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From: "ghwelker"
Contact: George Hardeen, Communications Director
President calls the term ˜Indian' a misnomer from the past
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., told
conference participants in Phoenix last week that he is not an Indian
and has never been one.
I don't consider myself an Indian, the President told about 100
participants attending the National Urban Indian Family Coalition
summit at the Heard Museum Feb. 3. I don't believe I've ever been an
Indian.
The President said his sentiments were personal but that he would like
to see Native people nationwide adjust their perception of themselves
and identify more closely with their own tribal affiliation or clan
rather than an inaccurate, historical label.
It's a personal thing, of course, President Shirley told the group.
I've never considered myself an Indian. I try to talk to my young ones
back home and tell them the truth of the matter is that we are not
Indians. As far as we're concerned, we're Dine' people, Navajo people.
The President said it was a disoriented foreigner to North America who
labeled the first native people he came upon as Indians because that
is whom he was seeking.
He got lost or his telescope didn't work or he lost his map, the
President said, referring to Christopher Columbus. And the first
natives that he saw he thought were Indians.
But this is where Dine' people lived, the five-fingered, intelligent
Earth-dwelling Dine' people, President Shirley continued. We weren't
calling ourselves Indians. We never have.
The President also said he rejected the term reservation for Native
lands because it denotes something akin to a wildlife preserve rather
than a people's homeland. While the historical record indicates that
Indian reservations are land that Native people reserved for their
exclusive use, in most instances they were given little choice by the
Federal government, the President said.
When the foreigner came across, he saw us in our breechcloths and our
moccasins and said, ˜These people are savages, barbaric, uncivilized,
lower than the four-legged beasts,' President Shirley said. ˜So let's
drive them off this land here and have all this timber and all this
water. There's probably gold, silver ore and uranium. Let's give them
this piece of ground over there in the desert because they're
wildlife.'
But President Shirley said the people ultimately prevailed, despite
historical atrocities, and this is what Dine' and other Native
children should be told today.
I don't want to refer to myself as wildlife or as an Indian because
those are not truths, the President said. They tried to drive us off
of our land back then and they weren't successful. The land that
Navajo people lived on has always been Dine' land, it's always been
Navajoland. We were put there by the deities, and we're still there
today.
The President said the closest he can get to using the foreigner's
language to describe himself is as a Native person or Native American.
One of the things we need to do is make appearances before state
governments, county governments, Congress, and, in my own way, go
about re-educating some of my people, especially my young, relative to
being a Native person.
From: NativeVillage500@aol.com
From: "ghwelker"
Dear Friendsr,
I am looking for any historic information concerning an eighteenth
century beaded sash of the Choctaw/Muskogean tribe. The sash is
thought to be a possession of the Chief, Priest, or Medicine-man of
the tribe. The sash is worn about the neck and shoulders, is about
three to five feet in length, and is adorned with an articulated
beaded symbol akin to the formal shape of a violin instrument sound
hole. The formality of the symbol em-beaded on the sash is viewed as
expressing connective "branches" with reciprocating volutes or
scrolling articulated at opposite ends of the symbol - similar to the
violin hole articulation. The "branches" of the sash symbol, however,
are defined in a linear (straight) fashion, as in the straightness of
a ruler's edge.
The violin articulation appears in the fourteenth century Europe, and
is traceable to earlier eastern periods. The pre-American Mayan/Aztec
cultures exhibit similar traits of articulation, and could have easily
been conveyed through ancient migration.
I would be most interested in knowing if the Choctaw sash symbolism
is a pre-American cultural origination, or expressing of a later
European influence.
Can you reflect or direct me with regards to the sash example, or
symbolism articulated thereon?
Sincerely,
Edward Pascoe; AAS
109 Union Ave SE - Renton, WA 98059
From: "ghwelker"
Training at Museum of Civilization
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Canadian Museum of Civilization Aboriginal Training Programme in
Museum Practices
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2005
Gatineau, Quebec, February 14, 2005 - The Canadian Museum of
Civilization is now accepting applications for its Aboriginal Training
Programme in Museum Practices (ATPMP). This eight-month programme
offers vocational and technical training in museum practices to
Aboriginal workers and students from across Canada. The deadline for
applications is March 15, 2005.
