Native Skeptic

Native Skeptic
Apache Crown Dancers 1887: http://www.firstpeople.us/photographs2/Apache-Spirit-Dancers-1887.html

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Apache Mountain Spirit Dancers

When I was first deciding on an image for this site, I set out to find one that distinctively stood out from any other. The old looking, worn down, black and white picture that you see at the top of the page, not only reflected just that, but also included a unique personal hint of my own tribal affiliation and relationship to the Apache Crown Dancers. Until now, I have yet to explain some of the meaning behind these eerie and magnificent looking characters.

The Apache people are generally thought to be consistent of a single tribe of Native American's, but in actuality, the Apaches are an assimilation of various Apachean tribes that are thought to be a subgroup of Athabaskans, migrating south from Canada and Alaskan regions. While most of these bands of Apache tribes were influenced more by the "Plains people" than by the "Puebloan people" like the Navajo were, the Apaches eventually separated, developing their own territory and adapting to the conditions of the local climate and terrain by living off whatever available food sources that they found as they settled throughout the southwest region of the United States. Throughout this time, as they began to establish their own unique tribal belief system, the Apaches accumulated some of the Puebloan and Plains cultural traits into their own.

The present-day Apache people include the Jicarilla, Mescalero, Chiricahua, Western Apache, Lipan-Apache, and Plains-Apache. According to various historical accounts, it seems very likely that other Apache groups existed in North America that are not as historically well-known or documented, so I will provide information from some of the commonalities that manage to reach across different these cultures. For example, the amount of complexity in the cultural division of these tribes can be can be shown by breaking down just one of these subgroups of Apaches, the Western-Apache.

The Apache people residing in east central Arizona are known as Western Apache. Most of these Native Americans live within a conglomerate of reservations called the White Mountain, Fort Apache, San Carlos, Yavapai, Tonto, and Fort McDowell Mohave reservations.

The Western Apaches are the only group, out of those previously mentioned, that remain within the state of Arizona.

Western Apache: Northern Tonto, Southern Tonto, San Carlos, White Mountain and Cibecue, which also included Ceder Creek and Carrizo, located north of the Salt River Canyon in between the Tonto and White Mountain tribes.

(Navajo reservation is shown because they are considered to be a part of that original group of Apachean people.) Apachean Present-Wikipedia


The Apache believe that there was once a time when their ancestors lived alongside with supernatural beings. The common belief, even today, is that there are spirits that live within certain mountains and underground realms. Part of the Apache creation story incorporates the belief that they are the blood relatives of the mountains, trees, rocks, and the wind. One of the most important and integral pieces to the beliefs of the Apache is a holy being sometimes referred to as White-Painted Woman, but she also is known as Changing Woman or White Shell Woman. In the beginning, she originally gave birth to two sons, Killer-of-Enemies and Child Born-of-Water and they were said to have ridden the world of evil by killing the evil incarnate monsters, thus making the world safe for the Apache people to live. So, these Mountain Spirit Dancers reflect that story by ensuring the well-being of the people to protect them from not just their enemies, but epidemic diseases as well. The Devil Dancers or Crown Dancers are not considered to be supernatural beings themselves, but simply posses the "special ability" of summoning these mountain spirits. They are a link between the supernatural and natural worlds and they often reflect this in a contradictory fashion. Part of their power is expressed as a "paradox of life". In many Native American cultures, this notion of chaos and disorder is personified as the "trickster", a destructive and simultaneously creative force. In Apache tribes, he is a boy amongst men, in some circles called Libaye, the ritual of "clowning" embodies the Apache beliefs underlying power.

In a comprehensive historical account of the Native American tribes of the southwestern United States, Native Peoples of the Southwest, by Trudy Griffin-Pierce, includes a historical account of the various Apaches people with detailed descriptions of their culture, spiritual beliefs, and even some of their ceremonial practices. As well as being an accomplished writer, Dr. Griffin-Pierce earned her Ph.D. in cultural anthropology in 1987, taught as Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona, and authored multiple books about Native Americans. Often used as a college textbook for anthropology courses, "Native Peoples of the Southwest", provides us with deeper insight and understanding into the Apache way of life, the Mountain Spirit Dance, and briefly mentioning the subtle differences between the tribes.

