CONCOW MAIDU RELIGION Kuksu in the Art of Eric Whollem

Concow Maidu Religion: KUKSU IN THE ART OF ERIC WHOLLEM.

CONCOW MAIDU TRADITIONS

This video presents the traditional religious beliefs of the Concow Maidu Indians of Northern California. The Concow live in Butte County. I lived off and on for 35 years at Black Earth Village in the Feather Falls area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It has been my privilege to have known a number of Maidu elders, who have given me many insights into the old ways. My apologies for my own incomplete understanding of the lore involved in this presentation.

In Concow tradition stories are told in the winter, as the long cold nights were the best format for retelling the ancient legends.

Kuksu's wife was Morningstar. They were the Maidu Adam and Eve. They were born of mud up on Table Mountain near Oroville, California. The Kuksu Secret Society is a lodge that developed around the legend of Kuksu. It was secret insofar as one had to be an initiate in order to participate. Dreams were the basis of the society. The best dreamer would become the Yeponi, or head shaman, (or doctor), who also was essentially the 'chief' or 'captain' of the people.

The Kuksu lodge involved the Moki, or priests, who lead the ceremonies. Sili, the clown was an important figure in various dances. The Roundheads, or Big Heads, who would wear huge headdresses, were the lead dancers. Aki, the duck, was featured in the duck dance. A crane dance and other dances were part of the old ways.

Wonomi is the name of the Concow Maidu God. He is also called Earth Initiate. His home is Histayami, the Sutter Buttes. However there are other creative spirits who were part of the creation of the world: Utrama, the Turtle and Henokano, the Coyote. Hiki, the great snake created the Sacramento Valley and other river canyons. There also are Big Women Creators, one of whom left her menstrual flow on Indian Creek going up towards Taylorsville in Mountain Maidu country. Another Big Woman is featured in stories of Bald Rock, where today one can see her great pregnant belly in the form of the huge dome that overlooks the Middle Fork Canyon. In the old days the deceased were rolled off her belly into the canyon below in baskets. This is a symbolism of rebirth. Many warriors have been initiated into the path of Usbuki, the Great White Lizard, in that canyon. Usbuki represents the power of dreams. Usbuki is the opponent of Henokano.

The Kuksu religion began in Oroville, California. It was a new idea in California: a secret society of dreamers. This idea spread to other native Americans throughout the state: the Pomo, the Cato, the Wintun, and the Miwok, as far away as Yosemite Valley to the south and Mt. Shasta to the north.

THE BEAR DANCE

The Bear Dance at Janesville in the high Sierra is the biggest Maidu intertribal sacred ceremony. A huge roundhouse, or Hemeni, exists there today for use in dances that are still held every year. Pano is the black bear, the sacred bear of the Maidu. The grizzly bear used to be the bear of the dark shamans, those who would work mischief. Pano is the bear of the healing doctors.

THE ART IN THIS VIDEO

A few of the works of art seen here are in the private collection of Herb Puffer, who owns the Pacific Western Traders Trading Post in Folsom, California. He is a patron of the native cultures of California.

Telling the story of the Maidu culture, I have used paintings that I have created over the years. See my blog posts about the Maidu on
http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.co...

Art Blog/Eric Whollem

Featured in this video are a number of my earth paintings, made from natural earth pigments gathered in nature. Some are painted on stones, some on wood panels. In the old days, according to Martin, a lead man of the Berry Creek, or Tyme Maidu, earth paints were gathered for use as body paint in dance ceremonies. The Maidu used to trade a green earth paint to Native Americans across the Sacramento Valley in the Coast Range.

MUSIC

Kevin MacLeod is a composer who creates soundtracks. See his website for more information on his royalty free works and musical commissions.

Music by Kevin MacLeod
'Thunderhead'
Incompetech.com
creative commons