#indigenousknowledge

[newguineatribalart]

What is a Songline? The Seven Sisters songline is a great example to explain what Songlines are and why they are important to understanding Aboriginal culture.

[madamlaydebug]

COPPER: The sacred conductor of healing, protection and spiritual power. In African spirituality copper plays a big role. Copper connects us deeply to the Sun and water. Copper bridges the gap between the physical and the spiritual.

It balances the "Fire" (Anger) and the "Water" (Emotions) within the body. If you are a "Curse Breaker" dealing with high-stress family dynamics, copper helps keep your frequency steady so you don't "take the bait" of other people's rage. Copper is your ally. It cleanses your aura, protects your bones, and ensures that the 'high voltage' of your calling has a safe path to travel through your body. It is a physical tool for a spiritual mastery."

Copper is vital for the bones and the blood.

It helps in the formation of collagen and the absorption of iron, which is why it is traditionally used to relieve the "heavy" pain in the joints often associated with spiritual burdens.

It breaks down fat and is an element helping in healing and cleansing your body, and aura. Drinking water from a copper vessel alkalizes the water. It acts as a natural antibacterial, helping the body "break down fat" and flush out toxins that slow down your spiritual frequency. It clears the "static" or negative energy that clings to your aura after interacting with "low-vibe" or "sick" frequencies.

This is why many traditional healers wear copper bangles. It isn't for decoration, it’s a grounding wire. Copper is very good for the bones and can absorb/relieve pain.

Copper cleanses your aura from negative energy, and drinking from copper has more benefits.

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

If you’re longing for a book to immerse yourself in, that will give you something positive and beautiful to fill your brain and perhaps evolve your understanding of the natural world, look no further. I’ve been loving Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which I’m late to the party on but which has been like a breath of fresh air in the dead of winter. The subtitle describes what this book has to offer - Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Kimmerer is excellent at fusing her indigenous knowledge and scientific acumen to explain how plants function in concert with the rest of the natural world, and how their relationship of reciprocity illustrates the goal all people should be striving for in their relationships with the natural world and one another. Her evocative prose reframes biological processes into beautiful lessons guiding our own evolution and understanding. If you haven’t read this book yet, get it in your queue. It’s the perfect book to be reading as spring comes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Note: I bought that braid of sweetgrass years ago before I understood its place as a sacred plant that you should get only from indigenous vendors. I love to smell it - it really is one of the most comforting scents, like a field of hay with just a hint of cinnamon or vanilla essence. And now that I’ve been reading this book I hear the lovely Anishinaabe word for sweetgrass - wiingaashk - in my head whenever I smell it. #books #bookstagram #indigenouswriters #indigenousauthors #braidingsweetgrass #plants #botany #nature #instabook #instabooks #bookrecommendations #booklover #currentlyreading #naturalscience #indigenousknowledge #reciprocity #sweetgrass #ecology #reading #diversifyyourbookshelf #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CZMj0-QO3lR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[blacklion82]

#melanin #melaninbabies #indigenousknowledge #indigenous #nilevalleymovement #blackknowledge #blacklovequotes #blacklove (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByYB0HPhhDv/?igshid=v59ha8854lwv

[kataibusaibiin]

What is something new you've recently tried or learned?

Me? Check it out! Another instrument followed me home this week...

Say hello to the Zhonghu (中胡) which I'll be learning to play in this semester's Chinese ensemble as we're introduced to Silk and Bamboo music (江南絲竹 Jiangnan Sizhu).

Zhonghu is an alto version of an Erhu (二胡), a 2 spike fiddle from the Huqin family. I’ll also pick up the Gaohu (高胡) as our class explores Cantonese ensemble music from Guangdong Province. So, my sanshin has a new friend! (They’re cousins, I suppose.) Let's hope we all get along!!! 😅

As ridiculous as it is to add this class to my current schedule or to think that someone like me would go anywhere near another instrument, there were several reasons that drew me to consider this unique opportunity, including my  own family’s relationship to China. And, as some of you know, my decision to follow the path that led me here to Hawai'i meant making promises about leaning into challenges and embracing opportunities to stretch and grow beyond my comfort zone.

So, here we are...

Ultimately, as much as they challenge me and force me to confront many of my anxieties, I find the opportunity to study music and dance is a regenerative experience and adds so much dimension to both what and how I learn. And despite how stressful performance is for me, these are also spaces where it feels I can show up as my whole self and connect with others in ways I've not experienced with anything else, even through my work as a visual artist. And if you know anything about what my experiences have been navigating academia, you know I need all the love balm, authentic connection, and cognitive armor I can get to survive...I think we all do, but I’ve been feeling this especially as I continue to be nudged to pursue a masters or PhD and/or return to teaching!