All training is under the supervision of the Museum's professional
staff in a variety of fields, including conservation, archaeology,
documentation of artifacts, archives, collections, ethnology, history
and administration. In return, the interns share their knowledge with
Museum personnel and play an important role in maintaining
communication between their communities and the CMCC. Training is
available in both official languages. This is the twelfth consecutive
year for the Aboriginal Training Programme in Museum Practices. The
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC) established the
ATPMP in September 1993 in response to recommendations contained in
the 1992 Task Force Report on Museums and First Peoples.
Since its inception, the CMCC Training Programme has enabled 60
Aboriginal trainees to further upgrade their knowledge of museum
practices, including the current group. To learn more about the
programme, please contact Jolene Saulis at (819) 776-8270; by e-mail
jolene.saulis@civilization.ca ; or consult the Web at
http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/at/attoceng.html
Media Information: Chief, Media Relations Canadian Museum of
Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7167
Media Relations Officer Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7169
Fax: (819) 776-7187
Native Village
Youth and Education News
<<<>>>NATIVE VILLAGE<<<>>>
<<<>>>NATIVE VILLAGE<<<>>>
"I could not turn back the time for the political change, but there is
still
time to save our heritage. You must remember never to cease to act
because you
fear you may fail." Queen Lili'uokalani, Native Hawaiian
<<<>>> VOLUME 1 HIGHLIGHTS<<<>>>
DOCUMENTING GENOCIDE
MUSIC FOR THE ELDERS
TRIBE SUES TO PRESERVE ORPHAN CEMETERY
MEXICAN DRUG GANGS FORCE INDIANS TO DROP TRADITION
U.S. SNUBBED OVER INDIAN RIGHTS ISSUE
LAST FEW WHULSHOOTSEED SPEAKERS SPREAD THE WORD
<<<>>><<<>>>VOLUME 2 HIGHLIGHTS<<<>>><<<>>>
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WOULD CUT YOUTH PROGRAMS
STUDENTS PROTEST BARBED WIRE SET UP AROUND INDIAN SCHOOL
VIRGINIA TO REVISE HISTORY CURRICULUM
HASKELL NOT ALONE WITH BUDGET SHORTFALL FRUSTRATIONS
GRAND RONDE WOODSMAN WORKS ON LONGHOUSES AND MASTER'S DEGREE
LINGUIST, POET, PROFESSOR ENCOURAGES STUDENTS
<<<>>><<<>>>VOLUME 3 HIGHLIGHTS<<<>>><<<>>>
CONGRESSMAN LAUNCHES BID FOR HOLIDAY HONORING NATIVE AMERICANS
INSIDIOUS SUBSTANCE MAKING PERMANENT MARK ON INDIAN CHILDREN
ELDERS' BENEFIT STRAINS YUKON LAND CLAIMS FUNDS
BOX ELDER KIDS ARE WORKING OUT
NATIVE AMERICANS BACK FROM IRAQ DECRY CUTBACK
STUDY SAYS POLLUTION MAY AFFECT BABIES' GENES
<<<>>><<<>>>VOLUME 4 HIGHLIGHTS<<<>>><<<>>>
AMAZON HOLDS KEY TO FUTURE OF EARTH'S CLIMATE
KANSAS LENDS NAME TO EXTINCT SEA LIZARD
MARSUPIAL MANURE HELPS AUSSIES MAKE PAPER
CATAWBA TRIBE STRIVES TO SAVE ITS TRADITION OF MAKING POTTERY
GOLF PRO LOOKING TO RECRUIT NATIVE YOUTH
FILM ROW OVER PIRATES "CANNIBALS"
<<<>>><<<>>>NEW<<<>>><<<>>>
2004 NAMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS
LET GOODNESS TAKE ITS PLACE
MARLON BRANDO'S UNFINISHED OSCAR SPEECH
NATIVE AMERICAN MASCOT POWER POINT PRESENTATION
PASSING OF GRANDFATHER GERRY
<<<>>><<<>>>SPECIAL FEATURES<<<>>><<<>>>
TSUNAMI DISASTER RELIEF
<<<>>><<<>>>NATIVE VILLAGE<<<>>><<<>>>
To read these and other news briefs in their entirety, please visit our
website:
NATIVE VILLAGE
<<<>>><<<>>>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.