"One of the most important holy being for Apaches is White-Painted Woman, also known as Changing Woman or White Shell Woman. Her sons, Killer of Enemies and Child Born of Water, triumphed over the evils of the world personified as monsters, making the world safe for humans. The Mountain Spirits ensure the well-being of the people by protecting them from epidemic diseases and enemies. The Mountain Spirit Dancers or Crown Dancers "become" these sacred beings in the same way that the Hopi who dance specific katsinam become those katsina spirits. The Western Apache call them the gaan while the Eastern Apache know them as gaa'he. Embodying the Mountain Spirits, they dance at night, bringing the spiritual world into physical manifestation. Their heads crowned with wooden slat headdresses, four Mountain Spirit Dancers and a clown wield their wooden swords as they dance around the fire. The bull-roarer, which is whirled on a length of string to produce a distinctive, resonating sound, drums, and singing accompany their dancing among the Western Apache. The bull-roarer is not used among the Eastern Apache."
In the picture: Apache Bull-roarer (1.)

*The katsinam, which date all the way back to the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, are more commonly known in the form of katshina dolls.*

According to the texts found on the Stav Academy Library, the act of ridding the world of these evil entities of disease and evil incarnated monsters by the "twin sons", or twin spirits, is described by an alternate Apache creation story. This also helps explain some of the meaning behind the other name associated with Child Born-of-Water, Monster Slayer, as known in the Navajo creation story.

(In many Apache ceremonies the following legend is re-enacted. In the coming-of-age rite sometimes the young girls will wear the costume of the White Painted Woman. Before battles some braves would dance the role of Killer of Enemies.)

"The first peoples to arrive on earth were White Painted Woman and her brother, Killer of Enemies. His role was to hunt for f
ood, but every time he killed an animal the Owl Man Giant would swoop down and steal the bounty. He and his sister grew hungrier and hungrier until one day, Life Giver, a spirit, arrived in the form of a thunderstorm. Nine months later White Painted Woman had a baby who was named Child Born of Water. This child grew to be a strong warrior and slew Owl Man Giant in a ferocious fight. These three together helped create the present world." -Alternate Apache Creation Story



In the picture, displaying some of the best visual representations of the Apache Crown Dancers that I have come across, is from the gallery of "Native Dancers" titled, Apache Crown by M.J. Alexander, a writer and photographer who documents people and places of the American West, with an emphasis on the very young, the very old, and also including a specific interest in American Indian culture.

While the night sets an excellent background for creating a feeling of mystique, the illusory effects were not the only factor for this setting. For the Apache do not view light or day as being synonymous with what is considered to be "good". For example, the following is from The Clown’s Way by Barbara Tedlock, from Teachings from the American Earth.

"The Jicarilla Apache, however, did not see this sunlight world purely good, but as containing disease; the clown that led them out of the dark earth (thought of as perfectly spiritual and holy) was equipped with a horrible non-human laugh which scared way the sickness on the earth’s surface."


This depicts the underlying power of the clown and part of the fear surrounding it. Another picture from The AZ Daily Sun by Judith Evans/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, gives a little life to that mental image with this extraordinary representation of the Apache clown whirling the bull-roarer with this bronze Apache spirit dancer by Craig Dan Goseyun atop of the Museum Hill campus in the art museum of the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America.

While the clown were said to provoke laughter in people to open them up to accept the process of healing, the same concept applied to fear and literally scaring the evil spirits of disease right out of a person. Some of my personal experiences growing up attending these ceremonial dances includes the memory being told to be wary of the clown, because they like to "steal kids away from their parents and place them in their baskets, so they can carry them off to eat them." So, like most Apache children, I was scared of them growing up, to say the least.


Psychoanalyst L. Bryce Boyer and anthropologist Ruth M. Boyer, started documenting field work with Apaches on the Mescalero Indian Reservation in 1957. Their work titled, The Sacred Clown of the Chiricahua and Mescalero Apaches: Additional Data, was published in January of 1983 in Western Folklore. In that article, they provide a little insight into the origins of the Apache Clown and some of the other connotations commonly associated with Apache Crown Dancers,

"The fusion of Clown and Coyote is not unusual among the Indians of North and Central America, but as yet, this fusion has not been recorded for the Chiricahua and Mescalero Apaches. in fact, the connection was unknown to us until we had worked with them for more than fifteen years. At tat time we learned that both Coyote and Clown are likewise associated by the, with ashes. a connection which, to our knowledge, has been vary rarely reported elsewhere.

