#indigenous sacred natural sites

[reasonsforhope]

"The Yurok will be the first Tribal nation to co-manage land with the National Park Service under a historic memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday [March 19, 2024] by the tribe, Redwood national and state parks, and the non-profit Save the Redwoods League, according to news reports.

The Yurok tribe has seen a wave of successes in recent years, successfully campaigning for the removal of a series of dams on the Klamath River, where salmon once ran up to their territory, and with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding, the Yurok are set to reclaim more of what was theirs.

Save the Redwoods League bought a property containing these remarkable trees in 2013, and began working with the tribe to restore it, planting 50,000 native plants in the process. The location was within lands the Yurok once owned but were taken during the Gold Rush period.

Centuries passed, and by the time it was purchased it had been used as a lumber operation for 50 years, and the nearby Prairie Creek where the Yurok once harvested salmon had been buried.

Currently located on the fringe of Redwoods National and State Parks which receive over 1 million visitors every year and is a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, the property has been renamed ‘O Rew, a Yurok word for the area.

“Today we acknowledge and celebrate the opportunity to return Indigenous guardianship to ‘O Rew and reimagine how millions of visitors from around the world experience the redwoods,” said Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League.

Having restored Prarie Creek and filled it with chinook and coho salmon, red-legged frogs, northwestern salamanders, waterfowl, and other species, the tribe has said they will build a traditional village site to showcase their culture, including redwood-plank huts, a sweat house, and a museum to contain many of the tribal artifacts they’ve recovered from museum collections.

Believing the giant trees sacred, they only use fallen trees to build their lodges.

“As the original stewards of this land, we look forward to working together with the Redwood national and state parks to manage it,” said Rosie Clayburn, the tribe’s cultural resources director.

It will add an additional mile of trails to the park system, and connect them with popular redwood groves as well as new interactive exhibits.

“This is a first-of-its-kind arrangement, where Tribal land is co-stewarded with a national park as its gateway to millions of visitors. This action will deepen the relationship between Tribes and the National Park Service,” said Redwoods National Park Superintendent Steve Mietz, adding that it would “heal the land while healing the relationships among all the people who inhabit this magnificent forest.”"

-via Good News Network, March 25, 2024

[wiisagi-maiingan]

“National parks have been vital in protecting huge swaths of land, including sacred sites and unique ecosystems, from land developers and other forms of destruction and are some of the last places in the continental United States where many animals are able to live safely from overhunting and unnecessary culls.”

and

“National parks are, just like the rest of the US, land stolen from indigenous people who are now denied access to the lands that their ancestors lived on and cared for for thousands of years, even when having access is vital for a community’s survival, whether that’s through food sources in the form of hunting/fishing/gathering or the ability to continue cultural practices.”

and

“National parks provide places for people to feel connected to nature and to able to observe plants and animals and land masses that they’d never be able to see otherwise, and many national parks also include other services like horseback riding lessons and educational events to help people better understand their planet.“

and

“National parks, including with the famous motto ‘take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints,’ push an ahistorical and frankly dangerous narrative that separates humans from nature, turning people into observers of our world instead of active participants, and does damage to the plants that adapted and evolved at the hands of foragers to benefit the most when they’re harvested.“

[bignaz8]

CHIEF MOUNTAIN, also known as Nínaiistáko in Blackfoot or "Old Chief" in English, is a prominent peak located on the border of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, United States, and Alberta, Canada. It is considered one of the most sacred sites for the Blackfeet Nation and holds significant cultural and spiritual importance.

The mountain and its surrounding area are part of the Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park, jointly designated as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. This designation reflects the cross-border cooperation between the United States and Canada in preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the region, including the sacred significance of the peak to indigenous peoples..

[nevzatboyraz44]

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park 😲😲😲, situated on the Arizona-Utah border in the southwestern United States, is a breathtaking landscape renowned for its iconic sandstone formations. Managed by the Navajo Nation, this park holds profound cultural and spiritual significance for the Navajo people, known as the Diné. The towering buttes, mesas, and spires that dominate the horizon are not only natural wonders but also integral to Navajo mythology and traditional ceremonies.

Visitors to Monument Valley can explore the park via a 17-mile scenic drive loop, offering unparalleled views of formations like the Mittens and Merrick Butte, which have become symbols of the American West. Navajo-guided tours provide deeper insights into the park's history, culture, and sacred sites, including ancient petroglyphs and traditional Navajo dwellings known as hogans.

The park's visitor center serves as a gateway for information, permits, and tour arrangements, emphasizing sustainable tourism practices that respect the environment and preserve Navajo heritage. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park stands as a testament to the enduring connection between the land and its indigenous stewards, inviting visitors to appreciate its natural beauty and cultural richness.

[wild-west-wind]

Hi 👋As a Park Ranger (interpretative, like me?), I assume you know all about how the NPS was formed- most of the land was brutally, illegally taken from the local tribes. I've been having a moral dilemma about my role in the national park system. I love educating the public and being a positive influence, but am I upholding an oppressive system? I know that if I were to switch to education or to museums, it'd be the same question. What I'm asking is: how do you reconcile with that?

I mean, this is true of all the land in the US, so it's bigger than the park service.

Before I dig into this as a white person, here's what Deb Haaland has to say:

I think that the Park Service has a lot to reckon with historically, and I think parks lately are showing some interest in trying to do that. From big parks like Yellowstone bringing diverse Indigenous stakeholders to to table on management decisions while also supplying buffalo to regrow and strengthen herds thousands of miles away, to Canyon de Chelly's requirement that tourists travel into the canyon only with a Navajo guide in recognition of the location's sacred nature, to Pipestone National Monument celebrating ongoing traditional pipestone quarrying, to advocacy for protection by the Department of the Interior at Bears Ears.

As a (pretty much entirely) white interp ranger, I understand that I'm living in someone else's home, but I was living in someone else's home when I lived in LA too, and none of that is unique to the US. And honestly I think, for the tremendous flaws of the National Park idea, at least we try to preserve things. In a lot of colonial nations that hasn't been the case.

I think more National Park Sites should form better relationships with local tribal governments, and see what they want. Different people have different relationships with different places, and will want different things. I think the Park Service should open the door to co management more, and encourage more opportunities for Indigenous people to tell their own stories and not leave it all in the hands of randos like us. I think we're moving the right direction in that regard.

The fact of the matter, in the end, is that none of this begins or ends with the Park Service. It's a puzzle piece, a tool used to enact, enforce, repair, undo, and uphold the ideals of a nation that has never effectively dealt with its past, present, or future. I think protecting land from development and preserving natural spaces is a valuable, albeit naive, goal. It can't be done in a vacuum though. As I look toward a future of the National Parks, I see a lot more Native involvement in their management. That will look different in each site, in reflection of the different cultures there. I can't speak to what that will look like for anywhere in particular, but it is happening already, and as educators it's part of our job to explain the whys and hows of that to people who don't get it, and who think sharing will mean losing something they love. At the end of the day, that thing they loved was broken, and there is good momentum behind fixing it, and most people can understand that given time.

I think it's good that you feel guilty. It means you're paying attention. I think the important thing now is to turn that into momentum and passion. Figure out what you can do and do it.

