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Rights of Indigenous People 12 y
In 2010, President Obama announced that the United States changed its position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; the U.S. currently supports the U.N. Declaration. The United States, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, was one of a handful of countries to refrain from backing the U.N. Declaration when it was passed in 2007.
UNITED STATES: ”In response to the many calls from Native Americans throughout this country and in order to further U.S. policy on indigenous issues, President Obama announced that the United States has changed its position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration). The United States supports the Declaration, which—while not legally binding or a statement of current international law—has both moral and political force. It expresses both the aspirations of indigenous peoples around the world and those of States in seeking to improve their relatio ... read more Art:Japanese Tree of Life 12 y
HAPPY FALL EQUINOX! It's been a long, hot summer. I only made one art piece in the four months since the end of May. The coming of Fall and cooler weather seems to have reawakened my creativity.
"Japanese Tree of Life" (c)2012 by mayah. 8" X 10" collage/found objects
All Life derives from the Buddha, who sits at the root of the Japanese Elm tree. The bird in the upper left represents a Japanese crane, sacred bird of Japan symbolizing fidelity, good luck, love and long life http://www.arkive.org/japanese-crane/grus-japonensis/
(The bird in this art piece is actually a heron; both herons and cranes are water birds and can look similar to each other yet have many differences. I used this photo of a heron because ... read more Photos:Summer Sunset 12 y
The last photos of Summer 2012: sunset around my neighborhood. I've "tweaked" the last one on photoshop by saturating it; makes it look like a watercolor painting.
Native American Comedian 12 y
Charlie Hill is an Oneida-Mohawk-Cree stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He is known for groundbreaking jokes that reverse the roles of Native American and white culture. These are two of Hill's hilarious stand-up comedy routines: one from 1977 and a more recent one from 2005.
I laughed my head off!
1977: A very young Charlie Hill on the Richard Pryor TV show
2005: Charlie Hill during the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
Read more about Charlie Hill: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hill
read more Square Puzzle 12 y
I use to be a bit of a math geek when I was young; couldn't resist this puzzle!
How many squares can you find?
This is NOT an optical illusion!
Post your answers under "comment"; I’ll post the answer in a few days!
read more Inuit Throat Singing 12 y
"Traditional Inuit music has been based around drums used in dance music as far back as can be known, and a vocal style called katajjaq (Inuit throat singing) has become of interest in Canada and abroad."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=t8QuNdfb-Yw&feature=endscreen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnGM0BlA95I
”Katajjaq(also pirkusirtuk and nipaquhiit) is a type of traditional competitive song, considered a game, usually held between two women. It is one of the world’s few examples of overtone singing, a unique method of producing sounds that is otherwise best known in Tuvan throat-singing. When competing, two women stand face-to-face and sing using a complex method of following each other, thus that one voice hits a strong accent while the ... read more Indigenous Wisdom 12 y
Earlier today I got into an online debate about whether or not American white people of European descent ought to be learning, teaching, or engaging in indigenous spiritual and healing practices--particularly Native American. The strongly held position of some of my fellow debaters is that white people should stop "appropriating" indigenous peoples spirituality and instead delve deeply into their "own" spiritual traditions. At the risk of getting "bashed", I've written a long essay about my opinion on the matter.
When exploring spirituality, I disagree that one should stick to one’s “own” cultural tradition. As an American white ”cultural Jew” there are some forms of spirituality within my ”own” tradition that I practice, but many more of my practices stem from other indigenous earth-based spirituality.
For example, while the lighting of Yahrzeit candles in remembrance of my deceased relatives is a Jewish ritual (1), I also light candles on my ancestor altar; additionally, I keep an earth/nature altar in my house and a water altar outside (Dagara tradition of West African/Burkina Faso). I lear ... read more Q'ero:Incan Descendants 12 y
The Q'ero people of the Andes in Peru are the descendants of the Inca. They see themselves as one with each other, one with nature, and one with God. They practice despacho, or community healing ceremony and celebration of life.
http://www.dayoftikkun.com/qero/
The Q’ero
Who are the Q’ero?
High up in the Andean mountains of Peru lives a small community of farmers, weavers and medicine people known as the Q’ero. The Q’ero sought refuge in “villages in the clouds” following the invasion of Peru by the Spanish Conquistadors almost five hundred years ago and remain there to this day. They were “discovered” in 1949 by the anthropologist Oscar Nunez del Prado, who led the first expedition to the Q’ero village ... read more Art:Plastic Wreath 12 y
Eco Art with a social conscience: plastic bags are dumped in landfills and end up in the ocean by the BILLIONS each year across the United States.
Photo: Martin Poole/Thinkstock(1) from AAA Westways Magazine; July/August 2012 issue
"Plastic Bag Wreath" by mayah (c)2012
"Eco Art by mayah" utilizes reused materials and eco-friendlier art supplies. This 14" diameter wreath is made from reused: plastic bags, corrugated cardboard, magazine photo from AAA Westways Magazine; backed with recycled aluminum foil. Non-toxic glue. Reused leather hanger.
When I saw the photo of the stacked plastic bags in the AAA magazine article, I knew immediately that I wanted to use ... read more Eco Art Supplies 12 y
As an eco-artist who uses environmentally friendlier art supplies, I am very excited to find this eco-aware art supply company on the internet! The company was founded by women who care about the environment.
http://www.earthsafefinishes.com
Earth Safe Finishes has a great earth-friendly product line for art, crafts, woodwork, children’s arts and crafts, including no-VOC varnishes, finishes, and paints.
What’s a VOC?
