Father to son - mirrored power

Yesse Rodriguez by Erika King
at studio of Rick Crank in 2014

The high estimation of a woman mirrors into a man several elements at once in a glance, a suggestion, a moment of dreaming or in the magnificence of her presence. The symbol of hope in a woman is the betterment concept within women liken to the Corn Mother story of the Cherokee people when the undisciplined and disrespectful Kanati, the Hunter met Selu, the Corn Mother and his manners from deep where Creator had placed them surfaced as he helped her down from the corn stalk! What is that? That is transformative energies!

A woman's body is Oriborus, the cycle that begins as soon as it ends. A man can think he is (in the street vernacular) 'tearing up the pussy', when in fact he is a creative source of original elements of and from the first days! To live and die within pussy is the limitless experience of release from care, from the body into the ethereal freedom of transcendence. Coming, or 'having a nut' as they say in the streets is the spiritual experience the experience of trance, the Holy Ghost and possession puts a man's deeper soul into without the persuasion of doctrine! ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 1.16.15

joy of a bath 

AFRICAN CORN MOTHER is SELU

There is an African proverb that says, "The man who marries a beautiful woman and the farmer who grows maize by the roadside has the same problem."

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean where corn first grew Corn Mother created something within her husband, Kanati, the Hunter. She awoke his manners, and he grew, in an instant, from being self-centered, and violent into a man; a protector of his woman, the animals he once slaughtered at will, and the Earth, our Mother. It was a transformation every hunter and every man should take note of.

Kanati was First Man to the Cherokee people. The animals gathered together to complain to the Creator about Kanati. Kanati was killing animals for the pleasure of it once he discovered he could kill beyond what he needed.  Creator listened to the stories, and assured his creation he would help them. Creator laid Kanati to sleep, and gave him a dream. Kanati thought he was dreaming of a plant growing out of his chest. He awoke, and found a plant had grown next to him. At the top of the plant a beautiful brown skinned woman looked down upon  him. Kanati stood up, and remembered the manners Creator had planted within him. He gave his hand to help her down.As she was stepping down she remembered something, and reached back to retrieve two ears of corn.

"I need to remember where I come from." she said to her husband.

In one story Corn Mother, and Kanati had two sons who became great hunters, like their father, of Deer. When their mother was old they took care of their mother, Selu. She received with gratitude, and rejoicing her son's kills, and would make them a soup they could not get enough of it tasted so good. The boys never knew what the soup was made of, and Selu would not tell them.

One day one of the brothers moved like the wind, as he did on a hunt, and unseen watched his mother in her lodge raise her dress and scratch her thighs. Yellow and white kernels fell from her into a wooden bowl at her feet. He slipped away, and told his brother who sat waiting for their mother's soup. When she gave them their soup they could not eat it. Selu realized it was time for her to leave. Sadly, she told her sons she was going  to leave them. She told them when she died where and how to bury her body. She said a plant would grow in her grave, and told them how to care for it until harvest time. She told them how to keep the kernels and prepare for the next season's planting. The next day they had to bury their mother. The brothers did as Selu instructed them, and from this day forward the Cherokee people have learned from and survived and thrived off the gifts of Selu, Corn Mother.

I would like to know what tribe tells this proverb to each other. It is important to know the tribe. Each tribe's stories talk about the soul of the people, and all souls are as important as the proverbs and the creation stories that tie one person to another and to the families of the tribe, and the families to the tribe connected to the Earth, our Mother. These relationships are important. They tell us how to conduct ourselves. and this proverb will it help me, for instance, over here on Turtle Island, live  better with my beautiful wife, or enforce what I already know? - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 9.5.12

MOON CEREMONIES

about MOON Ceremonies

Ceremonies were the ancient seasonal round of ceremonies practiced during ancient times by the Ah-ni-yv-wi-ya or Cherokee People in the ancient culture. Although a modern calendar year comprises 12 months, there are actually 13 cycles or phases of the moon each year. The seasonal round of ceremonies was based on 13 moons, and was considered a necessary spiritual element for growth and encouraged social gatherings among the Cherokee Clans and Cherokee Society in the ancient culture.