© Gina Boltz
Member: Native American Journalists Association
All Rights Reserved.
NATIVE VILLAGE
From: "ghwelker"
Dear Members of the Native American Community:
Please be advised that House Bill 179 relating to artifacts recovered
from Native American burial sites, has been assigned to the House
Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. Write or fax your letter
of support and request the scheduling for public hearings to the
following House Representative;
House Representative Harvey Hilderbran
Chairman, House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, Texas 78768
PHONE: (512) 463-0536
FAX: (512) 463-1449
Thank you for your coiuntinued support and help in this matter. You can
also contact the governors office at the following
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/contact_email.htm
TOLL FREE: 1 (800) 252-9600
FAX: (512) 463-1849
This is open to all; ask everyone you know, including your friends,
community leaders, community organizations, school, newspaper, radio,
political groups, church, or any other Native American groups. Again,
the Native American community awaits for the best of our intentions.
Peace,
Daniel Castro Romero, Jr., M.A., M. S. W.
General Council Chairman
Lipan Apache Band of Texas, Inc.
H.B. No. 179
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to artifacts recovered from
Native
American burial sites. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 191, Natural Resources Code, is
amended by adding Section 191.099 to read as follows: Sec. 191.099.
CATALOGUE OF ARTIFACTS FROM BURIAL SITES; RULES. (a) The committee
shall
catalogue any artifacts and related cultural items recovered from
prehistoric and historical American Indian or aboriginal burial sites
in
this state. (b) The committee may adopt rules to implement this
section.
SECTION 2. Not later than March 1, 2006, the Texas Historical
Commission
shall develop a system necessary to catalogue artifacts and related
cultural items under Section 191.099, Natural Resources Code, as added
by this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it
receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act
does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act
takes
From: "ghwelker"
Presention by Dr. Tom Porter, sponsored by Lotus Music and Dance
featuring the native traditional Areitos of the Iroquois Confederation
of the Northeastern USA and Canadian frontier.
From: George Lessard
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0816522782/104-4144017-1587941?v=glance&st=*
Palmer, Gus, Jr. Telling Stories the Kiowa Way. Tucson: University
of Arizona Press, 2003. 170 pp. ISBN 0816522782, $17.95.
Reviewed for the Anthropology & Education Quarterly by
David Samuels
University of Massachusetts
© 2004 American Anthropological Association. This review will appear
on the web site
The Anthropology & Education Quarterly publishes reviews of current
books in the anthropology of education and related fields. The Book
Review Editor identifies the books to be reviewed and solicits each
review from an appropriate scholar. The Book Review Editor may also
consider reviews submitted voluntarily at his or her discretion, but
volunteered reviews are rare. The Book Review Editor makes the
decision whether to accept the review for publication. This policy
has applied and continues to apply to all book reviews, whether
published on the AEQ web site or in the paper journal.
Please send your contributions for the ANKN Listserv to Alaska Native
Knowledge Network
If you have any suggestions, questions,
or
comments, please email Alaska Native Knowledge Network
George Lessard-Media Specialist
From: "ghwelker"
CALL FOR STUDENT WRITING
The 28th Annual California Conference on American Indian Education is
approaching quickly and, once again, we wish to showcase the writings
of American Indian students from our state in a small booklet
(chapbook) available to each participant who attends the
conference. We are requesting poetry, short stories, and photography
from all K-12 American Indian youths who reside in California. This is
the fourth year we have requested photographs. If possible we would
prefer black and white photographs but will accept color.
All submissions should address the conference theme "Educating
Tomorrows Leaders." Photographs and writings that demonstrate the power
of intergenerational education, whether formal or cultural, are
especially welcome.
