Sunday, September 13, 2009

indian newcomers








I had started a post about how intermixed the Indian beliefs are. I noticed that most of our local Indian's traditions are starting to look a hell of a lot more like Cherokee traditions than local. I had the post all ready done, then Suzy Blah Blah sent me the following about how the world is stealing the Cherokee traditions. I found the post to be so in-line with My way of thinking that I posted it at the bottom of this post. It is in it's complete form.




I had the opinion that it was Newcomers Indians that forced their beliefs on the locals, but the Cherokees have a different view; as you will discover when you read what I have posted below.




This is what I was going to post:
The other day I was reading that Spyrock had attended an Indian “Pipe Ceremony”. He said: ”...the dude had a couple of really cool pipes. one was a buffalo head. he started out by pointing the pipe to all directions and then blasted out a couple of Indian songs that he totally knew all the words too. he then sort of explained how to pass it and lit it up. everything he had was so old, it looked like he had been doing this for a long time. when the pipe was passed around, we could talk as well as smoke.”




I occurred to me that he must have been back east, or somewhere that they had tobacco. Then I realized that this is NOW, but they have blended, and diluted, the local Indian culture to the point that the young Indian people don't know what is their culture, and what is the Cherokee culture. Much as all of our kids call everything by the newcomer names, and they speak the newcomer language.


Spyrock said that he pointed the pipe to all directions. The ceremony actually dictates holding the pipe to the four winds. Another thing, the Indians called it a SACRED pipe. It had nothing to do with peace. The pipe had a buffalo head on it. Did California ever have buffalo? If they did, it was before the white man came. Maybe the Spaniards did-in the Buffalo in California. But, it would be nice to know if, indeed, the buffalo was ever part of the local Indian culture. Why is the white Buffalo held as being sacred to our local Indians? Have they forgotten that the white deer was their totem animal?

He said that; “He blasted out a couple of songs that he totally knew all the words too.” What words? Pomo, Wailaki, Cherokee? The local Indian language has been somewhat lost, except to a few historians. No families, that I know of, speak any of the local language on a regular basis.
Robin said the other day; “Why aren't there any obsidian arrowheads in Laytonville?” Would the local Indian people know? Or has their culture been so diluted that they would have no knowledge of why we don't find obsidian arrowheads in Laytonville?

The Ojibwe and the Cree used smudging ceremonies. But, did the local Indians? They do now! They start many of the local ceremonies with a “Smudging Ceremony”. I have watched the intricate and sacred ceremony many times. It seems important that the smoke cover and fill all places. The smudge is lit and walked around the building and the crowd. No one, or no place, is left out. I don't have anything against the smudging ceremony, but I would be far more interested in how the local Indians would do a “Ceremony of Renewal”, or a Ceremony of Beginning, like they would be far more likely to do if they stayed within their own local culture.


Almost all of the local Indian people have Dream Catchers in their houses. The Dream Catcher is a Chippewa Invention, but some how most local Indians have one. The Dream Catcher story is a sweet story. About how they catch bad dreams and lead them away from children to keep their sleep peaceful. Again, The Dream Catcher is a wonderful Indian tradition, but do the local Indians know that it is not part of their culture. Do the local Indian children know how their mommas would keep away bad dreams?


The local Indians knew when they could eat Mussels along the seashore without being poisoned by the paralytic shellfish poisoning. How did they know when they were safe? I once asked an Indian friend of mine how they knew when they were safe. He told me that his mom always put a silver dollar in the boil pot, and if it turned black, they didn't eat them. I pointed out to him that the silver dollar was a white man invention. Did the north coast Indians have silver? There IS a silver mine just south of Alderpoint. When I said that they probably didn't have silver. His sense of humor came out, and he said that they most likely feed them to the old people first, because they could easily do without them. I detected a little twinkle in his eye as he looked at ME... I'm NOT that old!

Where did alcohol fit into the Local Indian culture? We had many things that would ferment here, but did they ferment things to get high? They say that every culture had intoxicants. What did the local people use as an intoxicant. We don't have any peyote, we don't have mescal, we didn't even have Marijuana. Did they know about the “Magic Mushrooms”? Do any of the local Indians know what was the "Intoxicant of choice"?


