Puha is a Comanche word used by many tribes, including Paiute, Ute, Panamint, Shoshone, Mono Yokuts.
These tribes share a linguistic stock that goes back tens of thousands of years. Indians who can speak one of the languages can understand other tribal dialects, which are of Uto-Aztecan stock.
The word refers to the power, energy, or supernatural force received from a helping spirit. Puha can also mean the doctoring power given by the spirit helper.
The helping spirit usually comes to a person in a series of dreams, granting the dreamer power. The supernatural force can also be attained through vision quests at a power spot.
In Indian Country
Many Native tribes consider the Spring Equinox as their New Year celebration.
Spring Equinox begins on March 21 with the waking of the bears, followed by the powwow, the healing of the tribes, and the planting seasons.
These observances usually consist of four days of sweat lodge ceremonies, dances, drum ceremonies and traditional food of salmon, deer and buffalo meats, served with fry bread, beans and rice.
Those who observe these rituals participate in an ancient indigenous ceremony.
In Indian Country
Powwows have taken place in Native America for millennia.
They were a way for far-flung tribes to unite with other natives, to share food, trade, and to participate in sacred dances and ceremonies.
Powwows usually took place four times a year – during the spring and fall equinoxes, and during the summer and winter solstices.
Many modern tribes still follow the traditional ceremonies during the solstices and equinoxes, where people trade, eat and participate in sacred dances and ceremonies, such as the drum ceremony and the sweat ceremony, accompanied with the pipe ceremony.
West Block Woes
San Quentin North Block prisoners who were transferred to West Block are dealing with the new living conditions with patience.
The transfer was a shock for them because North Block has full power to the cells and the television cable is hooked up to the institutional antenna. West Block has neither of these amenities.
Since there is limited power in West Block, coupled with the fact that newly received prisoners are still housed there, breeds an unusual amount of loud noise.
Associate Warden, Ernie Facio said that the newly received prisoners would be out of the building by the end of December.
Last month, Warden Michael Martel and Prison University Project facilitator Jody Lewen inspected the facility. Following their inspection, the showers were repaired. However, the block still has years of caked up grime on its walls. The prisoners are working diligently to clean it up.
The telephone situation has created an additional disadvantage to living in West Block because there are only four telephones for a mainline population of at least 600 prisoners. This means standing in line for over an hour for a 15-minute call.
Daniel Trevino was transferred to West Block in December after being housed in North Block since 2007.
In Indian Country
Native people use peyote as a healer and an amulet. Peyote can be powdered and drunk as tea. Fresh buttons are eaten during ceremonies. Peyote is used as a healing medicine by many tribes, and is said to cure tuberculosis, pneumonia, diabetes, colds fevers and pain. Peyote is a small spinelesscactus that grows primarily in Southern Texas and Northern Mexico – its scientific name is lophophora wiliamsii.
The narcotic effect from the plant comes from eight alkaloids contained in the plant – mescaline being the most commonly known.
Mescaline is not habit forming and is unique in that consciousness is not lost during its use.
In Indian Country
The Native American Church was incorporated as a religion on October 10, 1918, with the help of Quanah Parker, the last Chief of the Comanche Nation. There are two divisions of the church, one known as Half Moon the other as Crossfire. Both sects incorporate Christian teachings into their ceremonies. Crossfire uses the Bible and sermons are preached similar to Protestant services. Half Moon does not use the Bible.
Each sect is recognized by the altars that they construct. Half Moon uses a packed earth, crescent-shaped altar on the floor. Crossfire builds the same altar but digs a crossed ditch across the crescent and fills it with live coals. Peyote is the main sacrament of the Native American Church. During a ceremony 4 to 30 peyote buttons are ingested per person. Some people have been known to eat as many as 90 buttons while drumming and singing peyote songs.
In Indian Country
Native Americans consider sage to be a sacred plant, and it is present in nearly every native ceremony.
Sage is considered holy because of two characteristics: the aroma, which is associated with purification, and what is believed to be its immortality, because it is available year round.
Unlike other aromatic bushes, sage does not die in the winter, but retains its aroma, making it very sacred.
Besides its smoke being used for purification, sage is used in other ways, for example, a stem of sage is placed behind the right ear during ceremonies so that the spirits will know who you are.
It can also be used to correct errors in your life by making an offering of it to the fire while praying.
Indian Country
Powwow is an indigenous ancient ceremony practiced by most North American tribes still to this day.