Among these Apaches, Clown appears only as a member of the dance team which performs ceremonially; the team is known in Chiricahua as ganheh, in Mescalero as jajadeh, and in English by a variety of names: Crown Dancers, Horn Dancers, Mountain Spirit, Mountain God Dancers, Masked Dancers, and Devil Dancers."






To the Apache, the Clown is a sacred being with great Power given to him by Thunder, or the "Thunder-Beings" themselves. He represents just what the power of thunder exacerbates, fear from a tremendous power in the sky, greater than anything that we see on the Earth. In this way, the manner of the Clown "fooling around" is anything but trite, instead, this is a serious spiritual element to the ceremony reflecting the randomness of catastrophe in his seemingly mad behavior, just as nature reminds us of our own mortality from time to time. So, the latter part of his message is to always take the time to enjoy life and its' rewards by constantly reminding us about the ever present potential of experiencing sorrow through separation or even death. The meaning and importance behind love, friendship, family, and community are highlighted when they are placed into this context.

Peggy V. Beck and Anna L. Walters state the following in the summary of their work titled, Sacred Clowns and Fools,

"The role of the Clown in carrying out the educational process for children and the rest of the community was explained - particularly the Clowns' ability to create disorder and order or balance it again, leaving behind a message for the audience on what constitutes personal responsibility in respect to a community's survival." - Chapter 13 from The Sacred - Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life

The actions of the Clown help provide different sets of examples for seemingly complex and abstract ways of thinking, not commonly associated with Native American beliefs. Even notions like greed, hoarding, gluttony or selfishness are difficult to convey if that communication process is limited to just words. So, the Clowns , "clown around", by acting out against the social and cultural norms. This "fooling around" is anything but uninspired. When in actuality, these are pivotal teaching tools. Education is far more than about teaching by example, than by teaching with words. By watching adults, children form experiences that shape their neural networks which determine their later life.

To the child, the clown can seem to teach by example, or simply, through acting in ways we are not supposed to act. Not only are these concepts fundamental, but these are considered to be part of an individuals' personal responsibility to understand. Ethics and morals would undoubtedly spring from these ideals as well. The value and importance of sharing, working together, modesty, thoughtfulness, and spreading happiness are expressed by the clowns' seemingly wild and chaotic behavior, creating the ever present notion of unbalance amongst the balanced order of tribal rituals. But, at the same time, when you begin to convey the clowns' underlying message that you don't always initially see, balance is restored. Part of the Apaches belief incorporates the notion that certain excesses can make a person sick. This can include those using sacred practices, prayers, or any "special knowledge" to manipulate others for personal gain. So, in a way, the clown serves as a protector to the people against certain kinds of charlatans. They make us think and question our own sense of reasoning. Acting with such erratic behavior can be paralleled to how art or comedy reaches another depth of meaning that can stimulate the emotional responses behind laughter and fear. Most people do not take the time to think why a joke is funny, but quite often comedy can tell us a lot about ourselves and current states of society. The role of the clown is to teach you that very lesson through blatantly not teaching it, and they make us laugh by scaring us a little bit. That is at the heart of comedy, you take a thought or concept that should not be funny or serious, and you find a way to turn it on its' head to make it funny. Thereby, forcing the audience to think in a way that they might not have ever thought before.

Clowns are considered to have the ability to heal and protect from disease, while they have access to the same knowledge as the medicine society, the clowns of the Western Apache prefer to prescribe "medicine" or methods displaying more preventative measures. For instance, the clowns contradictory behavior embodies the idea that "evil cannot coexist in a place where happiness already resides". So, this coincides with the notion that part of Clowns' duty is to protect the people from enemies, including those foes posing threats to our very thoughts. We are being protected from any ill causing thoughts by lining our minds with the universal power of laughter and comedy.

