The Ojai Post

Nothing will heal until the senseless killing of animals stops!

Dear Cara,we need you ,come help us welcome the bear dancers. The killing of animals won't stop until people stop killing one another .we can come together as a community and work together to heal and help our community and also to educate .We all have something to offer.

Thank you Julie, for your wise and hopeful message. How late will the ceremony last?

Diana,I can't say.They will dance I believe till everyone has had a chance to go into the circle.expect 5 hours.

Some cultures will mame young children so that they will remember the painful loss of sacred animals. A part of the body not used very much, like a little finger.

our killing, our murder,
of Xus-Bear, of Mother-Earth-Bear

of all our sacred relations, all living beings,
of ourselves, our families, our perversely 'loved'-ones,

when we ....

when ..

we!

this Weekend, of the 7th-8th, marks the Rising of the Song of the Mayan Sixth Nite, of the Infinite Choral Ancestral Illumination of our Sacred Feminine Divine Celestial Creation: Return of the Ancestors

Is this similar to te antler dance which I have seen performed numerous times by Suza et al..

dear mt, to celebrate the sacred feminine, there will come a day when we here will embrace that through the bear ceremony.please join us this weekend.
between time I have been doing full moon ceremony, which is honoring the and the renewal of this land and sky,through the power of the moon ,who guides all emotions of all living beings.

O, swear not by the moon, the fickle moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

I feel gratitude for this offering and the sacred land we will be gathering with. thank you!

I woke up thinkng about the Bear Dance...the community gathering outdoors, under the moon and the stars...around the roaring bonfire... the words of deep wisdom spoken by our beautiful Chumash elder Julie Tumamait-Stenslie...honoring and thanking her family and the elders of the Valley of the moon... the first group of energetic dancers in their amazing Chumash Indian attire...it was exciting when my mind shifted and I began to really hear and see the patterns of the beat of the drum, the shimmering sounds of those things around their ankles (cannot find the word) and the stomping and whirling moves...every once in a while the dancing would suddenly stop... then would come the haunting, timeless sound of the conch...and later, after a fire ceremony of food offerings (honey, fruits, oher bear foods, tobacco... all poured or dropped into the sputtering flames) --- as offerings to the Bear-Spirit...after this... after a time of waiting...after more Bear-Wisdom from a tall man dressed in a bear/bird spirit costume, (my interpretation) a man who grew up in Ojai living next door to the Tumamait family...(he told us about his relationship with Vincent Tummamait (now in the spirit-world) -- father of Julie, Gloria, Patrick, Rachel... who I also grew up with...) then... out of the shadows...bear-feet... bear-legs...lumbering toward the roaring bonfire... sparks disappearing into the night sky...at last came the Bear Dancers...their bodies embodying the movement, the grunts... and energy of the Bear... it was just as I had imagined it... mythological...and a little bit scary. I sat on the ground next to a group of small children and it was fun to watch the expressions on their faces as one of the Bear Men purposefully danced inches away from them...waving and reaching out...back and forth... with his hairy bear claws...pawing the air... and still later...toward the close of the ceremony... we were invited to dance with the bears...we formed a long line and one-by-one entered the Bear Dance circle...and as we Bear-Danced around the bonfire I caught the eye of my longtime friend Marilyn, who I had not seen in a million years...she hugged me and loudly whispered, "FINALLY I get to dance with the bears!" She echoed what I felt too...

"I've ALWAYS wanted to dance with the bears!"

Julie asked the question:

"What lesson(s) did we/you learn from the death of the bear?"

Many lessons...to share at a later time.

Maybe others will chime in here.

Thank you, Julie, for bringing the Bear Dancers to Ojai!

Your dance woke me from my slumbers and filled me with joy. I was with you last night. I am with you still.

Several people have asked me a question that I myself was concerned about, and that is, "Are the bear heads, furs, claws, etc. used in the bear dance, real?"

I don't know the answer to that, yet.

One person said they did not feel that it is appropriate to honor the dead Aliso Street Bear wearing a costume made from a real bear... they understand and appreciate the good intentions behind the bear dance ceremony...but they understandably wanted to know the source of these bear heads, furs, etc.,

Suza ,all I can say to that is ,if people understood their own tribal traditions ,they wouldn't need to ask such questions ,How can people stand in judgment over these men and how they procure the bear skins and honor 1000s of years of traditions.

what kind of answer is that? so it ok for you to kill bears because you've been doing it for 1000s years.

No ,We are not the ones killing bears.You are.Is that really what you think ?,Do you think we go on the internet to BEARS OR US ? Bears that are shoot ,killed or mamed by reckless drivers,ect. .Native people have to right to obtain the skin of those animals to show honor and respect.Can you please expand your knowledge.

I will not respond anymore to all you cyber keyboard warriors who hide behind this amonymity . Have the guts to stand behind your convictions.This goes for all issues.

spirit of Xus-Bear,
spirit of the Seven Bear Dancers.
you did heal us!

and SunBird, Phoenix-Bird, your words did awaken
and honor, our Spirit Guide of Xus-Bear ...

and the Returning Wisdom in all of us, of the life,
the Song, the One True Economy, which is the Harmony ...

the Wisdom Ways of the Divinity, Mother, Nature ..
of learning from, and with, again, all our spirit relations,
tree and forest, river and stream ...

Bears who did, do, dance and sing ...