I know that the white people live in modern houses now, and and they have foods and “things” from all over the world. I have steadfastly tried to preserve the stories of my families past, and those of the North Coast, but as new people move up here. They constantly try to change our history, or at least some of them don't accept the local history. Some of the place names that have been changed were sacred to me. If the place had a Indian name it was kept sacred. Nowadays they routinely move white graveyards, but I can't imagine that they would ever get away with moving an Indian Graveyard. Some of the names of the wildflowers were named before the newcomers came, and we were happy with the names. But, they changed them anyway. They are renaming things back to what the Indians named them, and found sacred. I'm okay with that. I think that is great that we are honoring their culture. But, I have to admit that it bothers me how easily the local Indians let the newcomer Indians take their history and culture away.


The following is a link from Suzy Blah Blah:

"Declaration of War Against Exploiters"
For too long we have suffered the unspeakable indignity of having our most precious Cherokee ceremonies and practices desecrated, mocked and abused by non-Indian "wannabees," hucksters, cultists, and self-styled "New Age shamans" and their followers. With horror and outrage we see this disgraceful expropriation of our sacred Cherokee traditions has reached epidemic proportions in urban areas throughout the country. * We are appalled that the Sacred Pipe is being desecrated through the sale of pipes at flea markets, powwows, and "New Age" retail stores.

* that pseudo-religious corporations have been formed to charge people money for admissions into phony sweat lodges and "vision quest" programs.

* that non-Indians have organized themselves into imitation "tribes," assigning themselves make-believe "Indian names" to facilitate their wholesale expropriation and commercialization of our Cherokee traditions.

* that academic programs have sprung up at colleges and universities institutionalizing the sacrilegious imitation of our spiritual practices by students and instructors under the guise of educational training in "shamanism".

* that non-Indian charlatans and "Wannabees" are selling books that promote the systematic colonization of our Cherokee spirituality; that individuals and groups involved in "the New Age movement," in "the men's movement," in "neo-paganism" cults and in "shamanism" workshops all have exploited the spiritual traditions of our Cherokee people by imitating our ceremonial ways and by mixing such imitation rituals with non-Indian occult practices in an offensive and harmful pseudo-religious "New Age" hodgepodge This exponential exploitation of our Cherokee spiritual traditions requires that we take immediate action to defend our most precious Cherokee spirituality from further contamination, desecration and abuse.

We, therefore, call upon all our Cherokee brothers and sisters from reservations and traditional communities to actively and vocally oppose this alarming take-over and systematic destruction of our sacred traditions. We urge you to coordinate with your tribal members living in urban areas to identify instances of this abuse, utilizing whatever specific tactics are necessary and sufficient-for example, demonstrations, boycotts, press conferences, and acts of direct intervention. We especially urge all our Cherokee people to take action to prevent our own people from contributing to and enabling the abuse of our sacred ceremonies and spiritual practices by outsiders; for, as we all know, there are certain ones among our own people who are prostituting our spiritual ways for their own selfish gain, with no regard for the spiritual well-being of the people as a whole. We must no longer tolerate any "white man's shaman" who rises from within our own communities to "authorize" the expropriation of our ceremonial ways by non-Indians. We must oppose all such "plastic medicine men" as enemies of the Cherokee people. Finally, we encourage traditional people and tribal leaders from all other Indian nations to join us in calling for an immediate end to this rampant exploitation of our respective American Indian sacred traditions, for it is not the Cherokee people alone whose spiritual practices are being systematically violated by non-Indians. We urge the governing councils of all tribes as well as the leadership of national Indian organizations to issue and widely distribute resolutions and statements denouncing the exploitation and abuse of our sacred traditions. We remind all our Indian brothers and sisters of our highest duty as Indian people: to preserve the purity of our sacred traditions so that we may pass these precious gifts on to the future generations of our respective peoples. By acting decisively and boldly in our present campaign to end the destruction of our sacred traditions, we will ensure that our children and our children's children will survive and prosper in the sacred manner intended for each of our respective peoples by our Creator.

So what do you think? Are outsider Indians forcing their beliefs upon us? Are we stealing their Cherokee traditions? Or is there a whole bunch of Indian wannabe Charlatans forcing their ideas on us, much like a TV preacher? (Send your donations here folks)



Dream catchers



30 comments:

\ said...

Thanks Ernie, the pipe looks like pipestone, (Pipestone is native to Minnesota, but due to intertribal trade was available throughout Native North America.) You can buy one rite hear ;)

Ernie Branscomb said...