Please inform your youths about this opportunity to have their work
published and encourage them to submit their writings to:
American Indian Education Program
Copyright will remain with the authors. Works submitted for publication
will not be returned, so please send copies only. Each youth who is
published will receive two free chapbooks from the Conference Planning
Committee. All works should be submitted for
review by Monday, March 7, 2005. Along with each submission, please
include the following information:
We are looking forward to publishing the writings and photographs of
our California Native American youths. If you have any questions,
please contact James Graham at (530)749-6196.
Thank you,
The 28th Annual California Conference on American Indian Education
Subject: Sundance Institute's commitment to supporting Native Cinema
From: George Lessard
The Sundance Institute's commitment to supporting Native Cinema is
woven throughout the 23-year history of the Institute along with its
support for the artistic vitality of American Cinema. Rooted in the
recognition of a rich tradition of story telling and artistic
expression by Native Peoples, the Institute established a Native
Program as a means of supporting the development of Native filmmakers
and the exhibition of their work. The Sundance Institute has
supported nearly 45 Native writers and directors over the past 23
years, and showcased nearly 100 films by Native filmmakers. The
Sundance Film Festival's Native Forum is a gathering of Indigenous
filmmakers from around the world, and offers opportunities for them
to share their expertise and knowledge with each other and the
independent film community through workshops, panels, networking
events, and special screenings.
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 Coyote and Fox - Nez Perce
Coyote and Fox were short of food, and Coyote said, "Let us plan to get
married to some man!" [The institution of the berdache was known to the
Nez
Percé, and was usually the result of a dream. Some of these men were
normally married.] Fox answered, "But how can we marry men when we are
men
ourselves?" Coyote said, "That is easy enough! We will just put on
women's
clothes, and the rest will only be good talking." So Fox agreed that it
was
a fine plan to marry some one that way. They dressed up in women's
dresses,
and went to see two young unmarried Wolves. They told these Wolf
brothers
that their parents had sent them out to try and find good husbands.
Then the
Wolves agreed to marry them. Then with good talking Coyote told the
Wolves,
"For five days you cannot really marry us, but instead must give us
food to
take home to our parents." The Wolf brothers believed what Coyote said,
because they did not recognize him in that disguise. So for five days
Coyote
and Fox pretended to take a supply of food home to their parents. At
the end
of this time Coyote did not know how to get out of the difficulty. On
the
evening of the sixth day he said to Fox, "Be ready all the time, we
shall
leave for home to-night. Now, the Wolves had two sisters who were
dwelling
near their brothers' camp. After dark Coyote went to the house of the
girls;
and when one of them went outside, he seized the other and violated
her.
This girl made a great cry; and when Fox heard the cry, he jumped up
and ran
off. Coyote ran away also, and the Wolves never caught him.
Nez Perce Tales, By Herbert J. Spinden, 1907
From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories
http://groups.msn.com/KeeperofStories Coyote and Fox - Nez Perce
They were friends dwelling nearby. It was winter, and they were very
hungry.
Fox [tili' ptsxi'] went to gather fir pitch. "For warming myself the
better
to pick lice, let me go gather [pitch." And he went out to seek pitch.
He
proceeded to chop with a stone ax. He chopped for a long time, and he
kept
tossing the pieces back of him. He thought at last, "Let that be enough
for
me." He turned around and saw that instead of the pitch he had been
throwing
behind him there was a pile of dried salmon. He did not eat any of it
there;
"Afterwards my friend and I will eat it." He packed the dried salmon
and
took it home. He put it away in the lodge.
Coyote [itsaya' ya] watched him from across the way. Presently, Fox
stepped
outside for something or other, and Coyote dashed quickly across. "It
is as
if he has something." And he saw the salmon. He ran back just as Fox
came in
again. Coyote said to him, "I seem to smell dried salmon."
"Yes," Fox said to him. "While I was over there chopping fir pitch, I
turned
around to find this salmon." Now in the evening they ate dried salmon.
Then Coyote said to him, "I, too, will go tomorrow to gather pitch
since
even you are able to bring this home."
