an EPITAPH: Will Rogers

actor Will Rogers' epitaph read I never met a man I didn't like photo by Hulton Archive

Chumash Tribe - Notes

chumash man, Rafael, who shared cultural knowledge with anthropologists in the 1800's

Chumashan Family. A linguistic family on the coast of south California, known also as Santa Barbara Indians. Like most Californian aborigines, they appear to have lacked an appellation of general significance, and the term Chumash, the name of the Santa Rosa islanders, is arbitrarily chosen for convenience to designate the linguistic stock. Seven dialects of this family are known, those of San Luis Obispo, Purísima, Santa Inez, Santa Barbara, and San Buenaventura missions, and of Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands. These are fairly similar except the San Luis Obispo, which stands apart. It is probable that there were other dialects.

The Chumashan languages show certain morphologic resemblances to the adjacent Shoshonean and Salinan, especially the latter, but constitute an independent family, as their stock of words is confined to themselves. The territorial limits of the Chumashan Indians are not accurately known. The area shown on Powell's map (7th Rep. B. A. E., 1891) includes the entire Santa Maria river drainage, Santa Inez river, the lower half of the Santa Clara river drainage, and Somis creek, the east boundary line on the coast lying between Pt Dame and Santa Monica. Since the language of San Luis Obispo was Chumashan, this region north of the Santa Maria and south of the Salinas drainage must be added. The northern of the Santa Barbara Islands (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel) were inhabited by the Chumash, but the 3 southern islands of the group belonged to Shoshonean people.

The Chumashan Indians, both of the islands and of the coast, were visited by Europeans as early as 1542, when Cabrillo spent some time in their territory, meeting with an exceedingly friendly reception. Vizcayno in 1602 and Portola in 1769 also came in contact with them, and have left accounts of their visits. Five missions were established by the Franciscans among the Chumash; those of San Luis Obispo, San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, Purísima, and Santa Inez, founded respectively in 1771, 1782, 1786, 1787, and 1804, the missionaries meeting with little opposition and no forcible resistance.

The early friendship for the Spaniards soon changed to a sullen hatred under their rule, for in 1810 it was reported by a missionary that nearly all the Indian women at Purísima had for a time persistently practiced abortion, and in 1824 the Indians at Santa Barbara, Santa Inez, and Purísima revolted against the mission authority, which they succeeded in shaking off for a time though the Spaniards apparently suffered no loss of life at their hands. Even during mission times the Chumash decreased greatly in numbers, and in 1884 Henshaw found only about 40 individuals. This number has been reduced to less than half, the few survivors being largely "Mexicanized," and the race is extinct on the islands.

In character and habits the Chumash differed considerably from the other Indians of California. All the early voyagers note their friendliness and hospitality, and their greater affluence and abundance of foal as compared with their neighbors. They appear to have had a plentiful supply of sea food and to have depended on it rather than on the vegetal products which usually formed the subsistence of California Indians. With the islanders this was no doubt a necessity. Their houses were of grass or tale, dome-shaped, and often 50 ft. or more in diameter, accommodating as many as 50 people. Each was inhabited by several families, and they were grouped in villages.

The Chumash were noted for their canoes, which were not dug out of a single log, but made of planks lashed together and calked. Most were built for only 2 or 3 men, but some carried 10 and even 13 persons. As no canoes were found anywhere else on the coast from C. San Lucas to C. Mendocino, even where suitable wood is abundant, rafts or tule balsas taking their place, the well-built canoes of the Chumash are evidence of some ethnographic specialization. The same may be said of their carved wooden dishes and of the figures painted on posts, described as erected over graves and at places of worship. On the Santa Barbara islands stone killer-whale figurines have been found, though almost nowhere else in California are there traces of even attempted sculpture. An unusual variety of shell ornaments and of work in shell inlaid by means of asphaltum also characterize the archeologic discoveries made in Chumashan territory. Large stone jars similar to those in use among the neighboring Shoshoneans, and coiled baskets somewhat similar to those of their southern neighbors, were made by the Chumash.

Their general culture has been extensively treated by Putnam (Wheeler, Survey Rep., vii,1879). Of their religion very little is known, and nothing of their mythology. The gentile system was not recognized by them, marriage between individuals of the same village being allowed. On Santa Catalina island birds which were called large crows by the Spaniards were kept and worshiped, agreeing with what Boscana tells of the Shoshonean condor cult of the adjacent coast. The medicine men of one of the islands are said to have used stone pipes for smoking, sucking, and blowing to remove disease, dressing in a hair wig, with a belt of deer hoofs. This practice was similar to that which prevailed through Lower California. The dead among the Chumash were buried, not burned as in many other parts of California; property was hung on poles over their graves, and for chiefs painted planks were erected. The Franciscan missionaries, however, rightly declare that these Indians, like all others In California, were not idolaters.