So, what makes an Indian? If I decide that I am a "South Fork Ernie Indian" and apply for a Casino permit. Why shouldn't I get the permit?


One version of the Sacred Pipe ceremony



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Robin Shelley said...

I don't think I asked why there aren't any obsidian arrowheads in Laytonville because I know why but I get your point & it's okay. What I wanted to know is IF anyone has found any arrowheads or other tools made of obsidian in the Long Valley/Branscomb area. I know of only one such find many years ago & I'd very much like to talk to anyone else who has found any obsidian artifacts there.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Sorry Robin. That's just how I am. Ask what time it is and I'll build you a clock.

The Peace-Pipe Warning: it's a Longfellow.


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spyrock said...

indian newcomers? if that interests you, you might be interested in reading return of the bird tribes by ken carey.
'war on wannabees'
that declaration of war was written by 3 lakotas back in 1993
and adapted by some of the cherokee that share their hate mongering sentiments.
personally, i am only interested in learning about what medicine men have to say who have forgiven the whites for what happened in the past. like chester kahn of the navaho. you can watch hate on tv every new york minute.
if you ever hear about the local indians of whatever tribe say they are going to teach outsiders their spiritual ceremonies, dances, and songs, i would be interested. but from my research in this area, very little has been shared outside the tribes.
i would be very interested in reading about the "real indian religion" i would put out a few sheckels for that. so if ernie or suzy can recommend anyone, i would give it serious consideration. i do have certain standards when it comes to my spiritual beliefs. i have studied many religions, cultures, and systems of spiritual belief. what i look for is the common denominator in all of these different spiritual paths. i look for the common thread in diversity.
i didn't really quiz the guy with the pipes. i do remember that he made them himself. i did that with them because they are friends and they invited us and i had no expectations about any of it. i was totally impressed by both of them. the whole thing was absolutely beautiful and the man sang so strong it was amazing to watch and the lady was just as strong in spirit in her own right.
i was inspired. i have never seen anything like it.
i remember back in the haight the hippies had a name for the newcomers. 'teenybopper'. i used to think that everyone who came after the spring of 1967 was a teenybopper. at some point along the way, i've changed my view. perhaps it was maturity or perhaps it was old age, which ever comes first i guess.

spyrock said...

Let’s take a look at many of the similarities — and not the differences:

Not too long ago, Europeans too were tribal peoples — from the British Isles all the way across the Continent — East to the former lands of the Huns and Magyars. The Kelts (also known as the Celts) and the Germanic Tribes and others lived in great forests called the Vilde or wild.

Other Celts, or Kelts lived, fished and farmed along the rugged seacoasts of Europe and were very much Earth loving People. Their way of living was much like that of our Indian Families in America.

Our Earth Mother was worshipped and women had an equal voice in the Tribe and government. As an example: Thor and his wife Thora were the thunder and the rain. Odin and his wife Uddern led the Hunt. The people of Crete, Egypt, the Pagani of Italy, the Gauls and the Brightines of Avolans’ England — all loved Sacred Mother Earth.

Freiya (pronounced Fr-eye-ya) and her Brother Freya (pronounced Fra- yah) were respected and worshipped as Light and all growing things. We get the word Free and Freedom from the word Freiya. The people of Freiya were called Freiya’s People — or Free People.

Yes, the women were equal to the men, but this was lost when the propagandists arrived and brought their Feudalistic world of one god — one ruling family and slavery.

The Sacred Tree of Life called The tree of The Great Middle World — the Egg of Knowing — was sometimes called Yggdrasil. This Tree of knowledge was the Great Wheel of the North where people could learn.

This same Great Medicine Wheel of learning was later known to be in the place of the Closed Way of the Holy Stone — Schleswigholstein. This Magical place held the Nine Worlds in its embrace, and was the web of the Wyrd (or Sacred Word) that connected all things together.

Our ancestors still live in us and continue to speak to us in our Dreams — telling all of us to be Respectful of our chance to have Life and to be with our Sacred Earth. Yes, they live in our very genes.

The way of the indigenous Europeans was very similar to our Native Families here in the Americas. They had the Vision Quest. And they prayed in Lodges of Fire and Stone. Our Norse Family called these the Utiseta — or the “sitting out.” Anthropologist gave these Utsieta’s the unflattering name of “sweat lodge”.

