BLOG POST #6 MARCH
THE CIRCLE GAME
“Once the hippies were here, they won, and we lost.” A recent comment on social media made me reflect on another time and another culture. Nostalgically, I was reminded of Joni Mitchell and “The Circle Game,” a song, readers from that era will remember.
Let’s hearken back to when native peoples lived on the land, sometimes thriving, sometimes struggling. Let’s look at food shortages or climate disruptions forcing the tribe to move, starve or adapt to the situation, repeating themselves in almost predictable cycles over thousands of years. Stories passed and spanning generations aided group survival in otherwise seasonally harsh conditions.
In those times of trial, they look to their Doctor, who reached to a higher power. These Doctors held knowledge and training to go to certain places on the mountain ridgelines and communicate with spirits or “Teachers.” Those teachers lived in two worlds, with abilities to portend the future. This knowledge was brought back to the tribe, helping in a time of need. On display, these teachings required an attunement to a rhythm of nature. Centuries of learning refined a communication secret from these upslope teachers.
We know them as Sasquatch. Yet, to go further, exists the immortals The Little People, the spiritual guardians that live in those mountains, dwelling in secret, special places. These immortals are wise and sensitized in highly refined ways, teaching culture and spirituality to those attuned to heed their ageless wisdom brought from the stars.
I recently acquired a book that exemplifies this. In The History of The Little People, Susan Martinez, Ph. D. points to the 2004 Banda Aceh/ Indonesian earthquake and tsunami. 230,000 people died in that event, yet few wild animals perished. Dr.Martinez Martinez mentioned this because of a connection between the Little People and the animal world. Known as the “Watetash,” this was a time when man and animals spoke.
The animal world has experienced this before, an awareness for its own survival. If only we could re-learn to listen, the way we do with our much loved four-footed and winged friends.
I thought of the native tribes on the West Coast which were overwhelmed so quickly when gold seekers spanned out across the landscape in the wake of the Gold Rush. A driving greed to acquire wealth at whatever cost, from the abundance of resources that surrounded them.
I thought of the very ground that belonged to the native tribes, now overrun, and the tribe extirpated by disease, famine and outright murder. A new race of people took possession without compassion or deep understanding for the natural world. Their manifest destiny entitled them to the rich resources they would exploit so quickly. They established a lifestyle wildly out of balance as they dug the holes, opened the earth and flattened forests, now living in fear of the atmosphere above them, and what it would do next.
Then, not long ago, people from overpopulated cities sought to return to the land and bring a culture counter to the current occupants and even their own backgrounds from where they originated. These new “argonauts” sought change and a new direction. They shared a strong desire to get back in tune with a natural flow and eat food they grew themselves from gardens using natural soil.
At the same time, long overdue and much needed laws were enacted valuing ecosystem health over short-term greed, aiding in everyone’s future health. A new way to live on the land in harmony became a model.
Though far less violent than the original encounters with native peoples, the counterculture “hippie movement” nonetheless came on so fast in these rural communities with conservation values that it ran headlong into those staunch conservative doctrines. A fast, radical change surprised the rural community, similar to the native’s sesquicentennial experience 150 years previous. This time, change was brought by people of similar ethnicity to the established community, yet with far different values. At the same time, much needed environmental laws were implemented in courts, a recourse the natives could not bring to bear.
History shows we travel a full circle. When will we ever learn? Are we on a trajectory to a new circle? Let’s pause to give thanks to those amazing immortals and other higher spirits.. In these sentient times, we should yearn to learn. Seven generations, they say. Yootva! (“Thank you” in Karuk)
Greg Walter is the author of Ridgewalkers, available in Cave Junction at Bigfoot Printing, Pinecone Books and Diggin’ Livin’ and at www.theridgewalkers.com
BLOG POST #5 FEBRUARY
THE SPIRITS MAY AID FUTURE GENERATIONS
Traveling in a time elapsed circle and arriving at the same place without seeing the lesson learned along that path, is this our way now? Regaining our way to live on the earth creating a path bringing us full circle, let me share an insight I learned this past week.
An example brought to light yet had to be brought forth by someone with an opposing view. An epiphany and a history lesson with wider implications.
So lets travel back to a time, when natives lived upon the land, sometimes thriving and other times struggling due to food shortages or climate disruptions that made the tribe move, starve or adapt to the situation over thousands of years.
In those times of trial, they look to their shaman that could reach to a higher power, gain knowledge and assist the tribe to survive and even thrive in the crisis. Those with knowledge and training took the time and effort to go to places in the mountains and communicate with mountain spirits or “Teachers” as they were called that also lived in two worlds and could portend the future.
In this exchange, with attunement to the rhythm of the natural world, they had an ability to communicate, learn and pass along wisdom that which kept their tribe alive and well. Centuries of learning brought forth, refining a secret to learn from the upslope teachers.
We know them as Sasquatch. But also intwined in this are the immortals. The Little People, the spiritual guardians that live in those mountains in secret, special places and are wise and sensitized in highly refined ways, teaching the culture and spirituality to the ones attuned to heed their ageless wisdom.
