Thrills, Magic, Health, Faith and Riches: In Pursuit of Treasure

If I had to create a definition for the word treasure, it would not be traditional. In my eyes treasure can be many things. I don’t believe that precious metals and gems are the only physical things which possess value. For example, an archaeologist would consider old bones to be a treasure, and a historian would find wealth in certain records. An entomologist would treasure the discovery of a new insect, while a lover of code may prize a new script.

Within the last couple of years, a book by the Santa Fe author Forrest Fenn has been sought-after by treasure hunters. Thrill of the Chase: A Memoir is a book Fenn has used to drive people into a maddened search for a treasure chest the author has hidden. On March 9, 2013, a 34 year old woman from Texas was found after she got lost in Bandalier National Monument while searching for the treasure. This month, officials with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish threatened to file charges against a man they found digging under a descanso (roadside memorial or grave marker) for the treasure. What are these people thinking?

Web sites across the world proclaim the words “somewhere in the mountains north of Santa Fe, a magnificent treasure box is hidden. Will you find the treasure? Join the chase!” The book is only being carried by one bookstore here in Santa Fe. The delirium led me to consider the human fascination with treasure, so I decided to peer into a small part of this history.

~Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary
of Folklore Mythology and Legend (©1949)~

Why are humans so fascinated with the hunt for treasures? Aside from the fact that many people are extremely broke right now, what drives them to partake in the hunt? According to the Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore Mythology and Legend (©1949), “gold has been consistently the most highly prized of metals thorough the ages…” The book says that “gold was so highly valued, it early became associated with religion. It was used to make idols, as tribute, and as offerings to the Gods.” This means that the symbolism of gold has been ingrained into humans since it was first discovered. Not only has the warm colored metal been associated with the heavens, but the Chinese “believed gold leaf” was “the most perfect form of matter; an unguent containing it was the most powerful remedy of Chinese medicine as it gave renewed life to the human body.”

I have discovered that gold was “a potent curative force” in “early medical practice,” and that it was associated with the Gods. I believe that the value of this metal is inherent in our collective memory for at least two good reasons. I found some interesting articles and books which explore lost treasures. I thought it would be great to share these stories which begin in 1902 and end in 1963. These stories shed light on the quest for treasure and the hunters who obsess about the hunt. The Dictionary of Folklore Mythology and Legend also describes hunters who “go into a trance” while being under the spell of “hunting magic.” A search for gold could not both invite and “repel” madness~ could it? For as long as many people can remember, there have been oral stories of: money walled up in houses; gold being buried in mountains; and unknown treasures which are not considered “lost.”

The Santa Fe New Mexican ran an article on July 24, 1902 in the “Special Correspondence” section of the paper. In this article, it was reported that there was “supposed hidden Spanish Treasure” in Grant County. The special report said that the treasure was hidden in an “old cave near San Lorenzo.” Apparently over the years many people tried to locate the Spanish treasure. I had to laugh out loud in the silent library when I read that the “treasure-seakers” had found many skeletons, but not any treasure. I guess if you were talking to a person interested in straight forward wealth, bones would just be worthless? On the other hand, an archaeologist would find much wealth in that type of finding.

~Article printed in the Roswell Daily Record
on August 3, 1922~

On August 3, 1922, in Racine, Wisconsin it was was reported that the “lure of hidden treasure” surrounded “an old building on one of the principal streets.” The Roswell Daily Record issued a news release titled “Wealth Hidden by Baker During the War Be Sought by K. of C.” This was a very interesting story. It was reported that a “miser’s hoard of gold” was “buried there, according to pioneers.” It was apparently a “mystery, more than half a century old” that members of the Knights of Columbus wanted to solve. The article seemed to speculate that a German baker starved his wife to become rich. The reporter described her as a “gaunt, silent woman.” During the Civil War, the baker feared “the loss of wealth” so he “withdrew his savings, cashed all his securities and bonds and under cover of darkness buried the treasure somewhere within his house.” The poor starved wife wasn’t even told where the treasure was buried. The baker figured that if she was captured, she would be tortured to reveal the secret location. After the baker died, the wife searched for the loot to no avail.

In the book Hidden Treasure in the Wild West by Oren Arnold (©1966), the author wrote about “Pancho Villa’s Mountain Bank.” Here was one case amongst many cases of hidden treasure being buried in a mountain scape. “The poor people of Mexico considered” Pancho Villa a hero. According to the book, Villa had told his friends “I have some money hidden away in a secret mountain bank.” The hero assured the people by telling them “when it is needed for our experimental work here, I will go get it. Perhaps we can build a testing laboratory with it and hire good scientists. I will look into the matter soon.” What a nice thought! Unfortunately Villa was killed on July 20, 1923. Arnold’s book says that “when he had driven his automobile to a nearby town, old enemies ambushed him.” Before he could reveal the location of his mountain bank, “the harsh staccato bark of machine guns sounded, and Pancho Villa, the great liberator, fell across the steering wheel, dead.”