True tribal divisions were unknown to the Chumash as to most other Indians of California, the only basis of social organization being the family, and of political, the village settlement. The names of village sites are given in great number from the time of the earliest voyage in the 16th century, but the majority can neither he located nor identified. The following is a list of the villages, most of the names being taken from the mission archives:

Santa Inez Mission:

Achillimo, Aguama, Ahuamhoue, Akachumas, Akaitsuk, Alahulapgas, Alizway, Asiuhuil, Awashlaurk, Calahuasa, Cascel, Cholicus, Chumuchu, Coloc, Geguep, Guaislac, Huhunata, Hunawurp, lalamne, Ionata, Jonatas, Kalak, Kalawashuk, Katahuac, Kulahuasa, Kuyam, Matiliha, Mekewe, Mishtapawa, Nipoma, Nutonto, Sapelek, Saptuui, Sauchu, Shopeshno, Sikitipuc, Sisuchi, Situchi, Sotonoemu, Souscoc, Stucu, Suiesia, Suktanakamu, Tahijuas, Takuyumam, Talaxano, Tapanissilac, Tarkepsi, Tekep, Temesathi, Tequepis, Tinachi, Tsamala, Tujanisuissilac.

San. Miguel Island: Nimollollo, Zaco.

Santa Rosa Island: Kshiwukciwu, Lilibeque, Muoc, Ninumu, Níquesesquelua, Niquipos, Patiquilid, Patiquiu, Pilidquay, Pisqueno, Poele, Siliwihi.

Santa Cruz Island:

Alali, Chalosas, Chosho, Coycoy, Estocoloco, Hahas, Hitschowon, Klakaamu, Lacayamu, Liyam, Macamo, Mashcal, Mishumac, Nanahuani, Niakla, Nichochi, Nilalhuyu, Nimatlala, Nimitapal, Nitel, Nomkolkol, Sasuagel, Xugua.

San Buenaventura Mission:

Aguin, Alloc, Anacbuc, Chihucchihui, Chumpache, Eshulup, Kachyayakuch, Kanwaiakaku, Kinapuke, Lacayamu, Liam, Lisichi, Lojos, Luupsch, Mahow, Malahue, Malico, Matilhja, Miguihui, Miscanaka, Piiru, Sespe, Shishalap, Simi. Sisa, Sisjulcioy, Sissabanonase, Soma, Tapo, Ypuc, Yxaulo.

Purísima Mission:

Alacupusyuen, Ausion, Esmischue, Esnispele, Espiiluima, Estait, Fax, Guaslaique, Huasna, Huenejel, Huenepel, Husistaic, Ialatnma, Jlaacs, Kachisupal, Lajuchu, Lipook, Lisahuats, Lompoc, Nahuey, Naila, Ninyuelgual, Nocto, Omaxtux Pacsiol, Paxpili, Sacsiol, Sacspili, Salachi, Sihimi, Silimastus, Silimi, Silino, Silisne, Sipuca, Sisolop, Sitolo, Stipu, Suntaho, Tutachro.

Santa Barbara Mission: Alcax, Alican, Alpincha, Alwathalama, Amolomol, Anejue, Awhawhilashmu, Cajats, Cajpilili, Casalic, Cashwah, Chiuchin, Cholosoc, Chuah, Cinihuay, Cuyamus, Eleunaxciay, Eljman, Eluaxcu, Estuc, Geliac, Gleuaxcuqu, Guainonost, Guina, Hanava, Hello, Huelemin, Huililoc, Huixapapa, Humalija, Hunxapa, Inajalaihu, Inojey, Ipec, Ituc, Lagcay, Laycayamu, Lintja, Lisuchu, Lugups, Majalayghua, Mishtapalwa, Mistaughchewaugh, Numguelgar, Otenashmoo, Salpilel, Sayokinck, Sihuicom, Silpoponemew, Sinicon, Sisahiahut, Sisuch, Snihuax, Sopone, Taxlipu, Texmaw, Xalanaj, Xalou.