[blackhistorystoryteller]

Embracing African Heritage: The Significance of Shrines and Religion

Africa, often referred to as the cradle of humanity, boasts a rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and spiritual beliefs that have endured for millennia. Central to this heritage are the sacred shrines and profound religious practices that serve as pillars of community, identity, and connection to the divine.

Shrines, both natural and constructed, hold a special place in African spirituality. These sites are often nestled in the heart of communities or hidden within the vast landscapes of the continent. From the iconic pyramids of Egypt to the humble groves of the Yoruba in Nigeria, each shrine reflects a unique blend of history, mythology, and reverence for the ancestors.

One of the fundamental aspects of African religion is the veneration of ancestors. Ancestral shrines serve as focal points for prayers, offerings, and rituals aimed at honoring those who came before. These ancestors are believed to possess wisdom, guidance, and protection, and their spirits are invoked for blessings and assistance in times of need. In many African societies, the bond between the living and the dead is deeply cherished, with rituals and ceremonies reinforcing the interconnectedness of past, present, and future generations.

Moreover, African shrines are often associated with specific deities or spirits, each embodying different aspects of the natural world or human experience. Whether it's Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of love and fertility, or Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife, these divine entities are revered through elaborate ceremonies, dances, and sacrifices. Through these rituals, devotees seek communion with the divine and seek guidance in matters of health, prosperity, and spiritual growth.

However, the significance of African shrines extends beyond the realm of spirituality. They are also repositories of cultural knowledge, oral traditions, and historical narratives passed down through generations. Within the sacred precincts of these sites, elders impart wisdom, storytellers weave tales of heroism and creation, and artists imbue their craft with symbols and motifs that speak to the essence of African identity.

Unfortunately, the colonial era and the spread of Christianity and Islam have often marginalized indigenous African religions, dismissing them as primitive or pagan. Despite this, many communities continue to uphold their traditional beliefs, adapting them to the challenges of modernity while preserving their core values and rituals. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in African spirituality, fueled by a desire to reclaim cultural heritage and reconnect with ancestral roots.

In conclusion, African shrines and religion embody the resilience, diversity, and spirituality of the continent's people. They are more than just places of worship; they are living testaments to the enduring legacy of Africa's past and the enduring power of its traditions. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, embracing and honoring Africa's rich heritage is not only a matter of cultural preservation but also a celebration of the human spirit's boundless capacity for faith, creativity, and reverence for the divine.

[captainjonnitkessler]

"people seem to be basically advocating for the creation of an ethnostate" YES thank you, a government that is based on blood quantum is wrong on so many levels. Even if the feds were to give tribes the national parks or forests like i see a ton of people advocating for on Tumblr (not co-management but all management like i keep seeing), it would still be telling people with the wrong ethnicity that they're incapable of protecting, or possibly even visiting, public lands because they aren't a certain color. Indigenous people are an oppressed minority, no questions about that, and they should receive reparations for their generational abuse. But creating an ethnostate is not the answer. (I would've replied on main but people got really mad at me last time I said "this is literally promoting an ethnostate" so thank you for saying it out loud)

Yeah, I just don't think there's any way to lock public power behind an ethnicity requirement that isn't extremely fucked up. And it really bothers me how many people defend it with "well it'll be fine because Indigenous people are all perfectly good with a Connection To The Land! Only a colonizer would think people with absolute authority might abuse that authority!" You can argue about whether or which land should be returned, but do it without the Noble Savage racism, y'know?

It's also the exact line of defense Israel is using to justify its actions in Palestine and Lebanon. "It used to be ours, it's culturally significant, it's a sacred site, we were forced out so we have the right to take it back and to maintain our majority through an apartheid state". It's a really fucking dangerous line of thinking! Ethnostates are fucking bad, and when you say "this ethnicity should be placed in power", I think it's reasonable to be a little concerned about the implications of that!

And frankly the idea that indigenous people are better at environmentalism or have some sort of inherent connection to the land that nobody else does seems like an abdication of responsibility. I think it's true that many indigenous cultures prioritize environmentalism in a way that mainstream American culture doesn't, but that's not because they have magic fucking blood. You, too, can form a connection to the land! You can become an environmentalist! If enough of us do it, mainstream American culture will start to prioritize environmentalism as well! But that might involve educating yourself on local issues, contacting your representatives, voting in every election, or getting involved in a local environmentalist group, and y'know, that's a lot harder than posting online about how we should pass that responsibility onto someone else who's "naturally better at it".

[makapatag]

Art by the refulgent @lntpblk!

Anitu is the word for ritual worship across the Sword Isles. Sometimes, it also refers to the gods, souls, and ancestors worshipped to: Anito, Hanitu, hantu. They all arrive from a shared culture in the distant past when even gods were not born.

GUBAT BANWA is a martial arts fantasy tactics RPG set in the refulgent lands of THE SWORD ISLES, inspired by Classical Southeast Asian cultures! We're coming to KS on the 27th!

Anitu lore below the cut!

Anitu is less of an organized religion and more of a catch-all term for most faiths in the Isles, where most of them practice ancestor veneration, sacred worship nature, and ardent ritualism. Each banwa might not even call what they do “anitu” and might refer to it as some other word in their language: in North Rusunuga it is called pagsamba, while in the Eastern Jamiyin Kulisa’s Arrows it is referred to as Qiparjeyuhun, which is just “faith” or belief.  For the most part, only those in Gatusan’s mandala of effect recognizes Anitu as a term for a larger belief form.

The most prominent form of Anitu is Kangdayanon Anitu, which is the one practiced in the Gatusan Mahamandala’s center of power, Kangdaya. This version of Anitu has fully syncretized the Saiwa branch of Ashinin Religion, which brought the idea of a fully fledged pantheon and the idea of cosmic forces of gods in this realm. One important syncretism is the adoption of some ancestors turned into Gods, who are performed rituals to. One such god is Apung Makangayaw, the Dragon of Raiding, worshipped as a distant ancestor of Amihan, who became Rani Amiyah, the queen that Shri Bishaya married into to stake his claim into the island of Tauhaw. The gods Jamiyun Kulisa and Indira Suga also arrive from Saiwa Ashinin. 

Another important syncretism is the understanding of a cosmic soul, or a supreme oversoul. This is meant to be Siwa, but that name was quickly indigenized and understood to be Laon, the Ancient One, the name of the tallest mountain that can be seen from Tauhaw, Kanglaon. Laon means old, aged, ancient. It is said that Laon is THE Ancestor, from where all things arise.

Another important aspect brought in by Saiwa is the construction of grand temples meant to emulate the stories of the gods both celestial and chthonic. By creating these they believe they are bringing in Favor and Merit, making their lives more fortunate and enriching them with good omens. An important belief, when in the Sword Isles, as every city is subject to the sacred whims of the souls of the world—hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, droughts, thunderstorms. 