“Writing in a geological bulletin published by the New Mexico Bureau of Mines in 1935, K.C. Dunham told” the story of Padre LaRue’s mine. In Mines of the Old Southwest by Jack D. Rittenhouse and Rex Arrowsmith (©1963), I located information on the “Organ Mountain Silver Mines.” Arrowsmith was a geologist and gave a particular professional flavor to his account of the mines. The report said that LaRue was “stationed at a hacienda in Chihuahua (Mexico)” and that the priest “was told by a dying friend of placers and a fabulously rich gold-bearing lode in the mountains two days’ journey north of Paso del Norte.” LaRue migrated north with others to the Organ Mountains so that he could find the gold. According to the report, they located the gold, and then buried it at the request of Padre LaRue. The priest was located by the Church in the City of Mexico and he was later “murdered” by a soldier for not divulging the location of the treasure. In case number three, the secret location followed LaRue to his grave.

~Treasure Land map in Arthur L. Campa’s book
Treasure of the Sangre de Cristos: Tales and
Traditions of the Spanish Southwest (©1963)~

The only thing I found in common with the small amount of stories I looked at for this research was the fact that all the men died without telling anyone where the treasure was buried. It is possible that all of these stories were simply not true. It is possible that there was never any treasure at all. Though I guess I could say that as an archivist, I do tend to value stories as a type of treasure. I do find a sort of wealth in that! The author who really put this into perspective for me was Arthur L. Campa. In his book Treasure of the Sangre de Cristos: Tales and Traditions of the Spanish Southwest (©1963), Campa published a “Treasure Land” map which focuses on New Mexico treasures. The map shows places from the north to the south (Taos, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Cuba, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Sandia Peak, Albuquerque, Tome, Magdalena Mountains, Santa Rita, Mesilla, and the Organ Mountains among others). I was particularly intrigued with Chapter 11~ “Natural Phenomena and the Growth of Legends.”

It is more than safe to conclude that the value of treasure is inherent in our collective memory for several reasons. Campa said that “legends are an interesting product of folk society, the origin of which dates back to pre~Christian days, to Greece, Babylon, and the valley of the Nile. They are so deeply imbedded in the cultural texture of the folk thinking that today, as in the days of the Greeks, even geological formations assume anthropomorphic shapes and are indued with the attributes of folk heroes.” Contemplating the forces which drive humans to insanity can be a good way to peer into the mind. Where are are these behaviors and beliefs rooted?

The treasure Forrest Fenn says he buried may or may not exist. We may never know. Maybe Fenn will take the secret to his grave like so many did before him? Then again “a simple story may be gradually embellished with whatever attributes are important to folk, and with whatever concepts are current and acceptable at the time when it begins.” According to Campa, “very often the actual fact or historical account that gives rise to a particular legend may be totally forgotten, lost, or modified to such an extent that only the legend growing from the original happening survives.”

The Nymph Calypso and Her Stone

The back of Odysseus as he turned from Calypso.

An epic poem by Homer made a mythical woman named Calypso infamous. Scholars have concluded that Homer’s poem The Odyssey (free e-book link below) was written off the Greek coast of Ionia during the latter part of the 8th century (BC). In the poem, Calypso was tragically intrigued by her legendary stone named Odysseus who washed ashore from the Ionian Sea. This poem was laced with temptation, seduction, and diversion. This makes it a classic literary piece, and so begins the Greek myth of Calypso and Odysseus.

Calypso was born to the Greek Titan named Atlas. The mythical Oceanides sea nymph lived on the island of Ogygia. Calypso is said to have had an enchanting voice. She lived in a beautiful cave near the sea. Some scholars and historians believe that the island of Ogygia was a myth, while others think it was actually located in the western Mediterranean Sea. Calypso has been seen as a negative symbol. She has been seen as a symbol of that which diverts men from their goals.

Odysseus was a legendary Greek man who was King of Ithaca. He was a hero in The Odyssey. Odysseus drifted for over a week in the sea before being rescued by Calypso. The king had lost his army and his ship after a battle with “monsters” from Italy and Sicily while returning home from Troy. After floating in the sea for 9 days, Calypso pulled him to shore and decided to keep him because she “became enamored.”

For between 5 and 7 years, Calypso refused to let Odysseus leave her island. Many scholars doubt that she actually forced him to stay and that she probably enchanted him with song. Others think that Calypso held him prisoner or hostage on her island. She offered Odysseus immortality and eternal youth in exchange for his everlasting love. The hero refused, though eventually the two made love apparently against his will.

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“Promise” featuring
Calypso and Odysseus
by Jan Styka
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It is natural for me to want to look at the woman and man in this Greek myth symbolically. Homer must have realized the symbolic power of these individuals. Odysseus is the stone. He is the hard, positive symbol of this myth while Calypso is the soft, negative symbol. The nymph is but a mere diversion in a mission for the greater good. In essence, this myth captures Odysseus as a classic hero with a noble cause, while Calypso is simply an unwanted muse who spurs distraction.