Miscellaneous:

Anacoat, Anacot, Antap, Aogni, Asimu, Bis, Caacat, Casnahacmo, Casunalmo, Cayeguas, Chwaiyok, Cicacut, Ciucut, Ciyuktun, Elquis, Escumawash, Garomisopona, Gun, Helapoonuch, Honmoyaushu, Hueneme, Humkak, Immahal, Isha, Ishgua, Kamulas, Kasaktikat, Kashiwe, Kashtok, Kashtu, Kaso, Katstayot, Kaughii, Kesmali, Koiyo, Kuiyamu, Lohastahni, Mahahal, Malhokshe, Malito, Malulowoni, Maquinanoa, Masewuk, Mershom, Michiyu, Micoma, Misesopano, Mishapsna, Misinagua, Mismatuk, Mispu, Mugu, Mupu, Nacbue, Nipomo, Nocos, Ojai, Olesino, Onkot, Onomio, Opia, Opistopia, Paltatre, Partocac, Potoltuc, Pualnacatup, Quanmugua, Quelqueme, Quiman, Salnahakaisiku, Sapaquonil, Saticoy, Satwiwa, Shalawa, Shalkahaan, Shisblaman, Sholikuwewich, Shuku, Shup, Shushuchi, Shuwalashu, Simomo, Sisichii, Sitaptapa, Siuktun, Skonon, Spookow, Sulapiu, Susuquey, Sweteti, Swino, Tallapoolina, Temeteti, Tocane, Topotopow, Tukachkach, Tushumu, Upop, Walektre, Wihatset, Xabaagua, Xagua, Xocotoc, Yutum. Chumash.

Chumash. The Santa Rosa islanders, o the Chumashan family of California. Bowers in Smithson. Rep., 3`6, 1877 Handbook of American Indians (1906) ~ Frederick W. Hodge

From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories.

Chumash people long ago

Cherokee story of the Broken Arrows

Many years ago in the time when The Way was the only way and our People were strong and lived the life of the Caretakers they were meant to be a boy was born unto the warrior clan of the Wolf. His Elisi (Grandmother) called him Little Groundhog, because he peaked out and cried to be put back in like a Groundhog does at the coming of winter.


As Little Groundhog grew older, many knew his name. His name was spoken with words like bravery and hunter. By the age of manhood he had become known as one of the greatest arrow makers ever born to the People. His arrows were the strongest, sharpest and flew the most true of any arrows made. He was also known as a boy with very bad temper. Because of these things his name was changed to Angry Broken Arrow.

Broken Arrow reached the age when he would take a wife, but all the women feared his temper and none would take him into the home of their Mothers. Broken Arrow became very angry and went off into the woods. He had been in the woods for four days and three nights. On the fourth night without food, his fire blazed high and though he had gone to water at sunrise and at sunset each day the fire of his temper had not cooled. As he sat there, he looked up into the flames and saw a great White Wolf coming out of the fire. Broken Arrow was afraid, but knew the teachings of his ancestors and so did not run away. The Wolf told Broken Arrow that he must go back to his People. That he must get rid of this great anger that boiled inside of him like bad meat. Wolf told Broken Arrow that every time he got angry he must break his very best arrow. Then he must save the broken arrow for a time when it would be needed.

That very night, Broken Arrow returned to his home and his People. The next morning, Broken Arrow went to his Elisi (Grandmother) and told her what he had seen and what Wolf had told him. He asked her to help him, because he knew his Grandmother was respected and counseled by the Wolf. Each day more arrows were broken and taken to the growing pile in the clearing behind his home. It seemed the more arrows he had to break the greater his anger became. After seven moons had passed Broken Arrow went to the Elisi. He told her that he had a great pile of arrows in back of his home and that he had not time to make more before he lost his temper and had to break them. He told her his family was becoming hungry and still he could not hunt because he had no arrows. The Elisi told Broken Arrow to wait four more days and she would seek council with the White Wolf.

After this time had passed Elisi came to Broken Arrow. He was sitting in front of his home with fresh deer stew cooking over the fire and he was smiling. Elisi told him she was proud that he was winning his battle with this beast. Broken Arrow had been able to control his temper long enough to keep 4 arrows and hunt food for his family. Elisi told him that in seven days there would be a great celebration. On the evening of the seventh day the whole clan was very excited and People had come from other Clans to celebrate Broken Arrows great victory. The People gathered around the pile of broken arrows and staring at it with great respect. The pile reached almost to the tops of the great fir trees. The Elisi held a fire stick in her hand and she spoke to Broken Arrow.

"As you light this fire, son of my daughter, the smoke will rise to the stars and mingle with the smoke of the fires of our ancestors...with the smoke will rise the last of your anger. When this fire burns no more...your temper will burn no more and you will be a man. You will be called Arrow Maker. Broken Arrow will be no more."

And as the Elisi spoke so it was.

The fire burned for four days. On the evening of the fourth day the fire burned no more and Broken Arrow became Arrow Maker and his children and the children of their children will tell this story and I have told you and we will all remember.