The message in comedy might be simple, but it is still capable of deep rooted complexity because the language of humor is universal and can be comprehended by a range of age groups and across cultures. In many different types of cultures throughout history, the comedian reflects everyday life and the common pitfalls associated with living in the world. The Apache Clown shows us some of these realities of being a person in the world, in his own "crazy" ways, by dramatizing them for us. They show us what is dark so that we may contrast it with what is light. They teach how life can be hard, but at the same time, they are conveying how we can make life easier or more manageable through simply being aware of these common issues.

Clowns must "prepare us for the worst", for catastrophe may lie around the next bend. They reflect this to express the idea that chaotic things may happen to any of us, at any time or place along the "road of life". So, this is where collaboration becomes so evidently important to the ultimate survival of the tribe. Personal responsibility comes into play at the center of social order.

The notions of this kind of Power can be shown in the article by John G Neihardt titled, Black Elk Speaks, in the chapter on the Heyoka Ceremony,

"When a vision comes from the thunder beings of the west, it comes with terror like a thunder storm; but when the storm of vision has passed, the world is greener and
happier; for wherever the truth of vision comes upon the world, it is like a rain. The world, you see, is happier after the terror of the storm" -Chapter 16:Heyoka (Lakota concept of the Sacred Clown) Ceremony.

Some of these early Apache tribal beliefs can be seen today in the Great Seal of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. Further explanation behind the symbolism can be found here. While the following is part of that description which pertains to the Crown Dancers,


"The mountain spirits have taught the Apaches to perform the Apache Crown Dance as a means of curing. The crown headdress is be-decked with eagle feathers; the teacher that flew the highest in the Heavens.The signs of lightning are sacred symbols of the Apaches which are placed on the bodies of the Apache Crown Dancers who are instructed by the mysterious mountain spirits to perform healing rituals for the Apaches. The crown dance is authentically performed today." -Tribal Chairman Ronnie Lupe Fort Apache Scout newspaper 10/05/79

In the early 1900's, the Unites States government banned the ritualistic practice of these Native American ceremonial dances, and those that did manage to still go on, were done so against the law in secrecy. For it wasn't until the year of 1978, when the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed, that these ceremonies were openly re-established amongst the Native American people of the United States.

So, in most cases, Native American ceremonies and healing rituals have lost their meaning amongst the younger generations. But, in the places that do manage to have sacred clowns in tribal societies, they have been able to integrate modern day elements into their culture through these tribal rituals. However, some say that ever since these ceremonial practices were outlawed, they have never been quite the same.



"Keeping the rituals of their ancestors alive, male members of the Indian Club at Alchesay High School in Whiteriver, Arizona, rehearse the White Mountain Apache crown dance, in which mountain spirits banish evil and bring good fortune. Some of these kids come from Christian homes, go to church, and learn those traditions, but not the Apache traditions...This is our heritage, and we have to keep it going." -Rosalind Armstrong-Garcia, the group's sponsor, believes the club fills a gap


Photograph by Maggie Steber from the Indian Renaissance feature in National Geographic Magazine







Additional Sources:
  1. Powell, Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, p. 477: "Fig. 430.—Rhombus of the Apache."

28 comments:

  1. Thank you so much!!

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  2. After having seen a group of Apache youth from White River perform as Crown Dancers at BRES, I wanted to do some research on the hx of the dancers and dances. Your information was both informational and enlightning. the young dancers were great,better than some adult groups I have seen. What inspiration for maintaining traditions..Great job!!!!!

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Thank you to everyone spending any amount of time and effort into reading the things I have to say.

    Now, with that being said...let me address a few things. While I do appreciate any and all comments, it is nice if they do pertain to the content of the article that it is posted on. Since this is a bit of a "straw man argument" due to the fact that I have never made the claim that I am of any greater intelligence than the average person, I will still take a moment to explore the first part to the last comment provided by Anonymous.

    To be truth-seeking, intentionally open-minded, inquisitive, analytical, prudent in making judgements, all because of the confidence in reasoning is to be a "critical thinker". The failure to recognize the importance of sound logic, or correct dispositions can lead to closed-mindedness, erroneous thinking, and other forms various types of self-deception. *This applies to groups as well.

    Therefore, "critical thinking", has nothing to do with the 'level' of intelligence that another individual has arbitrarily decided upon. Rather,it is based upon the methodology that one takes when engaging information.

