Legends and Folklore of the Northern Lights

The aurora borealis has intrigued people from ancient times, and still does today. The Eskimos and Indians of North America have many stories to explain these northern lights.

One story is reported by the explorer Ernest W. Hawkes in his book, The Labrador Eskimo:

Evil Thing

The Point Barrow Eskimos were the only Eskimo group who considered the aurora an evil thing. In the past they carried knives to keep it away from them.

Omen of War

The Fox Indians, who lived in Wisconsin, regarded the light as an omen of war and pestilence. To them the lights were the ghosts of their slain enemies who, restless for revenge, tried to rise up again.

Dancing Spirits

The Salteaus Indians of eastern Canada and the Kwakiutl and Tlingit of Southeastern Alaska interpreted the northern lights as the dancing of human spirits. The Eskimos who lived on the lower Yukon River believed that the aurora was the dance of animal spirits, especially those of deer, seals, salmon and beluga.

Game of Ball

Most Eskimo groups have a myth of the northern lights as the spirits of the dead playing ball with a walrus head or skull. The Eskimos of Nunivak Island had the opposite idea, of walrus spirits playing with a human skull.

Spirits of Children

The east Greenland Eskimos thought that the northern lights were the spirits of children who died at birth. The dancing of the children round and round caused the continually moving streamers and draperies of the aurora.

Fires in the North

The Makah Indians of Washington State thought the lights were fires in the Far North, over which a tribe of dwarfs, half the length of a canoe paddle and so strong they caught whales with their hands, boiled blubber.

Stew Pots

The Mandan of North Dakota explained the northern lights as fires over which the great medicine men and warriors of northern nations simmered their dead enemies in enormous pots. The Menominee Indians of Wisconsin regarded the lights as torches used by great, friendly giants in the north, to spear fish at night.

Creator Reminder

An Algonquin myth tells of when Nanahbozho, creator of the Earth, had finished his task of the creation, he traveled to the north, where he remained. He built large fires, of which the northern lights are the reflections, to remind his people that he still thinks of them.

Severn Cullis-Suzuki has been active in environmental and social justice work since kindergarten. At age 9, she started the Environmental Children’s Organization, a group of children committed to learning and teaching other kids about environmental issues. They were successful in raising enough money to appear at 1992’s Rio Earth Summit, and 12-year-old Severn delivered a powerful speech which gained worldwide attention. For this she received the UN Environment Program’s Global 500 Award at a ceremony in Beijing, China.

As a member of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s Special Advisory Panel, Cullis-Suzuki brought a document called the Recognition of Responsibility to the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. The trip also was the subject of a documentary film that aired on CBC’s long-running documentary series The Nature of Things.

Cullis-Suzuki has spoken worldwide on the necessity of redefining our values, acting with the future in mind, and listening to children. She co-founded the Skyfish Project, an Internet-based think tank that encourages youth to speak out for their future and adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

Cullis-Suzuki has completed a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University, and more recently, a Masters in Ethnobotany from the University of Victoria, British Columbia.

view Severen’s 1992 speech at the summit in Rio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAedbD2pIwY

Written by The Naib

Deval Patrick (my governor), making his second appearance at MIT this month, told an enthusiastic crowd at Kresge Auditorium on Tuesday–the 39th anniversary of the first Earth Day–that clean energy has the potential to bring about an economic bonanza for the commonwealth at the same time that it improves the planet’s well-being.

“If we get this right, the whole world will be our customer,” Patrick said of his plans to make Massachusetts a hotbed of both innovation and implementation in solar, wind and other clean energy alternatives.

Patrick said state regulations must be updated to give renewable energy projects a fair shake. At present, he said, there are “built-in biases” that favor fossil fuel. For example, a provision that allows the state to override local objections and permit the construction of new power plants only applies to large plants, and thus almost exclusively affects fossil-fuel plants. “Ironically,” he said, “the only [renewable] plant large enough to be affected by this law is the most controversial–Cape Wind, which I enthusiastically support.”

Despite strong opposition to that offshore wind project from most of Massachusetts’ political leaders, Patrick said that if it does get built as the nation’s first major offshore wind installation, it would be a powerful symbol of a new direction in energy policy.