The Ah-ni-yv-wi-ya believed the number 13 was significant. Not only did this number correspond to the lunar cycles of the year, but by a startling coincidence, all species of turtles living in the ancient homeland (in fact, all species turtles in the world) always had 13 scales on the back of their shells. As a result, Cherokee culture associated the spaces on the back of the turtle with the 13 yearly phases of the moon. These phases have shifted over time and do not fall within the 12 month year calendar year precisely every year; therefore Ripe Corn Ceremonies (now called the Green Corn Dances or the Green Corn Ceremony in Modern Times – Ah-ga-we-la Se-lu-ut-si/old woman corn mother) fall in early September as of 2005.

Moon girl

Ah-ni-ku-ta-ni Seasonal Moon Ceremonies

Nv-da ka-na-wo-ga – COLD MOON

Nv-da ko-la – BONE MOON (so little food, people gnaw on bones and eat bone marrow soup)

Nv-da u-no-le – WIND MOON (when strong winds strip away the dead wood and foliage and prepare the land for renewal)

Nv-da a-tsi-lu-s-gi – FLOWER MOON (when plants come to life and bloom again and the Earth is renewed)

Nv-da ga-hlv-sga – PLANTING MOON (strict translation: “the putting it in a hole moon”)

Nv-da se-lu-i-tse-i-yu-s-di – GREEN CORN MOON (when the corn is up and showing itself as an identifiable crop)

Nv-da ut-si-dsa-ta – CORN IN TASSEL MOON (when the corn is displaying a tassel)

Nv-da se-lu-u-wa-nv-sa – RIPE CORN MOON

Nv-da u-da-ta-nv-a-gi-s-di u-li-s-dv – END OF FRUIT MOON

Nv-da u-da-ta-nv – NUT MOON

Nv-da tsi-yah-lo-ha – HARVEST MOON

Nv-da ga-no-ha-li-do-ha – HUNTING MOON

Nv-da gu-ti-ha – SNOW MOON (when the first snows fall in the mountains)

There were 13 traditional ceremonies each year practiced by the Ah-ni-ku-ta-ni, and October saw the Renewal Ceremony (or new year), an additional ceremony, with another additional ceremony in November (Eagle Dance).

Moon Blue Woman

Modern Cherokee Moons Si-nv-da De-ka-lv-tse-gv-’i

Cold Moon….January U-no-lv-ta-na

Bone Moon…February Ka-ga-’li

Windy Moon…March Ah-nv-yi

Flower Moon…April Ka-wo-ni

Planting Moon…May Ah-n(i)-s-gv-ti

Green Corn Moon…June De-ha-lu-yi

Ripe Corn Moon…July Gu-ye-quo-na

Fruit Moon…August Ga-lo-ni

Nut Moon…September Du-li-s-di

Harvest Moon…October Du-ni-n(i)-di

Trading Moon…November Nv-da-de-qua

Snow Moon…December V-s-gi-yi

Customary and Traditional Events Associated With The Moons

JANUARY: Cold Moon, Unolvtani, This time of the season is a time for personal and ritual observance, fasting and personal purification. During this season, families prepare for the coming of the new seasons, starting in Windy Moon Anvyi or March. Personal items and tools for planting are repaired, and new ones made. Stories about ancestors and the family are imparted to the younger ones by the elders. A mid-Winter or “Cold Moon Dance” is usually held in the community as well, marking the passing or ending of one cycle of seasons and welcoming the beginning of the new cycle. Hearth fires are put out and new ones made. The putting out of Fires and lighting of new ones anciently is the duty of certain holy men of certain clans, and coincides with the first new-arrival of the morning star in the east.