The golden kiss and enchanting voice of Calypso.

It is also interesting to see how scholars have studied the etymology of both names. The origin of the name Odysseus has been connected to two phrases amongst others. Odysseus means “he who causes pain” or “the one who is wrathful.” The name Calypso means “to cover, to conceal, to hide.” Etymologicum Magnum says that the name Calypso means “concealing the knowledge.”

In the end of this myth Calypso releases Odysseus on the sea. She does so against her will so that he can return to his wife Penelope in Ithaca. She had no choice but to do so even though she herself had become enchanted.

**Free E-book** The Odyssey by Homer courtesy of Project Gutenberg

Foolish: The Illusion of Intellect

The Fool- A Tarot Card- “El Loco?”

Today I read a post about The Fool card in Tarot. One of my favorite gals- Lily Wight of The Arcade of Arts & Arcana posted Tarot art – The Fool on May 9, 2012. I absolutely loved the art work created for that card. Ms. Lily reblogged the tarot post from Tiana Setka’s Divination Blog. After reading the post, I started to contemplate what it means to be foolish? The word foolish can be interpreted in so many ways. The synonyms for the word foolish include: stupid, silly, idiotic, unwise, imprudent, thoughtless, and of course irrational. The antonym for the word foolish is simply wise. At any given time I could be described as all of thee above. Since I take pride in wisdom, how is it that all of thee above can possibly describe me? I am at a loss for words it seems. I guess that my apparent inability to explain my simultaneous identification with synonyms and an antonym for the word foolish, will insure that I remain a humble human.

In 2004, the European Psychologist Journal published a white paper titled Why Smart People Can Be So Foolish. The paper was published in Volume 9, Number 3 (2004) by RJ Sternberg. Sternberg stated bluntly in his article that “not only stupid people act foolishly.” Is that indeed a fact? I do agree. He said that smart people who “tend to act foolishly” can be connected to “five cognitive fallacies.” Those fallacies or misleading notions include unrealistic optimism. Unrealistic hopefulness and optimism come with inevitable disappointment. The author goes on to say that “the antidote to foolishness is wisdom.” Hum? Is there really an “antidote” to foolishness? Maybe I could use a dose of that antidote? What about you? Or is believing that there is indeed an antidote yet another form of unrealistic optimism? You decide…

Deane P. Lewis compiled a web site in 1999 titled Owls in Mythology & Culture. Lewis says that “throughout history and across many cultures, people have regarded Owls with fascination and awe. Few other creatures have so many different and contradictory beliefs about them. Owls have been both feared and venerated, despised and admired, considered wise and foolish, and associated with witchcraft and medicine, the weather, birth and death.” Here we see a similar pattern demonstrating a range of human characteristics which travel from one extreme to another— fear and respect, hate and love, wise and foolish, as well as birth and death.

We can also look at the myth of Pandora in regard to a wise fool. Pandora is sometimes referred to as the first of the women on Earth. It is said that Zeus himself commanded Hephaestus to create the most beautiful woman from Earth and water. To me— creating her from “Earth” would be symbolic of the human form. Think of the phrase “from dust to dust.” Hephaestus then gifted her with the breath of life. As the myth goes, Zeus wanted her to be almost perfect, and foolishly human. This woman was Pandora, and she can be seen as the fool of fools for unleashing the secrets of Pandora’s box or in some versions of the myth, a jar. The jar was as beautiful as she, but she was never to open it. She is said to have been so tortured by what may be in the jar that she felt compelled to lock the jar away in chains so that she would not be tempted to open it. Eventually, Pandora thinking she was so intelligent opened the jar. When she opened the intricate, and inviting container, Pardora simply unleashed a world of pain. What a fool!

The patterns of our human character often demonstrate such a colorful spectrum of extremes. Just as we must be born, we must die. Just as we must be loved, we must be hated. Just as we must smile, we must cry. It is unfortunate that no matter how hard we try to remain wise, the foolish illusion of intellect can blind and burn the eyes of our souls.

The Greek Titan of Intelligence

Koios and Phoebe in the Heavens_ Digital Composite by Felicia Lujan_ Includes 1 contemporary and 1 historic image (with a shadow and screen effect).

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“Again, Phoibe came to the desired embrace of Koios.”

(Greek Epic- 4th B.C.)

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Intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge- these are some of the characteristics which can be attributed to Koios (also spelled Coeus). Koios was the son of Father Sky (Ouranos) and Mother Earth (Gaia). As one of the 12 Titans, (the Titan of Intelligence and an elder god) his power was derived from knowledge. He was also a “keeper” of wisdom. The name Koios is representative of one with a curious mind, and/or one posing inquires and questions. As the Titan of Intelligence, it is likely that this titan referred frequently to the written word as well as oral histories while gathering knowledge.

