La'au Pau yesterday ... honoring place, people, time

Yesterday was our Holy Days gift day to one another. Pete was my driver as we headed north to La Conner where the Museum of Northwest Art  was displaying the art exhibit entitled 

"Not Vanishing" A Proud Assertion of Heritage.

Cascadia Weekly published an article by Stephen Hunter describing "Not Vanishing" starting with this paragraph, " In the proud assertion of Native American heritage that is "Not Vanishing: Contemporary Expressions in Indigenous Art, 1997-2015," attendees at La Conner's Museum of Northwest Art will see powerful works created by the first generation of American Indian artists to hve benefited from higher education and acceptance into mainstream culture following the cultural revolution of the 1960s."  

The free to the public exhibit was a perfect gift for this winter of 2015. The art was a mixed media experience that was surprising, inspiring, disquieting, humbling and so worth the two hour drive up the island and over the bridge into the Skagit wetlands. The exhibit runs through January 3, 2016. It is wonderful!

This is the description of one of my favorite pieces "Blood Quantum Countdown". Created by Erin Genia in 2011.
Hover and click on the description for a larger view of the description. The work is a huge working clock with masterfully molded and glazed faces depicting the blood quantum in place of numbers on a clock face;
measuring native enough-ness, entitling worth.  

We left the woods in Langley just after 9 in the morning hoping to find a break in the clouds, and the promise of some blue sky and sunshine up north. We were rewarded

Our first stop was just minutes away from the Museum of Northwest Art. We had long wanted to stop and visit what we call "The Three Hats" ... three awesomely beautiful buildings that overlook the channel between La Conner and the Swinomish Reservation.

 What we found when we stepped from the Subaru and began walking toward the first 'hat' was a park of reclamation. Students from La Conner Junior High School had begun a program of gathering seed and propagating native plants in their classroom. The photos and informational placards here describe the plants now taking root in the slopes leading to the hats. The native language is included along with common names, Latin names and the native uses for plants that grow in this Pacific Northwest Salish world.

Pete in one of the three hats. You can see the other two pavilions in the distance

A view of the inside of one of the pavilions, December 29, 2015

The work to create the three cedar hats Pavilion overlooking the Swinomish Channel to welcome the Canoe Journey, 2011

Walking and chanting the 'oli Pule Ho'ulu'ulu ... thanking the ancestors in the Swinomish Channel Pavilion,
December, 29, 2015 

Three pavilions patterned after woven cedar hats provide a stunning backdrop to the arrival of canoes at Swinomish during the 2011 Canoe Journey. The site is now a park overlooking Swinomish Channel and features a native-plant garden and interpretive panels on various aspects of Swinomish history. (Richard Walker)

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/10/01/10-things-you-should-know-about-swinomish-tribe-161926

And ... as we wandered back from our deliriously warming day with the exhibited artwork of Native artists, and fed the internal fires of creativity with the energy of the Three Hats we stopped along the western facing shore of Whidbey Island, to photograph this multi media beach art of kelp, round stones and layered graffiti on a la'au pau day.

Mahealani

I have been absent. Winter cold and damp. Body slows. The Moon knows. Rises, sets. Solstice promises. More light coming. Soon. Not now. Wait.

 Early morning December 26, 2015 Mahealani cleared the thick clouds for a brief look at her full holoku.

The White Pine and Fir look at her, too.

Yesterday, 'Ole Moon Morning

Yesterday we left the woods early in the morning, while it was still dark. Cold already, the coconuts we left for the birds frozen and icy. By mid morning, after the sun was up the frost was everywhere. The temperature: see the number on the car's thermometer. Up in the sky and through the tips of the fingers of tree, beautiful Mahina in her 'Ole Holoku.

Hoku Shaka

 Two photos from Ka Lae (South Point) on the island of Hawaii. Mahalo to our son for the wonderful greetings.

Lines, tides, hands

 The tides have been extremely high, and then extremely low before and between the New Moon in Scorpio (Wednes 11/11/15) and before the 'Ole Moons which started yesterday.

The photo above and below: at my favorite muliwai (water's edge, the estuary) the other day. The tide was just starting to change from its lowest point.

This video is what sound and movement came from the ocean into ... the muliwai. Where then is the water's edge?

Above, the photo of one of my favorite hands replicates the lines that capture my imagination as I practice kilo where I live, with my environment, with the people I am with.

The lines
The curves
The connection

Out there
Right here
Within

The moon, Mahina affects the tide. The lines move in, out.

Hover over the images to read some more thoughts.

Bustery Nov 1st and Pine Needle Dancers

Mahina showed herself for no more than two minutes, not time enough for me to take her picture. Early in the morning hours the clouds raced at full tilt across her La'au phase holoku. From the south the clouds blew ... giving me a message, "There will be more of that to come today!"

The video here is from Double Bluff State Park, up the island from us. Blowing Winds ... the windsurfers were in all their glory, both the birds and the humans.

The bluster of a south wind created another version of muliwai at Double Bluff. An eery reminder of the force of water rising on island.

 Up mauka in the forest, the Bracken and Cedar layer upon the thick waxy leaves of Salal

 A playful inspiration found its way and simple Pine Needle Dancers have a medicine story growing about them ... over here. 

 The Pampas Grass at Sunlight Beach blows in from shore. Across the way, the Public Access parking lot is filled with trucks, sail boards and surfers amped up for rides.

La'au Po: good time for collecting medicine

Mahina has been hiding from us here in the woods. When she was very fat on Mahealani and Hoku I saw her light blazing through the trees. But could only imagine her shape. This morning the clouds were in a marathon crossing in front of her dressed in her La'au Holoku (gown like Lili'uokalani favored). How fun to see her in her waning yet beautifully globe like shape. It remains me that Clarrissa Pinkola Estes is so right when she said in How to Be an Elder "The Moon is an action verb!" 