"You must do things very correctly. You are the inveterate doer of that
which is not right," Fox said to him.
"Yes, now just what could I do wrong!" In the morning Coyote went.
Having
reached the trees, he made pitch. "Let me make really large pieces." He
chopped long pieces and threw them back of him. After awhile he turned
around to behold some very large salmon piled there. He sat down, and
he ate
and he ate. He ate all of it; and then he thought, "Let me make some to
take
home." He chopped again, and he threw the pieces behind him. But when
he
turned around, behold: only pitch was piled there. He packed the pitch
and
took it tome. When they uncovered that which they had saved from
yesterday's
salmon, lo, it too had turned to pitch. Now within a few days they were
hungry again. One day Fox went outside and in a loud voice said, "I
wish
that my friend and I could hear five bundles fall to the ground, Thud,
thud,
thud, thud, and thud [Ulu" k', Ulu" k', hlu" k', Ulu" k', Ulu" k'] "
Then he
went back into the lodge. Presently they heard five distinct thuds.
They
went out and found five large bundles of meat. Quickly Coyote seized
three
bundles which were grease stained. |He seized them greedily. Fox took
the
remaining two bundles which were bound in faded bags. Each one opened
his.
Behold! Fox had venison of choice meat with the best kind of fat, but
Coyote
had only plain dried meat without fat. Within a few days Coyote had
consumed
his meat, and Fox had to share with him.
Coyote complained, "Mine was only meat with no fat. You cheated me."
When
they had eaten all of their meat and had become hungry again, Coyote
said to
Fox, "Now we should ask again. As a matter of fact, I, myself, will ask
for
it."
"Invariably you! You must do it discerningly then," replied Fox
distrustfully. "Well now, what could I do wrong? He is always advising
me,"
Coyote sneered in reply. But now he asked in the same manner as he had
observed Fox do previously, "I wish that my friend and I could hear
five
bundles fall to the ground, 'Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud [Ulu" k',
lilu"
k', lilu" k', lilu" k', Ulu"k'\: " Then they went inside. In a little
while
they heard, "Thud [lilu" k']," five times.
Suddenly, Coyote said, "Let me see him. What is it that gives this to
us?"
Fox restrained him, "Do not do that!" But Coyote had already dashed
outside.
He saw him. "Ha! The [wa' p' ilwa' p' il] [impudently he called him a
nonsensical name] is running over the hill," shouted Coyote. Their
benefactor was just going over the brow of the hill.
"Oh, you Coyote! Never will he give us anything again. Coyote, you have
offended him," Fox lamented.
In a few days they became hungry again. Coyote then suggested, "You
could
call again, and he might give us something."
"You call him yourself," Fox replied.
And Coyote called, "I wish that my friend and I could hear five bundles
fall
to the ground. 'Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.' " Silence. Nothing came
to
them. They continued to hunger. Fox just busied himself doing various
things
such as gathering and chopping pitch. He worked. He went about looking
for
mice. One day in going around he came upon a man taking a sweatbath.
The man said to him, "Go along to my lodge and prepare yourself some
food
while remain here sweatbathing."
Accordingly, Fox went to the man's lodge. Oh, all over the place was
meat
laid out to dry. And he ate. "He told me to help myself." Presently the
man
came in, returned from the sweatbath. Fox sat there, looking very
modest.
The man said to him, "When you go home, you may take with you as much
as
will not be too heavy for you to carry." With that the man lay down to
take
his nap, and Fox packed much venison and went home. His pack was so
heavy
that he was barely able to arrive home. Now Coyote was out somewhere
catching mice and had not yet come in. Fox made a cache near his bed.
Soon Coyote came home; he had brought mice, and these, still alive, he
threw
over to Fox. But Fox was clearly indifferent to this offering, and
allowed
Coyote to run around and catch his mice which had begun to scamper
about.
"What is the meaning of this? It was difficult for me to catch these,
and
now you regard my gift of food indifferently." Having caught them all
again,
Coyote proceeded to eat each one with voracious crackle and crunch
["q'at,
q'at, q'at"]. Fox stepped outside for a few moments. Perceptive, Coyote
dashed over to Fox's bed and at once found the cache.
