coyote]
left
him.
From there he went on farther. He came to the first ridge. From there
he
looked ahead. There was another ridge. He went toward it also. He got
there
too. Beyond it also was still another ridge. He also reached that one.
He
went to the top of it also. He looked over yonder again. Just one more
ridge
remained. He went toward it. He walked fast. Sometimes he ran.
Sometimes
also he trotted. Then, at last, he got to it. He climbed to the top of
it.
"Coyote!" said someone. [Coyote] heard him. Coyote sat down on the
ground.
Someone was coming toward him. Someone came to him.
"Where are you going?" he said to him.
"Ho! Where are you going! I'm going over there. What do you want?" he
said
to him. It was Mountain Lion man. "Hurry, I said. I cannot talk to you
long."
Then the two stood before each other. They embraced each other.
"You will tell me a story later." said Coyote to him. He [then] went
away
from him. He went on farther.
"Earth! Now, for some reason, that which lies upon your surface, those
who
live upon your surface, [and] those animate beings who exist upon your
surface, none of them disappearing, will all be transformed in a place
similar to this one which he will make somewhere. The people to whom I
am
going, on the very day that I come to them, will become like those in
that
place. Then, when they have spoken to me and I have spoken to them,
from
that moment on, they, their words and their bodies by means of which
they
customarily move about on the surface of the earth, will change. I will
not
have heard them."2
From there he kept on along the road. He came to the first of the four
small
mountains, Soon after to the next, and soon after again to the third.
Finally he came also to the last remaining one.
He stood on the east side of it. He heard words in a voice from
somewhere3.
It spoke thus to him: "Go on to the east side of the fourth lake." it
said
to him at the first lake.
Then he went on. He came also to the next lake. "Go on to the east."
[the
voice] said to him.
From there he went on again to the next lake. [The voice] spoke thus to
him
again. "Go on to the east." it said to him.
From there he went on further. "Now you are standing on the south
side." it
said to him4. He went around to the west, the north, and [finally] to
the
east side.
There four streams came together and flowed into the lake at that
place. He
went to the fourth of the four streams that flowed into the lake. At
the
edge of the stream, in a wide place, there were four clumps of tule.
The
Frog chief was sitting on a black rock which lay on the east side of
the
clump [of tule] which lay on the edge of the [river] bank.
[Coyote] stopped before him. Then the Frog chief was transformed
exactly as
[Coyote] had said he would be transformed. Right at that moment he
became an
ordinary frog. [Coyote] was unable to talk to him at all. And therefore
he
did not talk to him. [The frog] jumped away from him into the water.
So that one was the first of all living creatures to be transformed.
From
this time on, everyone that [Coyote] looks at, whoever it is, will be
changed in this way. He walked about sadly. He looked at the water. He
also
tried in vain to speak.
"Tule, spike rush, sedge, slender tule, carrizo, watercress, white
violet,
asphodel, side oats grama [var.], blue-eyed grass, [and] everything,
though
it does not [now] exist, of whatever sort that grows in the water will
be
created." [the voice] said to Coyote. [The voice] made him think only
of
these things.5
From here [Coyote] went on.
"And right now all the varieties of grass on the earth's surface: grama
grass, falseflax, big blue-stem grass, buffalo grass, corn grass, wild
violet, salt grass, black grama grass, red columbine, wild barley, side
oats
grama [var.], red top grass, rye grass, candy grass, side oats grama
[var.],
big blue-stem grass, and blue grass.
Whether or not I've been heard to name all the varieties, let all of
the
other kinds come with [those I have named] also." All of them were
created.
Then [the voice] spoke thus to him again: "Go on again." [Coyote] had
heard
only that. He looked around. Then he started with the trees. He had
started
to say:
"Creosote bush."
He became speechless. He looked around. Now: "Mesquite, shad scale,
tree
[sp.], screw bean, [and] all other varieties."
"Then the thorny plants also: ocotillo, cholla, nipple cactus. All
varieties
of thorny roses: hedge-hog cactus, prickly pear cactus, strawberry
cactus."
"Now all varieties of yucca: yucca, white yucca, long yucca, round
yucca6.
"Now, on to all varieties of trees: live oak, acorn oak, cottonwood,
willow,
willow which becomes white all around7, desert willow, willow which
becomes
red all around7, willow which becomes yellow all around7, big willow7,
willow on which the leaves lie above one another7, heart leafed willow,
salix exigua."
"All kinds of people, all people, will repeatedly make use of you in
some
good way." [the voice] said to Coyote8.