The word in Kangdayanon Anitu for temple is MAGDANTANG, and smaller versions of these temples are known as lantangan. Natural sites are worshipped and offered to as if they were magdantang. This is why every lake, mountain, hill, giant tree, river and every important shore and beach have lantangan for offerings. Stone structures are rare and only appear in the larger cities of Gatusan—they carved onto the side of hills and mountains, or from the rocks of said mountains after performing rituals to ask permission from the mountain gods to take stones for creating merit. The largest stone temple is in Kangdaya, which also acts as the Palace of the Ponong Raja. Other important sites are the Pagodas of Put’wan, the Holy Mountain of Kihadi-an, and the grand (yet now lost) temple city of Biringan, crafted by an ancient Samrasat Devaraja in the island of Mairete, now lost in its jungles. 

Kihadi-an is a grand monument complex constructed to mirror the mountain of Semedu, the grandest peak in all of Gubat Banwa. This name in Kangdayanon, Put’wanon, Ba-enense, and Apunon Anitu is attributed to be one of the regnal titles of APU DAYAWA, the grand mountain that juts out from the island of Kalanawan.

Finally, Anitu now recognizes Ashinin-style regnal titles and even the concept of god-kings, as brought by Shri-Bishaya’s retinue and royal court. Ponong Raja Batara Ambas now has a claim to a divine right to rule by way of being an avatar or an embodiment of Laon on the Warring Realms. Titles such as datu are considered a step below the title of Raja, and Maharaja. Ponong Raja means head Raja, and is a coveted title amongst all. According to the Kangdaynon balyan, the gods in the sky speak of the Uniter of the Hundred Hundred Islands, which they call the Langidagandraja, a fusion of the words LANGIT + DAGAT + INDRA + RAJA. Together, this name means HEAVEN-SEA GOD KING, as the conquerer of the entire sky and sea. This name is fabled and no man has a claim to this title. It cannot be gifted by the gods nor can it be achieved through enlightenment. It must be seized from hearts and minds of people.

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s3 episode 18 thoughts

was thinking about my evening scullynmulder time all day… and here we are <3

to be honest, i'm not sure how i feel about this episode. it was just kind of okay for me. nothing to make me loathe it (well- one thing that made me angry, but it was small, and i'll talk about it), but nothing too compelling for me plot-wise. that being said, sometimes hearing an alternate viewpoint can change my mind, or i'll put together pieces later that didn't connect right away while watching, and the light in which i view an episode can change. so no hard and fast rulings here.

i’m reading the episode description, and it seems to be about archaeological digs, and sacred items being transported where they shouldn’t be!! this is actually something i feel really strongly about!!!

(in fact, i had to cut a LOT of this episode recap down because i kept going on about anthropological ethics... then i straight up realized i needed to stfu <3)

we begin!

we are in ecuador, at a dig site. oh, a pot! and pottery shards. how exciting! someone is yelling about something they found, and everyone comes to look. i do not speak spanish but i think they are saying that this thing is a bad sign? shoutout to cognates and closed captions, two of my bestest friends

it has since started snowing since they found this thing, which dr. roosevelt proclaims to be an amaru, which is a bold sign. there is a skull in there.

anyway, the archaeologists are saying that the body of a female shaman is sacred, and that it cannot be disturbed. and i would say, yes of course! but dr. roosevelt is not chill like me, and says they aren’t disturbing her, but saving her. okay, so this is the sort of thing that has sadly been incredibly common in real life, disregard for Indigenous opinions on the treatment of their ancestors by so-called academics claiming to fight for history. he orders the archaeologists to pack it up despite their insistence that it isn’t a good idea.

a shaman appears on the mountains in the snow... which is not an auspicious sign, i would imagine.

so this dr. roosevelt is listening to his classical music while the archaeologists from the dig are conducting a ceremony with the mountain shaman. they are sipping from a spoon and passing it around. ah, it is a hallucinogen. things get all green vision-y.

something is coming… A BIG CAT!!! HAS EATEN DR. ROOSEVELT!!!!!! JAGUAR BE UPON YE!!!!!!!

deserved.

intro time. how i have come to love this pair and their blurry lil spooky scenes…. <3 

so now we are at the boston museum of natural history. a guard is about with a flashlight in the dark and i think he sees some blood?? YES LOTS OF BLOOD. literally so much blood omfg. and then behind all the blood is the amaru!!!

is it agents time? is it agents time? YAAAAAS AGENTS TIME!!!! they are investigating. and someone scully is talking to thinks that the murder victim- craig- was killed because of the project he was working on. 

OH! scully has a letter in her hands from the Secona demanding the return of their artifacts. yes yes! i hope the museum does the right thing at this urging (even though i know deep down they will not)

“it was among the antiquities we rescued last month”, says someone from the museum <- ohhhh you're going to jail for that self-righteous language. scully catches onto the “rescued” description. they claim that the area was going to undergo construction. um so i would ask why reburying it in a place slightly to the left where it wasn't going to get smashed by a pipeline wasn't considered as an option, and why we jumped straight to giving it to some dudes in boston.

mulder asks about the curse, which he is apparently well-versed in. the jaguar spirit will attack those who disturb the bones of the woman shaman. but this guy says he will NOT return the remains. a stubborn fool... 

a phd candidate helps them look at the urn, and mulder rightfully points out that if someone messed with his bones, he would also want a curse to be placed upon them. which is tea.

the phd candidate's name is mona, and she agrees that this should have been left in the ground, that craig didn’t know about the danger he was in, and she is aware of SEVERAL letters of protest. she reveals that Dr. Bilac, who was the liaison to the tribe, either resigned or was forced out by the head of the project, depending on who you ask, because he believed that “the Secona have the right to determine the fate of their ancestral remains” AS HE SHOULD!!

going to this guy’s house. he was at the dig. and frankly, i do think he is very attractive. but he seems a bit... out of it, to put it nicely. 

his house is full of artifacts and images of artifacts. he’s asking scully "who told you i was involved", and scully says mona. okay... i think it wasn’t really secret knowledge??? no need to be so defensive!

he clarifies that he objected when he felt dr. roosevelt went too far. and he says “you don’t want to know what i think happened” so mulder sits RIGHT NEXT TO HIM and clarifies that yes, yes they really would. i was sensing some undertones there.

dr. bilac says "i think whatever happened is going to keep happening until the bones are returned" <- a reasonable deduction.

he says their investigation is a waste of time. scully seems to think he is “the suspect”, suggesting that he would kill for his cause. she describes his politics as radical but... they really aren’t.

(and this was the part i mentioned objecting to in the beginning, her referring to "his politics" like that. however, i am reminded that some scientists, historians, and anthropologists genuinely take this position- that ancestral remains ought to be studied, wishes of their communities be damned- and therefore it is not entirely out of character for her to think like that, but it is something we'd get in a heated fight about)

and mulder does that thing where he puts his hand on her back. don’t think i missed that!!!!

they’re bickering about what really happened and i'm thinking, well no one knows yet, maybe it WAS a jaguar spirit.

OH! mona is on the phone saying someone is lying. and someone else is listening in. it’s dr. lewton who is eavesdropping. mona was on the phone with dr. bilac!!! so what was he lying to the agents about?!?

so lewton is saying that they have a responsibility to history and that they were doing the right thing and to ignore “the politics”... again with the politics comment. this is real-world rhetoric here that some people actually believe, but isn’t there something despicable about asking for respect for people's ancestors being called “politics”?