KOIOS (or Coeus)

This titan was also the God of the Axis of Heaven. This is that axis on which the Greek constellations revolved. Some scholars believe that Koios was likely tied to heavenly oracles, and at times it is said that he “scaled the heavens.” Koios also came to be known as Polos, and was tied to the Northern heavenly axis. It is said that the ancient ones noted that this point was “marked by the star alpha Dra in the constellation Draco.” In one Greek Myth, the brothers of Koios were personified as exaggerated pillars. The pillars were intended to hold apart Heaven and Earth.

Hemisphaerium Boreale (Greek Constellations)

Koios was married to the Moon (Phoebe), and she was a Goddess with a prophetic mind (see this post http://myvoyagethroughtime.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/enchantment-and-the-moon-a-look-at-the-greek-goddess-phoebe/). Scholars believe that this duo represented the central source of knowledge and wisdom. Both Phoebe and Koios embodied the heavens. The eventual separation of this couple was tragic. Koios was also a rebel who once ruled the Earth with other elder gods prior to being conquered by the Olympians. Eventually, he was banished to the Underworld for his role in battles with Zeus and the Olympians. I have to wonder if they had books in the Underworld?

Sources:

San Diego State University- College of Education- http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/scaffold/gg/titan.html#Coeus

Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names- http://www.behindthename.com/name/koios

The Theoi Project : Greek Mythology was created and is edited by Aaron J. Atsma, Auckland, New Zealand- http://www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanKoios.html

Ambrosia: That Which is Reserved for God and Goddess

Ambrosia was a food of the Gods.

Several years ago, I decided that if I ever had a daughter her name would be Ambrosia Dominique. I did not have a daughter, but I did stay true to my love of Greek names with the name of my son. His name is Daryn, and in the Greek language the name means gift. If I would have had a daughter, her name would have been tied to the mysterious mythology of her namesake.

There are several extraordinary myths about ambrosia. This amazing and not completely described item, is said to have been used by the ancient Greeks. They were said to have consumed ambrosia orally, but in some instances used it externally. A powerful item which could bestow one with immortality, was reserved for the Greek God and Goddess of Mount Olympus.

Ambrosia is said to have possibly been a hallucinogenic, causing feelings of euphoria. Some scholars of Greek mythology believe that ambrosia and nectar (often identified as two distinct items) may have really been one in the same, as some sources note that ambrosia was consumed in liquid form. The drink was used as a method of purification, as perfume for attraction, and at times as a sort of love potion. In one particular Greek myth, Athena delivers ambrosia to Heracles when he becomes immortal, and joins the others on Olympus.

Contemporary scholars have concluded that ambrosia was likely honey. The wings of a bee, flight, and the healing properties of honey were likely behind the belief of immortality in relation to the ingestion of ambrosia. The use of ambrosia externally has been recorded in Greek mythology in one of two ways that I have read about. It was used as a salve or ointment to anoint or for healing, and possibly as a way to preserve the spirit of the departed. In two separate myths, ambrosia was used (put on) a corpse. Apollo used ambrosia on the corpse of Sarpedon, and Thetis used it on the corpse of Patroclus.

Though only the most divine beings were allowed to consume or use ambrosia, the special product was inevitably sought after by mortals. I was unable to find any myths which detail the success of any mortal in obtaining and/or consuming/using ambrosia. Though I guess if a mortal got their hands on ambrosia, it wouldn’t really be a myth at all now would it?

If you are interested in reading about the mythology of ambrosia, you may want to check out the following Greek myths about: Aphrodite and her ambrosian oil; Apollo and the corpse of Sarpedon; Calypso and his table; Circe and a flock of doves; Polyphemus, his wine and Odysseus; Psyche, the completion of her quests, and her marriage to Eros; Thetis and Achilles; and Thetis and the corpse of Patroclus.

***Sources:

*Swarthmore College Computer Society http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/08/ajb/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Ambrosia.html

*Dartmouth College http://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/pl/book_5/notes.shtml

*University of Chicago, Department of Romance Languages and Literature, The ARTFL Project http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&resource=Webster%27s&word=Ambrosia&quicksearch=on

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Amulet,Talisman,Trinket: The Lore of Blood Coral

Every morning as I drive to work, I am reminded of my maternal grandmother. Right before I had my one and only child, a son, she gave me a special gift. At the time, I never understood just how special the gift was. It must have been around July of 2005 when my grandma’s warm hand opened mine. She placed an odd shaped piece of coral on my palm. I looked at the red natural gem for a moment, and then asked “what should do with it?” She said that I needed it for protection, and after I gave birth that I should “pin it on her grandson.” My grandma told me that there would be people jealous of the baby and the attention he would get, so that I should be sure he used the coral. My grandma Corine did many things that I would never get to fully understand until I became a woman. What she believed we needed protection from was mal ojo or the evil eye.