VOC stands for "volatile organic compound" and is found in most commercial paints, varnishes, and finishes. It is hazardous not only to the environment but to the health of individuals who breathe it in:
"VOCs are emitted as gas from certain products commonly used in the home, which in high quantities can pose serious health ris ... read more African Water Drum 12 y
Water, primary element of life, is used to make a drum by indigenous peoples of Africa.
Uploaded August 2010: ”Just as in Melanesia, anciently, from washing clothes, women developed a unique style of music by beating drums on the water.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXzWbmAUrrQ
This youtube video does not mention what part of Africa this takes place in. I just LOVE this video and have watched it over and over again. I’m stuck by the JOY in the children’s faces as they sing and drum, and fascinated with making a drum out of WATER. I’ve never seen anything like it before.
I found this doing an internet search:
”Another way that the women a ... read more Eco Sweatshirt 12 y
Took an old worn-out sweatshirt and reworked it rather than throwing it away.
Top: Old worn sweatshirt Bottom: Reworked sweatshirt Photos by mayah (c)2012
Starting out with a very old, worn, and stained sweatshirt with a broken zipper, I took the whole thing apart along the seams—sleeves, hood, pockets, front panels, back panel, and even the ribbing on the cuffs and bottom. The inside of the sweatshirt was in good condition so I turned the whole thing inside-out, putting the fuzzy flannel-like fabric on the outside. Turned the ribbing inside out also as it was very worn and stained. Using a 25 year old sewin ... read more Photos:Cactus Blooms 12 y
Epiphyllum Blooms from my backyard. Epi's are cactus plants that bloom several times a year. The blooms open at night; each bloom lasts only one night, then folds up with the morning light, never to open again. The flowers are quite fragrant and large. These bloomed over the July 4th holiday.
Epi Bud
Epi Bloom partially opened
Epi Bloom fully opened
Epi Bloom Cluster
Epi Bloom Spent and closed
ALL PHOTOS BY MAYAH (c)2012
More about Epiphyllum cacti: http://web.missouri.edu/~riceg/epiphyllum/
read more Earth Anthem 12 y
On the Eve of July 4th, Independence Day in the United States, I like to play this Earth version of The Star Spangled Banner. Never fails to bring a tear to my eye.
EARTH ANTHEM
Sung to the melody of the Star Spangled Banner
Words by Stephen Longfellow Fiske,
Higher Octave Music 2002
http://www.fiskemusic.com
O SAY CAN WE SEE
BY THE ONE LIGHT IN ALL
OUR EARTH TO EMBRACE
AT THE CALL OF ALL NATIONS
WHERE OUR CHILDREN CAN PLAY
IN A WORLD WITHOUT WAR
WHERE WE STAND HAND IN HAND
IN THE GRACE OF CREATION
WHERE THE RIVERS RUN CLEAN
THROUGH THE FORESTS OF GREEN
WHERE THE CITIES STAND TALL
IN THE CLEAR SKIES OF FREEDOM
O SAY DO OUR HEARTS SING
FOR HARMONY AND LOVE FOREVER
ON THE PLANET OF OUR BIRTH
BLESSED WITH PEACE ON EARTH
read more Peace Altar 12 y
Made a natural altar in my back yard today.
Peace Altar photo by mayah (c)2012
I often pour the wash and rinse water after doing the dishes as an offering at this spot where the roots from four trees converge--3 fichus and one massive ornamental plum tree-- something learned from Dare’, because all water is precious. Today, looking at the criss-crossed tree roots, I suddenly thought of a crossroad. Thinking of a crossroad, my mind leapt to the Middle East, crossroad for many civilizations and religions and peoples. I need an altar here, something simple, something with rocks. Add four dove feathers for the four directions ... read more Shield of Protection 12 y
This meditation allows one to walk in the world feeling protected by the energies of both Earth and Spirit. This meditation is one I've adapted from a meditation recently given to me, with additions from other meditations I've done over the years. Feel free to alter it for your own needs.
"Shield of Protection" sketch by mayah (c)2012
Pink lines: Earth Energy from Great Mother, drawn up the roots of ones’ feet and 1st chakra, up one’s Energetic Channel, and out the 7th (crown) chakra at the top of one’s head. Yellow: Spirit/Divine Intelligence at one’s 8th chakra, about one foot over one’s head. Orange line: Co-mingled energy of the Earth and Spirit, forming a semi-permeable, transparent Shield of Protection around one’s entire BEing.
Shield of Protection Meditation
1. Sit or stand up straight with feet flat on the ... read more Alignment Meditation 12 y
The Energetic Channel goes from one's 1st chakra (pelvic region) up to one's 7th chakra (top of head or crown chakra). Recently, I was told that my Energetic Channel is like a cooked spaghetti noodle; it's weak and flopping all over the place. It's supposed to look like an UNcooked spaghetti noodle, straight and strong. I adapted this meditation from one I was recently given, adding in elements from several different meditations that I've done over the years. I'm going to try and do this meditation twice a day--morning and night--for the next two weeks to strengthen and straighten my Energetic Channel. Feel free to adapt it to your own needs as you see fit.
"Repose" sketch by mayah (c)2012
The words say: Aligned Energy Channel. Straight as an uncooked strand of spaghetti.
I am in perfect alignment. My Body-Mind, Heart, and Soul are working together harmoniously. I am fully supported by Spirit/Divine Intelligence. I am fully supported by Great Mother Earth.
Alignment Meditation
Keep your center Energetic Channel aligned by conducting this meditation each day and night.
We will use Great Mother (Earth/Gaia/the material world/earth plane of existence) during thi ... read more |