Wovoka (Jack Wilson)

The Ghost Dance (Caddo Nanissáanah [1]) of 1890 is a ceremony incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems.

According to the millenarian teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), proper practice of the dance will reunite the living with spirits of the dead, bring the spirits to guard on their behalf, end European westward expansion, and bring peace, prosperity, and unity to Native American peoples throughout the region [2].

I intend to dance again to see the ancestors.

The basis for it is the circle dance, a traditional Native American dance [3, 4]. It was first practiced by the Nevada Northern Paiute in 1889. The practice swept throughout much of the Western United States, quickly reaching areas of California and Oklahoma. As it spread from its original source, different tribes synthesized selective aspects of the ritual with their own unique beliefs.

The Ghost Dance has been associated with Wovoka's prophecy of an end to colonial expansion while preaching goals of clean living, an honest life, and cross-cultural cooperation by Native Americans.

Practice of the movement was believed to have contributed to Lakota resistance to assimilation under the Dawes Act. The Lakota variation on the Ghost Dance tended towards millenarianism [5], an innovation that distinguished the Lakota interpretation from Jack Wilson's original teachings. The Caddo still practice the Ghost Dance today [6]. More

[Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM)] Nov. 18, 2020: The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County are proud to join the nationwide celebration of Native American Indian Heritage Month in November. During this month, and throughout the year, we share stories from past and present and recognize the thriving Native community of Los Angeles County. Join the conversation on social media by sharing your own stories about Native American history and culture by using #NHMLA and #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.

(Voice of America) VOA is funded in whole or in part by the American government. Oct. 14, 2024: Since 2019 the state of California officially celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of the federally recognized Columbus Day, which falls on every second Monday in October. VOA’s Genia Dulot visited the celebration at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, that drew around 2,000 people.

(Yestervid) Oct. 28, 2015: This is a rare, amazing, and heartfelt tribute to Native American tribes. This footage dates back to 1895 or 1894, with rare vintage audio recording of American Indian music.

This is forgotten American history and includes the oldest known clip of Native Americans on film, a clip of Sioux tribe members performing the "Buffalo Dance" at Thomas Edison's Black Maria Studio in New Jersey.

The "Ghost Dance" film was created on the same day, September 24, 1895. Other films featured include Hopi tribe members greeting TR and clips from the Chicago World's Fair of 1933.

It shows three Native American feature films: White Fawn's Devotion, The Invaders, and Last of the Mohicans. White Fawn's Devotion was the earliest film directed by a Native American, whose name was James Young Deer.

The old audio clip was recorded in 1895 by Alice Cunningham and Francis La Flesche. The dance song is "He'dewachi," and it is traditionally played at ceremonies that celebrate warriors.

 

(Afrodrumming) July 24, 2012: Old, rare footage of Native American drumming from 1894 in a tribute to our American Indian brothers and sisters.

Big thanks to all the musicians who provided their talents: The Hopi tribe of Arizona, Kerri Lake, Ephemeral Rift, and Kevin MacLeod.

Don't let your yesterdays eat too much of today

November is National American Heritage Month in the US, aka Native American Heritage Month, which began in with Bush in 1990.

"The President [of the USA] has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities."

The landmark bill tribal people represented a major step in establishing this celebration.

Kachina dolls of the Hopi tribe

That struggle began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation, the first historical week of recognition in the nation for Native peoples.

This led to Pres. Reagan in 1986 proclaiming November 23–30, 1986, as "American Indian Week" [1].

This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people living in the United States of America to share their:

It is meant to give Native people the opportunity to resuscitate their languages and spiritual practices, natural medicines and rituals to express to the community in cities, counties, and states so that officials become aware of their concerns. In this way solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in local areas can be fostered.

Federal agencies are encouraged to provide educational programs for their employees regarding American Indian history, rights, culture, and contemporary issues to better assist people affiliated with surviving tribe in their jobs and for overall awareness. More

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Southern California, and Los Angeles in particular, has the highest concentration of Indigenous people in the country. Yet, we have no "reservation," no remainder of our land not stolen by treaty and war by the Federal government. There are, however, public lands.

What if those who wanted to revive the Old Ways, keep them alive as mixed with the modern, were to have a place to live as before? I imagine somewhere in the forest above the city, in the San Gabriel Mountains, the Angeles Forest and monument.

What if Natives and allies could come together to fashion a better society within the society. Now we're all spoiled and do not want to relinquish the benefits of modernity. But we do not want to be deprived of our traditions, identities, and customs.

The knowledge, language, and culture taken from us can be restored. If everyone were given title and deed to a homestead on Catalina Island, it would soon be full, our own "Hawaiian kingdom" with a queen representing us. Soon all the Channel Islands would be full of canoes and catamarans, traversing the waters of Santa Monica Bay.

What if we could all receive secure housing within the county, no need to be placed on desolate land and isolated. What if Indians got recognition?

Los Angeles is Tongva (Kizh, Gabrieleno) land, and that could be to everyone's benefit. Even Bruce's Beach eventually got recognition. We'll have to assemble in community to find a consensus.

An admission of the slow genocide still in progress, carried out by the invading migrants and state oppressors of the U.S. Empire, formerly called Columbia (after a goddess, like a warship christened the Queen Mary or Mermaid Rider)? Thanks, Genocide Joe. This is not the first admission. It's not likely to be the last. Does it mean reparations are on the way? Will the original inhabitants be getting their land back or a deal like happened at Bruce's Beach in Los Angeles? No, probably not, huh? It would cost too much. Could you, might you, at least stop killing Native Americans from here on in? No, too much trouble to stop taking away kids through social worker seizures or protecting Indian females from abduction, disappearance, rape, and murder? Talking is nice, very nice, but if it only goes that far, keep it. Or tell the King of Canada about it and co-write speeches with him.

