American Indian Rabbit Dance

While many animals were presented in the trickster tales I've read over the past week or two, I was particularly struck by Rabbit. Not just because I once had a pet rabbit (though I must admit there is probably a bit of bias because of that), but because he seemed so very devious and almost evil. How can anyone think of a cute, little, innocent, fluffy bunny as evil? I do not know.
My original intent was to discuss Rabbit and his wily ways, but instead I came upon the American Indian Rabbit Dance.

I am not sure why, but the dance spoke to me somehow and I knew I had to do more research. This led me on a lovely journey on which I discovered the following link that leads to the Mohawk legend of the Rabbit Dance: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues00/Co04222000/CO_04222000_Rabbitdance.htm
This story reveals that the Rabbit Dance is a dance of gratefulness to rabbits and all of the good things they offer to humans. I was admittedly disturbed by the Rabbit I read about in the textbook for class. He was violent, selfish, and hungry for power. In this story, though, the rabbits are understanding, gentle, and generous to the point of offering their lives for the general good of the natural world. The mutual respect for life seen in the interaction of the humans with the rabbits is quite overwhelming. In the middle of a hunt, the minds of the men are swept away by the beauty of a dance performed by creatures that are stereo-typically considered prey.

I also found this link that will take you to a short clip of the Sioux Rabbit Dance music. It is pretty neat! 

http://www.folkways.si.edu/TrackDetails.aspx?itemid=16675

Native American Astrology

Since I blogged a bit about the American Indian Zodiac this week, I went video hunting and found this.

Disclaimer: This video is ridiculously dramatic, but interesting nonetheless.

American Indian Astrology

Though we have not discussed astrology in class, I could not resist the urge to explore American Indian Astrology in my blog. I am well aware of all the arguments that disprove the validity of astrology, but it is still a fascinating cultural aspect to study.

In American Indian astrology (just as in the traditional astrology one can find in the newspaper), there are twelve signs of the Zodiac. The signs are represented by realistic animals such as the otter, wolf, falcon, beaver, deer, woodpecker, salmon, bear, crow, snake, owl, and goose. This is slightly different than the Zodiac most are familiar with in that each sign is based on an animal instead of an object (such as Libra's scales). An individual's sign is based on his or her date of birth and represents a set of personality characteristics or tendencies. In American Indian astrology, the animal associated with your birth date also corresponds with the natural spirit guide that is with the individual throughout his or her life. The animal assigned as one's spirit guide is intended to impart the wisdom and experience they have acquired over many years to the individual based upon the positive and negative characteristics of their zodiac. For example, my sign is the goose. As a goose, I am hardworking, motivated, and goal oriented. However, I also tend to be unsatisfied, unsociable, and negative. The "job" of my spirit guide is to help me navigate the positive and negative characteristics of my personality to maintain a healthy, stable, communal lifestyle. 

(http://www.xtraastrology.com/native_american_astrology/Native_American_symbols_of_the_natural_zodiac

Miwok

Since I chose to write about the Miwok creation myth this week, I thought it would be beneficial to post articles, pictures, and videos about the Miwok people. I am particularly fond of the first image.



http://rachelsmithillustration.com/miwok.php



http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-5ZfziVwF9EMeSVTZwLXk6J1XGc03e-KS_0iOdYMSAKxEMuCo

http://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/creation.miwok.html -This link is a simple, but neat website that has links to more creation myths. Its a super time sponge!

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/CreationofMan-Miwok.html - I loved this story! In this version, Coyote (though he sort of cheats) is the only animal who does not create something in his own image. Also, I can't help but believe that it also points out that sometimes tricksters bring about good things. Nothing is ever entirely evil or malicious.

http://www.sfsu.edu/~geog/bholzman/ptreyes/introclt.htm -This site has some interesting info about the location and history of the Miwok people. It must be very difficult to catch a bird with a basket trap (if you read the section about foods you will know what I mean).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCo-ebphfYA -An interesting controversy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AQKPz4dBdQ&feature=related- Another unfortunate controversy. There are several other videos on the same topic. They can be found by clicking the link and scrolling through the Youtube sidebar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO6-QTDcgkE&feature=related -An extremely short "documentary." I chose to post this because of the beautiful views.

Creation

While I certainly enjoyed many of the Trickster Tales, I was particularly stricken by the Miwok tale "How People Were Made."

I remember sitting in Sunday school as a small child, listening to Mrs. Betty's exaggerated portrayal of how God created the world in seven days, but paid special attention to man and even chose to create him in his own image (Oh, what a gift!) .I also vividly remember memorizing scripture with my high school youth group, particularly Genesis 1:27 which states, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Having spent the majority of my life being told I was created in the image of something (or someone) I have absolutely no physical connection with, I was rather startled when I read the Miwok creation myth. In this myth, Coyote is concerned that everyone looks the same and changes his own image. Perhaps I am romanticizing, but I saw a great deal of artistic appreciation in the Miwok tale. Certainly all beings were considered equal, but equality (at least in this tale) is not limited to appearance.
I quickly found myself lost in thought, imagining a world in which all beings (and perhaps even a creator) find differences beautiful and necessary. How different the world would be if equality were based upon existence, not appearance.

No Surprise Now

One of the primary reasons I decided to take this course is that my ancestors (on my mother's side) are all American Indian, but I have had very little connection with any of them or their culture. I have, however, been fortunate enough to have memories of my Gramma Ayers who was half Cherokee and half Sioux. One of those memories is of my Aunt Brenda asking Gramma Ayers several questions about her life as an American Indian. Upon hearing the words "American Indian," Gramma Ayers jerked her head up from the always present spit cup she carried and looked at my aunt with a stern face and said, "I am not an Indian. I am white." Startled, my aunt asked her why she did not claim her heritage. Once again, Gramma Ayers said, "I don't have heritage to claim. I am not Indian. I am white." Until the day she died, my great-grandmother refused to admit that she was an Indian and she was sure to tell all of her children that they were not Indian, they were white and would have everything white children had.
   I often wondered why she was so afraid to be honest about her race. I knew very little (and still do not know very much) about American Indian history and what my Gramma Ayers likely experienced in her lifetime. After seeing the film "Reel Injun," however, I feel that I understand at least a bit more. When thinking of her, I could not help but remember the children watching the film and the looks on their faces. Did my great-grandmother experience this strange prejudice first-hand. I am certain that it is possible. Gramma Ayers was sold to a white family at the age of twelve and eventually married the man who bought her after his wife's death. She bore him thirteen children, all of whom were "white." I wish she would have spoken more about her parents, grandparents, and siblings. She never once mentioned them (at least to my knowledge) and she never spoke about her beliefs, other than to tell us that her parents adopted Christian names when she was a young girl and they changed her name as well.
     I wonder if she ever saw any of the films mentioned in "Reel Injun" and if she did, I wonder what she thought. I wonder if she believed that she was all of the shameful things that others claimed American Indians were. It is certainly possible, but unfortunately, I will never know.

Test Run

This is a test run for American Indian Literature.