EAGLE FEATHERS
EAGLE FEATHERS REVISITED
"I used to complain I had no shoes
until I met a man that had no feet..........."
A few years ago drumming for a ceremonia at
Olvera Street and an older gentleman walked in with
trajes on hangers draped over his right shoulder
(probably my age now..........)
(trajes are the regalia a dancer designs and wears
to reflect themselves in colors, symbology and familia
REGALIA is not a costume
i.e.,
a "costume" is something you wear that you are not......)
he had one leg and a crutch under his left arm
and the load was heavy but he carried it
with the dancers following behind in a line
he then dutifully laid them out on a rail
very very carefully
so that the dancers could grab them when
they needed to change and prepare for the
dance,
and then he disappeared........
we played awhile for different groups
and then he quietly reappeared
this time dressed in full regalia with yet another
crutch
both covered in eagle feathers like the wings of a bird
he came out and danced on 1 leg and a 2 crutches
did every move everyone else did
with dancers 20 to 30 years younger than him
dancing with INTENSITY
did spins on 1 leg
eagle feather crutches spinning over his head
going from hand to hand and then back
then he outstretched his arms like a bird
flying thru the air
landing hard on 1 leg and then spinning again
he danced for about an hour
and was ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT
beyond anything I can possibly articulate
we kept drumming and watching as
there was no doubt about his
INTENTION
his dancing had nothing to do with ego
and everything to do with his
SPIRIT
and the moment
in the moment
at that moment
every moment
and when he was done
he left as quietly as when he arrived
disappeared
changed back to his street clothes
and re appeared
with his original crutch
and walked away with all those trajes over his shoulder
back into the world.................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
invited to work with youth since 2015
several 2 1/2 day intensives
where we get to play music, hike, eat, swim,
and LISTEN to each other
and whenever anyone complains I explain that
some can balance 10,000 plates and it feels like 1
and
some can balance 1 plate and it feels like 10,000
i.e.,
we feel what we feel when we feel it
there is nothing wrong with any of it
would never tall anyone
"you shouldn't feel that way"
we are all so very different
and we are all so very much the same
I share that story with them about the dancer
as I am sharing it with you.........
i.e.,
relish every moment
every second
of every minute
of every hour
every day
be HERE
as we are still here
still standing
each HUMAN BEINGS
and nothing less
and sometimes we need to remember
acknowledge
and
live that
the only thing anyone can take from us
is what we allow them to...................
""I used to complain I had no shoes
until I met a man that had no feet..........."
is what the elder used tell me
very much so
VIVA LA VIDA
VIVA LA GENTE
"I used to complain I had no shoes
until I met a man that had no feet..........."
A few years ago drumming for a ceremonia at
Olvera Street and an older gentleman walked in with
trajes on hangers draped over his right shoulder
(probably my age now..........)
(trajes are the regalia a dancer designs and wears
to reflect themselves in colors, symbology and familia
REGALIA is not a costume
i.e.,
a "costume" is something you wear that you are not......)
he had one leg and a crutch under his left arm
and the load was heavy but he carried it
with the dancers following behind in a line
he then dutifully laid them out on a rail
very very carefully
so that the dancers could grab them when
they needed to change and prepare for the
dance,
and then he disappeared........
we played awhile for different groups
and then he quietly reappeared
this time dressed in full regalia with yet another
crutch
both covered in eagle feathers like the wings of a bird
he came out and danced on 1 leg and a 2 crutches
did every move everyone else did
with dancers 20 to 30 years younger than him
dancing with INTENSITY
did spins on 1 leg
eagle feather crutches spinning over his head
going from hand to hand and then back
then he outstretched his arms like a bird
flying thru the air
landing hard on 1 leg and then spinning again
he danced for about an hour
and was ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT
beyond anything I can possibly articulate
we kept drumming and watching as
there was no doubt about his
INTENTION
his dancing had nothing to do with ego
and everything to do with his
SPIRIT
and the moment
in the moment
at that moment
every moment
and when he was done
he left as quietly as when he arrived
disappeared
changed back to his street clothes
and re appeared
with his original crutch
and walked away with all those trajes over his shoulder
back into the world.................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
invited to work with youth since 2015
several 2 1/2 day intensives
where we get to play music, hike, eat, swim,
and LISTEN to each other
and whenever anyone complains I explain that
some can balance 10,000 plates and it feels like 1
and
some can balance 1 plate and it feels like 10,000
i.e.,
we feel what we feel when we feel it
there is nothing wrong with any of it
would never tall anyone
"you shouldn't feel that way"
we are all so very different
and we are all so very much the same
I share that story with them about the dancer
as I am sharing it with you.........
i.e.,
relish every moment
every second
of every minute
of every hour
every day
be HERE
as we are still here
still standing
each HUMAN BEINGS
and nothing less
and sometimes we need to remember
acknowledge
and
live that
the only thing anyone can take from us
is what we allow them to...................
""I used to complain I had no shoes
until I met a man that had no feet..........."
is what the elder used tell me
very much so
VIVA LA VIDA
VIVA LA GENTE