AN OLD ROAD TRIP TO BANDON, OREGON IN 2009

One of my old posts from the blog I started in April 2008 and closed in 2015. 

This rocky beach is in Bandon, Oregon. In the photo above you can just make out a figure walking along the beach with a dog. We met that lady earlier along a back road walking to this beach. We had just stopped at one place and she told us that there was a much better lookout further ahead, that it would be worth our time to stop. She was right. It was incredible and we were very grateful to her for pointing us in this direction. While taking photos we spotted them quite a distance ahead. The only other people we saw were a couple taking photos. We were very lucky with the weather. It stopped raining long enough for us to take in this magnificent view.

This area is famous for Face Rock. There is a local legend that you will find in more detail at this link.  It's rather sad as many legends are but below is a more condensed version. It has been passed on from one generation to another but is now written down so that the story will always be there for anyone to read. It is a very good thing that these old stories will be there for future generations. So very important to its people, the continuation of sharing their beliefs, their cultures, their legends, and may it always be so.  If you look at the rock on its right, you might be able to recognize the side profile of a face, forehead, eyes, nose, lips and chin, as if a face is staring up at the sky.  Those geological layers that stand out in the photo could almost be like tears. 

"Legend has it (from the Nah-So-Mah tribe) that Ewanua, a beautiful Indian princess was visiting tribes along the coastline with her father, Chief Siskiyou. While the local tribes lived in constant fear of Seatka, the evil spirit of the ocean, Ewanua and the other members of her mountain-born tribe, held no fear of the evil one.  Following a great feast set in celebration of their visit, Euwana carried her pets (one dog and a mother cat and her kittens) out to the edge of the sea with her before swimming far out from shore.

All of a sudden, a fearsome creature grabbed her, and Komax, her dog, fearing for Ewanua's life swam out into the dark water and bit Seatka. Hurt and furious with the animal, Seatka kicked off the dog and threw it, along with the cat and her kittens, out into the sea. Filled with rage over losing her beloved pets and knowing the power that lay in Seatka's eyes, Ewanua from then on, refused to look directly at him. Today, she lies in the ocean, looking skyward, continuing her refusal to look into Seatka's eyes, who sits nearby. Her beloved Komax, her cat and the kittens lie to the west of her, waiting in vain for their mistress to arise from the cold ocean."

The maps below all show Bandon, Oregon.  

The rocks mentioned in the story are at the bottom left of the map.

This is a larger version showing the whole state, marked by the dotted line. The state of Washington is above, and the state of California is below. Bandon is the red marker.

One more map showing Bandon, Oregon's location on the USA map.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

These beautiful words I found were written by Joy Harjo.  It seemed the right day to share them.

"Remember the sky that you were born under, know each of the star's stories.  

Remember the moon, know who she is.  

Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the strongest point of time.  

Remember sundown and the giving away to night.  

Remember your birth, how your mother struggled to give you form and breath.  You are evidence of her life and her mother's and hers.  

Remember your father.  He is your life, also. 

 Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth, brown earth, we are earth.  

Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories, too.  Talk to them, listen to them.  They are alive poems. 

 Remember the wind.  

Remember her voice.  She knows the origin of this universe.  

Remember you are all people and all people are you.

  Remember you are this universe and this universe is you.  

Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you. 

 Remember language comes from this.  

Remember the dance language, that life is.  

Remember."

Remember 

by

Joy Harjo

Poet Laureate 

Joy Harjo (born May 9, 1951) is an American poet, musician, playwright, and author. She is the incumbent United States Poet Laureate, the first Native American to hold that honor. She is also only the second Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to serve three terms. Harjo is a member of the Muscogee Nation and belongs to Oce Vpofv (Hickory Ground).  

You can learn much more about Ms. Harjo if you click on her name here.

OLD POST FROM SEPTEMBER 2002 - POW WOW ON THE MALL

As I have mentioned before, I enjoy going through our old photos, and found these on the blog I closed a few years ago.  For some reason, and I still have no idea why, people were having trouble downloading that old blog, so I made the decision to close it and start fresh with this one.  I also had to buy a new laptop and the time just seemed to be right to start fresh.  

I actually started blogging in April of 2008, and started this one right at the end of 2015.  I might repeat posts that I did on the old blog, every now and again.  I have already shared photos from those archives.

Going back to September 2002, we found out about the Pow Wow.  It was to celebrate the building of The National Museum of the American Indian, and was taking place nearby on the Mall.

It was an exciting event and as I have been interested in learning all about different cultures since I was a little girl, I could not wait to go into the city over the weekend. We don't live that far away from our Nation's Capital as the crow flies.

I took these photos from my seat. (I don't normally show children's faces on here, but as this was taken 12 years ago, I figured their features are totally different now all these years later).  It was very hot that day and several people left the tent before it started. There was no way that I was going to miss such a wonderful event, and I watched as the big tent filled with people who were going to participate in the Pow Wow. I spotted this darling little girl and her brother. She was doing a superb job of looking after him, and later on I saw her getting ready for her part in the Pow Wow.

There were whole families involved and the traditional clothing was quite spectacular.

This revered gentleman with his grandson was being honored for service to his country as a Navaho Code Talker during WWII.

Here a grandfather and grandson were waiting to perform in their tribe's drum circle. 

And I can't tell you enough how much I appreciated this experience.  And so I watched and waited and took photographs of people getting ready. 

I count at least three camera's in this shot.  There was a young lady taking a movie of the audience. 

And so it began.

 

The traditional clothing was intricate, colorful, incredible, beautiful, unique.  

Wallace Coffey of the Comanche, with actor and folk singer Floyd Red Crow Westerman, from the Lakota Sioux (sadly, since I wrote this post, he passed on in December 2007). As well as being seen in various roles on the big screen and TV, Mr. Westerman is also a fierce advocate of Native American rights and is a leader in the North American Indian Movement. I am very familiar with this exceptionally talented actor, as I grew up watching movies he took part in on our British TV, and have to say it was a thrill to see him within camera range.

Wallace Coffey has served as Masters of Ceremonies for Pow Wows and Indian cultural events for well over 35 years. 

What an incredible day and one that I wouldn't have missed for the world.

A great memory now and I hope you have enjoyed the revisit.  Enjoy your day and thank you for looking.