    I am always grateful to the people adding to the collective conscience of the concepts that I explore. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for visiting my site and for spending any amount of time considering the things I have highlighted.

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  5. Wow, what a great primer on the Apache Crown Dancer. I want to learn more. Will you please continue? I am listening. Thank you.

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  6. Its always whiteriver why? how come cibecue isn't involved? well i guess cibecue doesn't get out that much but either way cibecue and whiteriver are the same so no complaints.

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  7. Great post. Very informative and insightful.

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  8. I think anonymous is in a cranky mood

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  9. Being a San Carlos Apache, I only known so much of the Crown Dancers. Thru out my life, I've had several Crown Dancer dreams. I wish I could find someone who can explain my dreams. I haven't had any in years and I haven't been to Gaan Talth in years. There's an incredible feeling that I get when I see them. Thanks for the info.

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  10. Hello.Any replies or comments will be appreciated...I once had a visionary experience of which I will give a brief account; I was in a deep pool in a canyon,a pool formed by a waterfall..2 otters came and led me through the waterfall and into a "tunnel" downward..I emerged into a spherical room which I "knew" was deep inside a mountain..in the center of the room was a stone pillar from floor to ceiling..seated before the pillar was an old Native American man,quite old ,but strong and virile..he was very dark-skinned..his gaze was fixed on the pillar..I "knew" him to be Apache..as I approached,he turned his head and looked at me..I would describe his visage as very stern,or grave..yet also very benevolent..there is more ,but I won't go into it now..I am not Native American..and have always been curious if in Apache cosmology,there is such a Spirit-Being who lives deep within the body of the earth,in the womb within the mountain.My thanks in advance for any replies,comments or insight

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  11. Thank you for posting the old picture of the masked tribal dancers at the top of your site. I have been researching the Native American Ghost Dance which reached its height in 1890 just before the massacre at Wounded Knee and continued on after that as only a shadow of what it had represented before that event occurred. My interest in the NA Ghost Dance is in its possible connection to another Ghost Dance celebrated across the Pacific in Tibet. I believe they may be connected and the dancers shown above may be a clue. Google: "Monks expel ghosts on religious ceremony Tibet" Compare the weathered masks worn by the Apache dancers with the much newer and well conditioned masks. Do you see any similarity? I believe I do. I believe that Buddhists from Asia had made it to North America long before Columbus and left significant portions of their culture and religion here with the native tribes. Google: "Were the Anasazi People Buddhist?" and "Mandalas Mantras Manjis and Monuments". Do you believe there are any connections between the NA Ghost Dance and the Tibetan Ghost Dance?

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  12. You mention Changing Woman is your article. There is a well researched
    and referenced article written by a University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus professor (Jeannie Martinez Welles) who has done research on this matter. Google: "Changing Woman and Yeshe Tsogyel: A comparison of Women's Roles in Din4 and Tibetan Buddhist Traditions" There are distinct similarities between these two stories of two cultures located thousands of miles apart. This coupled with the swastika (Buddhist Manji) located in this same Four Corners area and The Vedic Seven Step Seven Vow Wedding ceremony celebrated as the most common NA wedding ceremony even today makes arguing against the liklihood of pre Columbian Buddhist contact and influence in North America difficult to impossible to do. The true purpose of the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 was to "Stop the Ghost Dance" which was mobilizing, unifying and empowering NA all over America. It was scaring the White American leaders who determined the Ghost Dance had to be crushed at whatever cost. The NA Ghost Dance in my opinion is connected to the Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) Ghost Dance. Google and review: "Tibetan Ghost Dance Masks" and I believe the masks worn by dancers at the top of this blog page will make a lot more sense. Hopefully by reviewing this material you will become less skeptical.

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  13. Talking about the crowndancers are very sacred to the apache people and if you are not any type of apache you should not be writing articles on this subject

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  14. For an excellent book on the similarities of the tribal cultures of the
    Pacific Southwest with Tibetan Buddhism read "Navajo and Tibetan Sacred
    Wisdom: The Circle of the Spirit" by Peter Gold. The similarities are far too striking to explain away. The Dalai Lama, the head of Tibetan Buddhism, himself has written an endorsement letter for this hypothesis
    in the front of the book. It's probably safe to say that because he wrote
    this letter and allowed his name to be used this way that he either supports this concept completely or at a minimum leans in that direction.