OH! dr. lewton is threatening mona's career…… oh! okay so he might be evil.

NO, THE DOOR CREAKS OPEN. MONA NO!! 

oh it’s just a dog :) his name is sugar :) yay i was scared for nothing :) hiii sugar ur really cute!

dr. lewton in the car. car isn’t starting!!!! that’s suspicious…. that’s weird…. he lifts up the hood. and we hear a heavy breathing and see stuff from a blurry green point of view....

the hood is full of BLOOD??? which he touches btw... NASTY! but what is even nastier is the dragging and screaming and ripping we hear now going on to him... and thus is the end of dr. lewton

(hmm are they gonna say bilac is transforming into the jaguar? and that’s why we heard a man breathing?? <- no they will not, past me, but it was a compelling guess)

scully plucks a dead rat from inside the car. “label that”, she says to a police officer, placing it in a bag. “as what?” “partial rat body part” <- i don’t know why this is making me cry laughing 

mona is being questioned. she lies and says lewton didn’t mention dr. bilac last night. LIAR. anyway! scully gives her her card and says to give her a call if anything comes to mind

mulder in the woods with the police. and the green vision-y thing sees him!!! from in a tree!!!

but then scully comes in bearing news of rats in the museum and in his car. she thinks mona knows something and is trying to protect bilac. which is also what i am thinking. perhaps scully's entrance saved mulder from the green visioned being pouncing upon him.

GASP! a drop of blood falls upon mulder’s face whilst still in the woods, and he thinks it’s rain. she wipes it off and looks up to find… ENTRAILS IN A TREE!!!!!! icky.

and is there tenderness in wiping a strange blood from an unknown source off of your partner's face while they kneel in the woods? yes.

mona is at dr. bilac’s place. he isn’t answering. oh, she calls him “lonnie”... so are they chill or something? anyway, he doesn’t seem to be in there.

EXCEPT HE IS! he was in the dark and yelled at her for trying to touch the windows. behaving like a vampire.

he has no reaction to learning that dr. lewton is dead, but he sure is sweaty and gaunt. he said he told mona not to come. aggressively.

OH! he has the stuff on the floor he had taken with the tribe with the shared spoon at the start of the episode. which he calls “vine of the soul”. she knows what that means- yaje- and does NOT like that. she grabs it and tells him he is sick and needs help. but he yells at her to get out :( and she is crying :( why are you hurting her....

AUTOPSY TIME ft. doctor scully!!! it’s a human intestine. LMAOOOO she found sunflower seeds in it and mulder says he is “a man of taste” 

oh! she says it looks like rats did the biting. love when she says unsettling stuff like that.

phone call time now. it’s mona calling scully. she’s crying at the museum, and the dog is barking as she says she feels she isn’t alone. scully deploys mulder to the scene.

there is a box that says teso dos bichos which is the name of the episode. google says it translates to "i have two bugs" but i don't fully believe that. anyway, as she goes to touch the urn the dog keeps barking. it’s a very very cute dog. 

she hears something going wild in the bathroom. like an earthquake in the toilets. and the toilets are full of RATS who are climbing OUT AT HER AND SHE SCREAMS AND YES ME TOO I AM ALSO SCREAMING????

scully at dr. bilac’s house. very tense music is playing and his door is wide open!!! she finds the bowls of the stuff while mulder is at the museum looking for mona or any sort of clues. 

mulder bumps onto the security guard, who tries to take him to mona. pls don't hurt my girl i'm rooting for her to get that phd.

scully is reading from dr. bilac’s journal, which describes a jaguar climbing from the trees, and mulder thinks well maybe that is how the intestines got up there, but she says he’s been tripping. two things can be true!! 

she says he has been invoking the curse. but as she says this, mulder rounds a corner and sees a LOT of blood. he enters the bathroom with a flourish of his gun. and finds dr. bilac! who only says “she’s dead” 

they bring him in for questioning- very suspicious for him to be in the bloody bathroom- but he claims he doesn’t know where mona is. 

oh, very very tense exchange. “i did not kill her” “then why do you have blood on your clothes?” scully is NOT messing around

he claims he was afraid for mona and tried to keep her away from this. she says point blank that he did it, but he is like no, you are dealing with a spirit. and he doesn’t know where her body is. 

mulder is troubled. he notices that all the toilets overflowed. oh! the rats were still in there. “rats. in every toilet” <- very serious show we are dealing with 

NO!!! mona's dog died :( the dog ate a cat that ate a rat that ate poison. mulder thinks this is suspicious. she says a lot of old buildings have rats. again, two things can be true!

he thinks the rats were trying to escape. and SOMEHOW bilac is gone. mulder seems to think that perhaps bilac animorphed into a rat? or he was dragged down into some old tunnels. because they did find blood!!!

tunnel time tunnel time! he tries the ladies first card but it does not work. oooh spooky dark tunnel. 

there is a creature down here!!!! with the green vision!!! a cat hisses. i mean if there are a lot of rats this is a banger place to be a cat but i’m still suspicious.

they follow a rat deeper into the tunnels and find a door. scully goes in the door but mulder went the other way. WHY DID HE DO THAT!!! NEVER SEPARATE IN THE TUNNELS.

mulder is looking at a rat. cute little dude. then calls for scully. HE HAS FOUND ALL OF THE BODIES!!! AND THEY HAVE BEEN GNAWED EEEW 

and the green vision thing sees them! oh! it is a cat. but just a little one. not a big scary one. 

OH!! a LOT OF CATS!!

NO!!! they are GETTING HER!!! LIKE SO MANY CATS!!!! and there is blood pouring from her face. despite this she finds bilac who is very dead. 

a large army of cats is trying to break in while they try to get out. he pulls her up and guides her out. 

aww her face is all scratched up :( pls test her for rabies this is soooo evil!!!

oh! the ecuadorian ambassador is coming to collect the urn. so success but at what cost.

mulder wraps up the episode. the archaeologists are reburying the urn. we see the shaman’s eyes go all green like the cats did!!!

so it was her doing the stuff!!! well. she needed to be returned home.

collecting my thoughts on the matter. 

well, first off, an ecuadorian jaguar spirit turning into a mass of wild rats and cats in boston is so funny so let’s establish that. 

second of all. i’m always hesitant to comment upon episodes that use indigenous people and beliefs as a plot point/scary thing of the week. so i’m going to have to admit i don’t know enough to comment on that. 

what i can comment upon is the very real trafficking of antiquities, destruction of archaeological sites, and above all, blatant insensitivity of academics historically thinking they are “saving” what they are plundering. it is a very real thing. and i talked about it a LOT more in the original draft of this but realized i ought to spare you. dm for reading recs tho

overall, i thought the episode was okay. i wasn’t really sure what they were doing with bilac, but i guess he was summoning the curse? but it kept going after he died. so i’m a little unclear on the rules of the curse here tbh. 

honestly not enough scully and mulder time for me, which is why it wasn't really a stand out to me, even if i thought the concept was fascinating.

but sometimes my opinions change and i'm open to hearing thoughts on the matter slash things i missed! like i'm still not fully getting the episode title so pls feel free to explain that.

