Archive for Hopitu Shinumu culture

Full Moon in August is called Pawepana by the Hopi

August 6, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, general interest, sacred imagery and spirituality · Tagged , , , ,

home grown peaches

home grown peaches

This morning I was out at 5am, it’s cool and bright, the early birds were squawking, my pup Melanie was rooting around in the grass and my cats were pouncing on the insects buzzing about….beautiful big full moon above the pine and eucalyptus trees invites me to sing…I sing the circle setting song of the Hopitu Shinumu, feeling connected to the land and the life all around me….

August in the Hopitu Shinumu calendar:

the full moon of August is called Pawepana, meaning Lake Moon

Agricultural Significance-peaches are ripe and food is abundant, the corn is harvested for the second time

Personal Significance- have fun and enjoy the sweet things in life, accept change as natural, personal growth.

Celebrations- The Festival for the Peach Harvest comes at the end of the month, with plenty of sweet peach desserts, dancing in the light of the full moon and joyful celebration of friends and family.

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Summer Solstice is called Niman by the Hopitu Shinumu

June 21, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, Native Americans, Word for the Day, sacred imagery and spirituality · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

How do you celebrate Summer Solstice (June 21-22)? I remember being part of the Candelaria for Yemaya on a summer solstice ….. vibrant blue ocean… warm clean sand…flower petals as offerings…..quite lovely!

Astronomical Significance:

Niman is the time when we say goodbye to our Kachinas (or spirit helpers) who have stayed with us for the last 6 month cycle, from Winter Solstice on December 21st (Soyal) to Summer Solstice on June 21st (Niman). They have brought us lessons and knowledge, now it is the time for playing and relaxing in the sunshine.

Special Dances/Celebrations:

Traditionally, Niman, or the Home Dance, is a sixteen day ceremonial that begins shortly before the summer solstice and ends in mid-July. The dance marks the final performance of the Kachinas before they return to their homes on the San Francisco Peaks until next Soyal.

Agricultural Significance:

This is a time when our first corn harvest arrives from the March equinox planting season. This is the beginning of the slow summer’s gleanings of abundance.

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June Full Moon in the Hopitu Shinumu Tradition is called Kapnakoyapana, which means “Corn Tassel Coming Out Moon”. The moon’s energy reminds us to listen to the voices of balance, to try to gain the strength from both our male and female principles. The harvest will not grow if we have too much sun (male) or too little rain (female), we must both care tend our gardens as well as aggressively weed them for the plants to be healthy, and we must both consume the plants and save something back to encourage the growth cycle.

To The Dance of Life!

Diane Tegarden (aka) Esthana Thlehiya, white shell woman, abalone woman

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Did you Know that each full moon has a different name in the Hopi culture?

May 10, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, Native Americans · Tagged , , , , ,

Diane in Native "broom" skirt

Diane in Native "broom" skirt

Did you Know that each full moon has a different name in the Hopi culture?

In the Hopitu Shinumu Wheel of the Year, May Full Moon is called Iakapana, meaning corn planting moon. The agricultural calendar calls for the 3rd corn planting of the season, with the first and second plantings coming along well.

At this time there isn’t any particular astronomical significance, as the next marking of the Wheel of the Year will be in June for the Summer Solstice (June 21st), which is called Niman.

If you aren’t growing crops, and are an urban shaman, the personal medicine (lesson or knowledge) is that at this time of year it is prudent to work hard for what you want; your personal energy and the energy of the great Corn Mother is powerful now! At the same time, you must also have an acceptance of life’s realities, and be at peace with the good in your life.

Special Dances/Celebrations at this time include the second round of Night Kachina Dances, both for fun and to bring rain.

Blessed Beeeees on this full moon night,  Diane T. and furfamily

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Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time to be published in July!!

April 11, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, book talk, poetry, renewable energy, science fiction · Tagged , , , , , ,

I’m very proud to announce that I’m working with Cindy Clark on producing my sci-fi novel “Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time”! She’s editing and designing the book, then it’ll be in the hands of Kristine Sheehan, my book cover designer. They are both members of Women Business Owners (I’ve been in the organization since 2006 and know their excellent work and fair prices), so I have complete trust that my team will make this book my best ever.

