Read the entire article from Cultural Survival

This installment of video-photo essays by Syracuse Post-Standard photographer John Barry explores the winter traditions of the Onondaga nation.

Iroquois people are no strangers to winter weather – their upstate New York homeland gets more than its share of frigid temperatures and snowfall.

Below: Throwing snow snakes and mud cats is a favorite traditional winter sport for Iroquois guys.

Togetherness and thankfulness are the cornerstones of traditional Iroquois culture. The coldest part of the year marks the time of the Iroquois midwinter ceremonies, held in the community longhouse.

Schoolkids make visits to senior citizens to help with chores and errands and share stories, bonding the two pillars of Iroquois society: the children and the elders.

A symbolic circle of pine trees at a counseling center. Members of the community struggling with substance abuse gather for support and healing.

Syracuse Post-Standard: People of the Hills – Winter

Watch Reel Injun – Trailer on PBS. See more from INDEPENDENT LENS.

From the same author that brought us 1491: New Revelations About the Americas Before Columbus and numerous excellent essays and articles comes this very interesting piece on one of Native America’s most important staple crops.

This time of year, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, foodstuffs with deep connections to Native culture come to the forefront of popular culture: turkey, pumpkin, cranberry, just to name a few. There’s an aura of bounty and nostalgia around the foods that hallmark the holiday, as if the lingering memory of the land’s plenty as first experienced by early colonists has been passed down along with its ever-evolving traditions and legends.

Most people aren’t aware that their Thanksgiving turkey was first savored by the Aztecs, or their steaming bowl of mashed potatoes is an Andean specialty – or for that matter, that their European, African, or Asian ancestors would have been completely unaware of these dishes. Likewise, few know about the underlying circumstances that made the introduction of these foods possible for the rest of the world. But there’s a subconscious cultural connection that still links them – however vaguely – with their Native source.

Maybe it’s the grade school story of Squanto befriending the Pilgrims, teaching them how to plant maize – recounted again and again, and plastered all around us in countless cartoons and caricature – that gives the modern Thanksgiving its ostensible “Indian” savor, and makes it a uniquely American holiday. But maybe there is more to be gleaned from today’s Thanksgiving rituals about the intertwining of cultures that forms the roots of both the holiday and the country.

Food for Thought: Little-Known Facts About American Indian Innovations

National Geographic News – 16 Indian Innovations: From Popcorn to Parkas

“Celebrating an Indian Summer” by Richard B Williams The importance of the material contributions from Native cultures

Countdown: 10 Things About Thanksgiving A series about the foods, traditions, and legends of this distinctly “Native” holiday

Charles C Mann, “Native Intelligence” from the Smithsonian Magazine – a background study of the events and people of the mythical Thanksgiving

An exhaustive writing about Native stereotyping in film and particularly its effects on Native youth.

Below: Heroine or hazard? Legend or liability?

It’s not just for folks in the UK. The BBC’s Nature & Wildlife department has a big website comparable to National Geographic’s – it’s chock full with oodles of photos, videos, and fact files (and of course news) making it a nature lover’s paradise.

Some of the video content may not be available to visitors outside the UK, but there’s still enough great material to make it worth the visit. I could spend hours merely looking through the gorgeous photography. Professor Iain Stewart, whom I have blogged about before, is one of the main contributors for the science section. Browse by region, species, and topic – it’s superbly well-organized, and a particularly useful research tool for students.

Put this site in your Bookmarks!

More screenshots:

From the “People of the Hills” video essays by John Berry of the Syracuse Post-Standard

Summertime is the spotlight in this seasonal journal from the Onondaga Nation in New York state. This time of year is full of the celebration of life: school graduations combine the traditional with the modern; the first harvests from the community gardens begin; and music and dance are everywhere.

The milder summers of upstate New York have everyone outdoors enjoying the sunny weather, making it an ideal time for public events. Late June sees the main summer holiday – the Strawberry Festival – held, as in ancient times, in the community longhouse for all to participate.

