The long drive will be a chance to think about the paradigm shift that others call "post" this or that, but that I approach through the rhizome theory of DeLeuze-Guattari. Nick Lane's evolution ideas, Michael Winkelman's shamanic theories, Micheal Gazzaniga's research on the brain -- it all fits together, I'm pretty sure.
Shamanism is the single most rhizomatic spiritual technology, or set of practices for dealing with the spirit world. It's an utterly pragmatic, local system. Yet it turns up in literally every culture, in every era, in some form or another. Often it takes on the local language and cosmology without really changing its essence.
ReplyDeleteThat's partly because it's rooted in earth, in sky, in the land, in the people. The organized religions are smart when they adopt the local practice and try to subsume it into their own systems. That works better in some places than others. In native North America, the Jesuit presence among the early explorers was a political policy, part of the policy of conquering a new land for Europe. It's interesting to note how some native groups, who nominally converted to Catholicism, still practice their old ways anyway. Rhizomes, growing up and spreading invisibly below-ground.
I want to thank you for earlier putting on your blog the full transcript of a treaty with the Blackfeet Nation and the Federal Government that my great great grandfather signed, having been invited to sign it on the side of the Blackfeet. His name is John Gordon.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was raised around the Sweet Grass Hills and went to school for a time at the Heavy Breast school where her aunt, Jessie Gordon Powell, married to Amp Powell from Babb. My mother, Brucia Gordon Crane made sure I knew and loved the area and the people. I met Bob Scriver once and have a small bronze buffalo from the gallery.
I also wanted to thank you for the posting about memories of Nancy M. Powell. I was raised with a pair of those drawings you mentioned on the tan paper.
Your blog is a great touch stone to people and an area that factor largely in my memory, thanks.
Bruce
Thanks for you kind compliments, Bruce. You come from good roots and a place many describe as God's own. I hope the rest of your life is as fortunate.
ReplyDeletePrairie Mary