This Sauna or (of the Sun) was held to be very Sacred — especially to the Goddess of the Trees, Willows and Birches.

Great Healers, The Pagani, meaning farmers, Teachers, Ships — voyagers, warriors — and especially all mothers — would enter the lodge in Honoring of our Mother Earth, the Brooks, rocks, and trees — giving Thanks to the Spirit of Life for all Healing and our very nourishment. This Bathing Lodge or Healing Lodge was also Sacred to the Goddess Hygiene.

In the far North, Uddern, the Mother of Lightning and Thunder and Odin her Husband were the Guides and Teachers for all Medicine People — now conquering all the peoples of the North — and everything drastically changed. Millions of our old teachers were destroyed, burned at the stake — and were called “witches”. These gentle teachers were both female and male.

They died because they clung on to the Garden Dances, Community Dances, Sun Dances, Moon Dances and their ability to Doctor the sick. They knew of Surgery.

But time passes, and now something new is happening, World-Wide. The way of old Europe, so long crushed and repressed, is once again accessible to its far-flung sons and daughters!

We must teach all people to respect the brave Medicine women and men, (Both Native and Keltic) who have persisted in telling People about Sacred Life and to Respect our holy Planet Mother, Earth. These teachers have reminded the world’s People of this important duty toward Life.

But don’t we all owe it to our Ancestors to once again choose to support Life and Honor our Creatress Mother, WahKahn? When women are held to be equal to men — then our Creatress Mother and Father will once again live in Balance with Humans.

With Love,
Hyemeyohsts Storm

Ernie Branscomb said...

Spy, if you read carefully what I had to say, you will understand that I enjoy the ceremonies, and find nothing wrong with them. I do mourn and fear the loss of our own Local Native American culture. I would enjoy seeing an Authentic local ceremony. The Cherokee Indians that wrote what Suzy Blah Blah sent me seems a little selfish. They should be proud that the rest of the world honors their traditions. But, somehow they fear the loss or dilution of their culture. I can understand their desire to not lose that culture.

I still say what makes an Indian? Ward Churchill claimed to be an Indian, but he is unable to prove it. He say’s that he has conducted himself as an Indian since he was 10 years old. His community accepts him as an Indian. According to the courts, that is the only criteria to be an Indian. “Self Recognition” and “Community Acceptance”.

Still, there are people who make Indian jewelry. So, they are conducting themselves as Indians. The other toughy would be community acceptance. If the community accepted you as an Indian, you could be an Irishman and still be an Indian. So much for bloodlines.

By the way, they have a DNA test to prove you are an Indian.

At one time, I’m sure that the Cahto tribe would have adopted my Grandmother Ruby or my Uncle Ben. By law they would have been Indians. Would that make my cousin a I/2 Indian?
They are probably too smart to adopt me, so I won’t go there.

spyrock said...

they had a minority discrimination suit at the cannery where i work back in 1976. i had just separated from my 2nd wife and spent a month in santa barbara surfing with my college friend bob. when i came back i wound up on the graveyard shift and my boss's son had my job. the first day i came back to work the office asked me what race i was and my mother told me that i was white. but because my okie boss said he was part indian and so were his 4 sons, they suddenly had more seniority. they actually got 2 for 1 benefits. an extra free year of service for every year worked which comes out great at retirement. it wasn't until 2003 after my mother died that i learned that i was part indian from my cousins. so i already lost out on the retirement thing. the thing was you didn't have to prove it, so almost all the white people said they were part indian. i wound up getting my job back when my boss's son became night supervisor and my new boss. but by telling the truth as i knew it and not cheating, i got screwed out of seniority, a lot of pay, and future retirement. so i don't personally feel that i owe indians, mexicans, or anyone else anything for what happened to them in the past. i already paid my union dues and my racial discrimination dues because of any advantage i had by being white
according to the us government and the state of california.

Ernie Branscomb said...

I feel your pain Spy. I used to have to bid jobs against minority preferences. They got a 5% advantage in biding. 5% is sometimes your profit margin on a large job. The good thing was that minoritys were getting lots of jobs. Contractors were putting minoritys in as CEO's just to get the 5% advantage. I was going to sell my busines to my wife and go to work for her when they finally got rid of those laws.