Because of water pollution issues encroaching from neighboring areas, scenes like this are becoming increasingly less common. Lake Syracuse itself is a superfund site and is considered one of the most polluted lakes in the country, a condition affecting the water supply of the entire region. The Onondaga Nation is embroiled in major legal battles to reclaim water rights and establish more responsible methods of resource management.

WATCH: Post-Standard Video Essay – People of the Hills (Summer)

He has informed me that prints of this piece are available on Photoviva along with some of his other pieces.

His own fine art photography website is a must see – the nature shots are incredibly lush and dramatic.

Jason Wickens Photography: Inspirational Photo Art

Well, not literally; but I have discovered its excellent and fascinating website. Spending time in it is like spending time in the Louvre itself. It is really exhaustive, as you might expect, with a slew of things to tempt the artist, the history buff, or the merely curious mind (all three of which apply to me!)

The material ranges from student-friendly to quite technical. The interactive “Workshop” gives an amusing guided tour of museum highlights fit (I think) for all ages:

The most significant attraction for me is the series of “In-Depth” studies of great paintings. On my first visit I explored the feature for Delatour’s pastel portrait of Madame de Pompadour (yes, that is a pastel!) This video, for instance, discusses the composition of the painting, the biography of both artist and subject, and the evolution of pastel technique. Like a 15-minute all-in-one art class.

There are features classed also by era or special exhibition – all very attractively presented – I will definitely be going back for more. Which brings me to the introduction of my new blog series…

As I explore the Louvre (digitally at least) I’ll post on the most interesting pages and give my best picks. It should make for some good conversation, n’cest pas?

A review & critical analysis of a compendium of works by the recently departed Iroquois scholar:

“A Seneca Nation elder, thinker and activist, John Mohawk (Sotsisowah) challenged readers to reset and then reboot their value systems—to consider the obvious that we are trained in school to ignore…”

“If you want to compare notes with a man who was a thousand years old in his thinking while also a contemporary of scholars around the world, this is the book for you. It does not get more Indian than this.”

I haven’t read the book yet myself but it’s on my must-have list. It is intriguing to hear the shrewd observations of a Native person, trained in Western academia, who recognizes the relevance of his own marginalized culture’s precepts. Few people are better qualified to voice such an objective assessment of modern Western society, its environmental role, and the crossroads it which it now finds itself. What an apt time for this publication.

Fulcrum Publishing: Product page

Host, Prof. Iain Stewart

Yet again, National Geographic has come out with another winner. I love this series (although of course it doesn’t need my promotion)! I give it five-stars as one of the best all-around documentaries I’ve seen.

Originally released by the BBC, and presented by a very engaging and accomplished host – Scottish scientist Iain Stewart – the series showcases some stunning cinematography from all over the globe (a real plus for nature lovers) and some top-of-the-line CGI graphics.

But what fascinated me the most about this series, and Stewart’s research, is the approach of connecting human history directly with earth science. These days it’s becoming common knowledge to associate modern human activity with climate change; but he presents the geology and pivotal historical events – both globally and regionally – as a deeply intertwined continuum. Watching these episodes makes you wonder, “Why didn’t anybody think of it that way before?”

The series covers a lot of the better-known examples – such as how the over-exploitation of resources contributed to the Mayan collapse, and how the volcanic eruption at Santorini ended the Minoan civilization and ushered in the end of the Bronze Age. But some lesser-known connections are also addressed, and some astounding facts that I’d never heard before. Did you know that so much of the world’s fresh water has been dammed and contained within the industrialized nations in the Northern Hemisphere, that the displaced weight of it has slightly altered the earth’s axis?

The science of the series is concrete enough that he can talk about our climate problems in broad context, without the political overtones. He’s quite clear on the score that humans (notwithstanding our fossil-fuel guzzling and resource polluting) are not about to destroy an earth that’s already been pulverized by space impacts, encased in ice, etc., just because the planet’s temperature rises 5 degrees. It’s not really the earth being threatened, it’s us – because we’ve reached a tipping point in our capacity to influence our environment, beyond what our modern civilization can adapt to.