A recently acquired book exemplified this, titled “The History of The Little People, By author Susan Martinez, Ph. D. She points to the 2004 Indonesian Christmas Disaster, earthquake and tsunami. 230,000 people died, yet no wild animals perished. Even many tribes of actual small people, also known as little people, or negritos had disappeared from their island homes.
But they were different from others that carry the attunement recognized by the animal world which knew this was coming and fled to high ground.
They have seen this before and carry awareness to their own survival. Unless they had already perished because of people killing them off for food.
Circling back to my opening thought in a local context how the native tribes on the West Coast were overwhelmed so quickly and by force when gold seekers spanned out across the landscape in the wake of the California Gold Rush. A driving greed to enrich their lives and either return home or settle, farm and further profit from the abundance of resources they were surrounded by.
On the very place that once belonged to the native tribe, now overrun, and killed off by disease, famine and outright murder. A new race of people took possession without care or deep understanding for the land and compassion for the natural world. The newcomers believed it was their manifest destiny entitling them to the rich resources they exploited so quickly. It established a lifestyle wildly out of balance with the natural world. They dug the holes, opened the earth, flattened the forests and now to live in fear of the very atmosphere above them.
Resultingly, the time arrived when people from overpopulated cities sought to return to the land and bring a culture counter to the current occupants and even their own forefathers from the cities they grew up in. These new “argonauts” sought change, a new direction and a strong desire to get back in tune with a natural flow and eat food they grew themselves from their own gardens using natural soil.
Interestingly, laws followed during this time that were more in tune with ecosystem health over short term greed helping everyone’s future survival. This changed the way to live on the land that became a model on how to live in harmony.
Though less violent than before, the counterculture “hippie movement” nonetheless came on so fast to these rural communities. This change completely surprised the rural community similar to the native peoples experience 120 years previous. Except this time, brought by people of the same racial lines as them. Though slow in achievement, needed environmental laws were implemented in courts the natives did not have to aid in their world.
Though there is still much to do, have we traveled in a full circle?
Giving thanks and pause to those amazing immortals, gods and other higher spirits watching this play out in this circle of life aiding future generations. Yootva!
BLOG POST #3 november
The Little People
November Blog, Greg Walter, The Ridgewalkers
As we go into our west coast version of winter, we still await our first good rain and the wildfires, mostly contained, continue. We live in historic times, and if we are lucky and focused, we can be an active part of change. That little thing, that spark, the act, that catalyst. Bringing value and balance back in our relationship on the land, aiding change and deepening ourselves in the journey. The experience is the reward, every step of it, so go a walking on the ridges!
Hello to all!
I want to focus on a part of the book that details these spirits called The Little People. Known broadly by a variety of descriptors; “The Land Babies, Water Babies, Boy Spirits, Small People / Pygmies. Which is not to be confused with actual small people, also called Hobbits, Pygmy (Africa) Menehune (Hawaii), Orang-Pendek (Sumatra), Homo Floresiensis (Indonesia), and others around the globe. Its these other ones I yearn to learn more about. Care to join me in scraping of the surface into the murky world of The Dark Watchers, aka, “The Little People or The Immortals.”
Locally in the northwest, the immortals live sometimes for a few thousand years, each one. They were the ones that taught man how to survive and even thrive in rugged, mountainous regions where skill must be applied to understand the land as a food market, pharmacy and hardware store. To aid the tribe in what they should prepare for to survive, say, a long winter, or fewer salmon. Another type of these are the giants, also known as “The Teachers.” Their role is to impart wisdom portending future weather, food chain disruptions, and to aid in preparation to survive upsets in the region. A whale comes into the river and dies, a life system imbalance. Also, infrequent, but sometimes large tsunamis following an earthquake. An interesting passage in one of the books about these “Dark Watchers,” written by Peter Steinbeck, son of John Steinbeck. He described this innate ability and are hyper-sensitive to anything using metallic oils used in a gun or large cameras. Ordinarily, one never gets a good look at these spirits, if they pick up the wrong scent or energy in the air, now it’s assured you will not even come close to seeing one. They know when people are into mischief and ill intent. They know exactly how to avoid us, yet what could they teach us, as they have taught others?
To get their attention, how would you open-up, sharing a dark secret and cry for luck?
Leaving you all with a parting thought.
The warmest wishes.
Greg
BLOG POST #2 October
ON THE EXISTENCE OF SASQUATCH
I guess I should preface this with, my thoughts are an open book. I can only hypothesize at best. My belief in this bi-ped called Sasquatch, is unwavering, yet I deliberate on its origins. Where Sasquatch comes from and how long he’s here for is also an open book.
I also take a step further to introduce The Little People and their interplay in this relationship. A strong case can be made that these are inter dimensional and either change or alter energy and frequency, enabling an ability for them to be here on our planet, but we cannot see them. Throw in their shyness and extreme care to stay in the shadow. It’s possible, yet a bug in me thinks we should still have more evidence. I strongly think that advancements in Quantum physics, dimensional theory and relativity will open doors and introduce methods or evidence that can be measured, quantified, studied further and brought into theory.