And said the Storyteller...These are my words. {from archives of Brother to HORSE}

CHEVRON & HUMAN RIGHTS

18 Years of Fighting Chevron

http://cruziest.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/18-years-of-fighting-chevron/ 

Cofán elder Marina Aguinda Lucitante

Anonymity is mystery

Anonymity is mystery

feather in prayer

FATHERS


“…connecting with the spirit of our fathers is fundamental to our growth and development..” –Gregory E. Woods

CHILDREN'S BRILLIANCE

Falani Afrika by Serita Steward

  

“The hope of growth.  The promise in a child's life.  The beauty of a woman with child. The rituals of mating among fighting animals like horses free in the wild.” –Gregory E. Woods

Falani Afrika in Salvador, Bahia-Festival de Iemanja

NAMES

“The core of these stories is the Sacred Dream. Are we living out the agreements we made to enter this world? Are our wombs open for birth, transformation, and discovery? Our soul is signed with a name, a purpose, a call, and its own magic. The clans of the human soul holds the definition of purpose that names us. Isn't our word our life, and the testament of our life, how we love, and how we hold each other our name?” - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories

EYES: hope

eye on the water by Gracielle Grace Talbot

“If humility saves us from complete madness stroking arrogance, what will save us from abject hopelessness?” -Mereana Taki

EYES: Cherokee symbol

Cherokee symbol

RACE supremacy

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Auschwitz mass burials

Australia's South Sea Islanders induced into servitude in 1800's

EYES: children

eye of a wild animal

Children are much like cats, in that they simply require understanding. Like cats children require parents, and other adults to figure them out interpreting their signs, and signals as they simply just be. There are four things a child needs to do without interruptions: Eat, Sleep, Play, and Grow. This is a Sacred teaching. The Sacred Medicine Wheel teaches this, and every place on Earth knows, and communicates this to adults. Everything a child needs lives within this Sacred Circle. Anything outside of this Circle is dangerous. Adults are responsible for keeping children within this space. Allowing anything else is abandonment, and abandonment is the core element of abuse. Abuse is the sore quality of anger. Anger, unmanaged, courts evil, and uncontrolled evil needs, calls, courts, corrals, deep dark relationships with malefic forces that neither respect or value life. Naturally this becomes a journey to sorcery, and the Sacred Wheel of this world destroys innocence, curiosity, and play within the child.


There is a light within sorcery. Its testimony is throughout the Bible. But the darkness of sorcery is conjured within children abandoned. Abandoned children can, and to often enter into a relationship with an Untrue Mind in the East of this Wheel, and sadly follow the dark sun’s journey South, West, and North into Greed, Envy, and Spiritual Materialism. That is bad enough but if things go too far an abandoned child can fall between Greed and Envy becoming Dark Sorcerers. ©Gregory E. Woods, (Alowan Chanteh Inyan Wichasha) Keeper of Stories 2010

EYES: art of an Indian woman

Black definition of supremacy

“This is too much! Does it ever end? In the Black American community is this endless dialogue about hues. No, it isn’t that. It is a diatribe one against one and another over color, and one against one’s own soul. What is that? It is the complaint, and musings of immature people steeped in, and committed firmly to their dysfunction. If a people, or a person does not own their image they will be condemned to wallow in their own disgust of self forever victims, and disrespected by those who own the images of Black Americans! There is and has always been ways out of this clusterfuck (that is what it is), but Black Americans by the millions do not own their image, and cannot firmly hold their own vision of self, or take the steps out of the morass into the light of discovering and becoming themselves. Why is that?” – Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories



NIGGER MENTATLITY

black woman in black body suit

“I can deal with the nigger mentality, but I won't as if it is some prerequisite initiatory process, or a developmental stage of permanence. It has its place: in the past..." - Dawn Wolf

black woman's face

EYES: creation

art by Tony R. March - world above water

BLACK MOTHER'S song

Vanessa Bryant, lawyer & former wife of Kobe Bryant, kissing her daughter's tiny hand..

"Mothering has changed in Black American communities, but change has been continual and dangerous within the community. Motherhood compels itself to continue in the primal urges and the social imperatives within culture. The Africanness of African-Americans has been severely distorted and those stories are in the face of America’s contradictions around morality affecting the way we parent.

Education has long been toted as the social remedy of Black Americans, but the influence of white Euro-Americans is profound. It is deep in our bones. The European culture's sense of relationship was best described when the Red People noticed God was an abstract used when it served the white man. That kind of disconnection, or rather separation from wholeness has informed the thinking and practices of the children of the grandparents of ex-slaves. These things trickle down into the 21st century so what do we do? How do we learn to think outside of the American tradition we come from, and claim as our Elder? I think the answer lies in the questions our children ask us... " - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

Mother & her children !!!!