As a child, I soaked up many of her traditions and beliefs, often unknowingly. I never took the time to learn more than that. I did know that all children were gifted with coral so of course I saved it. I made Daryn a pin, and he would wear it. I can’t remember when he stopped wearing the pin, but my grandmother passed away a little over two years after my son was born. I have only one photograph of her holding him in her arms. Naturally, I saved the precious piece. I made it into a necklace for me, and would wear it and think of my grandma. Later I decided to hang the necklace from the mirror in my vehicle. Maybe for protection? It still hangs there almost 5 years since my grandma died. For a few weeks, I have been wanting to look into the lore of coral. I finally took the time to do so this week. I was shocked to learn that the practice of gifting a child with red coral is not specific to New Mexico, yet alone to one culture.

A piece of red coral given to me by my maternal grandmother was used to make this necklace. The "horn" or "branch" was much longer at one time, but a piece broke off a few years back. Before it was a necklace, my son would wear the gem as a pin for protection. Now this necklace is hanging from the mirror in my vehicle for protection on the road.

According to Bussoletti, Cottingham, Bruckner, and Roberts, in the Mediterranean, a coral amulet has “distinctive characteristics.” These characteristics stem from “the complex mythological content that surrounds it, tying it to the blood of the head of Medusa that Perseus decapitated, blood that would color and petrify the sea.” They published these ideas in Red Coral Science, Management, and Trade: Lessons from the Mediterranean. In Documents of British Superstition in Oxford, by Ettlinger, the author concluded that folklore of coral declared the gem “one of the most popular amulets by reason of its red colour-since a white coral has never been used as an amulet.”

I also located something called Chinese Charms: Hidden Meaning of Symbols and there it is said that “red coral is considered particularly auspicious.” In Italian Folklore of Italy, red coral was “used to protect mothers and their babies, and trees that bear fruit.” In the Important Symbolism of Middle Eastern Jewelry, “a talisman which is used for the elderly, women, children and babies,” often utilized “antique Mediterranean red coral and amber beads.” Roman Sexualities by Hallett and Skinner said that “women are vigilant in protecting the babies once they are born.” Some “baby amulets” included “branches of coral.”

Thomas Forbes with the Yale University Departments of Anatomy and the History of Science and Medicine published a paper titled Chalcedony and Childbirth: Precious and Semi-Precious Stones as Obstetrical Amulets. In a section titled Gems of Biological Origin, Forbes wrote that “one of the most interesting was coral,” he called the gem a “protective charm,” and said that it was “recommended a piece of coral hung about the neck as a birth charm.”

I did locate a vast amount of information about the mythology of coral, and the origins of these beliefs runs way, way back. One of the most interesting pieces I located was a paper titled The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen. The paper was published in 1937 in The Art Bulletin (Vol. 19, No. 3). In a nutshell, Callisen mentions some of the following: peoples of the earth have feared the power of the evil eye, and an earnest faith in its malign potency can be traced to the dawn of folklore; in paintings and sculptures a branch of coral can be seen hanging from the Christ Child’s neck; a branch of coral, hung about the neck of an infant, is a protection from harm as a prophylactic against the evil eye; writers on magic were insistent that an amulet of red coral was much the most potent; and some believed that the coral branch was similar to a Roman phallic charm. There are references to coral and color changing. It is said that when the wearer is ill, the blood coral will change from red to a “pale” color.

In Women’s Tales from the New Mexico WPA: La Diabla a Pie, there is a story titled Remedios that is from the 1940s. There it is written, that “babies were harmed by mal ojo (evil eye). It was said that some persons could hurt babies with evil eye or mal ojo unconsciously. When baby was made sick by anyone who had mal ojo.” It is believed that “to protect little children from mal ojo, strings of coral beads were tied around their necks.” So yes- there are local stories, however, the lore of coral is cross-cultural and much deeper than I anticipated.

In the future, I would like to study what I see as the symbolism of coral, as water is one of my power symbols. That is a whole other topic for another long night. For now, if you would like to learn more about the lore of this biological gem, you should read The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen. There was a great amount of scholarly research that went into that piece. The link is below. That paper is mind blowing! It turns out, there was a significant amount of history rooted in my grandmother’s beliefs about coral and children. It just takes a little looking…

Sources:

Various online sources.

The Art Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 3 (1937, pages 450-462)- The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen- http://www.jstor.org/stable/3045692

Women’s Tales from the New Mexico WPA: La Diabla a Pie (page 29)- Edited by Tey Diana Rebolledo and Maria Teresa Marquez

A Magical Island of the Big Screen

Screen Shot_2.11.12_A View from Captain Nemo’s Nautical Invention

We are on our way to Albuquerque again, but before we head up the mountain (if weather permits), we caught a quick flick. We stopped in Santa Fe to watch the Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. I have been waiting to see the movie since I first saw the previews. The guys didn’t take any convincing. That movie was a hit. It was captivating, super funny, and some parts were touching. Journey 2 is an adventure/fantasy/science fiction flick. The movie stars: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (as Hank); Josh Hutcherson (as Sean); Luis Guzmán (as Gabato); Vanessa Hudgens (as Kailani); Michael Caine (as Alexander); and Kristin Davis (as Liz).