[magickkate]

Today's topic is relatively serious, witches! Let's unravel the enchanting tapestry of Wicca, witchcraft, and paganism, shall we? While these terms are often used interchangeably, they each have their own unique traditions, beliefs, and practices. Here's a glimpse into their similarities and differences:

Wicca: Wicca is a modern pagan religion that was developed in the mid-20th century by figures such as Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente. It is centered around the worship of nature and the reverence of the divine, often symbolized by a god and goddess representing the masculine and feminine energies of the universe. Wiccans celebrate seasonal festivals, known as Sabbats, and honor the cycles of the moon in their rituals. Wicca emphasizes personal responsibility, ethical behavior, and the practice of magic as a tool for spiritual growth and transformation.

Witchcraft: Witchcraft, on the other hand, is a practice rather than a religion. It encompasses a wide range of magical traditions, beliefs, and practices that are rooted in ancient folk magic, shamanism, and occultism. Witches may or may not adhere to a specific religious belief system, and their practices can vary greatly depending on individual preferences and cultural influences. Witchcraft is often associated with spellcasting, herbalism, divination, and connecting with the energies of the natural world.

Paganism: Paganism is a broad umbrella term that encompasses a diverse array of spiritual traditions and practices that are rooted in pre-Christian, indigenous, or nature-based religions. Paganism honors the sacredness of the earth and the divine energies that permeate all living things. It includes traditions such as Druidry, Heathenry, Hellenism, and various forms of polytheism, animism, and pantheism. Pagans celebrate seasonal festivals, honor ancestral spirits, and cultivate a deep connection with the natural world.

While Wicca, witchcraft, and paganism share some common themes, such as reverence for nature and the practice of magic, they are distinct paths with their own beliefs, practices, and communities. Some practitioners may identify with one or more of these paths, while others may follow their own unique spiritual journey. Whatever path you choose, embrace the magic within you and follow your intuition as you explore the mysteries of the universe. 🌙✨

In the realm of spiritual practices and religions, some traditions are considered "closed," meaning they are intended for specific cultural or ethnic groups and are not open to outsiders or those who do not belong to those groups. The reasons for a tradition being closed vary and can include cultural preservation, respect for ancestral traditions, and the protection of sacred knowledge. Here are some examples of closed practices or religions and why they are considered as such:

Native American Spirituality: Many Indigenous tribes and nations have spiritual practices that are considered closed to outsiders. These traditions are deeply rooted in specific cultural contexts and are passed down through generations within tribal communities. Outsiders are often discouraged from appropriating or practicing these traditions out of respect for Indigenous sovereignty and the protection of sacred ceremonies and knowledge.

Vodou (Voodoo): Vodou is a syncretic religion that originated in Haiti and West Africa, blending elements of African spiritual traditions with Catholicism. It is considered a closed religion because it is deeply intertwined with Haitian culture and history and is traditionally practiced within specific communities. Outsiders are generally not encouraged to practice Vodou without proper initiation and training, as it involves working with powerful spirits and deities.

Shinto: Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan and is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history. It involves the worship of kami (spirits or deities) and the practice of rituals at shrines and sacred sites. While Shinto is open to participation by anyone, certain aspects of Shinto practice, such as the inner workings of Shinto priesthood and some shrine rituals, are considered closed to outsiders.

Certain forms of Witchcraft: Some forms of witchcraft, particularly those rooted in specific cultural traditions or lineages, may be considered closed practices. For example, some forms of African diasporic witchcraft, such as Hoodoo and Santeria, are traditionally practiced within specific cultural communities and are not open to outsiders without proper training and initiation.

It's important to approach spiritual practices with respect, humility, and sensitivity to cultural and historical contexts. While it's natural to be curious about different traditions, it's essential to recognize and honor the boundaries of closed practices and to seek guidance and permission from practitioners within those traditions before engaging with them.

In closed practices, certain aspects are not open for use or appropriation by individuals who do not belong to the specific cultural or ethnic groups associated with those practices. These aspects often include:

Sacred Rituals and Ceremonies: Closed practices typically involve sacred rituals, ceremonies, and rites that are deeply rooted in specific cultural or ancestral traditions. These rituals may involve working with powerful spirits, deities, or ancestors and are considered sacred and highly respected within the community. Outsiders are generally not permitted to participate in or appropriate these rituals without proper initiation and training.

Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom: Closed practices often involve the transmission of traditional knowledge, wisdom, and teachings that are passed down through generations within cultural communities. This knowledge may include spiritual beliefs, practices, herbal remedies, and magical techniques that are specific to the cultural context and are not meant to be shared with outsiders without permission.

Sacred Objects and Symbols: Certain sacred objects, symbols, and artifacts are considered sacred within closed practices and are used in rituals and ceremonies as vessels for spiritual energy or as tools for communication with spiritual forces. These objects may include ritual implements, sacred plants, and religious symbols that hold deep significance within the cultural context. Outsiders are generally not permitted to use or appropriate these objects without proper understanding and respect for their meaning and purpose.

Initiation and Training: In many closed practices, initiation into the tradition and proper training are essential prerequisites for engaging in spiritual practices and rituals. Initiation ceremonies often involve a formal process of acceptance into the community and may include teachings, rituals, and oaths of allegiance. Proper training under the guidance of experienced practitioners is necessary to ensure the safe and respectful practice of closed traditions.

Cultural Appropriation: Outsiders are cautioned against appropriating elements of closed practices without proper understanding, respect, and authorization from the cultural community. Cultural appropriation involves the unauthorized use, adoption, or exploitation of cultural elements by individuals who do not belong to that culture, often resulting in the distortion, commodification, or trivialization of sacred traditions and practices.

It's important to approach closed practices with humility, respect, and a willingness to learn from and honor the cultural context from which they arise. Seek guidance from experienced practitioners within the community and always ask permission before engaging with sacred rituals, objects, or knowledge.

I really recommend doing your own research of what is and isn't sacred or closed practices for the sake of your own reputation as well as for the sake of yourself. There are many good collections of information available. This website provides alternatives as well. This website also highlights the new interests in witchcraft recently and notes the closed and sacred practices and why.

[blueiscoool]

Eight Mummies and Pre-Inca Artifacts Discovered in Peru

Peruvian gas workers made an astonishing discovery beneath the ancient streets of Lima this week — uncovering eight mummies and a number of Pre-Inca artifacts.

“We are recovering those leaves of the lost history of Lima that is just hidden under the tracks and streets,” said Jesus Bahamonde, an archaeologist with Calidda, the company that distributes natural gas to the 10 million residents of Peru’s capital city.

Since the company began expanding its gas line system nearly two decades ago, they’ve racked up more than 1,900 archeological finds — including mummies, pottery, and textiles, Bahamonde said.

In the most recent discovery, the eight mummified males were found bundled up in the trench, wrapped in cotton cloth and tied with ropes braided from vines. Workers found the bodies about a foot below the ground.

Archeologists with the gas company believe the men belonged to a pre-Inca culture called Ichma, which formed around A.D. 1100 and flourished in the valleys around Lima until it was absorbed into the Inca Empire in the late 15th century.