(Firstpost) Oct. 2, 2024: The Iranian military has claimed that 90% of its missiles hit Israeli targets. Pictures from Israel suggest Iran’s attack caused more physical damage than the attack in April. Did Israel’s air defense systems fail? Palki Sharma dares to contradict the IDF and its propaganda claims. 

What do you think of your leader, PM Bibi?

(Firstpost) Oct. 1, 2024: Iran, after being intolerably provoked, has finally retaliated as Israel and the US (CIA) planned. Iran has launched a missile attack on Israel, leaving Israel with all the time an justification to retaliate in an endless back and forth seen as justifiable in the public court of opinion even as Israel's actions are completely illegal in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is helpless to do anything if no country will step up (against the economic and military powerhouses of the US and Israel) to enforce its rulings.

Iran has shot a barrage of missiles in the Israeli region, escalating the on-going conflict between the two regions in West Asia (the geopolitical Middle East). This comes after the United States funded, aided, and urged Israel to commit further war crimes it would diplomatically cover in the U.N. and ICJ.

Tell Jews to donate and vote for me, Bibi.

The U.S. warned [that their conspiracy might work as planned] against a possible [retaliatory] attack by Iran on Israel.

"The United States has indications [through its immense spying apparatus in space and on warships stationed nearby] that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack," a White House official said in a statement.

The official further said the U.S. is ready to "defend" Israel [join the fray in an all-out attack on Iran] in a similar way as it did in April [and previously as it did to Iraq when the U.S. bombed former puppet Dictator Saddam Hussein's country back to the Stone Age] when Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles towards Israel.

What have we started, Bibi? - Shut up, Joe!

The U.S. also warned that, "a direct [retaliatory] military attack by Iran against Israel will have severe consequences." Tensions between Israel and Iran have [been stoked and] increased in the recent weeks as Israel intensified its attacks against [Iran-linked political party] Hezbollah in Lebanon.

On September 30, Israel launched an illegal ground offensive against sovereign neighboring country Lebanon [which it previously occupied for 14 years before annexing territory for itself, claiming it will keep the Golan Heights to grow Israel's terror state] targeting Hezbollah.

American Indian Day is observed on the fourth Friday of September every year. This year, it is celebrated today, Friday, Sept. 27th.

Although this is one of the most important days in the U.S., Native American Day is a public holiday or official state observance only in some states.

However, it has been steadily growing in scope and popularity. Something important is that some states celebrate this day on the second Monday of October.

As the name implies, Indigenous or Native American Day is an opportunity to celebrate, learn, and share information about the traditions, culture, and background of Native Americans [as well as your own alleged Cherokee blood].

If one is wondering who "Native Americans" are [the best American writer on the subject is Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz]. They are the descendants of the aboriginal, indigenous people who were the original First Nations inhabitants of what is now called the United States of America, which is a continent with many other countries.

The term "Native Americans" encompass hundreds of different tribes, from the Inuit (Eskimos) of Alaska to the Cherokees of the southeastern woodlands to the Dine (Navajos) of the Southwest, all the way up to the Kizh (Tongva) of Los Angeles and their neighbors the "Beautiful People" (Chumash) of Malibu, LA islands, and Ventura.

Each of these tribes has its own unique culture and language [on the west many related to the Ute Aztecan and on the east many related to Algonquin].

Native Americans have made distinct and significant contributions to the U.S.A. and the rest of the world in many fields, such as medicine, agriculture, music, language, and art.

Throughout history, they have distinguished themselves as inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders [shamans and medicine women], and scholars.

In 1998, Native American Day was officially declared a state holiday. In 1990, South Dakota proclaimed this day a year of reconciliation between Native Americans and Caucasian [settler colonial] populations.

South Dakota did this by changing ignominious "Columbus Day" to Indigenous Peoples' Day or "Native American Day."

This day aims at celebrating the irreplaceable heritage, contributions, and knowledge of the massive Native American population.

It is also a day to commemorate the enduring legacy of their fortitude, energy, and strength [in the face of repeated humiliations, treaty betrayals, and an ongoing slow genocide conducted by the government with collusion by the larger population].

Native American Day is also about appreciating the long history of culture and traditions that Native Americans have preserved through the centuries. More

Mexico's Indigenous pyramids, corn, culture

(Evo Inception) Mexico (the neighboring country to the south, the name of which is actually the United Mexican States) has long served as a natural passageway for human migration between North America and Meso-, Central, and South America.

These migrations, along with historical events, have played a significant role in shaping the genetic diversity of populations across the Americas.

Two flags tied: My US home, My Mexican blood

Researchers are particularly interested in the genetic makeup of the Indigenous peoples (los Indigenas), that is, the Native populations (derived of Aztecs, Maya, Mixtecs, Olmecs, Toltecs, and others), because studying them provides insights into the worldwide spread of modern humans.

Today, Mexico is home to 68 recognized ethnic groups, divided into 11 linguistic families, each with distinct customs and cultures.

World's largest pyramid: Cholula, Mexico

These groups are generally categorized into two main regions.

Mesoamerica includes central and southern Mexico, where sedentary agricultural societies thrived in a biodiverse region, and Aridoamerica, a semiarid area in northern Mexico, where nomadic lifestyles persisted.