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  15. I wondering is bad luck when u recording them when are dancing

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  16. Peter Gold, author of "Navajo and Tibetan Sacred Wisdom: The Circle of the Spirit", has written a chapter (14) titled The Night Way Rite. That chapter has images of masks that are similar to the ones at the top of this blog page. Those masks represent images of spiritually significant
    entities to the Navajo and several other cultures of the Pacific Southwest
    If you are interested in this topic of masks then this is a good reference point. The author has obviously won the trust and respect of the N/A holy men who he has worked with, who have shared this information with him and have allowed him to take these pictures.

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  17. The common wisdom is that all hoodoos are simply the result of erosion.
    Then why is it that if you look at hoodoos closely you will begin to see
    a few distinct patterns emerging. There are several but for the purposes of this posting I will demonstrate just one. Start by googling; "Isan home of ancient Dvaravati ruins". This rock formation is tied back to ancient Buddhism in Thailand. Then why is this shape prominently displayed right out the front doors of a Hopi pueblo in "1879 Dancers Rock". How about these two beautiful examples taken in the Bisti Badlands and De-Na-Zin: "Bent Hoodoo by Ned" and "Slender Hoodoo by Ned". Or how about similar shapes at "Balanced Rock Buhl Idaho" or images of climbers crawling all over what I believe is a sacred site at "The Cobra Fisher Towers Moab". Do you think these shapes happened by themselves? Really? Well how about the other breathtaking shapes at De-Na-Zin, the Bisti Badlands, Fisher Towers, Ship Rock, Monument Valley and the beautiful formations at Arches National Park to name just a few. Were any of these shapes enhanced by ancient rock carvers? We have proof that the Anasazi (Puebloan) culture were expert rock carvers. Is it a coincidence that Vedic Buddhists also shared this same backbreaking and extremely dangerous obsession? I believe not. For another stunning Rock Garden that is on the ancestral territory of the Blackfoot people google: "Writing on Stone Provincial Park Alberta Canada". Why do so many Native American/ First Nation cultures consider these "rock gardens" sacred ground and live and have lived for generations so close by them?
    close by these features

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  18. How about another "hoodoo pattern" found in the Four Corners area of the Pacific Southwest?
    Phallic symbols have been from ancient times and still are today a significant part of all Vedic religions
    including Buddhism. In Asia these huge features are recognized for what they are--shamanistic
    symbols but here in North America once again we deny they are anything other than mere eroded
    rock formations--Hoodoos. When little boys and teenagers see them and giggle they certainly know what they are but we mature adults refuse to admit the obvious because it doesn't fit in with the
    "European discovery of America" cultural supremacy theory. Am I trying to say that American history
    has been "shaped" and continues to be for Eurocentric objectives? Yes, that's exactly what
    I'm saying and what I believes the ignored evidence indicates. Google: "Ian Parker's Hoodoos".
    When you get to the site scroll down to the "Hoodoo Pool" "Hoodoo Reflection" pictures. In the background of both pictures you will see a huge two toned phallic symbol. In Arches Natl Park next
    to Double Arches is another huge phallus and there are several others in the same park. For more
    information on this specific "hoodoo" shape google: "Phallic Symbols North America". There are
    other hoodoo specific shapes yet to be discussed. Know this--The ancient Native American people
    were a far more advanced civilization than modern scholars are willing to admit.

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  19. If you still believe that ancient North Americans were an extremely
    primitive people then I invite you to consider the numerous and huge ancient chessboard grids found throughout the western United States. Google: "The Homer H Dubs Priest Lake Idaho Chessboard Grid". Chess and the chessboard originated in either ancient India or China. In either case they originated in Asia. Then why are these enormous chessboard patterns being found in North America? These patterns required amazing technological skills to have been surveyed, crafted and colored. These were not done by primitive people! But then if we now "European Americans" belonged to a culture that lost 85 to 90% of OUR population starting in 1492 because of diseases brought to our homeland by foreign "discoverers" then certainly our culture would also then not be what it once was. Read Charles Mann's book "1491" for a better view of what was happening here in North America pre Columbus.

