2012 will be the 65th anniversary of Redwood Falls High School graduation in 1947. 2011 is the 60th anniversary of Hamline University graduation in 1951.
The Hamline graduation anniversary looms large since I am on a committee to design how the event will happen. The committee is to figure out what might interest people and even attract them to attend.
What might interest people who graduated 60 years ago and went off to do whatever has happened since 1951? Telling stories has values but does not rate high because we are primarily interested in our own stories and get bored by others. Comparing wonderful accomplishments over the years (real or imagined) only makes people either depressed or homicidal. Pretending to be interested in people who one does not even recognize looks like work without any pay. Giving awards to those who have given the most money to the school leads to class warfare.
The passage of time presents a major challenge to any institution that wants to generate continuing loyalty among constituents. Relationships and interests that prevailed at graduation have changed beyond recognition. Suspicion of what the school wants from this event comes with the territory.
A 65th graduation anniversary is even more of a stretch. By this time many have gone on and health problems of body and mind come with the territory. So is there any value in a gathering at either the 60th or 65th marking point ?
The Jeffers Petroglyps teach me that any artifact, living or inanimate, carries on information that can be accessed and can provide the curious mind with hints regarding the future. Graduation anniversaries are an artifact that may be the occasion for creative growth for at least one person. I am in favor of the anniversary as long as there are living representatives of the group being recognized. Institutions benefit from reminders of their human history.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Religious Time Markers
This written on March 19, 2011. On the 20th a signal gathering of religious holy days point up the natural roots of many religious anniversaries.
The months of March and April are crowded with religious holy days greatly because of the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere. This points up the central role of natural forces in world religions development. The moon and its phases have held human attention throughout recorded history and likely since earliest life that we call human. I believe that it is safe to assume that the creators of the Jeffers Petroglyphs were informed by the moon as well as the sun and stars in their thought processes and cultural development
The following information is a specific illustration of the influence on religious experience in the 21st century.
In 2011 more than the usual number of religions observe sacred events on the Equinox which happens on March 20. Jewish Purim takes place recognizing Jewish deliverance from genocide. Wicca/Pagan observers celebrate Ostara as spring arriving in the Northern Hemisphere and Mabon as Fall arriving in the Southern Hemisphere as. Some Hindu people observe Holi as a colorful celebration of the arrival of Spring. Sikhs observe Hola Mohalla. And Christians observe Sunday with worship services commemorating Easter coming in about a month. On Monday the Baha’is have Naw Ruz, their New Year. The Persian Zoroastrians observe Norous as their New Year.
This concentration of holy days takes place at times when the various calendars happen to gather religious events together. During 2011 this appears to be one of those coincidental gatherings that call attention to the natural ties of world religions. The Jeffers Petroglyphs have no dates attached or hints as to the cycle of observations, The hints may be there but we do understand their language yet. Perhaps thoughtful persons of the 21st century will use imagination to raise possible insights into the ancestors.
The months of March and April are crowded with religious holy days greatly because of the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere. This points up the central role of natural forces in world religions development. The moon and its phases have held human attention throughout recorded history and likely since earliest life that we call human. I believe that it is safe to assume that the creators of the Jeffers Petroglyphs were informed by the moon as well as the sun and stars in their thought processes and cultural development
The following information is a specific illustration of the influence on religious experience in the 21st century.
In 2011 more than the usual number of religions observe sacred events on the Equinox which happens on March 20. Jewish Purim takes place recognizing Jewish deliverance from genocide. Wicca/Pagan observers celebrate Ostara as spring arriving in the Northern Hemisphere and Mabon as Fall arriving in the Southern Hemisphere as. Some Hindu people observe Holi as a colorful celebration of the arrival of Spring. Sikhs observe Hola Mohalla. And Christians observe Sunday with worship services commemorating Easter coming in about a month. On Monday the Baha’is have Naw Ruz, their New Year. The Persian Zoroastrians observe Norous as their New Year.
This concentration of holy days takes place at times when the various calendars happen to gather religious events together. During 2011 this appears to be one of those coincidental gatherings that call attention to the natural ties of world religions. The Jeffers Petroglyphs have no dates attached or hints as to the cycle of observations, The hints may be there but we do understand their language yet. Perhaps thoughtful persons of the 21st century will use imagination to raise possible insights into the ancestors.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Dakotah Calendar
Recently at the Gideon Pond Historical Center in Bloomington, Minnesota we attended a gathering introducing us to the 2011 Dakotah version of the calendar. The names describe the Minnesota Prairie seasons. January is the Hard Moon (Witehi wi); February is the Raccoon Moon (Wicata wi); March is the Sore Eyes Moon (Istawicayiazan wi); April is the Geese Egg Laying Moon (Magaokada wi); May is the Planting Moon (Wozukpi wi); June is the Strawberry Moon (Wazustecasa wi); July is the Chokecherry Moon (Canpasa wi); August is the Harvest Moon (Wasuntun wi); September is the Corn Harvest Moon (Wayuksapi wi); October is the Shaking Off Leaves Moon ( Canwapakasna wi); November is the Deer Antler Shedding Moon (Tahecapsun wi); December is the Trees Popping Moon (Cankapopa wi). Diacritical marks are not used with the Dakotah names because this format does support them)
The same natural weather patterns prevailed at the Jeffers Petroglyphs site.
