Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Coyote gave the people the carrying net

2.--RUMSIEN COSTANOAN. COYOTE.[1]

Coyote's wife said to him: "I do not want you to marry other women." Now they had only one child. Then Coyote said: "I want many children. We alone cannot have many children. Let me marry another woman so that there may be more of us." Then the woman said, "Well, go."

Then he had five children. Then his children said: "Where shall we make our houses? Where shall we marry?" Coyote told them: "Go out over the world." Then they went and founded five rancherias with five different languages. The rancherias are said to have been Ensen, Rumsien, Ekkheya, Kakonta, and that of the Wacharones.

Now Coyote gave the people the carrying net. He gave them bow and arrows to kill rabbits. He said: "You will have acorn mush for your food. You will gather acorns and you will have acorn bread to eat. Go down to the ocean and gather seaweed that you may eat it with your acorn mush and acorn bread. Gather it when the tide is low, and kill rabbits, and at low tide pick abalones and mussels to eat. When you can find nothing else, gather buckeyes for food. If the acorns are bitter, wash them out; and gather "wild oat" seeds for pinole, carrying them on your back in a basket.

Look for these things of which I have told you. I have shown you what is good. Now I will leave you. You have learned. I have shown you how to gather food, and even though it rains a long time people will not die of hunger. Now I am getting old. I cannot walk. Alas for me! Now I go."

From INDIAN MYTHS OF SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. BY A. L. KROEBER.[1907]

Picture from Speed Trap Hunter

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Measure G: showdown time in Carmel Valley

"So it’s showdown time in Carmel Valley. Will those in favor of local control win the shootout and bring local development and governance issues to a town council comprised of Carmel Valley residents? Or will voters fear the unknown and unintended consequences, and leave the decision-making to the supervisors in Salinas?

Some anti-town folk say they worry incorporation will ruin Carmel Valley’s rural character. It’s more likely, however, that the community’s existing governing body, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, will.

“History has shown that the concerns of the community have been ignored,” Supervisor Dave Potter says.

This is why, ultimately, incorporation is about local control. Carmel Valley residents have one representative on the Board of Supervisors – Potter, who lives in Carmel, and who is routinely outvoted by the other elected officials when it comes to land-use policy decisions. There isn’t any extra water in Carmel Valley, which means most individuals can’t even get a permit to build a second bathroom. But when it comes to big-ticket development projects – like Carmel Valley Ranch, Rancho San Carlos, the Quail hotel expansion and Clint Eastwood’s Tehema – the supes eagerly have given the green light, usually by a 4-1 vote, with Potter dissenting."

From Monterey County Weekly
Carmel River photo from Kevin's Hiking Page

Friday, October 9, 2009

most missions collapsed or were destroyed by earthquakes

"The California Spanish Missions supplied many of the needed goods in early California commerce. The indians provided all of the needed labor to keep the missions functioning as centers of religion and commerce. During the Mexican annexation the missions were stripped of their exclusive rights to own large tracks of land. Many of the missions were quickly abandoned or suffered great loss financially, most missions collapsed or were destroyed by earthquakes or floods over the years. The 21 California Spanish missions are a large part of California's rich history.
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was founded by Father Junipero Serra in June 3, 1770. Named for Saint Charles Borromeo of Arona, (Bishop of Milan) Italy (Patron saint of Bishops) and the Carmel River that flows near by.
Father Junipero Serra died peacefully on the 28th of August, 1784 and his remains entombed in the mission. "
From: Monterey County
Picture from: Diana's Gallery

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Carmel Valley Condor


"He set off on a long journey and found a golf course in Carmel Valley, owned by an iconic figure of the west, particularly compelling! Never a large or aggressive condor, he gets along well with other members of the flock and feeds peaceably with others... "

From Ventana Wildlife Society
Picture from ehoyer's photostream

Monday, October 5, 2009

THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD...

"RUMSIEN COSTANOAN. THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD.[1]

When this world was finished, the eagle, the humming-bird, and Coyote were standing on the top of Pico Blanco. When the water rose to their feet, the eagle, carrying the humming-bird and Coyote, flew to the Sierra de Gabilan. There they stood until the water went down. Then the eagle sent Coyote down the mountain to see if the world were dry. Coyote came back and said: "The whole world is dry." The eagle said to him: "Go and look in the river. See what there is there." Coyote came back and said: "There is a beautiful girl." The eagle said: "She will be your wife in order that people may be raised again." He gave Coyote a digging implement of abalone shell and a digging stick."

From: INDIAN MYTHS OF SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. BY A. L. KROEBER.[1907]
Ohlone Indians, picture from Bancroft Library

Friday, October 2, 2009

Rana aurora draytonii

"The California Red-Legged Frog became Federally listed as a Threatened species on May 23, 1996. Monterey County is roughly in the middle of the range of this species.
This species is the largest native frog in the western United States, ranging from 1.5 to 5.1 inches in length.

The diet of California red-legged frogs is highly variable. Invertebrates are the most common food items, although vertebrates such as Pacific tree frogs and California mice can constitute over half of the prey mass eaten by larger frogs. Larvae likely eat algae.

California red-legged frogs breed from November through March with earlier breeding records occurring in southern localities. California red-legged frogs are often prolific breeders, typically laying their eggs during or shortly after large rainfall events in late winter and early spring. Embryos hatch 6 to 14 days after fertilization, and larvae require 3.5 to 7 months to attain metamorphosis.

The California red-legged frog has been extirpated or nearly extirpated from 70 percent of its former range."

From: Helping Our Peninsula's Environment
Picture of California Red-legged Frog from: sfbaywildlife

illumination of the altar at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel

"A similar illumination at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel, perhaps the most famous of California's 21 missions. This one, however, occurs on the summer solstice in June, the longest day of the year.

"The illumination of the altar during the 2003 summer solstice at Mission San Carlos Borremeo in Carmel."
From: San Francisco Chronicle

idolatry which has been found among these natives

"The kind of idolatry which has been found among these natives is that they sometimes smoke, blowing the smoke to the sun, the moon, and to certain people who they believe live in the sky; and with this they say: "Here goes this smoke in order that you will give me good weather to-morrow." Thus also of the seeds which they gather and of which they make pinole or flour. Of these they throw a handful to the sun, the moon, or the sky, saying: "I send you this so that another year you will give me greater abundance." Thus they recognize in the sun and the moon influences bearing upon their necessities, and recognize also that in the sky there is another people which sends them what they wish, and for this reason they offer them flour, seeds, and tobacco smoke."

From: A MISSION RECORD OF THE CALIFORNIA INDIANS(1811)
Picture of "the famous images in the caves near Tassajara."on xasauan today

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Los Padres Dam

"The Los Padres Dam, built in 1949, is located on Carmel River 25 miles upstream from the ocean. Its original capacity was 3,030 acre-feet."

From: Wikipedia
Picture from: Chachagua