"Oh, he has venison." Fox came in again, and Coyote said to him, "And
where
have you procured the venison? You have a very great quantity."
"Well, I was going about when I came upon a man having a sweatbath. I
went
to his home, and he gave me this venison," Fox replied.
"Ah, then I will go, too. That he should have given this to such a one
as
you! Then it , behooves me to go," said Coyote.
"When were you ever dependably careful?" painfully observed Fox. "You
must
be very careful in what you do. Do not get yourself into trouble
again."
"Ha, what could I do? Where could I do anything? Even you were able to
bring
in venison." Very early the next morning Coyote set out. Soon he saw
the
smoke of a sweathouse, and he approached it.
The man recognized him at once. "It is Coyote." He said to Coyote, "Go
along
to my home. I will come later when I have finished my sweatbath."
Coyote
went to the man's lodge, and there he saw very, very much venison.
"What
guest should ever eat without being given the food? Later he himself
will
give me to eat," Coyote decided. And he awaited his host without eating
anything. After a long time the man came in. Thinking his guest had
already
eaten, he dried himself, put a piece of meat over the fire, and ate it.
Not
yet having eaten, Coyote sat there and watched him. The man continued
to
eat. When he had finished, he went over to his bed and lay down. Then
he
said to Coyote, "When you go home, take with you as much venison as
will not
be too heavy for you." With that he lay back and went to sleep.
But Coyote sat there. Strange thoughts began to run through his mind.
He
pondered, "I believe that I should kill him. Then my brother and I
could
move in and have all this gear for our own." The sleeping man began to
snore. "Well, it is for me to kill him." And so Coyote killed him with
a
stone ax. But oh, Coyote now was tossed about. The man had been a
deer-tick,
and all of that meat which he had came back to life. Coyote was pitched
up
and down, hurled back and forth by all the meat that had been drying on
the
racks. All of the meat was restored to life, and it moved terrifically.
Coyote was buffeted pitifully. He was thrown about, became covered with
dust, and was smeared with ashes. He was barely able to get out. He
fled.
At their lodge Fox was also flung about by that venison which had been
given
to him I the day before. "Oh, Coyote is up to something," thought Fox.
"Ever
he! I knew that he would not do things right."
Coyote went home aching all over, his body covered with dust, and still
hungry. He stopped to hunt mice. Now he brought in some mice.
Fox said to him, "So it's you, Coyote! Again you have done wrong."
"Oh, you are always saying that. Be silent! Here are some mice for you.
I
got very tired catching mice. Where, by the way, is your meat? Let us
eat,"
Coyote told him.
"Well! They just kicked me all around the place. All the venison became
alive again. What did you do there?" asked Fox.
"Oh, I just thought that if I would kill the man, everything would then
be
ours. How could I have known that he was a deer tick, and that the
venison
would kick me about; Now in a few days they grew very hungry again. Fox
went
wandering around as usual He went to the river and pushed his tail
through a
hole in the ice into the water. From sitting position he submerged his
tail.
Presently, a ball of Indian turnips accumulated on his tail. He pulled
out
his tail and took the turnips home.
When he brought the roots into the lodge, Coyote spied them at once and
asked, "Where did you get them?"
"Oh, I was just washing my face and happened to push my tail into the
water;
and found these fastened on my tail. Fox gave Coyote a share and then
ate
some himself. "I will put aside a portion of this for tomorrow, to eat
very
early." [In saying this Fox used an archaic word meaning, "To eat very
early
in the morning." And Coyote, not familiar with the word, was confused.]
In his confusion Coyote thought, "What is he saying? Let me put aside a
part
of mine and I will do that, whatever it is he said, also." Now early in
the
morning, while Fox was still asleep, Coyote got up, thinking to
himself, "He
said, 'I will in early morning do -whatever it is. Then let me do it
first."
So he sat on his Indian turnips and squashed them pushing himself
around and
about over them. His roots were crumbled.