FEBRUARY: Bony Moon, Kaga’li, Traditional time of personal-family feast for the ones who had departed this world. A family meal is prepared with place(s) set for the departed. This is also a time of fasting and ritual observance. A community dance officiated by a “doctor” Didanawiskawi commonly referred to as a Medicine-person. Connected to this moon is the “Medicine Dance”.

MARCH: Windy Moon, Anvyi, “First New Moon” of the new seasons. Traditional start of the new cycle of planting seasons or Moons. New town council fires are made. The figure used to portray this moon is the historic figure of Kanati, one of the many beings created by the “Apportioner” Unethlana. These “helpers” were variously charged with the control of the life elements of the earth: air/earth/fire/water. Their domains are the sky, earth, stars and the Seven Levels of the universe.

APRIL: Flower Moon, Kawoni, First plants of the season come out at this time. New births are customary within this time frame. The first new medicine and herb plants that taught mankind how to defend against sickness and conjurey come out now. Streams and rivers controlled by the spirit being, “Long Man,” renew their lives. Ritual observances are made to “Long Man” at this time. A dance customary at this season was the “Knee Deep Dance” of the Spring or Water Frog.

MAY: Planting Moon, An(i)sgvti, Families traditionally prepare the fields and sow them with the stored seeds from last season. Corn, beans, squashes, tomatoes, potatoes, yams and sunflowers are some food planted at this time. A dance traditionally done at this time is the “Corn Dance”.

JUNE: Green Corn Moon, Dehaluyi, First signs of the “corn in tassel”, and the emerging of the various plants of the fields. People traditionally begin preparations for the upcoming festivals of the ensuing growing season. People of the AniGadugi Society begin repairs needed on town houses, family homes and generally provide for the needy. The AniGadugi Society is a volunteer help group who see to the needs of the less fortunate, the elderly and the infirm of the villages.

JULY: Ripe Corn Moon, Guyequona, First foods or the new planting and the roasting ears of corn are ready. Towns begin the cycle festivals. Dances and celebrations of thanks to the Earth Mother and the “Apportioner” Unethlana are given. In the old times this was the traditional time of the “Green Corn Dance” or festival. A common reference of this moon is the “first roasting of ears” (of corn)…sweet corn-moon. This is the customary time for commencement of the Stick Ball games traditionally called AniStusti, “Little War”. Today known as “LaCross”. Stick Ball dances and festivals are commonly held at this time.

AUGUST: Fruit Moon, Ga’loni, Foods of the trees and bushes are gathered at this time. The various “Paint Clans” begin to gather many of the herbs and medicines for which they were historically know. Green Corn festivals are commonly held at this time in the present day. The “Wild Potato” Clans AniNudawegi, begin harvesting various foods growing along the streams, marshes, lakes and ponds.

SEPTEMBER: Nut Moon, Dulisdi, The corn harvest referred to as “Ripe Corn Festival” was customarily held in the early part of this moon to acknowledge Selu the spirit of the corn. Selu is thought of as First Woman. The festival respects Mother Earth as well for providing all foods during the growing season. The “Brush Feast Festival” also customarily takes place in this season. All the fruits and nuts of the bushes and trees of the forest were gathered as this time. A wide variety of nuts from the trees went into the nut breads for the various festivals throughout the seasons. Hunting traditionally began in earnest at this time.

OCTOBER: Harvest Moon, Dunin(i)di, Time of traditional “Harvest Festival” Nowatequa when the people give thanks to all the living things of the fields and earth that helped them live, and to the “Apportioner” Unethlana. Cheno i-equa or “Great New Moon” Festival is customarily held at this time. Ritual fasting would be observed seven days prior to the festival.