Roberto Quispe, an archeologist who worked in the trench, sad the mummified bodies are likely two adults and six minors.

Lima, now an urban economic hub, has been occupied by humans for more than 10,000 years, from the Pre-Incan cultures to the Spanish conquistadors who claimed the land in the 16th century.

Many archeological finds have proven to be from more recent times.

In 2018, Quispe and other archaeologists working in the La Flor neighborhood found wooden coffins holding three Chinese immigrants buried in the 19th century.

The bodies were found alongside opium pipes, hand-rolled cigarettes, shoes, Chinese playing cards, a Peruvian silver coin minted in 1898 and a certificate of completion of employment contract, written and Spanish and dated 1875.

The eight mummies were found amidst braised chicken restaurants and a road that leads to Peru’s only nuclear power station.

“When the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century they found an entire population living in the three valleys that today occupy Lima … what we have is a kind of historical continuation,” Bahamonde said.

Most of the archaeological sites uncovered by Calidda have been burial sites discovered on flat ground, Bahamonde said.

Aso scattered throughout the urbanized city are more than 400 larger archeological sites, known in the indigenous Quechua language as “huacas,” which are sacred adobe constructions typically found on hilltops.

By Patrick Reilly.

[reasonsforhope]

Interior Department Announces New Guidance to Honor and Elevate Hawaiian Language

"In commemoration of Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian Language Month, and in recognition of its unique relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community, the Department of the Interior today announced new guidance on the use of the Hawaiian language.  

A comprehensive new Departmental Manual chapter underscores the Department’s commitment to further integrating Indigenous Knowledge and cultural practices into conservation stewardship.  

“Prioritizing the preservation of the Hawaiian language and culture and elevating Indigenous Knowledge is central to the Biden-Harris administration's work to meet the unique needs of the Native Hawaiian Community,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “As we deploy historic resources to Hawaiʻi from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is committed to ensuring our internal policies and communications use accurate language and data."  

Department bureaus and offices that engage in communication with the Native Hawaiian Community or produce documentation addressing places, resources, actions or interests in Hawaiʻi will use the new guidance on ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) for various identifications and references, including flora and fauna, cultural sites, geographic place names, and government units within the state.  The guidance recognizes the evolving nature of ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi and acknowledges the absence of a single authoritative source. While the Hawaiian Dictionary (Pukui & Elbert 2003) is designated as the baseline standard for non-geographic words and place names, Department bureaus and offices are encouraged to consult other standard works, as well as the Board on Geographic Names database.  

Developed collaboratively and informed by ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi practitioners, instructors and advocates, the new guidance emerged from virtual consultation sessions and public comment in 2023 with the Native Hawaiian Community. 

The new guidance aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to strengthening relationships with the Native Hawaiian Community through efforts such as the Kapapahuliau Climate Resilience Program and Hawaiian Forest Bird Keystone Initiative. During her trip to Hawaiʻi in June, Secretary Haaland emphasized recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge, promoting co-stewardship, protecting sacred sites, and recommitting to meaningful and robust consultation with the Native Hawaiian Community."

-via US Department of the Interior press release, February 1, 2024

--

Note: I'm an editor so I have no idea whether this comes off like as big a deal as it potentially is. But it is potentially going to establish and massively accelerate the adoption of correctly written Native Hawaiian language, as determined by Native Hawaiians.

Basically US government communications, documentations, and "style guides" (sets of rules to follow about how to write/format/publish something, etc.) can be incredibly influential, especially for topics where there isn't much other official guidance. This rule means that all government documents that mention Hawai'i, places in Hawai'i, Hawaiian plants and animals, etc. will have to be written the way Native Hawaiians say it should be written, and the correct way of writing Hawaiian conveys a lot more information about how the words are pronounced, too, which could spread correct pronunciations more widely.

It also means that, as far as the US government is concerned, this is The Correct Way to Write the Hawaiian Language. Which, as an editor who just read the guidance document, is super important. That's because you need the 'okina (' in words) and kahakō in order to tell apart sizeable sets of different words, because Hawaiian uses so many fewer consonants, they need more of other types of different sounds.

And the US government official policy on how to write Hawaiian is exactly what editors, publishers, newspapers, and magazines are going to look at, sooner or later, because it's what style guides are looking at. Style guides are the official various sets of rules that books/publications follow; they're also incredibly detailed - the one used for almost all book publishing, for example, the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS), is over a thousand pages long.

One of the things that CMoS does is tell you the basic rules of and what specialist further sources they think you should use for writing different languages. They have a whole chapter dedicated to this. It's not that impressive on non-European languages yet, but we're due for a new edition (the 18th) of CMoS in the next oh two to four years, probably? Actually numbering wise they'd be due for one this year, except presumably they would've announced it by now if that was the case.

I'm expecting one of the biggest revisions to the 18th edition to add much more comprehensive guidance on non-Western languages. Considering how far we've come since 2017, when the last one was released, I'll be judging the shit out of them if they do otherwise. (And CMoS actually keep with the times decently enough.)

Which means, as long as there's at least a year or two for these new rules/spellings/orthographies to establish themselves before the next edition comes out, it's likely that just about every (legit) publisher will start using the new rules/spellings/orthographies.

And of course, it would expand much further from there.

[not-available-for-comment]

Y’all I am So Excited about this. The Serpent Mound and the other Hopewell mounds are one of the few genuinely cool things about Ohio

Excerpts:

"In the past we might sometimes say 'Hopewell culture' or 'Hopewell people,' but what we really understand 'Hopewell' to be now is not a new peoples," explains Bill Kennedy, site manager and site archeologist at Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve. "It's a new religious movement of people. It's happening all throughout eastern North America. It reaches a fluorescence, though, in southern Ohio that it doesn't reach anywhere else."

…Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe, who was involved in the earthworks nomination, also sees its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a step toward combating racist and ignorant stereotypes about his people and his ancestors.

"They're great civil engineers. They're artists, they're astronomers, mathematicians, and for my people, that's not the way that Shawnee people, or any Indigenous peoples in this country, are typically portrayed in media," he says.

In addition, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks address gaps in the World Heritage List identified by the World Heritage Committee. Specifically, a lack of sites representing pre-contact Indigenous American sacred architecture and sites that represent early understandings of science, culture and astronomy.

…Today no federally recognized tribes remain in Ohio. They were all forcibly removed in the 17 and 1800s. Yet it was their ancestors who created these massive feats of design and engineering.

Glenna Wallace is chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and has been active in the World Heritage process. She says inscription on the World Heritage List is part of her mission to teach people about the earthworks that her ancestors built.

She says their inclusion would not be an ending, but another beginning.

"Our people may have been forced away from that place, and they may have disappeared, but what they built, what they constructed, what their values were, that's still there and that should be protected," she states.

"That's the reason for World Heritage."

In becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, Wallace says she hopes the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks will finally attain the reverence and respect they deserve.

See the linked article for more details!