I have been enjoying listening (with my one good ear) to Estes' spoken word lessons. First, Mother Night and then How to Be an Elder. Good medicine.

Estes speaks of the Moon as an action verb late in the series ... it's a great series for elders at any age.

Holo on a Hua Moon

We went on a road trip up the island yesterday. Someone spent time stacking a hua of beautiful pohaku. I see bananas hanging ripe and ready to eat... 

One of our favorite 'ohana pokahu (stone family) on Libby Beach on the west-side of Whidbey, Island.


And, hei, nets, spider webs and web patterns ... I see them everywhere.

Anahulu Ho'emi: Spider Season and Pine Dunes

Every where and in many places, Spider sets her nets for something good to eat. Known by many names 'spider' can be Lanalana, lalana, nananana; ku'uku'u. Spinning spider, punawelele. Large house spider, pe'epe-e-makawalu.

Click on the image to see up close!

 As the Anahulu of phases that decease in light on Mahina, the rains came. Dumping waves of fresh water all during the day and night.

Leaving the forest floor like sand dunes after high tide, the long golden Pine needles pile. At the water's edge ma kai, my friend on West Beach said, "Yes, it has been windy!" The wind plays with the ocean. The 'ua ka lani (the rains) play with the Pine needles.

We live life forward, and understand it backwards.

New Moon in Libra comes Tuesday!

'Ole Pau Moon ... Hina half-way to Dark Moon

Mahina rose at midnight in a sky that is clear and dry, absent of clouds the heavens glitter with stars and planets. I am not positive, but as Ka La the sun readies himself for another day I think I saw Scorpio heading west. Soon Makali'i will bring the new year Makahiki.

Mahina is in her half-lit face, the other half lit now as she moves toward the Dark Moon. Among other indicators of the Fall season  Spiders make webs here and there and everywhere. Some long time tradition of relationship continues between the Equinox and Spider Season. Spider spins the hei ensnaring food and making story. Haumea throws her net into the sky to plot things. Make net, throw net, make story, tie things together.

Do you spot Spider and her hei? (click on the image for a larger look)

There is a new medicine story being spun for Equinox, it may be something that interests you, as one story ties to another, and another and another. I am tying stories, making story about Spider Season here.  That link will start you off.

La'au Pau good time for gathering and making medicine

Beautiful fall la'au pau day for gathering medicine plants. This year I am becoming more familiar and respectful of the many medicine plants that live where we live. Because my life depends upon learning how they live, survive and thrive in this place (where I live, too) my personal kilo practice becomes stronger and specific.  Over and over again this past weekend we heard kilo practitioners from across the Pacific say just that, "when your life depends on it, kaulana mahina (the Hawaiian Moon Calendar) becomes more important to you!"

I found a site called 'Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Wildcrafting.' Another way to practice Malama 'Aina and the Honorable Harvest.

These look like cherry tomatoes, but they are Wild Rosehips I gathered out at the South Whidbey Tilth this afternoon. I'll be researching over the 'ole moons to learn how to use the rosehips. 

Usnea or 'Old Man's Beard' grows on old limbs and trees near our tiny houses. I started gathering at the start of La'au po, and filled a pint glass jar of the lichen (part algae and part fungus) today.

Early in September I started looking for Mullein as la'au lapa'au for lungs and asthma after the long burning season of forest fires. Today the dried Mullein leaves were dried enough to make my first quart infusion.

An ounce of home-dried Mullein in a quart jar filled with filtered water and tightly capped overnight. Tomorrow I'll stain the infusion (because Mullein has lots of hair that can irritate the throat). 

The Usnea I gathered in a pint jar and filled with vodka. In 6 weeks I will have a tincture

Our 'ohana and community of the South Whidbey Tilth went to the three-day 'Aimalama Lunar Calendar Conference. Via 'live stream' we were in such great company. Today I wrote a summary and submitted it to the organizers of 'Aimalama  including our mana'o and feedback after having the first-time exposure to kilo in action. Like making and gathering la'au lapa'au the process of noticing and recording what you see and how you see plants, birds, water, winds, weather where you are is slow and steady, and cumulative.

While we root ourselves here on this island, Whidbey Island, we envisioned 'being there' in Hawaii while living here. It was a dream to dream together with the teachers, heroines and 'aina that are so dear to us. We did it, and if you're interested the summary of our experience will be posted on our HO'OMOKU site soon.

'AI MALAMA happening now

Streaming live from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in Honolulu ... 

 We brought the internet cable to the South Whidbey Tilth campus on Whidbey Island. And turned a small cozy place into a fragrance free zone for connecting to this incredible weekend of sharing about Kaulana Mahina.

Humble beginnings ... he puko'a kai 'aina my mother Helen Mokihana and my aunty Lily must be laughing out loud to see that I am still stringing clothesline and using clothespins to make tents, to make house!

 That's the screen and desk top we brought from home to set up this Remote HUB to be part of this first ever gathering of Pacific practicioners of kilo and timing based on the Hawaiian Lunar Calendar.

 There's our sign-in sheet with harvest crops to provide some privacy:)

 An outside shot of the Pavilion strung with clothesline and hung with clothespin. Ha'aha'a in action.

 Part of our 'Aimalama gangeh. Jude (L) our benefactress (funding our dream to bring 'Ai Malama to Whidbey), good friend, goat woman, teacher of children where 'Garden is the Curriculum'; Pete my main man; and Prescott our main South Whidbey Tilth 'Golden Pig'

Wahine li'i (small but mighty ones!)

Mahalo na aumakua. This is a weekend of great abundance. 'Ai Malama.