EYES

art by Tony R. March - the sea of my tranquility

CARE FOR THE WOMB: deep powers

pregnant Black woman

GENERATIONAL CURSES

I learned over the years that removing generational curses is work. It is a process that begins with recognition, becomes a longer process of unlearning, and the frightening part of facing the 'demons' from within is best conducted with the help of family, so inclined to help, and people who know and understand the process. It is such a far cry from merely speaking it into existence. – Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

Remembering the Deer: A More Authentic Education

A More Authentic Education

I am proud to be an educator.

I feel privileged to work in the field of education on a daily basis. It's very challenging and demanding work. Yet it is often joyful, rewarding and, at times, positively miraculous.

Educators are profound cultural workers. We communicate, transmute and, if we have a critical and holistic vision, transform culture through our work. In formal educational settings, we teach the skills and concepts necessary to engage meaningfully in the world through literacy, numeracy, scientific inquiry, athletics and the arts. We assess, cajole, praise, and deliver consequences when necessary. In addition to this, our role is to create an emotionally secure environment so that learning can happen without fear, intimidation and threats to the integrity of our students.

This year, our school has committed to running a weekly whole school circle. Based on traditional indigenous ways of being in community, the circle is where we sit as equals. This initiative started in September, and we have all (teachers and students alike) noticed how our strong sense of community has been enhanced by this weekly one hour commitment. Passing around the talking stick and offering each person within the school a chance to express themselves and be heard has been profound. Tears, laughter, silence and wise-beyond-their-years insights have woven us closer together and made us all more real to one another. Bullying at our school is at a true low.

This circle, backed by a strong anti-bullying policy and commitment to emotional safety that has been in place since the school's inception, has become the place where we make authentic communication and respect a living, integrated reality. It is sacred time during the week because it is the space where we:

....are seen
....are heard
....are different
....are similar
....agree
....see things from diverse perspectives

Through the powerful simplicity of the circle, we remember that we are interconnected

© Maria Vamvalis
(January 11, 2012)
http://rememberingtheancientdeer.blogspot.com/2012/01/authentic-education.html

EYES

art by Tony R. March - mystery of male female relationship

SACRED WHORE SERIES: Zahia Dehar

Zahia Dehar, former French prostitute

Creations by French designer Zahia Dehar for her Spring/Summer 2012 lingerie collection show held at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris.

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Zahia+Dehar 

Zahia Dehar

"... after prostitution is there acceptance, reliable income, and a renewed name?"
- Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories
1/28/12

CRUDE

Trudie Styler & husband Sting founded Rainforest Foundation Fund in 1989

Trudie Styler talks about Oil in Ecuador:


http://www.treehugger.com/culture/trudie-styler-talks-crude-about-oil-in-ecuador.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/22/trudie-styler-environmentalist 

CRUDE, the movie’s press kit:
http://crudethemovie.com/data/CRUDE_Press_Kit_042309.pdf
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/films.php?id=19313

MARRIED: husbands

married woman - MoriYah Eshet Ruben 3

Ten commandments for husbands

1. Thou shalt not take thy wife for granted, but will honour and respect her as thy equal. (1 Pet 3:7)


2. Thy highest allegiance, except God, shall be to thy wife, not thy relatives or friends. (Gen 2:24)


3. Thou shalt frequently tell thy wife how important & valuable she is to thee. (Phil 2:3; Prov... 31:10-11)


4. Thou shalt hold thy wife's love by the same means that thou won it. (Sos 5:10-16)


5. Thou shalt actively establish family discipline with thy wife's help. (Eph 6:4)


6. Remember to do all the little things for thy wife when you say you will. (Mt 5:37)


7. Keep thine eyes on thy own wife, not thy neighbors. (Prov 5:15-20; Job 31:1; Jer 5:8)


8. Thou shalt make every effort to see things from thy wife's point of view. (Gen 21:12)


9. Thou shalt not fail to kiss thy wife every morning. (Sos 8:1)


10. Thou shalt not be stingy with thy wife when it comes to money. (Esther 5:3)

from Adeniyi Adeniran Henry Taju

VALENTINE'S DAY

Anonymity is mystery



Arianny Celeste’s 2012 Complex Magazine photoshoot 2

 The Pagan Origins of Valentine’s Day

By Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Each pagan holiday has a Christian religious front, Valentine’s Day, now called Saint Valentine’s Day is no different. In short it is said to commemorate Saint Valentine who secretly married couples during a time when the powers that be denied marriage to certain people, or without the bride first consummating with the king prior to her husband. Other legends surround this day and this so called Saint.