[notwiselybuttoowell]

California’s Yurok Tribe, which had 90% of its territory taken from it during the gold rush of the mid-1800s, will be getting a slice of its land back to serve as a new gateway to Redwood national and state parks visited by 1 million people a year.

The Yurok will be the first Native people to manage tribal land with the National Park Service under a historic memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday by the tribe, Redwood national and state parks and the non-profit Save the Redwoods League.

The agreement “starts the process of changing the narrative about how, by whom and for whom we steward natural lands”, Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League, said in a statement.

The return of the 125 acres (50 hectares) of land – named ’O Rew in the Yurok language – more than a century after it was stolen from California’s largest tribe is proof of the “sheer will and perseverance of the Yurok people”, said Rosie Clayburn, the tribe’s cultural resources director. “We kind of don’t give up.”

For the tribe, redwoods are considered living beings and traditionally only fallen trees have been used to build their homes and canoes.

“As the original stewards of this land, we look forward to working together with the Redwood national and state parks to manage it,” Clayburn said. “This is work that we’ve always done, and continued to fight for, but I feel like the rest of world is catching up right now and starting to see that Native people know how to manage this land the best.”

The property is at the heart of the tribe’s ancestral land and was taken in the 1800s to exploit its old-growth redwoods and other natural resources, the tribe said. Save the Redwoods League bought the property in 2013 and began working with the tribe and others to restore it.

Much of the property was paved over by a lumber operation that worked there for 50 years and also buried Prairie Creek, where salmon would swim upstream from the Pacific to spawn.

Plans for ’O Rew include a traditional Yurok village of redwood plank houses and a sweat house. There also will be a new visitor and cultural center displaying scores of sacred artefacts from deerskins to baskets that have been returned to the tribe from university and museum collections, Clayburn said.

It will add more than a mile (1.6km) of new trails, including a new segment of the California Coastal Trail, with interpretive exhibits. The trails will connect to many of the existing trails inside the parks, including to popular old-growth redwood groves.

The tribe had already been restoring salmon habitat for three years on the property, building a meandering stream channel, two connected ponds and about 20 acres (8 hectares) of floodplain while dismantling a defunct mill site. Crews also planted more than 50,000 native plants, including grass-like slough sedge, black cottonwood and coast redwood trees.

Salmon were once abundant in rivers and streams running through these redwood forests, But dams, logging, development and drought – due in part to the climate crisis – have destroyed the waterways and threatened many of these species. Last year, recreational and commercial king salmon fishing seasons were closed along much of the west coast due to near-record low numbers of the iconic fish returning to their spawning grounds.

The tribe will take ownership in 2026 of the land near the tiny northern California community of Orick in Humboldt county after restoration of a local tributary, Prairie Creek, is complete under the deal.

A growing Land Back movement has been returning Indigenous homelands to the descendants of those who lived there for millennia before European settlers arrived. That has seen Native American tribes taking a greater role in restoring rivers and lands to how they were before they were expropriated.

Last week, a 2.2-acre (0.9-hectare) parking lot was returned to the Ohlone people where they established the first human settlement beside San Francisco Bay 5,700 years ago. In 2022, more than 500 acres (200 hectares) of redwood forest on the Lost Coast were returned the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council, a group of 10 tribes.

The ’O Rew property represents just a tiny fraction of the more than 500,000 acres of the ancestral land of the Yurok, whose reservation straddles the lower 44 miles (70km) of the Klamath River. The Yurok tribe is also helping lead efforts in the largest dam removal project in US history along the California-Oregon border to restore the Klamath and boost the salmon population.

The Redwoods national park superintendent, Steve Mietz, praised the restoration of the area and its return to the tribe, saying it is “healing the land while healing the relationships among all the people who inhabit this magnificent forest”.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Amid the corporate events pervading New York’s “Climate Week,” an international people’s tribunal held an emotional hearing that spotlighted the ecosystems and people living in the shadow of fossil fuel projects. 

Representatives from communities around the world, scientists and advocates told stories of human and nonhuman forced displacement, degraded heath, ruined economies and lost histories to the International Tribunal on the Rights of Nature on Sunday. 

In India, coal mines are degrading the habitat of endangered elephants sacred to Adivasi Indigenous people. In Louisiana, petrochemical facilities are being built on sacred grave sites. In East Africa, construction of a new oil pipeline is displacing communities and slicing through the homes of giraffes, lions and hippopotamuses. And in Peru, communities that have endured decades of crude oil production and more than 1,000 oil spills are facing down installation of a new refinery and expanding operations.

The testimonies, sweeping in both their global reach and in the harms alleged, were gathered to create a repository of evidence linking the “fossil fuel era” to violations of humans’ and nature’s rights. 

The tribunal, now in its sixth session since 2014, is designed to probe alleged violations of the 2010 Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth, which recognizes nature as a living being with inherent rights, including the rights to exist and evolve.  

“Just as human beings have human rights, all other beings also have rights which are specific to their species,” the nonbinding declaration says. The declaration was written during a 2010 people’s conference in Cochabamba, Bolivia, following a disappointing United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen a year earlier.

The tribunal is part of the growing “rights of nature” movement, which since 2006 has also created binding laws and judicial precedent recognizing nature’s rights. Today, more than a dozen countries have such laws on the books, including Ecuador, Panama, Spain, New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia and Uganda. But few countries have taken steps to enforce the laws. 

The advocacy group Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature created the tribunal to showcase how a legal system recognizing nature’s rights might work. Past hearings have taken on cases like the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, lithium mining in Chile’s Atacama Desert and the impact of free trade agreements on the environment. In each case, “defendant” companies and governments are invited to participate but generally decline to do so. Though the rulings are nonbinding, the tribunal’s website says its work pressures governments by drawing international attention to issues. 

[cookinguptales]

yamagata (part one)

So last October, my father and I rented a car and drove around Yamagata, Japan. We were there mostly because I'm a terrible little nerd and I really wanted to see the Dewa Sanzan, but we also stayed the night in an onsen town in the middle of a volcanic caldera.

The trip didn't go entirely to plan... I meant to have three days so we could more thoroughly explore the sacred mountains, but it ended up storming terribly for a couple days, so hiking... Not ideal...

I have mobility issues (and Dad was recovering from an injury) so I have to be pretty careful while doing stairs in the first place, so... doing it during a storm... It just wasn't going to happen. Still, though! We got to see a lot of cool things and we had a nice time.

Explanations and photos under the cut!

To begin with, the Dewa Sanzan are a set of three extremely sacred mountains in Yamagata Prefecture. The three mountains are Hagurosan, Gassan, and Yudonosan. That's also the order in which they're meant to be hiked, and each mountain increases in sacrality.

Which religion are they sacred to? Well... that's kind of a complicated question. When Buddhism came to Japan in the 6th century, it entered into a sort of (sometimes awkward) alliance with Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan. (...more or less...)

You hear the term shinbutsu shūgō a lot around the mountains of Yamagata. Basically speaking, this refers to the syncretic religion created by combining elements of Shinto and Buddhism. There's another concept, honji suijaku, which explains how this was accomplished. The idea is that Buddhist deities were manifesting themselves on earth as Japanese kami, or the indigenous spirits that made up Shinto. In other words, the idea was that when Japanese people were seeing kami, they were actually seeing Buddhist deities who were disguising themselves in order to better spread the precepts of Buddhism.