It’s all so exciting, I want “Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time” to go to the top!! It should be out by July 1st and I can’t wait!!!

To The Dance of Life!

Energetically Yours, Diane Tegarden

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The First Minority group remains the poorest…The First (Native) Americans.

February 22, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, Native Americans · Tagged , , , ,

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The First Minority group remains the poorest…The First (Native) Americans.

We hear little about the poverty, squalor and helplessness of the First Americans…the Native Americans, who are a REAL minority, their numbers seriously dwindling (less than 1% of the US population is comprised of Native Americans).

The Southwest Indian Foundation is a group (of Native Americans) who make and sell beautiful clothes, jewelry, pottery, rugs, books, CDs and other cool gifts. The money you spend is tax deductible, and the profits from this non-profit organization go directly back into helping the Native American community.

One of the big projects they have going on is building houses for the residents of the reservation, who are among the poorest people in America. Native Americans suffer from high unemployment rates, low graduation rates for their high school children, and high levels of alcoholism due to the hard life they live.

Here is a letter from Deacon Dan Nez Martin, explaining the 2009 Housing Assistance Program at the Southwest Indian Foundation in his own words.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++

“Greetings from the super windy Southwest!

We have vicious winds here today, but we are insulated inside our warehouse where we are building new homes for the “poorest of the poor” in America. The advantages of having this facility is that we can build both outside and inside this manufacturing site, depending on the weather.

We are entering a busy building season where we are going to start 6 new homes. We have 58 families on a waiting list that desperately need a home. We are setting as our goal 30 homes for this coming year. We would do anything to build more homes. We just need the materials and the labor.

These are families that would have no way to have a home without assistance. Won’t you join us in this project? It really is a great thing. A hammer, a small bucket of nails, and a pile of 2 by 6’s go a very long way.

God Bless you a thousand times. Please consider helping us, we would be forever grateful. Have a great springtime.

God Bless You always,
Deacon Dan Nez Martin
www.southwestindian.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++

Buying from the SWIF either online or from their colorful catalog, you accomplish a triple win…..you are purchasing original, authentic gifts for yourself or a loved one, you are getting a tax deductible receipt for the goods you buy, AND you are helping to employ Native Americans who would otherwise be unemployed!!!

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Meet Cami, from “Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time”

February 9, 2009 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, book talk · Tagged , ,

space_book_2_-book_shaped_lighter1

Hi All,
the reading this morning from “Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time” went off well, I think. The sound was good and I managed not to hiss too much on my “essses”….couldn’t figure out how to put the embed for the show on this page, but here’s the link to the page where the show is archived:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AuthorsRead/2009/02/09/Diane-Tegarden-Anti-vigilante-the-Rips-in-Time

Enjoy!!

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A Common Bird with Uncommon Power- Crow Medicine

May 20, 2008 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, sacred imagery and spirituality · Tagged , , , , ,

A Common Bird with Uncommon Power

Don’t let Crow fool you, like many seemingly “common” animals, this bird has important lessons to impart. As urban dwellers, we take for granted less rare species and believe that power only comes from exotic animals like the elephant or lion, but the people of each land had tales of power to tell about the animals who lived all around them, from the largest to the least.The natives of the Southwest particularly honored Grandmother Spider as a powerful being, who’s admittedly a tiny creature amongst human kind!

Totem or power animals can come to you in a mundane or a magical way. Some of the animals you encounter will have no particular spiritual meaning for you, so in your own heart and mind, you must ascertain which animal medicine is significant to you.

Knowing a little more about their power helps us understand the lesson, so here is a bit about sister crow!

CROW MEDICINE

Crow medicine is that of the left-handed guardian, the keeper of the sacred laws, the mysteries of creation and the knowledge of our physical universe. Crow People are said to be able to bend the laws of physics, shape shifting at will. But, this ability is rare in today’s world.

All Sacred knowledge of the Great Spirit’s laws are kept in the Black Lodges, the lodges of women. It is said that “all things are born of women” and this is signified by Crow Medicine.

Crow represents the element of change in your life, allowing you to simultaneously see the past, present and future. Crow medicine merges the dualities of darkness and light; of our inner and outer Beings. In Mayan culture, the Crow is a privileged being, because it is cross-eyed, seeing both sides of reality at once.