A new energy reform bill now being hammered out in a state legislature conference committee, Patrick said, “will revolutionize energy policy in this state.” One of the reforms he wants to see incorporated in the bill is a restructuring of electric utility regulation to promote energy efficiency–”the cleanest energy of all,” he said.

Currently, rate structures “reward our utilities for selling as much as they can,” but that must be changed in order to reap the enormous benefits of efficiency. Changing that policy will be “good news for consumers, and good news for renewable energy,” he said.

In addition, to promote the development of solar energy, Massachusetts has forged “the first alliance of utilities and solar manufacturers in the whole country,” Patrick said. One sign of that alliance is the recent announcement of Evergreen Solar–a manufacturer of solar panels that was a spin-off of MIT research–to triple its manufacturing capacity in the state, creating 1,000 jobs. In addition, state rebates will pay up to 60 percent of homeowners’ costs for installing photovoltaic panels.

“Thanks to places like MIT, with its Energy Initiative, Massachusetts is becoming a center of solar research,” he said. Noting an overall U.S. trend away from manufacturing jobs and toward information-based work, he said that “Clean energy is one knowledge-based technology that produces jobs across the spectrum”–everything from construction trade work to manufacturing, managerial, academic and research positions.

Patrick said that while some might find it odd to spend Earth Day talking about the building of a new industry, it really isn’t. “I hope everyone will help us build, right here in Massachusetts, a clean energy industry that saves the world,” he said, to a resounding standing ovation.

Thank you to my good friend White Wolf for all the Cherokee Information.  He is generous to let me borrow freely to add to this bioregional blog.

Wuliwin noguma dot!

Although this post is regarding the role of a Cherokee Clan Mother…it is the same in the Mi’kmaq tradtional ways.  In our family, the Clan Mother (my sister in law) has the final voice for our family.

 WHAT IS A CLAN MOTHER?

A clan mother works with the chiefs in making decisions for the people, they also have the duty to ensure that our way of life continues. The Clan Mothers gather and sit to decide when the ceremonies will begin. Then the Clan Mothers supervise the food, and soups that are needed for each ceremony. And ceremonies cannot begin without the Clan Mothers present.
Children are the future of any community and the Clan Mothers are important in raising the children. When a new baby is born, it is the Clan Mother who provides the name of the baby of her clan. It is said that the Clan Mother has a bag of names at the ready.
The Clan Mothers also make sure that the children are raised in the ways and customs of the Longhouse. Often when people have questions or there is a dispute among families, often it is the Clan Mother who is sought after for guidance.

Cherokee were Brave and Courageous Hunters,
they always had respect for the Land and for the Animals that they Hunted, They only Killed what they needed to survive they used every part of the Animal for their daily needs. nothing was wasted, the skins were used for Clothing and making moccasin`s for their feet. the Meat was eaten for food. their weapons were all made by hand by a skilled Cherokee Craftsman. Their weapons included Blowguns made from hollowed out river cane, the Darts for the Blowguns were eight to ten inches long made from yellow locust, the tails of the darts were made of thistledown wound on the staff with a sinew. the blowguns were used to hunt small Animals and birds. they used Bows and Arrows, for Hunting the larger Animals, and for use in War to protect their Lands and Families From their Enemies. the Bows were made of hard wood usually hickory or oak, the bows were strung with Bear or Deer guts. the Arrows were made of river cane or sourwood, and then feathered with turkey feathers, and tipped with stone points. the Cherokee lived for thousands of years in the mountains of east Tennessee and North Carolina. the Cherokee lived in harmony with every living creature big and small.