That’s what makes a careful look at the cause-and-effect relationship between human actions and the natural world so relevant to us today. The issue goes so far beyond the smaller issues like saving individual species, or finding more efficient fuel sources; we have to get a handle on how we fit into the whole “planetary picture,” and how our presence has contributed to ongoing changes within an already dynamic environment.

Above: Still shot from a segment showing renewable infrastructure at its best – a living bridge made from rubber trees in Cherrapunjee, India.

This is the daunting task that the series tackles – but it rises to the challenge brilliantly. It’s a rare thing for a body of research to have such an integrated approach to exploring this interconnectedness on a historical level, not to mention with such an impressive presentation. It’s extremely well-researched without being overly academic. And the top-of-the-line nature photography has it coming out way ahead in terms of entertainment value.

If you like this one, you’d enjoy the earlier release Earth: The Biography which carries the same themes minus the historical bit. It centers on the development of the earth in terms of the whole solar system – more in the category of astronomy and physics.

As an appetizer, check out both companion sites on National Geographic. Thumbs up for wonderful photo galleries and a lot of good reading.

National Geographic: How the Earth Changed History

Earth: The Biography (series)

A similar production by National Geographic, America Before Columbus, contrasts the natural world & human footprints of the Old and New Worlds, with a comprehensive view of the Columbian Exchange.

10 THINGS ABOUT THANKSGIVING:

#1: Links and Resources – best websites, articles, & documentaries

#2: My Take on Thanksgiving – a few thoughts on perspective

#3: History of a Holiday – the birth of a legend

#4: The Wampanoag Side – the Indians of the “first Thanksgiving”

#5: That’s Not What They Looked Like! – an example of Thanksgiving stereotypes (one of my most popular posts!)

#6: The Indian Guests – more on the Wampanoag

#7: The Real Story – the historical Thanksgiving & archaeology

#8: The Original Thanksgiving Menu – the foods of the Plymouth Thanksgiving

#9: Thanksgiving 1621 – first-hand account

#10: The “First” First Thanksgiving – a little-known precursor to the holiday

Above: A National Geographic photo of the reconstructed Plimoth Plantation settlement.

This series is one of my favorites; highly recommended and enjoyable – take a moment to watch it.

Syracuse Post-Standard: People of the Hills – Part 5

Feeding the community buffalo herd

The Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash

Enjoying the Upstate weather

Watch Planet Green Video: WAHLEAH JOHNS

Like many other Indian reservations in the West, the land of the Navajo Nation has long been a casualty of its rich fuel, metal, and mineral deposits. Countless corporations have been eager to capitalize on these resources – often at the expense of atrocious air and water contamination.

Among these is the Peabody Coal Company, first granted a permit in 2008. As part of its operations, Peabody was pumping around 3.3 million gallons of water per day from the Navajo aquifer to create a coal slurry that was piped to Nevada. There it helped to power the electric plants of one of the fastest-growing urban centers in the country.

Young Navajo Wahleah Johns helped to organize a community-based movement to bring an end to Peabody’s operations on the reservation. In a major victory for the Black Mesa Water Coalition, Peabody’s mining permit was repealed early 2010, meaning a new lease on life for the Nation’s only freshwater reservoir.

Victory for Black Mesa – Peabody Coal Mining Permit Denied

The Coalition’s efforts go beyond environmental activism, though – the organization’s main goal is building the Nation’s economy through sustainable development alternatives that are in sync with traditional principles, reducing dependence on industries such as coal mining as a source of income. What we call “green” is nothing new to peoples like the Navajo – it’s an ancient way of life.

Who are better candidates than the world’s indigenous peoples to help lead the way in finding dynamic solutions to environmental reform?