You know I had to love this movie. It had several things I dig. I had no clue there would be code and cryptography. Yeah! The Rock played a former Code Breaker with the Navy who helps his stepson decipher the code. The movie also had: glowing mushrooms; references to Poseidon (the Greek God of the Sea); inventions and scientific references; puzzle solving; old books; an ancient/mythical city; a historic diary filled with script (that may have required a paleography expert); and references to iconic authors. You know I had to love that right???

Between The Rock and Vanessa, the screen was burnin’ up with both eye candy and acting skillz. The actor and actress were among: tiny elephants and sharks; over-sized bugs and lizards; unique orchids; magical sea and landscapes; a gold spewing volcano; and the Lost City of Atlantis.

In the end, the team of explorers used a historic record to escape. The record had the ancient script of Captain Nemo. The captain’s diary was used to find his nautical invention, and flee the mysterious island!

A must see!!!

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Warrior of Fire

*****Card 11*****  appearing in my “path to a goal” digital card spread (1.27.2012) from Llewellyn’s Tarot_*****Warrior of Fire_Card 12*****  Fire… one of my symbols. This card filled slot 11 today on a shapeshifting spread. I have been feeling creatively driven lately- so it makes sense!! I totally loved this card… Time to go deeper!! I thought I was deep enough!?? Maybe I should work on a post about shapeshifting?”

Māori: Origins of a Warrior

Digital composite of a Māori Warrior by Felicia Lujan. Includes: multiple renderings of a Moko drawing of Te Pehi's face (1975 white paper); a photograph of a wooden Māori dagger (1920 white paper); and one contemporary photograph.

Origins of a Warrior

*****

Māori man, I can feel the power

of your breath. The energy in each

breath searches for listening hearts.

*****

Māori man, your ancestral cry

pierces me. Indigenous warrior, you

must protect your land and people.

*****
Māori man, your roots run deep.

They are so deep, that only the stars

can remember the origin of those

who came before you.

*****

Māori man, identity marked in thick

black will grace the face of your son.

The children of your children will

forever value your whakapapa.

*****

Māori man, I can feel the spirit

of this spiral of life. The force

gives me strength, and penetrates

my listening heart.

*****

by Felicia Lujan_1.25.2012

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Old Māori Proverb
“Ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere, Ma te ao te rangi ka uhi.”
“By feathers alone can the bird fly, By clouds are the heavens covered.”
————A Māori Bone Decorative Comb from Riverton by H.D. Skinner
————Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 39, No. 3 (1930), Page 285

War cry of their ancestors, the War Haka or Peruperu is a traditional dance of the Māori of New Zealand. This dance is filled with powerful movements, which involve the entire body and spirit. With their eyes open wide, strong stances, and the use of their tongue, the Māori exude strength. Heavy sounds from the slaps of their hands, dominant foot stomps, and deep shouts, are used to evoke the God of War. This dance is fierce, and is performed with weapons. According to some accounts, the Haka changed dramatically following World War I, but I would need to do more research to confirm that.

I became enthralled with the Māori when Alan Duff’s independent film Once Were Warriors (1994) was released. Duff, a journalist, novelist, and native to New Zealand gave me my first taste of culture in the South Pacific Ocean. I wanted to know more about the islands of New Zealand, which are at least half a world away from me. The film is centered on the social problems of the Heke family, and is still used today as a tool by educators and historians internationally. What inspires me in this film are the themes of hope and family. I am so inspired by the ability of a family to draw strength from tragedy. When one son in the fictional family immerses himself in the spirit of his ancestors, some of the family members are able to band together with mighty force. After seeing these men perform the War Haka or Peruperu, I was intrigued.

From 2001-2003, with each release in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I couldn’t help but remain mystified by the beautiful scenes filmed in New Zealand. There were breathtaking mountains, waters, and mystical places. The islands seemed magical. Through the cinematography in these movies, I could almost grasp the spirit of place. I was recently reminded of New Zealand by “a woman of strength,” Maryanne Pale (http://maryannepale.com/). Maryanne is the woman who nominated me for a Genuine Blogger Award. I was honored to be nominated by such a distinguished and beautiful writer. After discovering she was from New Zealand, I started to look into the origins, history, and mythology of the Māori.

I did track down four anthropological white papers written between 1901 and 1975. I was absolutely amazed to find out that the tattoo (moko) of the Māori often represents ancestral origins (genealogy). I couldn’t believe it?! As an archivist, as a genealogist, as an artist, and as a tattooed woman, I found this astounding. According to one anthropological account of moko designs, “the symbolism that governed an artist’s choices in composition has been lost.” It is understandable that the researchers are referring to hard copy records. Though actual records relative to the symbolism of moko designs may be nonexistent, certainly oral history and collective memory have preserved meaning. One account of an indigenous carver, said that he “was brought up to believe the different patterns in front of each ear represented descent from the male and female sides of a man’s family.”