In a search for order and sustaining that order, the olden Cherokee devised a simple, yet seemingly complex belief system. Many of the elements of the original system remain today. Although some have evolved or otherwise been modified, the traditional Cherokee of today recognize the belief system as an integral part of day-to-day life.
Certain numbers play an important role in the ceremonies of the Cherokee. The numbers four and seven repeatedly occur in myths, stories and ceremonies. Four represents all the familiar forces, also represented in the four cardinal directions. These cardinal directions are east, west, north and south. Certain colors are also associated with these directions. The number seven represents the seven clans of the Cherokee, and are also associated with directions. In addition to the four cardinal directions, three others exist. Up (the Upper World), down (the Lower World) and center (where we live, and where you always are).
The number seven also represents the height of purity and sacredness, a difficult level to attain. In olden times, it was believed that only the owl and cougar had attained this level, and since then, they have always had a special meaning to the Cherokee. The pine, cedar, spruce, holly and laurel also attained this level. They play a very important role in Cherokee ceremonies. Cedar is the most sacred of all, and the distinguishing colors of red and white set it off from all others. The wood from the tree is considered very sacred, and in ancient days, was used to carry the honored dead.
Because of these early beliefs, the traditional Cherokee have a special regard for the owl and cougar. They are the honored ones in some versions of the Creation story. They were the only two who were able to stay awake for the seven nights of Creation. The others fell asleep. Today, because of this, they are nocturnal in their habits and both have night vision. The owl is seemingly different from other birds, and he resembles an old man as he walks. Sometimes, the owl can be mistaken for a cat with his feather tufts and silhouette of his head. This resemblance honors his nocturnal brother, the cougar. The owls eyes are quite large and set directly in front like a persons, and he can close one independent of the other. The cougar is an animal whose has screams which resemble those of a woman. He is an animal who has habits that are very secret and unpredictable.
The cedar, pine, spruce, laurel and holly trees have leaves all year long. These plants, too, stayed awake seven nights during the Creation. Because of this, they were given special power, and they are among the most important plants in Cherokee medicine and ceremonies.

Honoring Life Changes
Blessing Way

A Mother Blessing is a ritual adapted from the traditional Navajo ceremony known as a Blessing Way. Mother Blessings fill a gap in western celebrations surrounding birth. Whereas a baby shower celebrates the coming of the child, a Mother Blessing celebrates the woman’s passage into motherhood. Friends-generally all women, but not always-gather to give their support to the mother as she approaches one of the most intense experiences of her life. A Father Blessing is also a wonderful idea especially during a time when fathers can be feeling a little left out.

A Blessing Way ceremony can be given in honor of anyone going through a major life transition. From graduating high school to turning 50, significant life changes deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. Many of our traditional ways of recognizing these transitions have become hollow, often dominated by consumerism. A Blessing Way is less about giving gifts and more about communicating from the heart, offering words of encouragement and inspiration to buoy the guest of honor in the face of major change.

Often at Mother Blessings, each participant brings a bead to give to the mother, and a necklace or bracelet is made for her. Each person presents their bead to the mother and says something of what they wish for her journey-strength, courage, or a sense of humor, for example. They can also give their bead in honor of a quality she already has that they believe will make her a good mother. This way she leaves the ritual with a magical talisman imbued with the loving energy of her community. She can carry this into labor or hang it over her baby’s crib as a reminder of the strength she carries within and the love surrounding her. The same idea can be adapted to fit Blessing Ways in honor of retirement, a new job, a major move, or even a divorce.

If someone you know is approaching a momentous rite of passage, organize a Blessing Way in their honor. Or, if you need one, ask for one. It could become a beautiful new tradition in your community of friends and family.

Life shifts us into neutral sometimes. Our engines idle, and our eyes and hearts adjust to the slower RPMs. We hang suspended for a while–waiting. Though we don’t know it, often we are waiting for a new vision to emerge–and we must be quiet enough, calm enough to sense its approach.

Vision is the art of seeing things that are yet to appear. With vision comes a responsibility like none other–for once we have been given vision, we must seek to bring it into being. Waiting–as hard as it can be–helps prepare us for what is yet to come.

There is an ancient saying that a confused state is that state in which the idea has not yet begun to sing its song of identity.