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  20. In addition to chess the Chinese are also credited for inventing the game
    of dominoes in the 12th century. Then should it be a surprise to anyone that two apparently ancient domino "tiles" have been found in North America close to the Pacific coast where it appears that huge numbers of
    trees were "harvested" (cut down) in an enormous pattern of chessboard
    type grids. Ancient China had a huge population and a very long time ago cut down most of their usable lumber for their own needs. When their forests were depleted their need for lumber continued so they obviously looked for other sources to supply their lumber needs. Does it
    now appear that North America's abundant forests attracted an Asian interest in pre Columbian times??? For a view of what I believe may be
    additional proof of early Chinese exploration and colonization here
    Google Map, GoogleEarth or Bing Maps Diamond Lake, Oregon. When you arrive at Diamond Lake scroll to the left (west) a short distance and you will find a number 5 and a number 2 domino "tiles". Once again these patterns were created to be seen from high altitude by a deforestation process. The rectangular tile has been deforested Except
    for the "dots" on the "tile". This circular dot effect is created by
    the original artists leaving a round stand of trees where the dots would
    appropriately go on a domino tile. Once again, how can anyone say this
    is a random act of nature or that this was done by space aliens. Why
    would space aliens continue to use symbols and cultural customs from Asia? Wouldn't space aliens if they were the source of these patterns seen from high altitude use their own symbols instead of continually using ones from Asia?

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  21. "A little bit of trans cultural respect goes a long way." That's how it
    worked out for Ben Sublett because even though he was less than a model
    citizen himself he was respectful of the Apache people and they responded to him in kind.
    Rather than me repeat the story you can read it for yourself by googling: "Ben Sublett's Gold Mine". Sublett went from poverty to wealth as an old prospector when apparently he found a long lost gold mine in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas at a time when the area was under Apache control. He was allowed to extract gold from that mine until he died a rich man. Some believe this story and some don't but Apache Chief Geronimo apparently weighted in on this topic himself. It is told that the last time he was captured Geronimo offered the army troops who captured him great wealth if they would let him go free. He
    reportedly told them that for his freedom he would take them to "the
    largest gold mine in the western world" which also happened to be in the Guadalupe Mountains. The troops didn't believe him and thought he was just trying to arrange a crafty escape. Coincidence? I think not.
    I think not because an extremely old expedition log originally written
    in another language and which was recently translated into English tells
    of a trip that started just north of Casper Wyoming and proceeded south
    along the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains all the way down to the Rio Grande at Chinatti Peak. Of course the names I've used to describe the route weren't used in the journal because they called these mountain peaks their own names in their own language. However, there were 12 destination points and the descriptions of the locations themselves are too exact to be anything but right on point. Six of the twelve locations were reported to have had gold or "much gold" deposits. In this journal El Capitan/ Guadulope Peak was called "Lone Mountain" and was reported to have been a site with "much gold". "Lone Mountain" may seem a strange name for El Capitan unless you are looking at the mountain from the El Paso side looking up. From that angle the mountain seems like a solitary peak even though there is a huge mountain range behind it. Just in case you're still leary about this expedition let me add that they describe Great Sand Dunes National Park exactly where it is today in Colorado. Their name for the highest peak in the Davis Mountains at the top of present day Mt. Livermore was "Bald Mountain". Today that same peak is known as "Baldy Peak" in English. Why??? Because that is exactly what it looks like even today. At that same location they described "little pigs with pearls jutting out of their mouths". Sound familiar? Those are the javelinas that still live in abundance there. Skeptical?? If you want more information on this let me know. There's a lot more to this country than we have been taught.