In exploring the Woo option of interplanetary travel. I personally believe this offers the most artistic fun. As a realist, it swept me away from my comfort zone, launching me into the multiverse while crafting the book. Diving into the cosmos, learning that an entire frontier awaits us out there. I also carry no personal religious affiliation, yet I lean towards a foundational love of our natural world and its wonders. In part at least, the message from the Little People I respect and love. Now more than ever, our help is needed. Do good things.
In magic realism, I attempted to share the universality and the beliefs in these spirits and beings. They span the globe dating back thousands of years, in many different shapes and forms, including giants. In my purview, that would also help explain why we have scant, known physical evidence, both currently and in the fossil record. Speculation has it where they bury their dead. All the more reason it would be in that record, somewhere. Additionally, for all of you who may know what archaeologists do, they have a trained eye for spotting places and establishing a dig. I also think these beings are too big and would require more (especially in winter on a burned-over landscape), thus making them vulnerable to being found. This is also not to say that there are places out there, anywhere from five thousand up to thirty thousand acre areas that may have either seen some light logging or mining in the past, but are otherwise overlooked little wild areas.
These are the places I like to hike into. It’s also double fun to use the old forest service maps to find those old pack trails that sometimes traverse the areas. Of those I know, there are two canyon areas that may have a possibility because of their character, hundreds of small cliffs in the 5000 ft deep canyon, 40 to 200 feet in height. Only one faint trail that goes up about a mile in a windy convoluted canyon system, waterfalls too numerous to count and have to climb over. These largely intact steep canyons might work, but still, we would have more evidence.
The allure and terror that sinks deep when out camping in a place after dark and heavy footfalls are heard just outside the dwindling firelight, providing a long night of angst of what’s out past the thin tent wall. If its breathing is making the tent move in and out, it is too close. You may freak out now.
Ahh, the great outdoors! The above scenario happened to me and a friend. The part I left out was the friend I was with opened a jar of smoked salmon earlier and had it open for hours, the scent of that carries for miles, plus greasy fingers from eating, attracting in a black bear. A very pesky boar (male) black bear. Sometimes they can be a pain in the ass. Whatever you do, don’t feed them.
My other favorite example is being camped near a lake in the wilderness, after dark. Hearing scuffles and loud crunching leaves nearby. I put my flashlight out there and spot two big Western Toads scampering around, searching for bugs. It’s so fun, because I can be a part of it and get to know the neighbors, even at 11pm.
In closing, I also want to provide a story to humanity with an opportunity to laugh a bit, learn something new and help in a world effort to make the planet less sick.
Thank you!
BLOG POST #1
MY INSPIRATION FOR THE RIDGEWALKERS
Greetings to all!
BLOG POST #2
November Blog - The Little People
November Blog, Greg Walter, The Ridgewalkers
As we go into our west coast version of winter, we still await our first good rain and the wildfires, mostly contained, continue. We live in historic times, and if we are lucky and focused, we can be an active part of change. That little thing, that spark, the act, that catalyst. Bringing value and balance back in our relationship on the land, aiding change and deepening ourselves in the journey. The experience is the reward, every step of it, so go a walking on the ridges!
Hello to all!
I want to focus on a part of the book that details these spirits called The Little People. Known broadly by a variety of descriptors; “The Land Babies, Water Babies, Boy Spirits, Small People / Pygmies. Which is not to be confused with actual small people, also called Hobbits, Pygmy (Africa) Menehune (Hawaii), Orang-Pendek (Sumatra), Homo Floresiensis (Indonesia), and others around the globe. Its these other ones I yearn to learn more about. Care to join me in scraping of the surface into the murky world of The Dark Watchers, aka, “The Little People or The Immortals.”
Locally in the northwest, the immortals live sometimes for a few thousand years, each one. They were the ones that taught man how to survive and even thrive in rugged, mountainous regions where skill must be applied to understand the land as a food market, pharmacy and hardware store. To aid the tribe in what they should prepare for to survive, say, a long winter, or fewer salmon. Another type of these are the giants, also known as “The Teachers.” Their role is to impart wisdom portending future weather, food chain disruptions, and to aid in preparation to survive upsets in the region. A whale comes into the river and dies, a life system imbalance. Also, infrequent, but sometimes large tsunamis following an earthquake. An interesting passage in one of the books about these “Dark Watchers,” written by Peter Steinbeck, son of John Steinbeck. He described this innate ability and are hyper-sensitive to anything using metallic oils used in a gun or large cameras. Ordinarily, one never gets a good look at these spirits, if they pick up the wrong scent or energy in the air, now it’s assured you will not even come close to seeing one. They know when people are into mischief and ill intent. They know exactly how to avoid us, yet what could they teach us, as they have taught others?
To get their attention, how would you open-up, sharing a dark secret and cry for luck?
Leaving you all with a parting thought.
The warmest wishes.
Greg