NOVEMBER: Trading Moon, Nvdadequa, Traditionally a time of trading and barter among different towns and tribes for manufactured goods, produce and goods from hunting. The people traded with other nearby tribes as well as distant tribes, including those of Canada, Middle America and South America. Also the customary time of the “Friendship Festival” Adohuna = “new friends made”. This is also a day of atonement for the Cherokee. Ritual fasting was also observed. This was a time when all transgressions were forgiven, except for murder which traditionally was taken care of according to the law of blood by a clans person of a murdered person. The festival recalls a time before “world selfishness and greed”. This was a time also when the needy among the towns were given whatever they needed to help them through the impending lean winter season.

DECEMBER: Snow Moon, Vsgiyi, The spirit being, “Snow Man”, brings the cold and snow for the earth to cover the high places while the earth rests until the rebirth of the seasons in the Windy Moon Anuyi. Families traditionally were busy putting up and storing goods for the next cycle of seasons. Elders enjoyed teaching and retelling ancient stories of the people to the young.

Cherokee model Ashley Roberts

CORN MOTHER - SELU

I emerged from shafts of the first sacred corn:
From Me,and My Husband

Kanati the Hunter
the First People are descended.

I return again in each ear of corn.
I dance in the summer fields
I dance the sun and the earth
I dance for all children
I dance for the rainbow
I dance for you

by Christy Salo

CREATION STORY: Selu, Kanati and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

["On this date in 1968 Black Americans were rioting in grief and rage over the US killing of Dr. King. Cities around the nation were in flames. Those stories were not then or now balanced by stories that would upon acceptance into the conscious spirit of a people shift us away from the belly of rage and discontent. Here is one such story needing to be digested, incorporated and sung into the soul, mind and spirit of a hurting people." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories]


When Wtsiielohino had been populated for some time, all the animals became restless. The different councils of animals pondered the situation. The Deer Tribe came to the conclusion that there was something missing from creations, so they called on the Creator and asked her to complete the Circle, and she agreed to what they had asked of her.

One day while the Deer Tribe was patrolling their land, they came across a creature they had never seen before. He stood on his hind legs and had long hair growing from his head. He was the First Man, or Lucky Hunter. The deer hid in order to watch his actions. When the First Man was put on Mother Earth, he was instructed on how to live by the Creator. She taught him how to use all the parts of the deer in order to eat, make clothing, and fasten his bow with extracted sinew. She told him to always offer tobacco so the spirit of his deer cousins would remain happy. The Creator also showed him how to build a shelter where he could stay safe and warm. He then was left to go out on his own.

Days, weeks and months passed with the Deer Tribe watching the Lucky Hunter intently. They became confused by the way he carried himself. He walked around aimlessly. Even worse, he shot too many deer with his bow and arrows until their population became very scarce. He also forgot to leave tobacco when hunting. He slept every night out on the cold or muddy earth. He never attempted to build a shelter as the Creator had instructed him to do. His walk was clumsy and awkward and he constantly muttered to himself. He was not leading a balanced life; he truly was a fool. The Deer Tribe, sensing the problem this new being was causing, called upon the Creator to correct this unfortunate situation.

Things remained the same until one afternoon when the Lucky Hunter laid down on his back for an afternoon snooze. As he lay there resting in the warm sun, a giant Selu (corn) stalk grew out of his heart extending high into the sky. The stalk grew higher and higher. As the Lucky Hunter pondered what had happened, he noticed a beautiful woman appearing from the top of the stalk. She was the First Woman or Corn Maiden. The Lucky Hunter reached high into the sky and helped her down from the top of this fine creation. He instantly fell in love, and she told the First Man that they would now go to build their home. Before leaving, the First Woman took two pieces of corn, so that she would always remember where she came from. When she found a place where they would build their home, she planted the corn. They began working on their home. Soon it was completed and they seemed very content. For two years they watched the corn come and go. How they loved to watch the beautiful corn.