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  22. Do you generally believe in coincidences? I believe if something happens once it may be a coincidence. If it happens three or more times it certainly begins to appear to be a pattern. In previous postings I have presented what I believe to be evidence of multiple Asian/Buddhist cultural customs and rock carved Buddhist/Vedic symbols found throughout the Four Corners region of the North American Pacific Southwest. These customs and
    images are today a significant part of the culture of numerous Native American communities. The number of these customs such as the Rain Dance, the Seven Step/Seven Vow wedding ceremony as well as the high number of stone carved arches (Vedic/Buddhist "Torana"Arches) such as Rainbow Bridge, Delicate Arch among thousands more along with all the thousands of "Mushroom
    Rocks" Vedic/Buddhist "Chattras" found in the same area seem to indicate fairly conclusively the connection between modern day N/A culture and ancient Asian Vedic/Buddhist cultural and religious influences.
    Today I want to highlight another so called "coincidence"
    On April, 5 1909 the Arizona Gazette published a story in their newspaper that a Mr. Kinkaid working for or with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC had located a Buddhist Temple in the Grand Canyon in a remote
    location. Within a few hours of it's publication the Smithsonian denied the
    story and any connection to the story as well as all the supporting evidence
    the story had given. Google: "Buddhist Temple Grand Canyon Kinkaid 1909"
    What motive would Mr. Kinkaid and the Arizona Gazette have had in coming out
    in 1909 with a bogus account of a discovery in the Grand Canyon? What motive could the Smithsonian Institute have had in in 1909 in "killing the story"? I'll let you figure that one out for yourself.
    This 1909 newspaper story gave further evidence of facts all over the region. That is that ancient Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhists had come to N. America in 458 AD as written in the ancient Chinese historical narrative
    (The Liang Shu) and as recorded had left major influences in the Four Corners cultures.
    There are many Americans who do not want this story to be true and certainly
    not known and acknowledged because it would change North American history and thereby diminish the role of western cultures in pre 1492 Native American cultures. These pre Columbian cultural influences from Asia were
    significant. They included irrigation, herbal medicine, astronomy and numerous other fields of science. What happened to this knowledge? With
    the coming of the Europeans to N. America in 1492 diseases that the N/A had
    no defenses against spread throughout the entire continent killing up to 80 to 90% of the entire N/A population. A scholarly book has been written on this topic: "1491" by Charles C. Mann" which gives details on this topic.
    Coincidences? I think not. What I believe is going on is continued attempts to shape history in favor of Western European cultures.

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  23. Clown role to carry the medicine !

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  24. I heard several rumors about the crown dancers being involved in a lot of sexual activity among each other and older men try to controll their hormones like their out of control or something? I've been told it's something no one talks about and those who do question fall victim to their traditional cursing.

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  25. Google: "Fu Sang The Last Wilderness" "Church Rock
    Cathedral in the Desert" and "Mexican Hat Rock Topo Zone"
    On the last one be sure to wait for the comments re: the
    rock formation to appear. I believe it will be worth you wait.

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  26. "Wrapped Stupa in Sri Lanka & Utah"

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  27. Hello Again. Hendon Harris here. If ancient Native North Americans were as primate as some people seem to believe then how do you explain the significant number of Huge Geolyphs that are so huge they can ONLY be seen from High Altitude? Here I will reference just two of numerous others. 1) "The Ching Bird's Head"
    (now only available on Yahoo or Bing Search). It's the image of a Raven with a Yellow Beak. This image ties back to an ancient Chinese legend regarding a Raven who
    attempted to swallow the Sun. According to the legend the
    Chinese Emperor hired his best archerer to shoot down this bird. Because of the Sun's heat this Raven's beak was
    scorched. In order to illustrate that the bird's beak was outlined in orange to reflect the intense heat of the event. Would you believe that that Raven's Beak Glows to this very day? It does. Then there's the "The Harris Horse Hendon Harris". This art feature is 120 miles long from
    nose to tail. However, this is NOT just a regular horse.
    The artists who created this horse image did it to represent a famous horse breed with saddle, crupper belts,
    and horse tail styling which is unique to China. It is an image of a Tang Dynasty style horse. This unique image of this huge horse ties it back to who would have had the motivation to carve this in ancient North America.
    In the mid to late portion of the First Century Chinese Buddhist priests brought Buddhism to China. When they
    built their first temple in China they dedicated their first
    temple to the horse which carried their teacing materials to China. In Chinese a White Horse is called Baima. It was
    the image of a white Tang Dynasty style horse. Therefore the first Buddhist temple in China is called Baima Temple.
    That horse image is in the courtyard of that temple to this day. I believe this image in North America of a huge rock carved White Horse may likely be "Baima Temple #2".
    For images of many more huge rock carved heads etc in
    the North American Pacific Southwest google: "Hendon Harris Disqus"

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