My nine year old son, Kevin and I decided to go to this PowWow after
dinner, on Saturday night, June 1, IF we had the energy. I called the
ranger at 8 pm and asked if he had any idea how long the gathering was
expected to go. He said 10 pm. "Really?" I asked ... not believing
any "respectable" Indian gathering could end so early... "Well, that's
when they quit last night," he replied.... not surprised I thought, as
it had been a cold and windy day on Friday. So, knowing full well that
we wouldn't get there until about 9:45 pm, and that it MIGHT really end
at 10, we set out for Mt. Madona at 8:30 pm, with tent and sleeping
bags, stove, pot, and 1 can of soup in the back of the car. (Mt.
Madonna County Park is in the coastal mts. about 1-1/2 hrs south of
Stanford, California).
Arrived about 9:46, parked, jumped out of car, and CAREFULLY picked our
way up the embankment to the dance area, and immediately ran into some
Paiute/Washoe friends who told us about Rising Arrow's wind problems.
There was a "new" exhibitor from Gallup New Mexico that had earrings in
the shape of miniature woven sashes.... yeah, I know it was just a
gimmick.... I'm so weak!
O.K., moving right along... Shortly after we arrived .... like
immediately, someone told us that there was going to be a Bear Dance
following the dancing. As will ALL ceremonial gatherings, nothing else
can be taking place at the same time. SO, the dancing was to end about
10 pm, and the commercials were supposed to close a.s.a.p. after that.
Then the Bear Dance would begin at a DIFFERENT LOCATION, which had been
consecrated, smudged, etc... No way would the bear dance be done in
that "public place"... What a treat! Only one other time in my entire
life has there been a Bear Dance happening anywhere near me at a time
when I could go. I was only a toddler at the time and not fully
cognizant of what was going on. It became IMMEDIATELY clear why I kept
TRYING to connect with you Sat. afternoon & evening, and why I said
"this is rediculous! We are leaving home on a 1-1/2 hr drive to go to
a PowWow that MIGHT end literally the minute we got there." I couldn't
figure out why I was being so stubborn about going .... I was completely
lacking in positive spirit by the time we left, but I did it anyway, and
boy was I rewarded! The group putting on the Bear Dance was from Tule
River Reservation, which I was also just looking at on the map less
than 10 days ago. There were two adults dressed in bear skins, and two
young boys Kevin's age. The singing was great, as was the dancing. The
movements of the "bears" were so realistic that the observers backed
away cautiously each time a "bear" came toward them.
After about 45 min. of the ceremonial dance (during which time the bears
and singers were repeatedly smudged), the leader said that the observers
were now invited to join in (Conga line style) for the next song which
would be different. It was at this point my tape recorder, which was in
my pocket, decided not to work any longer.... drat! It was a WONDERFUL
song that reminded me of other evenings and other dances .... for jewish
holidays.
Kevin began falling apart about Midnight, and I agreed to leave because
it was VERY COLD and the prospect of putting of a tent in that pitch
black spot in the wind, no less, did not inspire me in the least. So
we bid Mt. Madonna farewell until Next YEar, when I will definitely go
for a respectable amount of time. Yesterday afternoon I had to take my
mom to Santa Cruz after only 5 hrs of sleep and when I arrived at my
sister's house, she asked if I knew about the gathering at Mt. Madonna.
I told her I had just come from there at 2 am. She gave me an article
she had saved for me from the Santa Cruz Sentinnel (?) about this annual
"Ohlone" gathering. You'll love it! There is this gorgeous picture of
two Azteca dancers and the sort-of caption that goes with it says
something like "... an Indian applying typical face paint and
traditional Ohlone dance regalia..." Oh? Hmmmmm...
Walk softly on our Mother, the Earth
Lyn Dearborn
<dearborn@anchor.esd.sgi.com>
415/ 321-1075