Then [Coyote] looked about everywhere. Whatever he thought of became
so.
"Let green hills extend upward everywhere." he, thinking, thought so.
Beautiful hills with all sorts of green plants growing on them came
into
existence. Big mountains also arose everywhere. It became green
everywhere
there. Mountain ranges came into existence. Small ridges came into
existence. Some ridges were far away, others were near, and mountains
could
he seen wherever one looked.
There were many plains everywhere. There were small clearings. There
were
broad plains. Some were broad valleys. Some were just like canyons.
There were many springs also. Some of these flowed far away. In them,
frogs,
turtle, [and] fish of all kinds, little ones [and] big ones of all
colors,
swam about. So all these varieties of life in the water came into
being.
"People of all sorts will make use of you in any way they see fit."
[The
voice] had spoken thus to him9. He had heard it.
He thought also about all kinds of snakes. "Now then: bullsnake,
rattlesnake, black water-snake, copperhead snake, whip snake, blue
racer,
the snake that is whipped, the red-bodied snake, the blue snake, the
red
snake10. All kinds that do not [now] exist, you will be created also."
Coyote, thinking, thought so about them.
"Now all the varieties of lizard: slender lizard, long lizard,
big-headed
lizard, lizard [var.], lizard [var.], spotted lizard, rough lizard,
lizard
[var.], fast-running lizard, blue-throated lizard, fierce lizard,
hiding
lizard, black lizard, forked-tail lizard, lizard [var.], lizard that
lies on
trees11. Any that I have missed will also be created." he thought.
"Now then, all varieties of rodent: Big-eared mouse, harvest mouse,
jumping
mouse, shrew, white-footed mouse, short-tailed meadow mouse, gopher,
rat,
big-eyed rat, bulging-eyed rat, long-tailed rat, hairy field mouse,
chipmunk, tree squirrel, rock squirrel, prairie dog, big prairie dog,
ground
squirrel, yellow ground squirrel, big spotted ground squirrel, black
ground
squirrel, [and] all other kinds. Any that I have forgotten, you will
also be
created.
"And now all kinds of antelope and deer: Antelope, deer, white-tailed
deer,
Virginia deer, elk, mountain sheep, [and] all other kinds. Any that I
have
forgotten will also come with them." Coyote thought.
"And now the various bears: Black bear, brown bear, white bear,
California
bear, silver tip bear, and all other kinds. Any that I have missed will
also
come with them.
"And now the varieties of mountain lion: Short-tailed mountain lion,
long-tailed mountain lion, wild cat, jaguar, spotted wild cat, ocelot,
lynx,
[and] all other kinds. Any that I have missed, you will also be
created.
"All the varieties of badger: Big badger, silver badger, coarse-haired
badger, skunk, civet cat, [and] all others. Any that I have missed, you
will
also be created." Coyote thought.
"And now all the varieties of those with feathers, the varieties of
hawk
that kill: Eagle, bald eagle, female golden eagle, male golden eagle,
black
hawk, red-tailed hawk, Winston's hawk, marsh hawk, osprey, sharpskin
hawk,
and all other kinds." Coyote, thinking, thought so.
"All the varieties of little birds: Wax wing, titmouse, pine siskin,
goldfinch, canary, red-crowned kinglet, winter wren, nuthatch,
white-breasted creeper, white-breasted nuthatch, woodpecker, Lewis
woodpecker, California woodpecker, Rocky Mountain hairy woodpecker,
flicker,
kingbird, [and] all other kinds. Any that I have missed, you will also
be
created." Coyote thought.
[Coyote] has now come to the various ravens, who are those of the class
of
carrion-eaters that fly. He has started with the ravens. "Raven,
white-necked raven, crows, buzzard, [and] all other kinds. Any that I
have
missed will also be created." he thought. "And those who do not exist
will
also come by means of him." Coyote thought.
"Now [come] those who have cloven hoofs [and] those whose feet are
bunched.
Both these groups are of the carrion-eaters. I shall not miss any of
them
because you will tell me of all of them. My thoughts, which have not
stopped
four times by means of him, will be created12. Mountain pig, peccary,
common
pig. Those with bunched feet, the wolves. The little ones who run about
with
their feet turned wrong side out, all the varieties of dog.
"Now I have become very tired. He has made me in the form of a man.
Therefore, I shall make my body small. [So will change] my ears, my
nose, my
eyes, my body hair, [and] my teeth: My legs will be four, My tail will
be
bushy, I shall howl and bark, My feet will be bunched, and I shall
close up
my arms and my hands. Coyote is no more.13 Now I will return as coyote
the
animal [to] my wife [and] my children. Wherever I go, wherever I live,
I
will sleep well everywhere. Only all varieties of meat will be my food
and I
will drink only water. I will howl."