These syncretic kami-buddha(/bodhisattva) pairs were called gongen. This part's important for where I'm going next.

This syncretic religion wasn't really cohesive or regulated throughout Japan. There wasn't one set list of sacred texts or one set person in charge to make rules, y'know? It spread around Japan largely organically, so there was a lot of variation in belief systems, rituals, etc. Some people would identify more with the Shinto side of things, some more with the Buddhist side.

What I was interested in, and why I went all the way out there, was a mountain ascetic religion called shugendō. Shugendō was a religion primarily practiced in the remote mountains of Japan, and it centered largely around the worship of gongen as well as submersing oneself in nature to meditate. It wasn't exactly easy to learn about where I went to school in Kyoto, so I jumped at the chance to rent a car and go see some mountains that were very sacred to shugendō practitioners, or yamabushi.

(I had originally also had us going to see the Kumano shrines in Wakayama, but after Dad got hurt, I cut a lot of walking out of the trip. So we chose Yamagata because you could drive right up to a lot of the shrines.)

Now, during the Meiji period, Shinto and Buddhism were forcibly separated by the government. (I won't get into the whys right now.) When that happened, a lot of syncretic sites were forced to either choose to be one or the other or be physically destroyed by the government. On Dewa Sanzan, most of the shugendō sites decided to convert to Shinto. It makes it kind of odd, when you're walking around a Shinto shrine that still clearly, clearly has a lot of Buddhist influence...

One of my big interests, when it comes to religious studies, is syncretic religions, so I've been wanting to learn more about all this for ages. But, due to the purposeful destruction of religious orders/sites as well as the remote locations... well, it's been hard. I was PUMPED to get out there.

lmao now that I've given you all a mini history lecture...

Yamagata!

Now, the first day, Dad and I rented a car in Yamagata City and drove out to Hijiori Onsen. It was really out in the middle of nowhere and honestly? Big Spirited Away vibes. I'm over here explaining the concept of kamikakushi to Dad and he is like. Not loving it.

Add to that the fact that it was raining and dreary and kind of awful, and the whole situation was just spooky.

Hijiori Onsen is also known for something in particular -- a thing that I forgot to tell dad about. They're known for making kokeshi dolls, which I guess explained.... uh. what we encountered on the drive up.

Oh? What's that in the distance?

A giant, deeply creepy kokeshi?

The terrible weather and empty countryside really did not make these things more reassuring.

I will be honest with you, the whole area kind of had Fatal Frame vibes lmao.

BUT when we finally made it to Hijiori Onsen, it was really lovely.

This was our ryokan, aka the only one that had an elevator and would allow my father's tattoos lmao.

And oh look, more kokeshi. lmao

It was kind of fun to see the traditional fall decorations (the persimmons) next to more modern Halloween ones.

It was really lovely inside, though, and this was the view from our room.

They also had a lot of local snacks, which was fun to try. (Pictured: apple cookies, green tea, and... I want to say candied burdock root?)

The food was a recurring theme, tbh. They fed us so much that my Dad was like no ;; please ;; we'll die ;;

More kokeshi, this time in the form of a chopsticks rest.

(Yes, I did buy myself one of their kokeshi at a shop in town before we left, lmao.)

The dining room was pretty, with traditional braziers, soy sauce jars, etc.

Seriously, though, dinner lasted for like two hours and they must have brought dozens of little dishes.

They cooked the local beef and vegetables inside giant leaves, which was fun and tasted really nice. Kiritanpo rice balls... Sesame-crusted fish...

Even things I wasn't expecting to like as much, like the horse sashimi (🥲) and the fried fish bones were pretty good. (Honestly, horse is a little flavorless for me, but the fish bones were surprisingly good.)

I won't show photos of everything (we'd be here all day) but one more highlight of dinner was the imoni, which is a sort of beef and taro hotpot they make in Yamagata in the fall. It was so good. ;; Tasted like sweet gyuudon with potatoes.

Also, I don't believe I got a photo of it, but when they were like "we have pumpkin :) :) for dessert :) :) happy halloween, americans!!!" I was like "omg, kabocha is my favorite, especially pudding!" and he was so excited, he was like YES, WE HAVE KABOCHA PUDDING! It was really cute.

(They seemed equally shocked and thrilled by my not-great Japanese. lmao. I think they'd had very low expectations of the weird Americans who'd come all the way out to Yamagata for reasons unknown to them.)

And after dinner, they brought a selection of local sake to my room to let me try, including some nigori sake, which is my favorite. It was so nice, even if we almost died from the sheer amount of food. They just kept BRINGING it lmao.

The baths there were also really nice, though obviously I couldn't take photos of those.

And this was the view from my window the next morning, once it was light out:

And breakfast, which was again far, far too much food. lmao

Then we drove around town a little. I forgot to take my phone with me when I got out of the car, like a dummy, so I didn't get great pictures of the tiny shopping district. I got myself a kokeshi, though, and got my father and I a box of karinto manju to split. (YES, I GOT THEM BECAUSE MY FROG GOT THEM FOR ME IN TABIKAERU, SO SUE ME. THEY WERE DELICIOUS.)

We then got extremely lost, but eventually stopped at the public baths. It was seriously pouring and it was cold and miserable so Dad just waited in the car while I took some short baths. Again, I can't show you photos of actual baths I took, but here are a few from online:

(Caldera Onsenkan)

This one was fun because it was naturally carbonated! They had hot and cold onsen you could bathe in. You couldn't really feel the carbonation in the hot onsen, but you sure could in the cold one. I put my feet in and was like "I am bathing in very, very cold soda" lmao.

(The cold bath for your hands and feet.)

And you could drink it, too! It was supposedly good for you! I only remembered weeks later that shugendō monks were able to self-mummify (more on that later) in Yamagata because their natural spring water was so high in arsenic!

So uh hopefully that one doesn't come back to haunt me. lmao

Watch out for the stinkbug.

There was another one in town that I was interested in, too... They say that Hijiori Onsen got its start as a medicinal hot spring town after a monk fell off a cliff and broke his elbow and then rolled into the hot spring and was instantly healed, and this was attributed to Jizo-sama.

So there's an onsen where Jizo will watch over you as you bathe.

Which is fun, though I liked the similar experience in Kusatsu Onsen a little more. Gotta love a sacred bath, tho.

So then we left to go to the Dewa Sanzan. In the end, we ended up taking our time and stopping a lot at various shrines and stuff because I realized the weather was just too shitty to get a start on the mountains that day. Dad wouldn't even get out of the car except for lunch lmao. By the end of the day, it was hailing, so I can't really blame him.

The next leg of our trip will be in another post because I'm almost out of images in this one, but here's a couple more photos of Hijiori Onsen.

And two more for this round, we did get lost trying to get out of the caldera (...lmao) and broooo when I tell you my dumb ass was like "dad we are for SURE gonna get kamikakushi'd out here"

Tell me this doesn't feel like the beginning of a Miyazaki movie lmao.

(we lived, bitch!!! must've been all those sacred baths.)