My brother-in-law was a Vietnan vet. He got to see the Vietnamese, that he fought to help, get all the jobs in the union hall in the morning. If there were any jobs left, he could go to work. Often there wasn't. lifes a bitch sometimes.

Ben said...

Well. It was 20 years or so of living in SoHum before I learned that the Indians of the Klamath Trinity tribes spend their summers in a series of major ceremonies. They are not interested in a bunch of curious folks showing up so they are not public about these events. There are various ceremonies, the most serious being the Fixing the Earth cycle. These ceremonies were once performed here in Southern Humboldt. They may be the oldest "dances" in he state. A huge amount of effort goes into these events every year. Many many people contribute to the kitchens and the problems of setting up many sites. As the years go by various of the ceremonies which had been lost are recovered and join the cycle of the year. The only way I know of really learning about the profound purpose and tradition of these events is to attend. As to that end, good luck.

Ben said...

Ernie... you ask about songs. If you were to go to the Brush Dance at Patrick's Point State Park for the Brush Dance held at the site there, you would hear perhaps 100 songs during the night long dance series on Saturday. One of those songs appears on the Captain Jim song recording which Goddard made in 1903 in Round Valley. Same song. Many of the songs are heart rending and beautiful. The experience is unforgettable.

Eric V. Kirk said...

Did some quick Internet research on whether Bison ever roamed into California. Apparently they did come to North America via the Bearing Straight during the ice age, probably not long before humans. This map suggests they were pretty much everywhere excepting the west coast south of what is now Alaska. So probably we're talking cultural importation.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Thanks Ben.
I don't blane the local Indians for not wanting include too many people. Do they stick to local traditions? Or do they include Cherokee and other tribes.

Thanks Eric.
That "ice bridge" theory always bothered me. I know that it is the only way they could have gotten here. But what did they eat? Ice?

Ekovox said...

They took the whole Cherokee nation
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die

They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I'm still part redman deep inside

Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die

But maybe someday when they learn
Cherokee nation will return, will return, will return, will return, will return

This was a big, big hit in Hoopa when I was growing up.


I, too, am quite bewildered by the onslaught of "white shamans" and people who take the Native American cultural ideology as their own. Some even going so far as to build a sweat lodge in their urban back yards. No, it's true! I done seen it with my very own eyes.

White people creed: Since I don't have a cultural history of my own, or it just seems too icky...would you mind if I just take yours?

-Ross Rowley

Robin Shelley said...

That song was a big hit outside of Hoopa, too, Eko. It was HUGE in Laytonville. Wonder how long it'll take me to get it outta my head now? Gee, thanks.
LOL!

\ said...

I, too, am quite bewildered by the onslaught of "white shamans" and people who take the Native American cultural ideology as their own.

No traditional Native American group calls their spiritual teachers, "shamans", which is a term native only to Siberia. This lumping together of diverse spiritual traditions under the term "shamanism" came mainly from anthropologists and other outsiders to the cultures in question.

Ernie Branscomb said...

A few Quotes for you that I found interesting:

Chief Joseph once said, "We were taught to believe that the Great Spirit sees and hears everything, and that he never forgets, that hereafter he will give every man a spirit home according to his deserts; if he has been a good man, he will have a good home; if he has been a bad man, he will have a bad home. This I believe and all my people believe the same."

John Wooden Legs of the Cheyenne tribe once stated, "Our land is everything to us...I will tell you one of the things we remember on our land. We remember that our grandfathers paid for it - with their lives."

Charles A. Eastman once said, "Every age, every race, has its leaders and heroes. There were over sixty distinct tribes of Indians on this continent, each of which boasted its notable men. The names and deeds of some of these men will live in American history, yet in the true sense they are unknown, because misunderstood. I should like to present some of the greatest chiefs of modern times in the light of the native character and ideals, believing that the American people will gladly do them tardy justice."

Ernie Branscomb said...

Suzy said:"shamanism" came mainly from anthropologists and other outsiders

The world is going to hell, I tell you, those damn "outsiders" are becoming almost as big a pests as the "newcomers."

Anonymous said...

I bet that song was a big hit where I now live in the Yakama Nation. Now I bet it will be in my head for too long. Thanks a lot Robin for bringing it up.

Oregon

Ekovox said...

Suzy, your comment on shamanism is correct.

Hell, we didn't even know what the word was until some white people started using it. Just like most Native Americans I know call themselves Indian. They don't see it as derogatory, but I have been corrected by non-Indians to use the term Native American.

