Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Animal Masters
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The Innu villagers make altars of animal bones, especially the bear, out of respect. I know of respect, but I don't think I actually know respect. Nope. It's like the difference between surfing the internet and being a computer programmer.
Americans are moving toward a mechanized society where the poor are enslaved by walmart pharaohs to sew underwear and paint GI Joe play figures..."in the name of progress".
The bear and the wolf are seen as obstacles, enemies. The Innu shaman called them Animal Masters and the respect was deep.
I was thinking about that frog at Muskrat Falls who knows nothing of the impending development of that river. It's habitat will not be submerged, rather it will dry up as the river is diverted. Is this justified? IS there a difference between killing a single frog and killing the frog's habitat? These are the questions I would ask the Innu elders if I could speak their language. The Labrador Interpretation Center in NWR is very nice with these recordings of Innu people explaining their heritage. There was a "Shaking Tent" where they would go to communicate with the animal spirits. An elder would beat a drum...and you could not beat the drum until you had dreamed about it three times. Imagine that...it's a form of destiny. You don't choose the drum...it chooses you through your dreams. And the shaking tent would tell the destiny of the caribou (did I mention the 1993 census of the George's Caribou Herd was 300K and this year it is 73K. The Mealy mountains once had summer snow patches where the mosquitoes would not go. With the warmer weather those patches are gone and the Caribou have nowhere to hide. Does the wolf get them?
A sign requested I not video or photograph the shaking hut on exhibit at the center. Out of respect. You have to go to North West River to see it. The elders believe animals have been disrespected to the point where the shaking hut is not useful anymore. They are sad as the caribou that was once plentiful is no more. The women eat twinkies and kids shop at quickiemart for slurpies. Dogs grow hungry and the fish do not swim. Their dreams are filled with neon and the time of the elemental man has passed with the digital man metamorphosing into the surrogate animal.
Take a moment to dream of the wolf. I have not dreamed of it and this is why I can't find it. The wolf finds you...you do not find the wolf. Like Labradorite...look for it and you will not find it. My path is uncertain as mechanized culture has cemented my dreams in the pizza and lithium-based world. What will enable me to break free?
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2 comments:
Don't I see the shaking hut in the background????
That is the sweat hut which is for therapeutic purposes. The shaking hut is actually hidden inside another tent to form a dual tent. The sweat hut does look like the shaking hut and is made from the same canvas or hide. You can probably find a picture of one out there on the magic web but you risk the wrath of the Innu spirits if you defile or disrespect it.
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