Looking out the window one morning, the Corn Maiden and the Lucky Hunter spotted Gana (the Sacred Turkey) nibbling on the selu. They had never known that corn was meant to be eaten. Their diet became complete once the couple started to eat the corn. The Deer Tribe increased in numbers as the First Woman taught the First Man how to live a true life. He began to give thanks and walk in a steady way. You see, the woman is the most important of Creation; she brought balance to the world.

Years went by and life remained peaceful for them. Suddenly, one afternoon as the Lucky Hunter was chopping wood in the yard, Corn Maiden became very angry. She dashed from the house and ran towards the mountains. The First Man, in a state of confusion, chased after her, but to no avail. She ran much faster than him. For every mountain he crossed, she would cross three. Finally realizing that he would never catch her, he fell to his knees and asked the Creator to help him. The Creator promised him that she would try her best.

The Corn Maiden ran and ran. Thorn buses started to appear on her path, but she continued to run without noticing the pain they caused. Other bushes sprung onto the path of many beautiful colors and fragrant smells: Gooseberries, blue- berries, and huckleberries. The First Woman paid them no attention. As she ran she simply crushed them under her feet.

Then bushes filled with heart shaped berries appeared on the path. The smell and sight of these berries caused her to stop. She decided that she would pick some of the berries. As she gathered, the Lucky Hunter continued running until he caught up to her. As she noticed him coming, a smile came over her face. She had tested his love and respect. They gathered berries together. When they started to return home, he took two of the strawberry plants to remind him of what had saved his life. After reaching their home, he planted the two strawberry plants next to the two stalks of Selu. The world continued in balance.

And this is what I was told. ~Cedric Sunray

MANHOOD TEACHING: dialogue between Elders

Femi Boma Ibim as art

PART 53

Selu, Corn Mother

“It is the Mother's energy that generates the life forces dormant in the men of their lives. The story of Adam and Eve has done enough damage to the psyche of people, and killed enough women, and demonized enough life affirming rites of passages, ceremonies, rituals, and essential teachings into and from the higher mysteries of Life, and foiled the dreams of Life lived more abundantly. It is time for a Creation story that will enrich and inform life from a light source without the destructive elements that has killed the wombs of our Mothers, and our Mother, the Earth. This is alive at the core of my Medicine, my teachings. This is fundamental to the birth of man. This is the introduction into the manhood you, and many other women are praying to see.” - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories


"The shame of Man is not that He commits unclean acts upon Women. It is that the masculine energetics of this worlde are so readily dedicated to the destructive force against the Sacred Feminine of all Life. In doing so Man destroys all that makes Him sustainable as a Lifeform.” –Ngaronoa Mereana Taki


“Yes, it is true. We are also in a time of the Shaking of the Old Ways. It is a frightening time as those old paradigms are being unlearned one man at a time in one circle after another in various parts of the world we live in...” - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories


“I will not dance to war drums. I will pray.” – Adam Aba-Husain


“I will dance. I will pray. I will speak the truth, and to dark powers I will continue to speak the truth, and teach as best I can under the threat of death, and the promise of light.” - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories


“I think at our core, the core of our being creation stories are alive and directing our thoughts, and actions. If anything changes it starts from the deepest places within us. At the beginning is the truth of our story. At the beginning of our story is the truth.” – Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories


“We must first understand the separation, then the duality and Oneness. We separated from what was known and within that separation we loss the balance of self, true love of self and our connection to All things. I think we must first understand that story is a part of our DNA, or human record, and I too believe it is at the core. Now! I do think we must first find true love within in order to KNOW the balance. Once we have done that we can show then tell. Most of us have known so much despair that recognizing true love is hard. I am not using unconditional love because I do not think it walks far enough.” -Grandmother Dawn Sky Weaver


“You don't think unconditional love goes far enough?” – Dawn Wolf


“No. Because True Love is the All Unconditional only defines a part of human values. True love need no definition because it is TRUE.And we know true…True love KNOWS respect, compassion, service, peace, joy, etc.” – Grandmother Dawn Sky Weaver

Femi Boma Ibim as art