If Crow has flown into your life today, she is calling on you to stand in your personal truth and thereby, become your future SELF.

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Hopitu Shinumu Wheel of the Year

April 13, 2008 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, sacred imagery and spirituality · Tagged , , , ,

The Hopi Wheel of the Year differs a bit from the Celtic calendar in that instead of four quarters, we divide the year into a 6 month/6 month cycle; beginning with Soyal, December 21st (winter solstice) and the second cycle begins with Niman, summer solstice, June 21st.

The Wheel of the Year is the name for the calendar, but also brings an awareness that everything is located on a great spiral, from the cosmos themselves, to the sun traversing the sky.

It depicts the seasons as they change, and that time is somewhat circular, in that the cycle of life/death/rebirth/life is one continuous wheel that turns as time passes.

Many of the Celtic celebrations didn’t “sync-up” with my internal calendar for years (I’ve lived in the southwest most of my life). Then I started studying and practicing the Hopitu Shinumu ways of the people who’ve lived on this same land where I live.

The Hopi calendar makes more sense for this climate, the weather and the changes in seasons here than does the Wiccan calendar, although I’ll always have a special place in my heart for many of the Wiccan holidays (especially Beltane).

I practiced eclectic Wiccan paths for over 12 years before I began studying/practicing the native ways and am a big fan of remaining on an eclectic path. It keeps my spirit of inclusion and growth alive!

Please join us in an old fashioned Full Moon Chanting Circle this coming Sunday 20th; the Hopi Full Moon of April is called Kapana, the planting moon.

BURN BRIGHTLY,
Diane “Esthana Thlehiya”
the rosefire walker

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Word for the Day- paho…it’s Hopi for…..

February 19, 2008 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture, Word for the Day · Tagged , , , ,

Today our Word for the Day is paho…it’s Hopitu Shinumu for….prayer stick.

A paho is a prayer stick (it’s like a wand, but it has nothing to do with magic). Before each special ceremony of the year, the people involved in the ritual (sometimes it was the whole clan, sometimes only certain members would participate depending on the ritual) would make a prayer stick while mentally preparing for the ritual.

A paho can be made from materials you find around your yard and home; you need two sticks, one a straight stick (representing the male principle of life), the other one a forked stick (representing the female principle of life), and you paint the ends of the male stick black, while painting the ends of the female stick red.

You bind the two sticks together with a blue or black ribbon or thread, then wrap a small amount of corn meal in a piece of either blue, black or red felt (or swatch of material), this represents life and abundance. You attach small bits of jewelry, beads, feathers or decorative items to the bundle with your thread, along with the pouch of corn meal.

While you have been working on your paho, you keep the main reason for the ritual in your mind, praying and blessing the paho and the upcoming energy you will gather and focus to your purpose.

This paho can be used for several rituals, for several years or for just the one time.

May You Never Thirst!
Blessed Beees,
Diane T.

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January is called Soenpana, meaning Man Moon

January 19, 2008 · Filed under Hopitu Shinumu culture · Tagged , , ,

I wanted to share a bit from my Native American culture, the Hopitu Shinumu, which means The Peaceful Ones (we are often referred to as the Hopi.) We call the entire calendar The Wheel of The Year, which is split into two halves; six months of dry hot weather, and six months of cold, sometimes rainy weather.

The Wheel of the Year begins on December 21st, Winter Solstice or Soyal, and the next cycle begins on June 21st, Summer Solstice, or Niman when the Kachinas return to their native homes in the mountains.

The full moon for January is called Soenpana, meaning Man Moon.

As the Hopitu Shinumu were primarily corn farmers, the agricultural cycles were very important, at this time of year the land lies fallow; it is time to allow the earth to regenerate, the seeds are quiet and nothing is growing, it is “waiting to become”.

At this time of year we find personal significance in shaking off the dust from our minds over the winter’s long perusals, enjoying our own experiences in life and using the solitude to know our inner selves.

In January we celebrate with a special dance called the Buffalo Dance, which is performed in order to call the buffalo back down from the winter hunting grounds, and to see when the winter weather will finally break.

Donaho Wei-Yo,
Esthana Thlehiya

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