It was also interesting for me to discover that the primary marks used by the Māori are “curves and spirals.” The spiral is of course one of my signs. I have been signing my art and poetry with the symbol since I was in my youth. I am always lead to the subjects of my writing for a reason, because as we all know, everything happens for a reason. Can you imagine wearing your lineage as a visual badge? It is a fascinating tradition to say the least. In the future, I hope to learn more about the Māori, and maybe one day I can visit New Zealand.

General Information:

Māori Haka
http://nz-maori.com/maori-haka.html

Lord of the Rings Trilogy- Film Locations
http://www.filmnz.com/locations-gallery.html#

Information on New Zealand
http://www.newzealand.com/

Scholarly Sources:

Māori Tatu and Moko by H. Ling Roth
Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 31(1901), Pages 29-64

On Two Wooden Māori Daggers by William Ridgeway and H.D. Skinner
Man, Vol. 20 (1920), Pages 49-52

A Māori Bone Decorative Comb from Riverton by H.D. Skinner
Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 39, No. 3 (1930), Pages 284-285

Moko and C.F. Goldie by Michael King
Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 84, No. 4 (1975), Pages 431-440

Iris: Divine Rainbow Goddess and Messenger of the Olympians

*****Digital composite by Felicia***** My representation of Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow consists of five images and was created using layers and masks. The representation also incorporates my spiral symbol.

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.
*****Lord Byron

The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.
*****John Vance Cheney

Iris the divine Rainbow Goddess was a messenger of the Olympians. She was fast and reliable. The goddess served and delivered messages for both Zeus and Hera. Some myths depict Iris as the personification of the rainbow. In other myths, Iris is the mother of Eros, the God of Love. If it was indeed she whom birthed Eros, it is not surprising that she was usually portrayed as loving, kind, and helpful. The sightly Iris is said to have used water from the River Styx to assist other immortals in the renewing of their vows. After filling their cups she delivered messages, ambrosia, and nectar. With her gifts, she replenished immortals. In her mortal and divine forms, the mythical Iris was breathtaking. Her picture of divinity is often rendered with a gold caduceus in hand, and magnificent golden or rainbow wings. The goddess was able to use the rainbow as a portal between Heaven and Earth. Iris was given the gift of flight to aid in the swift delivery of messages to other immortals, as well as to mortals on Earth.

A rainbow is often formed following a storm, and is also associated with golden treasure; therefore Iris and her instrument can be seen as signs of hope and prosperity. Iris and the rainbow embody a symbolic move from darkness to light, and the bow offers an intense spectrum of color as such. In 1984, Julia L. Epstein and Mark L. Greenberg published a white paper titled Decomposing Newton’s Rainbow in the Journal of the History of Ideas (Vol. 45, No. 1, pgs. 115-140). The paper was published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, and revealed some research connecting rainbow myth with scientific studies. “Clearly, Newton investigated natural phenomena-light, vision, color-that had for centuries been invested with symbolic mystical and religious significance, and had also attracted serious scientific investigators from antiquity on. Yet a key answer to this question lies in understanding that, although Newton’s exposition of light’s properties, for example, was not itself figurative or laden with rhetorical invention, a great part of its appeal to poets lay in its power to evoke images and metaphors.”

“This attempt to forge a language in which words are equivalent to things, of course, represented a linguistic ideal. Language was to annihilate metaphorical modes of expression, according to these new standards, through reduction to a pure sign system in which metaphor would be literalized. The universal language philosophers of the period sought for was a symbolic representation of discoveries in natural philosophy that would be wholly adequate to the processes of the material world.” Epstein and Greenberg acknowledged that the ultimate goal of Newton and poets was “to record the evanescent, to translate light and color into language,” and “to portray the arc and texture of a rainbow.” As Henry David Thoreau once said “the true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.” After learning more about Iris, may we continue to grasp at least a part of our metaphorical rainbow, and in turn satisfy our soul.

A Magic Bow, a Major Symbol, and Connection in Immortals

The Oracle Cares for Theseus

Tonight I finally went to see the movie Immortals. The movie was released on 11.11.11, so you know I had to see that one on the big screen.

In a nutshell the movie is a refresher in Greek Mythology which I have studied and love. Henry Cavill plays the peasant hero Theseus. Since boyhood, Theseus was trained in secret by Zeus to be a thoughtful warrior who will eventually lead in the battle against evil. Theseus ends up leading in the major battle against the twisted King Hyperion (played by Mickey Rourke). With the help of the gorgeous and enlightened oracle Phaedra (played by Freida Pinto), Theseus is triumphant.