SunBirds who their feathers do, and did, preen ...

haku my Suza,

those were the Azteca Dancers you did sing,
did warm our dancing green ..

and the Dancing Bears, honoring the Old Ways,
did wear their Sacred Bear Skins ..

gifts of the Spirit Ancestors,
now and always being honored,
in our returning ways ..

I had a dream that a bear wearing a suicide belt came into town and blew everybody up.

haku Julie, and other attendees of the Bear Dance,

who was the Bird Dancer? (Eagle? Phoenix? Thunderbird? Sunbird? Condor?) and what can you tell us of the spiritual background of the bird deity?

the website said:

The Bear Dance is an ancient ritual that has been performed by many indigenous nations from coast to coast. The dance performed here follows the Southern Paiute and other southern desert traditions. We understand that Arkansas and Mississippi are the only places outside of California where this particular ancient ceremony is held.

The dance begins with the 'calling of the Bears' to the four sacred directions. The head Wingman tells the story of the great Bear and instructs the audience/participants in what to expect. Singers and Drummers then enter the sacred fire circle and begin to tell other stories of the Bear in ancient song.

Wingmen (Bird People) escort the Bears into the fire circle and continually cleanse them throughout the dance with sacred sage, to keep them from taking on the dis-eases they are helping to transmute.

The Bear's dance movements are prayers and the beautiful rhythmic songs emphasize the strength, courage, beauty and the special healing medicines of the Bear. An Elder Wingman may narrate the stories and interpret the meaning of various movements and songs for those who have never attended.

I am wondering if you can tell us of the tribes represented by the Winged One and the Bear Dancers, Shaman, and Drummers.

Did, do, the Chumash have a different Bear Dance from that performed by this group? I would be interested in any Chumash Bear stories too.

[I assume the 'Winged One' is Chumash, having grown up close to your family ... he said he was a 1971 Nordhoff graduate.]

here is a description of the Chumash Bear Dance by Samala, 140 years ago:

the Bear Dance, Wansak:

"In the land of our Indian people there was nothing so strong as the bear. The Indians respected the world, and because the bear was strongest, they respected him, too. The bear, although he is so strong, does have one thing which he must appreciate and respect - the wild grape or nunit. The bear knows that if he eats too much fruit, it will ferment in his insides and cause him to become intoxi­cated. For this reason the bear has respect for the wild grape."

As the dance began, Samala's companion used split sticks of elderberry to keep time as he sang, "Huyuhuyuna. Huyuhuyuna. Huyuhuyuna. Huyuhuyuna." When he had finished, Samala was announced by a clown who cleared a path for him and recited:

"Greetings, fellow countrymen, kinfolk and everybody! I beg of you: the bear will enter to dance, bringing with him all the fierceness of the wild, so if anyone even makes a noise, the bear could pounce on him and bite him."

Entering the ring from the south, Samala crouched down and imitated a frightened bear. He then pointed his feather staff or plumero to the east. .In his left hand, he held a headdress ringed with feathers and topped by long magpie plumes. Three singers accompanied him with turtle shell rattles with asphaltum and filled with pebbles. They sang:

Listen to what I am about to sing.
Listen to my breathing on high.
Listen to my stamping.
I tear up the ground.
Listen to my groaning.

Look! Listen!
He grunts on high.
The ground shakes.
In the night he makes a noise
like a thunderclap.
I yaka mi ha mi.
Clear the way!

Clear away the dirt which obstructs
when I step forth with pride.
The feathers fold up.
I am a creature of power.
I stand up and begin to walk to
the mountain tops, to every
corner of the world.
I am a creature of power.

Samala had painted his face and he wore a short grass skirt. From a cord around his neck hung a bear paw, an honor reinforced by his having incised bear-paw petroglyphs at a remote shrine which he visited only at the winter solstice. He circled the dance area and shook his plumero in all corners. If anyone got out of order, he lunged at them, sometimes biting them on the shoulder.

I think we sang that "Huyuhuyuna" refrain at the ceremony last week!

CA Dept. of Fish & Game Commission is meeting this week in Los Angeles (usually they meet in Sacramento). This is an opportunity to have public input regarding their policies. According to Agenda, on Wed. Dec 9, they are addressing Marine Protected areas, and have public comment from 10-12:30. Thursday public comment is at 9:30 am.

There is also an issue in LA about 8 coyotes shot and killed one night in Griffith Park in Sept. (as I understand it, killed by Dept of Agriculture, per request of Dept. F&G).

for Meeting Agenda:
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2009/120909agd.asp

(excerpt)
Meeting of
December 10, 2009 (Thursday)
9:30 a.m.
Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport
ABC Ballroom*
6225 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles

DISCUSSION ITEMS

NOTE : Items may be heard on either day and in any order pursuant to the determination of the Commission President.

2. PUBLIC FORUM– Any member of the public may address and/or ask questions of the Commission relating to the implementation of its policies or any other matter within the jurisdiction of the Commission. The issue to be discussed should not be related to any item on the current agenda. As a general rule, action cannot be taken on issues not listed on the agenda. At the discretion of the Commission, staff may be requested to follow up on such items. Submittal of written comments is encouraged to ensure that all comments will be included in the record before the Commission. Please be prepared to summarize your comments to the time allocated by the President.

3. SCOPING OF POSSIBLE DEPARTMENT AND COMMISSION 2010 MAMMAL HUNTING REGULATION CHANGE PROPOSALS AND UPDATE ON CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) DOCUMENTS. (This includes tag application and big game drawing procedures.)

Thanks, Leslie, this is one of the reasons we had to get the Letters to Pedro Nava's office this week. Will see about circulating this...