“The sad fact is that most people never question the origin of the customs that they involve themselves with. Most people do not ask questions but do what everybody else does, never stopping to consider how the Almighty G-d of Heaven feels about their activities. When we consider that Valentine’s Day is a day of preoccupation with the heart, it is essential that we listen to the following words spoken by the Almighty, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his wages, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

Christians (and Torah Observant Jewish believers) should be known by their discernment and should be asking questions regarding Valentine’s Day. What is the origin of this unusual day? Why is there a preoccupation with the color red? Where did the heart shape come from, and what does it mean? These and other questions will now be answered, as we examine the roots and pagan origin of this popular day.

In the days of the Roman Empire, the month of February was the last and shortest month of the year. February originally had 30 days, but when Julius Caesar named the month of July after himself, he decided to make that month longer and shortened February to 29 days while making July a month of 31 days. Later when Octavius Caesar, also known as Augustus, came to power, he named the month of August after himself, and not be outdone he also subtracted a day from February and gave the month of August 31 days. To this very day it remains that way. The ancient Romans believed that every month had a spirit that gained in strength and reached its peak or apex of power in the middle or ides of the month. This was usually the 15th day, and it was a day when witches and augurs, or soothsayers worked their magic. An augur was a person filled with a spirit of divination, and from the word augur we get the word “inaugurate”, which means to “take omens”. Since February had been robbed by Caesars and had only 28 days, the ides of February became the 14th day of that month.

Since the Ides of a month was celebrated on the preceding eve, the month of February was unique, because it was the 13th day that became the eve of the Ides that month, and it became a very important pagan holiday in the Empire of Rome. The sacred day of February 14th was called “Lupercalia” or “day of the wolf.” This was a day that was sacred to the sexual frenzy of the goddess Juno. This day also honored the Roman gods, Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary twin brothers, who supposedly founded Rome, Remus and Romulus. These two are said to have been suckled by wolves in a cave on Palatine Hill in Rome. The cave was called Lupercal and was the center of the celebrating on the eve of Lupercalia or February 14th. On this day, Lupercalia, which was later named Valentine’s Day, the Luperci or priests of Lupercus dressed in goatskins for a bloody ceremony. The priests of Lupercus, the wolf god, would sacrifice goats and a dog and then smear themselves with blood. These priests, made red with sacrificial blood, would run around Palatine Hill in a wild frenzy while carving a goatskin thong called a “februa.” Women would sit all around the hill, as the bloody priests would strike them with the goatskin thongs to make them fertile. The young women would then gather in the city and their names were put in boxes. These “love notes” were called “billets.” The men of Rome would draw a billet, and the woman whose name was on it became his sexual lust partner with whom he would fornicate until the next Lupercalia or February 14th.

Thus, February 14th became a day of unbridled sexual lust. The color “red” was sacred to that day because of the blood and the “heart shape” that is popular to this day. The heart-shape was not a representation of the human heart, which looks nothing like it. This shape represents the human female matrix or opening to the chamber of sacred copulation.

When the Gnostic Catholic Church began to get a foothold in Rome around the 3rd century A.D., they became known as Valentinians. The Catholic Valentinians retained the sexual license of the festival in what they called “angels in a nuptial chamber”, which was also called the “sacrament of copulation.” This was said to be an reenactment of the marriage of “Sophia and the Redeemer.” As the participants of the February 14th ritual began their sexual sacrament, presided over and watched by the priests known as Valentinians, the following literary was spoken: “Let the seed of light descend into thy bridal chamber, receive the bridegroom… open thine arms to embrace him. Behold, grace has descended upon thee.”

As time went on, the Orthodox Church suppressed the Gnostic Catholics and manufactured “St. Valentine”, whose day continues to be celebrated in these modern times.

It should be without saying that the Christians should avoid Valentine’s Day like a plague. In G-d’s eyes, it is still “Lupercalia”, the “Day Of The Wolf.” Men become wolves, as they carry on the Satanic rituals of fornication, which means sexual intercourse without marriage. We have heard of the “wolf whistle”, and we all know that wolves do not whistle. It is lustful men and women, who carry on Satan’s blasphemy to this very day. ” -- http://www.triumphpro.com/valentine_s_day.htm

VALENTINE'S DAY

Arianny Celeste’s 2012 Complex Magazine photoshoot

VALENTINE’S DAY has since childhood revolted me. I didn’t know why. It just didn’t feel right. I wrote out the cards and gave little girls heart shaped candies saying, “Will you be my Valentine?” Stupid. It was stupid and meaningless to me then, and as an adult the vibe, the feeling was awkward, and vaguely inappropriate. Because it was not something I dwelt upon often I never researched the questions of the day until a few years ago. The historical fact of the ritual explains my initial revolutions and renders the yearly pandering for unauthentic love more comical and tragic... - Gregory E. Woods