The Powwow is a sacred ritual. Its purpose is to celebrate the spring and fall equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices. In bygone days, Native Americans used the Powwow to call forth cures for sicknesses and to ensure success in warfare.
Today tribes still gather to dance, sing, eat and pray in a sacred manner. The Powwow is a ritual that has been ongoing for thousands of years. When Europeans first encountered the tribes on the Turtle Island, they were the first outsiders to witness a Powwow.
Along with the sacredness of the ceremony, tribes would get together to trade hides, shells and beads used to make regalia.
The Powwow is a four-day ceremony that usually begins on a Thursday morning and ends on a Sunday afternoon. This four-day event is not just for Native American people; anyone may participate in these sacred dances, songs and taste traditional foods.
View From The Valley
It was a great reason to celebrate – the French defeat in Mexico.
Being raised in California’s Central Valley in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood,. Cinco de Mayo was celebrated every year.
It was basically a time to enjoy Mexican food cooked at a street fair booth, while watching Mariachis ply their trade. I doubt if many of the people present were aware of the reason for the celebration, other than it was a day to party.
Most California schools gave students an excused absence if they didn’t show up, so you can imagine how empty the schools were on that day. Everyone joined in the celebration — African Americans, Anglo American’s as well as Hispanics and Natives took the day off to take part by attending a parade, watching a low rider show or just enjoying a delicious meal of crispy tacos along with rice and beans.
One of the most memorable parts of the celebration was the lack of violence.
As for food, about the best prison residents can hope for is a mess hall tamale pie.
Remembering Caesar Chavez
As a young child I marched with Caesar Chavez in 1966 from Delano to Sacramento. My uncles were farm workers in the central valley in the 1960s and worked side by side with Caesar in the fields and in the struggle.
I heard people singing “De Colores” and yelling “Si Se Puede” or “yes we can” as we marched behind an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as the lead banner. Mostly the younger kids rode in the buses and walked a little. I remember eating bean burritos next to the bus with complete strangers. In the valley most American Indians worked the fields or starved. My uncles heard Caesar’s message and were compelled to help change the world.
My Uncle Joe Reyes and Dolores Huerta were part of the inner circle of the United Farm Workers (UFW). As a relative I was able to spend time at “La Paz,” the United Farm Workers’ compound in the Tehachapi Mountains and Caesar’s home until the day he died on April 23, 1993.
Since I marched in the ‘60s I am eligible to live at the compound and attend college there, something to this day I have not taken advantage of. I remember eating meals with Caesar at the table. He was such a humble, mild-mannered, human being who laughed heartily at a good joke, One thing that Caesar said that resounds to this day is, “The truest form of courage is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally non-violent struggle for justice.” Caesar practiced this throughout his life, sacrificing his body through the many fasts that he endured for the cause.
I can also remember picketing with my cousins in front of Safeway stores carrying placards while Caesar, shouted “Huelga” or “on strike”. I was at the cemetery in Delano as they laid this great man to rest. Everyone present from dignitaries to the common worker had tears in their eyes as Mariachis sang “de colores.” We could already feel the loss of a great spokesman for the farm worker and common man.
I learned many lessons as a child, teen-ager and young man listening to Caesar speak. One important lesson that I learned was that non-violence is a very important tool when used in acts of civil disobedience, and that standing up for the right thing is something that we must all do together. I was taught at an early age about community activism and non-violence, and for the most part have been involved — from the first step that I took on the journey from Delano to Sacramento. Though the focus has changed from the farm workers’ struggle to the continuing struggle of the American Indian, the fact is that Caesar Chavez’ teachings and outlook helped shape my life from a young age, and I will always carry fond memories of those days marching behind the banner of the UFW eagle and the Virgin of Guadalupe.
That march led to my living on Alcatraz as a teenage in 1969 and 1970, fighting for Native rights at the sides of my uncles, cousins and friends during the takeover of the former federal prison by Native tribes from across the U.S. After we left the island, my uncle moved on to the Wounded Knee takeover in 1971, I was not allowed to participate because of my age and the level of danger involved, but that has not stopped me being involved in the fight for justice for all people, especially the minority class that I now belong to, incarcerated Americans. Through the teachings that I have learned attending classes in the T.R.U.S.T. and No More Tears there are still positive non-violent means that we can take to change our surroundings and the lives of all who share this planet with us in a positive manner. To quote the sayings of my first march for justice, “Viva La Huelga” and “Si se puede”, or in other words, “Yes We Can”.