-JOSEPH RAEL, UTE

Climate a “Life and Death” Issue for Native Peoples

By Haider Rizvi

www.commondreams.org/archive…24/8491/

UNITED NATIONS - Leaders of the world’s 370 million indigenous
peoples are calling for the United Nations to include their voices in
its future talks on climate change.0424 08

“Both the climate change and its solutions are concerns for
indigenous peoples,” said Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, chairperson of the
U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Currently, the Forum, which includes 16 representatives — eight
nominated by governments and eight by indigenous representatives — is
holding its seventh annual meeting in New York. The meeting is being is
being attended by more than 3,300 delegates from around the world.

“The indigenous peoples contribute the smallest ecological
footprints on Earth,” according to Tauli-Corpuz, “but they suffer the
worst impacts from climate change and mitigation measures, such as the
loss of land and biofuel production.”

Despite representation from nearly 500 aboriginal groups worldwide,
the Forum is not empowered to enact laws; it can only advise the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a 54-member U.N. body, whose
members are elected by the General Assembly every three years.

Last year in September, the General Assembly passed a historic
resolution calling for the recognition of indigenous peoples’ right to
control their lands and resources, but fell short of saying the
“Universal Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples” was
legally binding.

Indigenous leaders they want both the governments and private
corporations to incorporate the declaration into their national
economic, political, cultural and environmental policies, so that
indigenous people can participate in the process of development in a
meaningful way.

“The indigenous peoples have observed and felt the impact of
climate change before anybody else,” said Tauli-Corpuz. “They are
becoming ‘environmental refugees’ [because] small island states are
sinking due to rising sea-levels.”

According to Fiu Elisara, executive director of the Ole Siosiomaga
Society of Samoa island, climate change has become “a life-and-death”
issue for the Pacific island states, also known as the “liquid
continent”.

“One cyclone is enough to completely wipe out one island state,” he
said, adding that 90 percent of the people in the Pacific are
indigenous who have nowhere to turn to for help because most of their
rulers have not signed the declaration.

Indigenous leaders say many of their communities in mega-biodiverse
countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil are greatly
suffering due to extensive use of their lands and forests for biofuels
in the name of carbon-trading and climate change mitigation.

Tauli-Corpuz said such activities are being carried out by
governments and private corporations without the “prior and informed
consent” of the indigenous peoples, an issue that environmental
organisations and indigenous groups have repeatedly raised at various
international forums.

Elisara and other indigenous leaders say they intend to press U.N.
member states to recognise the principle of “prior and informed
consent” in its legally-binding treaties concerning sustainable
development and environmental preservation.

The U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) promotes and
protects the ownership by indigenous people of their traditional
knowledge, but the principle of “informed consent” for the use of
indigenous lands is not part of its provisions.

In supporting the indigenous peoples’ demand, the CBD executive
secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf said he would like to see the treaty be
translated into “national laws and national actions”.

“The convention has a unique procedure that recognises the
indigenous peoples as partners,” he told IPS. “It’s the first
international convention to have a fully fledged programme and
full-time team dedicated to the issues of indigenous peoples and the
protection of the knowledge that has been accumulated over millennia.”

Tauli-Corpuz and other other representatives of the Forum said they
want the U.N. member countries to translate the declaration into a
“living document”, but acknowledged that would not be an easy task,
because some powerful nations are still reluctant to embrace it.

Last year in September, when a vast majority of the U.N. General
Assembly supported the declaration, the United States, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand cast their votes in opposition. However,
recently both Canada and Australia issued statements indicating their
willingness to endorse the declaration.

Some countries with large indigenous populations, such as Bolivia
and Ecuador, according to Tauli-Corpuz, have assured the Forum that
they were willing to adopt the declaration as part of their national
laws.

At a news conference Monday, Bolivia’s indigenous president, Evo
Morales, said the indigenous peoples have the moral authority to shape
“a new model for living” because “they live closely to Mother Nature
and have defended it for ages.”

“Mother Earth is the wellspring of life that must be cherished and
respected rather than treated as a tradable commodity,” he added in a
statement highlighting the significance of the role of the indigenous
peoples in protecting the environment and preserving Earth’s
biodiversity.

During the two-week meeting, the Forum leaders said they would
recommend a number of proposals to the U.N. member states, including
the one concerning their demand for participation in the international
decision-making on climate change mitigation.

© 2008 Inter Press Service