Arianny Celeste’s 2012 Complex Magazine photoshoot

LIGHT OF FAME

“One year ago Swedish actress Noomi Rapace was astounding the international scene in London. A lot happens in a year, and the spotlights on the famous and accomplished actors, and singers and musicians, fashionistas, directors and such turns people away from the light and glories of their own wonderful and amazing lives. Most people are not and never were meant to be measured by the world, or be famous. They are not to be measured by the world, but the world is changed, and affected by their presence in the world subtly by the ever-widening circles of the people they've met and expanded. It is the lot of a few to be celebrities that is baffling in some cases, and others make perfect sense..." - Gregory E. Woods

actress Noomi Rapace in green mini skirt on red carpet in London 2.14.11 by Pacific Coast News !!!!



Swedish actress Noomi Rapace attends 2011 Orange British Academy Film awards feb 13, 2011 by Ian Gavan



BLACK ACHIEVEMENT: excellence is no simple matter

Monica Bellucci & Spike Lee

GRANDDAUGHTER OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Carmen Chaplin attends the 'La Femme Du Cinquieme' premiere during the 6th Rome Film Festival in Rome, Italy by Vittorio Celotta

Carmen Chaplin by Cindy Marley tattooed body & face

EYES

art by Tony R. March

the DEEPER MYSTERIES

For theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking the biggest mystery in the universe perplexing one of the world's best known scientists is -- women. When New Scientist magazine asked "Brief History of Time" author Stephen Hawking what he thinks about most, the Cambridge University professor renowned for unravelling some of the most complex questions in modern physics answered: "Women. They are a complete mystery."

African woman's power stance

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S life ended after 48 years

Whitney Houston standing strong

"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side. http://www.perfectpeople.net/photos-pictures-images/966/whitney-houston.htm

CRUDE, the real price of Oil, 2009

“In the United States we used to say, ‘How much pollution can we clean up?” and now what we ask ourselves is, “how much pollution do we need to clean up for things to be safe for human health, and so the public may tend to think, “Oh, if you see something in the environment it must mean that it’s very bad.” When in fact people are exposed to hydrocarbons on a daily basis. The asphalt that is on our roads outside the window here are made from hydrocarbons, and made from crude oil, the gasoline we put in our tank. People encounter hydrocarbons on a daily basis that doesn’t mean those hydrocarbons are going to make you sick, and I note that‘s very difficult to explain because of the science behind it, but there is very proven science behind human health risk assessment approved by the US EPA and that what Chevron’s been doing to try to access whether these health allegations are true or not.” – Sara McMillan, Chevron chief environmental scientist after analyzing the damage to the rainforest in Ecuador in the aftermath of Chevron leaving Ecuador

Trudie Styler, film producer & wife of the musician Sting by Antonio Olmos

“Men, women, and children of the Cofán people I come from England and on behalf of my country, and my foundation and my husband I greet you all most humbly.  You are our teachers. Your connection to the most precious resource that we have: the rain forest of the world, which we call the Lungs of the Earth; we have learned that you have much important knowledge that must not be destroyed. When you lose your way, when you lose your rights to be able to fish, to hunt and to uphold the rituals that your ancestors passed down to you then we all lose our way. I want you all to know that I stand in solidarity with you and that I will take your message back to my country and back to the United States of America because I considerate it our fight as well.”

– Trude Styler, co-founder Rainforest Foundation Fund & wife of Sting speaking to the Cofán people in Ecuador in 2009 who are fighting Texaco for compensation and land restoration after destroying their lands, and displacing them to extract oil from their jungles. 
 
http://www.cofan.org/ 

Cofán children

And when we no longer walk the circle of life

maybe other life will still feed on our skeleton remains

and know that in our struggle

those tears that we dropped into the oceans

and those echoes we left on the mountains

and those footprints that fade on the paths

someone has acknowledged our creation

and thanked us for still following our ways.

The traditional ways,

the spiritual ways,

the earth ways,

the ways our ancestors

in humility and gratefulness

sought to honor the sacredness of the

Earth Mother

for it is She who gives birth

and it is her breasts which give us life

and we are taking care of her,

because we care.

From "The Earth Way" by ssipsis, Penobscot Elder

mysterious feline woman in black

Bert Christensen's creations http://bertc.com/index.html

2012: end of the world?

I suspect that the end time prophecies are not the end but the end of collective states of "consciousness."