"Now you have given yourself the name 'Coyote'. You will like it that
way.
Because I think [so], I shall give you those portions that you have not
created."
"Who are you who move me about the places I have not created? Yours is
a
voice that I constantly hear. Who is this person who is speaking to me
again? Now, come before me!"
From inside a cloud there was a roar of thunder. A rainbow had come
down on
both sides from inside the cloud. He who was its power came down. The
whole
earth began to shake. The winds, breezes, and sands began to move.
"Perhaps
you will also create still more that I shall give to you."
Then the cloud moved down to the surface of the earth before him. The
earth
roared. It shook. The cloud moved upward.
The being who had just come, he of whom one could certainly not say
that he
was an evil man, had come down. He stood facing [Coyote].
"Now, since you do not want to be human, now you may go away. Humankind
will
do to you whatever they will. They will give you troubles that do not
exist
for human beings."
At this point, Coyote trotted away. There stood Child of the Water.
Everything had stopped its motion. Nothing made a noise.
Then he looked about him everywhere. "It seems that much is lacking.
All
that is lacking, you will be created.
"All varieties of plant will clothe earth. Even all of the mountains
will be
created. Great tall trees giving good shade with their leaves will be
created. And so [will] those that move and live and fly about on the
surface
of the earth.
"The voices of all sorts of birds that do not [now] exist will be heard
singing and making a noise. All trees that grow, all sorts of fruits,
[and]
all other things of this kind by means of which people sustain life
[will be
created]. [So will] arrows, spears, stone clubs, stone knives, metates,
[and] tanned skins.
"People made in my image will follow me. My father who lives up above14
has
made it so for you; He has given what is lacking to me to create. I am
one
who lives by means of all that is beautiful. They are not to speak evil
of
me even to themselves, Even in any of the thoughts they are thinking.
They
will behave in this way. Now, you who are human, I have given you that
by
means of which you live And [that which] you will make beautiful
anywhere.
"Now I will cool the earth's surface. Clouds will be created. There
will be
lightning, thunder will roar, water will rain down. Let it come!" said
Child
of the Water. Everything happened just so.
"Then, after this, there will be red flowering plants of all sorts
[and]
white flowering plants of all sorts everywhere. There will be trees,
vines,
trailing vines all covered with flowers, some red, some white, some
yellow,
some blue, [and] some pink; they will be beautiful and sweet smelling.
After
this, there will be fruits of all different sorts, trees, [and] plants,
all
similarly [colored]. Even the mountains: Let pines, firs, junipers,
[and]
pinon trees be everywhere on the mountains. Even from these trees will
humankind secure their food. They will prepare it in any way that is
good.
And all sorts of fruits will be on [the trees]. They will know which of
these are good for them.
"Now the rivers will flow. In the mountains, there will be much life.
The
varieties of quail will furnish all sorts of food for them in the
mountains.
And there will be many kinds of deer for them. There will be no lack of
sustenance for them; there will be much for them. I will make it so for
them.
"Even clouds will start to move. There will be rain everywhere.
Thunder,
lightning, The rainbow stretched downward, All will exist made of
goodness.
"Even the varieties of cactus will have much fruit of many different
kinds.
Nothing will be lacking. Their food will be anything that they can
think of.
"Now, my father, look at all I have made for you to give to humankind.
Now,
tell me of anything of any kind that is lacking."
"Yes, it is all good. I like it all. You already know what is lacking."
said
[his father] to him.
"Yes, now I know it. Since disease will be among them, make something
that
will cure it that they can prepare. I ask my mother for this." said
Child of
the Water
White Painted Woman came to him. "You will make for them all sorts of
herbs,
all of which will cure [diseases]15. Some they will boil, some they
will
chew, some they will paint on, some they will customarily burn for
their
smoke, some they will drink, [and] they will breathe the vapors of
some.
There will be names for these things. They will be called medicines.
They
will make them for whatever purpose they want. These medicinal herbs
will be
called 'medicines which are holy'.
"Herb medicine, if they breathe you four times, they will be cured by
your
power16.
"Another one, a medicine-that-lives, you will be a medicine that never
fails. Son, I have made your name good.
"Now, here is the medicine-that-moves-for-you. They will mark you with
pollen. They will do so to you in that way. You will cure them.