The same natural weather patterns prevailed at the Jeffers Petroglyphs site.
Monday, September 21, 2009
2009 visit to the Petroglyphs site
In mid September on a warm afternoon the visitor center was closed. However touring the site is encouraged. Fall flower were showy and bright. The trail led across the gently ascending hillside to the marked walking areas on the rock where the glyphs continue to speak silently to visitors. Lichens crowd some of the rock surfaces. The open prairie rises and falls to distant horizons. The glyphs, the sky and the horizons do not change year after year.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Visit to the Petroglyphs site
Yesterday we spent several hours at the Jeffers site located just to the west of Comfrey, Minnesota. The Interpretive Staff were working with a busload of children from the Dawson/Boyd school district. We walked the two mile trail that goes through the tall grass prairie and up to quartzire ridge where the primary glyphs are located. It was nearing mid day so the rock drawings are not as evident as in the shadowy time of early morning and near sunset time. The glyphs pictures here were in the same shape as when the pictures were taken in 1996.
The Staff shared information new to me. Apparently some Native Elders are quite concerned that the glyphs and their designs not be used for commercial purposes. The offense is in that the glyphs have spiritual meaning for Native peoples and so the site is to be respected in the same way as a church, synagogue or mosque. Although I am not using them here in a commercial manner, some people may have question about their use in this web log. Here is my rationale.
In my study of world religions, the art and productions of those religions are common knowledge and are used to understand religious history and practice more fully.It is my observation that buildings and artistic creations are in the public realm and are open for observation, study and reflection. Hence, pictures are included on this site. Persons who may be offended need to be in touch with me.
The Staff shared information new to me. Apparently some Native Elders are quite concerned that the glyphs and their designs not be used for commercial purposes. The offense is in that the glyphs have spiritual meaning for Native peoples and so the site is to be respected in the same way as a church, synagogue or mosque. Although I am not using them here in a commercial manner, some people may have question about their use in this web log. Here is my rationale.
In my study of world religions, the art and productions of those religions are common knowledge and are used to understand religious history and practice more fully.It is my observation that buildings and artistic creations are in the public realm and are open for observation, study and reflection. Hence, pictures are included on this site. Persons who may be offended need to be in touch with me.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
More petroglyph photos added
After several months of inactivity, attention is returning to the Jeffers site in that a visit will be paid there later in the week. Additional information will be gathered and will eventually be reflected here.
One of the new pictures shows a surrounding field as it appeared in 1996. This is the year when the glyph photos were taken. Since the pictures were taken additional work has been done on the natural prairie area surrounding the site.
We will be giving special attention to the names of people who have lived on that acreage since it first came into ownership by white settlers. If anyone has more information on this, please send it to Delton.
One of the new pictures shows a surrounding field as it appeared in 1996. This is the year when the glyph photos were taken. Since the pictures were taken additional work has been done on the natural prairie area surrounding the site.
We will be giving special attention to the names of people who have lived on that acreage since it first came into ownership by white settlers. If anyone has more information on this, please send it to Delton.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Stonehenge and Jeffers Petroglyphs
The June 2008 edition of The National Geographic features its cover page article entitled "It the Stones Could Speak: Searching for the Meaning of Stonehenge" pages 34-59. The writer is Caroline Alexander and the Photographer is Ken Geiger.
Estimating the time of the creation of Stonehenge to be about 4,500 years ago makes it a near contemporary with the Petroglyph's at Jeffers. The same question cluster about each site. What did the creators have in mind? As the article says "we know little about who these early Britons were, how they were organized, or what language they spoke." More is known in England than in Minnesota about the possible creators because of bones and some artifacts. The various stages of construction at Stonehenge are described in the article. Unearthing Neolithic villages, especially at Durrington Walls, reveals a bit of the life style. The importance of summer and winter solstice observances is understood by the style of the standing stones of Stonehenge.
I read the article with a poignant sense of regret that we know so little of the creators of the Petroglyph's. There are no grand myths of dramatic events out here on the prairie. At this stage we have not learned enough from the geographic setting to project the movement of people following the retreat of the glaciers. To this point, our imaginations are not yet engaged with this challenge - this reaching into the crevices of the mind to mark out the traces of ancient times that continue to be shaped in us by the geography, the weather, the skies above.
Estimating the time of the creation of Stonehenge to be about 4,500 years ago makes it a near contemporary with the Petroglyph's at Jeffers. The same question cluster about each site. What did the creators have in mind? As the article says "we know little about who these early Britons were, how they were organized, or what language they spoke." More is known in England than in Minnesota about the possible creators because of bones and some artifacts. The various stages of construction at Stonehenge are described in the article. Unearthing Neolithic villages, especially at Durrington Walls, reveals a bit of the life style. The importance of summer and winter solstice observances is understood by the style of the standing stones of Stonehenge.
I read the article with a poignant sense of regret that we know so little of the creators of the Petroglyph's. There are no grand myths of dramatic events out here on the prairie. At this stage we have not learned enough from the geographic setting to project the movement of people following the retreat of the glaciers. To this point, our imaginations are not yet engaged with this challenge - this reaching into the crevices of the mind to mark out the traces of ancient times that continue to be shaped in us by the geography, the weather, the skies above.
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