So many times, being PC is such BS.

Anonymous said...

Ok, just to be a pain in the ass....."Do You Know the Way to San Jose......" There...suck that into your brains and try to get it out! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!



My new bumper sticker:
Klamath-Trinity Pride.
All others are outsiders.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Most of my Indian friends resent being called Native American for that very reason. It was a guilt ladened P.C. lable given them by people that don't even know them. Then again, it depends on the context of the conversation.

Most of my Indian friends accept being an "Indian", or in formal setting and "Indigenous person". Just about anything else causes a doule-take like yelling YeeHaw! in a logger bar. (okay... I did that, but it was an accident!)

Robin Shelley said...

I don't normally refer to my friends by their nationalities - I generally just use their names - but something I have noticed that I like is the way Indians pronounce "Indian". I say it as a 3-syllable word: "In-dee-un" whereas they say it as a 2-syllable word: "Ind-yun" kind of like "onion". I like the way it sounds so I always use "Indian" but it never sounds so musical when I say it.
I have a friend from India & she pronounces it even differently but then again, when she gets excited, I can barely understand a word she says!

Ben said...

All... For those interested in local songs and ceremonies, there is a book by a guy named Keeling (I forget his first name and taking the book off the shelf is too much work) called "Cry For Luck" Try the library, you won't like the price if you buy it. I have heard some criticism around Indian Country but he tells the real deal and is it ever impressive! Then go to the library and listen to recordings of these songs. Sure don't ever hear them on KMUD.

spyrock said...

when i met dove, she took me to a world business academy convention in santa barbara. my friend bob came with us and because her husband who died in a boating accident was a member of the board of directors, we got invited to a special party with deepok chopra in attendance. deepok was burnt out and he was listening to this flute player named dumas from sedona, arizona, so we actually didn't talk to deepok. we talked to andrew soliz from ojai who was there representing the native americans.
andrew was the one who said i needed a soul retreival from my rattlesnake experience in spyrock. andrew does sweat lodges in ojai, ca. my friend bob had actually already been to one of his sweat lodges with his wife, durga. andrew was taught by a lakota medicine man and he is the only person i would recommend if you are interested in sweat lodge, vision quest, etc.
if you are really interested, just google andrew soliz, sacred ways, ojai, ca. he does charge money or dinero. who doesn't these days. i do know other people, but they don't deal with the general public or advertise.
that is something you will have to manifest yourself or not.

spyrock said...

dove and i did spend new years eve at monterey and new years day, the ohlone,coastanoan indians did their dances, some of which they asked you not to photograph. that's the way it is wirh california indians. most of the ones who still know the real stuff don't care about money or care about your need to know about it. its going to have to be an effort on your part.

Anonymous said...

We recently received something at our school that suggested using "American Indians". The older local Indians want to be called "Ind-yun" as Robin stated, because they say that's what they are.
For the past 10 years I believe, Native Dancers have performed on the lawns at our schools. It's awesome and beautiful.They beat their drums, sing, chantand dance. Our tribe brings their younger children who also dance along in their costumes. It's very impressive and beautiful to watch. We don't want their culture to be lost. It's a great day for those involved. Afterwards they serve Indian Tacos to all students and staff. It's great!
Cousin

Anonymous said...

Robin. I can't wait any longer.tell us about the obsidian arrow heads etc.
Yeah, Cherokee Nation was awesome. Thanks for messing my brain up for a few days, lol.
Cousin

Robin Shelley said...

Gosh, Penny. Sorry to get you so excited... you are going to be terribly disappointed! (-:
As I said, I know of only one such find & that find was one arrowhead somewhere west of L'ville... maybe on Cahto. I can find out. It's been a long time since I've seen the actual piece but, as I recall, it is long & narrow & pointed on both ends but is not great big. It is different than any others I've seen found in that area.
That's it.
I was curious to know if anyone else had found any obsidian artifacts in the L'ville/B'scomb area. Do you know of any?

Anonymous said...

Dang it, I thought I read where you knew the answer. Should have read closer, lol.

I have seen a couple of obsidian arrowheads. In fact, one was large and seemed like perhaps a spear head. It was kind of pointed on both ends but the one end was more flat. Someone told me that's the end they tied to the spear. But, I don't know if there is any truth to it, and/or if it was found in this area.
Cousin