"'Yellow medicine', you will be called. You alone, when they have
thrown
pollen at you four times, will cure them.
"Now, from here on, there are all sorts of medicines, my grandson.
You-who-are-with-medicine, they will pound you with a hail club17. They
will
do so to you because it is good. Then black medicine, you will cure
anything. You also, medicine-without-end. Red columbine, since some [of
you]
is their food, they will make you anyhow.
"Now you also, face medicine, you will cure everything. Therefore, when
they
have dug you up, do not say that they have prepared you incorrectly.
You
will exist only for good18.
"Now you also, red medicine19, you will cure everything. Whenever my
power
comes by means of your power, you will be called a medicine. Whatever
they
do to you, if they pound you with a metate and mano, even if they grind
you,
you will in any case be a medicine for humankind.
"Now, another one that exists everywhere is the wild cosmos. You also
will
be good every where. When they have put you down four times with
pollen20,
you will not fail to cure anything.
"Now then, gray medicine, you will cure everything.
"Now, that-redness-which-customarily-emerges-with-medicine, because you
customarily grow, they have made you [a medicine]. Therefore, you will
be
good everywhere.
"Turquoise, if you do not cause trouble, you will not do anything in
vain
anywhere. Therefore, I have made you a medicine. They will call you 'a
group
is moving through rock.' Therefore, you will not be indifferent to
anyone.
That is why I have made you a medicine.
"Yellow stone medicine, you too, if people carry you about, there will
be no
sickness for them. If they swallow you four times with pollen, you will
make
them well again. For that reason, I have made you a medicine.
"Black stone medicine, since you will not do anything in vain, I have
made
you a medicine.
"Now, all of you that I will make medicines, you will customarily grow
everywhere. You will be good with anything that they mix you with.
Iron,
black stone, blue stone, yellow stone, galena, red clay, yellow ochre,
turquoise, any kind of pollen. White clay, ashes, charcoal21, [with]
these,
you that I have named will be good to man everywhere.
"Now, from here on, not only the good herbs will be used for sustenance
nor
will only the good trees be used for sustenance. Everything of any sort
will
sustain life. Therefore, all of you different plants will both be
medicines
and foods.
"Spurge, they will boil your leaves and seeds for food. Lamb's
quarters,
your leaves, [and] seeds will be peoples' food.
"Since all kinds of medicines and plants are good for everything, then
you
will be good in every way. By means of you medicines, life will be
sustained.
"Sunflower, western skunk cabbage, fleabane, [and] blue weld are all
good.
Any that are not good do not exist for us. I have made you medicines
only in
order to cure mankind.
.102) "Living medicine, sunflower, osha, western skunk cabbage, dock,
puccoon, fleabane, cloak fern, sumac, sage, prairie dogs' food,
solanium
tripolium, primrose, bitterroot, Jacob's ladder, eriogonium, eriogonium
jamesii, cinquefoil, Mormon tea, coneflower, spectacle pod, perezia
nana,
sage, cudwood, wormwood, wild pumpkin, chokecherry, wild plum,
algerita,
wild rose. Now all of you that I have named, be good to everyone who
lives
on the earth, Indians [and] white men.
. "Now, there will also be no lack of the different insects with man.
You
will live with all Indians and white men. You will like them, and
belong to
them.
. "All varieties of cattle, all varieties of horses, all that live in
the
mountains, those that are bears, mountain lions, mountain sheep, elks,
buffaloes, antelopes. All that I have named, you will be good to all
kinds
of Indians and white men on the surface of the earth. I have created
you
because they want to use you in some way.
"Now then, all of you who fly over the surface of the earth will be of
value
to humankind and I have made you so that all of your skins and flesh is
of
value to Indians [and] white men.
. "And also, the skin, flesh, and anything else of all of you who live
in
the water will be of value to Indians and white men. That is why I have
made
you.
. "Now then, there is nothing more of value to me that I can set down
on the
surface the earth for you. You are my people, my children. I am right
here.
Think about me. I have done everything for you.
"Now I shall put you all together. Even if you speak in many different
ways,
I shall do so for you. Thereby, I have given you a chance22. You will
do
whatever you like with your minds. In spite of that, there will be
difficulties everywhere. I have made witches and disease to live among
you20.
. "I shall be with you in a little while. For this reason, my father
and my
mother went home long ago. Now I also have started to follow them home.
I am
he who you call Child of the Water24. And I also speak. I have told all
of
this.
. "Therefore, my children, my sisters, my brothers, my uncles, [and]
all
those who are variously related to me: All of you will keep watch for
me
everywhere. Somewhere, some day, I shall come to you again25. Since
that by
means of which you live is of goodness, you will be so26."