I had 5 favorite parts. The best scene featured Zeus and his daugther Athena. Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, Warfare, Divine Intelligence, and Crafts (of course I loved that scene). She hides herself in a sculpture and then the statue comes to life when Zeus insists she reveal herself. This is a super cool scene. I also liked when Theseus shot up through the air to kill his enemy with a spear, and when he simultaneously killed four men with a magic bow. Fourth was when Poisedon (God of the Sea) shot down from the heavens into the sea to help the mortals. The fifth and second best scene was the final battle between the Gods and the Titans. Very cool…

There was one major visual symbol in the movie which I couldn’t help but note. The symbol was a circle. There were various representations of the circle from start to finish. I could go on and on about this symbol, but for tonight I am tired, it is late and I am posting via BB. In essence the symbol represented immortality. Why you ask? A circle starts and ends in the same place- and so it has no end. The movie closes with a circle in the form of an extreme close up of the pupil of the son of Theseus. Within the pupil, a reflection of his father can be seen for those who were looking deeper. The circle also represents connection, and/or something all encompassing.

The movie is marked by: the search for the powerful Epirus Bow; duels to the death; beautiful oracles; and fateful connection. Immortals is a worthy watch.

Aurora: Goddess of Dawn Appears in the South

She usually appears in the Arctic, gifting her mystic Aurora borealis to the spiritual people there.  In my time, I have never heard of the lights appearing in the south which I believe would be called Aurora australis.  There have been reports of the amazing lights emerging in the southern states of Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, and now Oklahoma.  When I first started this web site, the first images I featured were those of the Goddess of Dawn.  All I can say is I wish I could have witnessed this… 

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What are Northern Lights? The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. They are known as ‘Aurora borealis’ in the north and ‘Aurora australis’ in the south. Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.

What causes the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun’s atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora. The connection between the Northern Lights and sunspot activity has been suspected since about 1880. Thanks to research conducted since the 1950′s, we now know that electrons and protons from the sun are blown towards the earth on the ‘solar wind’. (Note: 1957-58 was International Geophysical Year and the atmosphere was studied extensively with balloons, radar, rockets and satellites. Rocket research is still conducted by scientists at Poker Flats, a facility under the direction of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks – see web page http://www.gi.alaska.edu/. The temperature above the surface of the sun is millions of degrees Celsius. At this temperature, collisions between gas molecules are frequent and explosive. Free electrons and protons are thrown from the sun’s atmosphere by the rotation of the sun and escape through holes in the magnetic field. Blown towards the earth by the solar wind, the charged particles are largely deflected by the earth’s magnetic field. However, the earth’s magnetic field is weaker at either pole and therefore some particles enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide with gas particles. These collisions emit light that we perceive as the dancing lights of the north (and the south).

The lights of the Aurora generally extend from 80 kilometers (50 miles) to as high as 640 kilometers (400 miles) above the earth’s surface.

Where is the best place to watch the Northern Lights? Northern Lights can be seen in the northern or southern hemisphere, in an irregularly shaped oval centered over each magnetic pole. The lights are known as ‘Aurora borealis’ in the north and ‘Aurora australis’ in the south. Scientists have learned that in most instances northern and southern auroras are mirror-like images that occur at the same time, with similar shapes and colors. Because the phenomena occurs near the magnetic poles, northern lights have been seen as far south as New Orleans in the western hemisphere, while similar locations in the east never experience the mysterious lights. However the best places to watch the lights (in North America) are in the northwestern parts of Canada, particularly the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Alaska. Auroral displays can also be seen over the southern tip of Greenland and Iceland, the northern coast of Norway and over the coastal waters north of Siberia. Southern auroras are not often seen as they are concentrated in a ring around Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean.

Areas that are not subject to ‘light pollution’ are the best places to watch for the lights. Areas in the north, in smaller communities, tend to be best.
 
When is the best time to watch for auroral displays? Researchers have also discovered that auroral activity is cyclic, peaking roughly every 11 years. The next peak period is 2013.  Winter in the north is generally a good season to view lights. The long periods of darkness and the frequency of clear nights provide many good opportunities to watch the auroral displays. Usually the best time of night (on clear nights) to watch for auroral displays is local midnight (adjust for differences caused by daylight savings time). http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ 

Legends of the Lights ‘Aurora borealis’, the lights of the northern hemisphere, means ‘dawn of the north’. ‘Aurora australis’ means ‘dawn of the south’. In Roman myths, Aurora was the goddess of the dawn. Many cultural groups have legends about the lights. In medieval times, the occurrences of auroral displays were seen as harbingers of war or famine. The Maori of New Zealand shared a belief with many northern people of Europe and North America that the lights were reflections from torches or campfires. The Menominee Indians of Wisconsin believed that the lights indicated the location of manabai’wok (giants) who were the spirits of great hunters and fishermen. The Inuit of Alaska believed that the lights were the spirits of the animals they hunted: the seals, salmon, deer and beluga whales. Other aboriginal peoples believed that the lights were the spirits of their people.

***Information Taken from the Northern Lights Center web site.

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