~ Dawn Wolf

fingers touching by Kefa Ab Menaunghk Maat

Elders' Talk

Angaangaq, Elder, Sirmiq Aattuq Wisdom Keeper teaches that ‘the greatest distance in the existence of man is not from here to there nor from there to here. Nay, the greatest distance in the existence of man is from his mind to his heart. Unless he conquers this distance he can never learn to soar like an eagle, and realize the immensity within.’

The true Thanksgiving story should be the starting point for a deeper telling of the spirit of a people who have kept the spirit of the first Thanksgiving alive, active, and engaged in the taking of, and the killing of my People. This spirit is woven into the fabric of American consciousness with such incredible skill today millions upon millions of Americans challenged cannot see it. It was in Vietnam. It snaked through American foreign policy in Central America during the 1980’s, America’s opium trade in Afganistan, and the uranium mines on native lands in the southwest United States. The laws of the land sing its testimony, and last but not least the invasion of Iraq holds this dark energy as its core value. We cannot escape this truth. We live with it.

How boycotting Thanksgiving will help raise the awareness upon an indifferent, affluent, and fat satisfied populace is beyond me. Myth, and legend are primal needs within the souls of people and nations, and the soul of this nation feeds from its mother’s breast. Her milk stirs loyalty, and contentment. White Americans, and Black Americans are rubbing their bellies, and picking their teeth after dinners across the land. Their eyes roll into the back of their heads. Sleep dulls the senses around a table of well-fed people laughing, and shouting at television sets with either movies, CNN, or a football game on. Mothers, and daughters talk excitedly about getting up at three o’clock in the morning to stand in long lines to catch Black Friday specials. Their children run off to listen to their Ipods, play video games, or talk on their $3oo cellphones, or Twitter mindlessly with the typical dumb look acquired from long hours on phones.

Information runs non-stop today. Most don’t hear my ancestors cries, teachings, or sense their presence. Our songs are in the air but today’s America hears airplanes, and the pop music of Lady GaGa, or Beyoncé Knowles is in the air, and in their ears. Barely stopping for long deep reflection people tend to do as they were taught: look, pause, and move on; get it done, do it now, work, work, work. Americans are trained to concentrate thought into seven minute intervals interrupted with three to four minutes of mental playtime while TV commercials run their course. As musicians we notice and talk about how audiences behave as the end of a show approaches. A noticable, and distracting movement ripples through audiences as people get up and leave while we are deep into our music.

“Where are they going? The music hasn’t even stopped!”

They are leaving to be first in line to get ahead of the crowd going home. Onstage we have advantage looking into people’s eyes, and watching their energies shifting within them and around the club, the stadium, or whatever stage we are on. There is often a sudden and internal cutting off and quick robotic turns for the exit doors as the last notes run into the chambers of the soul, and fly upward into the heavens past the airplanes. It’s weird but we try to get us it. I have not gotten use to it because it means something. An insight lives below the surface and it has everything to do with the questions raised by the whole question of boycotting Thanksgiving Day in solidarity with Native Americans. –Gregory E. Woods

ETERNAL LIFE

Apology for slavery

A people can only see as far ahead as they can see behind. A future of a people is always to be found somewhere in the internalized image of its past. When the mirror is shattered or warped, when a race of people is stripped of a long-term story of itself, that races’ prospects for success over the long-term are damaged, if not crushed altogether.


This is what European and North American slaveholder societies did to millions of Africans for more than 400 years. This is why America owes African-Americans an apology — and more…


During the Middle Passage alone more than 30 million Blacks were killed. Millions of families were destroyed… Over the brutal centuries, our people lost the value of their labor and their lives, but, even more consequentially, they lost all historical memory — the psychological, health sustaining apparatus of our ancient cultures: languages, religions, mores, names, our very identities as human beings.


History has shown the economic poverty we suffer as a result of slavery can be recovered from far more quickly than the psychological poverty resulting from the organized obliteration of our cultural memory.


… The act of slavery has long since ended, yes, but its time-release social toxins are deep inside us now, killing our unsheltered souls with greater lethality than ever before…


One of every eight prisoners in the world today is an African-American. This is still another discrimination-driven consequence of slavery that threatens the very existence of Blacks in America. Few Blacks speak of this stunning fact — for we, as a people, are now all but wholly outer-directed…


Others less damaged — Jews and Japanese-Americans — who were abused over much shorter periods of time, and survived with their cultures intact, demanded and received the reparations they deserved. The case for reparations is infinitely stronger for African-Americans — heirs, as we are, to a past greatness we have been caused to remember little, if anything, about. – Randal Robinson, EBONY magazine excerpt August 2007