Ethnological Notes
Morris Opler
1 There are a number of circumlocutory phrases to indicate that one is
speaking of a bear, for bear is an animal from which the Apache
believes a
painful disease may be contracted. To utter the regular word for bear
is to
run the risk of seeing the bear shortly afterwards and of catching the
sickness. The informant from whom these texts were taken is generally
reputed to have some supernatural power from bear. At least he is one
of the
few Apache on the reservation who will hunt or touch bear. It is for
this
reason, perhaps, that he actually used the word for bear in the next
line.
2 At this point the culture hero, Child of the Water, takes possession
of
the body and mind of Coyote and talks and works through him. The
substance
of these lines is that the things of the earth are to change. When
Coyote
approaches and speaks to the animals [who have to this point spoken one
universal language and displayed human qualities] they will assume the
form
and habits which they retain to this day.
3 The voice turns out to be that of Child of the Water.
4 The voice of Child of the Water is telling Coyote that he has reached
the
south side of the farther lake.
5 In this phase of creation Coyote is merely the instrument. The power
which
is working through him is that of Child of the Water. The voice or
power, by
repeating these names to Coyote, causes him to think about them and, in
that
way, to create them.
6 These varieties are not named in . The terms given are literal
translations of the Mescalero Apache words.
7 These are literal translations of the Mescalero Apache terms.
8 The voice is addressing the plants just created through the medium of
Coyote as explained in ethnological note 5 to this text above.
9 Again the voice is addressing the beings just created through the
medium
of Coyote.
10 The last four names are literal translations of the Mescalero Apache
terms.
11 All of these names except "lizard [var.]" are literal translations
of the
Mescalero Apache terms. When such a translation is not possible.
"lizard
[var.]" has been used.
12 The significance of this passage is not clear.
13 Here Coyote is forced to change his own appearance and condition
just as
he has transformed other plants and animals.
14 This reference to a heavenly father is probably the result of
Christian
influence. The older Apache refer to the source of their personal
supernatural power by a word that can be roughly translated Giver of
Life.
Now this word and another of Spanish derivation sometimes are used in a
vague way to allude to a creator. It is probably to this creator that
Child
of the Water addresses the sentence. I am satisfied that the conception
is a
recent one. Child of the Water is here asserting that the task of
creation
has been delegated to him by one in the sky. In the story of his birth,
Child of Water's mother is given as White Painted Woman, and, as his
name
indicates, his father is the water.
15 The lines which follow give an inventory of many of the ways in
which
herbs are used by the Mescalero to cure and the ceremonial gestures and
practises which accompany such use.
16 White Painted Woman is addressing the medicines.
17 The "hail club" was a type of war club in which a rock with many
protruberances was used as the head. Great importance is laid on the
proper
handling of plants to be used as medicine, even to the detail of the
type of
rock for crushing them.
18 When the roots of a plant only are to be used for medicine or
ceremony,
the top parts are supposed to be replaced in the ground. "Face
medicine" is
one of the plants which are supposed to be so handled. White Painted
Woman
is here asking the plant not to take revenge on those who disobey this
injunction from carelessness or ignorance.
19 This maybe the tiger water lily. It will be noted that the Mescalero
terms for which no word is correspondent have been translated
literally. See
ethnological note 8 above.
20 The informant explained that this phrase means: "When they have
drunk you
four times mixed with pollen."
21 This is a fairly complete summary of the rocks and mineral
substances
sacred to the Mescalero.
22 Meaning a chance to live together peaceably?
23 The informant later told me that at this point he should have
inserted an
account of the giving of the Girl's Puberty rite to the Mescalero by
White
Painted Woman. According to him the rite was granted to counteract
partially
the disease and misfortune that were in store for mankind.
24 Apparently somewhere in the preceding lines, White Painted Woman
completed her remarks and Child of the Water began to talk. There is,
however, no indication in the text of where this took place.
25 It is said by the Mescalero that Child of the Water will return to
them
some day. Since Child of the Water has been freely equated with Christ
in
recent years, it is quite possible that this is due to Christian
influence
and is the Apache version of the second coming of Christ.
26 The informant later told me that he should have followed this last
line
with an account of the dispersion of human beings over the earth and
their
division into peoples and tribes. This additional information was given
to
me in ."
The Mescalero Texts
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Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache Texts,1938, Harry Hoijer, principal
author.
Ethnological Notes by Morris Opler.
Told by Charles Smith
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