Presently Fox got up and took his turnips. "Ah, I remember that I said
yesterday, I will eat very early.' " Now he did this. He poured water
over
his Indian turnips, and then proceeded to eat them.
Coyote watched him from across the way. He watched him and thought,
"And
that is what he meant." He went over to the place where he had
pulverized
his own turnips by sitting on them and picked up scattered pieces to
eat.
One day soon after this. Fox went again to push his tail into the
water, and
he brought back more Indian turnips, a part of which he gave to Coyote.
Fox
ate a little of his and put the rest away. "Tomorrow I will throw these
at
the approaching dawn." [Fox used another figure of speech here in which
"To
throw at the breaking day" means to celebrate an occasion, usually by
eating
or drinking.] Coyote had not the least comprehension of this, how
anyone
could throw at the approach of dawn.
"I believe that I should do this, too," Coyote decided. Now in the
early
morning Coyote got up; he arose first while Fox still slept. "He said,
'I
will throw at the dawn's approach. Now let me be the first to do it,"
thought Coyote. He took up his Indian turnips and went outside. He
squeezed
the roots into a ball; then just as the dawn broke, he threw at it. His
ball
of turnips lit in the brush, was shattered, and fell in pieces to the
ground. Coyote we inside now and sat there.
Fox got up after awhile and washed his face very carefully. "Ah, I
remember
that I said, 'Tomorrow I will throw at the approach of dawn.' " Coyote
watched him from across the way and wished that he could have some of
the
roots to eat. Now very slowly, Fox proceeded to pour water on his
Indian
turnips, to let the water become fully soaked up, and then to eat very
heartily while Coyote looked on astounded.
"So that is how one throws at the dawn." He went outside again quickly.
In
the brush where he had thrown his own roots he began to pick up and eat
all
the little pieces he could find.
In a few days they became very hungry again. Coyote decided, "Why, even
with
his tail he was able to pull Indian turnips out of the water. I,
myself,
will go." So he went to the river and pushed his tail into the water.
In a
few minutes he pulled it out and found that a ball of Indian turnips
had
accumulated there.
"Just let me eat these, and then I will put my tail in again and pull
out a
larger quantity to take home." He ate. Then he put his tail into the
water
again and let it remain there for a long time. He would test the weight
every few minutes. "Just a little longer; I will have very much." He
eased
himself up and down to test the weight. "Now I have nearly enough." But
when
he tried to pull his tail out of the water, he found that it had become
fast. He struggled to free himself, but his tail had become frozen in
the
ice. It was too heavily weighted and too firmly frozen in to yield. He
struggled. He pulled out bushes by the roots as he clutched here and
there
with his hands. Suddenly, he fell backwards into the water and was
pulled
under by his tail. Soon he was floating, drowned.
At the lodge, when Coyote had failed to appear, Fox thought, "He has
managed
to find trouble again somehow." Then Fox went out to search for him,
and
soon he found Coyote, his tail covered with ice, floating in the water.
Fox
pulled him out, straddled him three times, and Coyote was restored to
life.
They went home together and dwelt there again. They barely lived
through
until spring. [From this comes the period of intense hunger during late
winter and the approach of springtime. In late winter the food supply
of all
people is exhausted; they have no bitterroots, venison, camas root,
dried
salmon, or other foods.]
Taken from Tales of the Nez Perce by Donald M. Hines, Ye Galleon Press;
Fairfield, Washington, 1999 [gathered from other source books dated
between
1912 and 1949]
Reposted with Permission from Wolf Walker.
From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories
http://groups.msn.com/KeeperofStories
Subject: Navajo Nation President rejects Indian label, declares ˜I am
Dine"?
Office 928-871-7917
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr.,
rejects Indian label, declares ˜I am Dine"?
Subject: Information about the Choctaw/Muskogean tribe
(425) 226-3184
edpascoe@msn.com
Subject: Training at Museum of Civilization
February 23, 2005, Issue 147
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Subject: House Bill 179 relating to artifacts recovered from Native
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posted by Amerindian Arts at 1:02 PM
Thanks,
Editor