The ethnomusicology classes here (and, for that matter, my Second Language Studies) are like an antidote for those toxic environments where professors openly admit they teach about Okinawa because their goal is to turn us into tourists, professors who avoid acknowledging Loochoo / Okinawan indigeneity also cavalierly use "Eskimo" when speaking about Inuit and non-Inuit alike, and white men are positioned as authorities on our cultures and identities even when they answer students' questions and refute our lived experiences by saying things like, "Well, no, I'm married to a Japanese woman, and I've never heard that before..." etc...

I could go on, but I don't mean for this to become simply a rant about the need to decolonize /and indigenize academia. And yet, these feelings and the fatigue that stems from wading through that on a perpetual basis are related to why I'm so grateful for the dance and music classes I have opportunity to take and the practitioners sharing their amazing skills and knowledge of their own cultures with incredible graciousness, self-awareness, passion, and patience.

Anyway, now that I've shared some of the fear, excitement, and gratitude of bringing home another instrument, I leave you with a few more questions to ponder...

What is something you do every day / week that is healing or restorative? What led you to incorporate this as a regular practice?

Is there something you struggle with or might feel you're not good at but love to do? Is there something you used to enjoy but stopped doing because you thought you would never be great at it? What do/did you love about it?

What's something you've recently done in an effort to #decolonize your day-to-day life / your community?

[kapwacollective]

Kapwa Collective and PACHA Arts co-present WAYS of WEAVING a zero-waste weaving playshop with special guests, Maria Montejo & Cynthia Alberto Date: Friday, April 5, 2019 Time: 6-9 pm Location: 519 Church Street Community Centre, Toronto Suggested donation: $40 (All materials provided) *Proceeds go toward supporting the 4th International Babaylan Conference (www.centerforbabaylanstudies.org) >><< Access: The closest accessible subway station is WELLESLEY. The 519 is a fully accessible building with gender inclusive washrooms. 2SLGBTIQ* Positive space. >><< ***To register, please send an email with your name and send e-transfer to: [email protected] >><< Playshop Description: Maria Montejo and Kapwa Collective will share stories of Mayan weaving and indigenous weaving practices of the Philippines. Guest artist, Cynthia Alberto (Weaving Hand, NYC) will introduce the concept of zero-waste weaving. She will demonstrate basic weaving techniques, share woven tapestries, and teach us how sustainable weaving practices can benefit the environment. Participants will receive a wooden frame and learn how to make their own looms, then we will weave together! All materials are provided but participants are encouraged to bring recyclable and fabric-based items (i.e. plastic or paper bags, used clothing, etc.) to weave into their projects. Everyone can take their looms home! >><<  Bios: 

Maria Montejo (Deer clan) is a member of the Jakaltec/Popti (Mayan) community of Indigenous people. In addition to her formal schooling, Maria has been mentored from a young age by various Elders, Medicine people and Traditional Teachers on Turtle Island and from Central and South America. Cynthia Alberto is an artist, designer, and founder of the Brooklyn-based healing arts studio Weaving Hand, Cynthia Alberto seeks to bridge traditional and contemporary weaving techniques, drawing inspiration from ancient communities of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Her artwork, performances, and public weaving projects honour traditional and artisanal techniques while also incorporating unconventional materials and a zero-waste philosophy. Throughout her artwork and teaching, Alberto continuously explores the many intersections between weaving and healing, as well as craft and sustainability. Kapwa Collective is a mutual support group of Filipino-Canadian artists, critical thinkers, and healers who work towards bridging narratives between the Indigenous and the Diasporic, and the Filipino and the Canadian. We are co-presenting the 4th International Babaylan Conference on September 20-22, 2019. www.centerforbabaylanstudies.org PACHA Indigenous Arts Collection is a family run business. Pacha (meaning "earth" in Kichwa) aims to showcase the best of indigenous arts and crafts. https://www.pachaarts.com 

[bijitdutta]

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[gardenofyoga]

We loved speaking to Jaime Marloo Thomas and Sara Jones, of @wayapawuurrk this week on #theflowartistspodcast . #wayapawuurrk combines #movement, #meditation and #visualisation and while it honors and draws from #indigenousknowledge it is a practice that everyone can enjoy - regardless of religion or background. Connection to nature, and our own nature at the heart of this practice, it focuses on taking care of the earth as a starting point for taking care of ourselves. Jaime and Sara, emphasize environmental awareness in a very #inclusive, #accessible way. One message I really got from them is that every individual matters - we are all important and that we all have the power to have a positive effect on our planet and our community. I’m really happy we got the chance to meet these two wonderful people, and to share their work through our #podcast - I hope you enjoy the episode! You can listen at Podcast.flowartists.com or search for The Flow Artists Podcast on iTunes #wayapawuurrks #intergenerationalwellbeing #earthconnection #connection #aboriginalculture #indigenouspride #indigenouswisdom #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness (at The Flow Artists Podcast) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnQNv9IjlOx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wne277tt2rzi