See also:

Fast Forward Episode Information: Wahleah Johns, Groundwater Advocate

Black Mesa Water Coalition – Official Website

Translating Green into Navajo: Alternatives to Coal Mining and The Campaign for a Navajo Green Economy

The gray wolf and its subspecies – one of North America’s apex predators – coexisted with man for thousands of years until it met its match with the arrival of European-style agriculture and development. From the 1800s they were actively hunted as a menace and their numbers steadily dropped until the 1970s, when they were declared endangered, with only a handful existing in the wild in more isolated regions of the Great Lakes.

Starting in 1995, Fish & Wildlife biologists captured a few descendants of this single thriving pack and successfully released them into Yellowstone, where their population quickly exploded. Today the wolf packs of Yellowstone are a beloved national icon and a major tourist attraction worth millions. But of course not everyone was so enthusiastic. At the front line of opponents is the cattle ranching industry, who stood to lose the most from the reintroduction of a potential threatening predator.

In the past, the wolves’ largest food source was elk. The reintroduced species found an elk population that had skyrocketed in their absence, without natural predators keeping their numbers in check. In addition, the wolves found another ready food supply – free-range beef cattle. If a wolf pack kills an elk, it’s simply a dead elk and no one blinks twice – but if it kills a prize steer, or a pregnant heifer, that’s thousands of dollars to the rancher.

Of course, this is the reason the wolves were driven to near-extinction in the first place. But this time around, the cattle business takes up a lot more space in the West, making the herds easy pickings for the rapidly expanding clans. In response, Wyoming essentially declared open season on gray wolves in 2008, listing them as an invasive species and setting loose a horde of eager hunters.

Within the past couple of decades, wolf populations – and those of other animals directly linked to them in the food chain – have fluctuated wildly as nature’s checks and balances are disrupted by human intervention.

This diagram (click to enlarge) shows the comparison between the normal eco-system (with wolves) and the wolf-less habitat. I don’t think most people really appreciate how closely integrated all these natural systems are, from major apex mammals like the wolf and cougar, to smaller prey animals, down to the plant and microbial flora of a region. We can understand what happens for instance when you dam up a river, and change the entire eco-system downstream. But we can’t begin to appreciate how intricately the removal of one species – let alone our very presence – affects the whole biological makeup of a place.

The problem is that even if we leave the wolves alone, we’ve already created a chain-reaction in their habitat and with other species on down the line of the food chain. In other words the wolves have less space to hunt, and fewer prey animals. We’re like a stick in the proverbial gears of nature – our involvement means it can no longer achieve equilibrium.

The obvious solution seems to be taking the human variable out of the equation altogether and let nature take its own course (wishful thinking). But in the meantime, we hear of the recent aerial shooting of wolves in Alaska, and this from MSNBC giving a foretaste of what we’ll be hearing on the issue (no doubt this one will be getting some minor government officials major kickbacks from the ranching lobby).

MSNBC: Endangered or not, wolf killings set to expand – Proposals to control population include gassing pups in their dens

So like typical modern humans we’ve created a problem bigger than we know how to fix, and it’s a lose-lose situation. The wolves themselves can always adapt – they’ve done so in the past – but apparently modern humans can’t. It’s going to take a lot to redeem ourselves from the omnivorous, parasitic species we’ve become. Whatever happens the wolves could easily get along fine without us. But given the huge impact that each link has on all the rest of the natural chain, can we really afford to do without the wolves – or any other species for that matter?

Copy the URL of any image viewed in your web browser to generate a color scheme (complete with hex codes, so no guesswork). Simple but effective – I can think of multiple ways this tool could come in very handy! Just off the top of my head:

1) Graphic design, web design/blogging – creating templates, identifying color codes, etc.

2) Art – use it to analyze colors in a reference picture, then select your paint colors. Or make choosing a mat color easy. Or use it with a color wheel to narrow down your color scheme.

Click the screenshot to see an example:

TRY IT OUT:
http://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/

This is an extensive and thorough news story by a writer for the Associated Press, detailing the history behind the recent passport scuffle for the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team, and the sovereignty issues facing the Haudenosaunee. Highly recommended reading.