Merry boxing day, solstice, many gift returns, etc.

First off, Bingoragers; I apologise for not posting this week. Spent plenty of time hiding in the studio, but got much done.

Secondly; I would like to thank Larry Mitchell, at "The Native Blog" and Jade L. Blackwater at Arboreality for their generous help in reaching more eyes -for my images, writings and story explorations- with their creative output and online presences.

Jades was patient enough to wait out deer season and my yearly, obssesive spasm of all things deerhunting-related, in order to receive back my responses for her interview at Brainripples. I am honoured.

Mr. Mitchell has been generous to me with his words and given me permission to illustrate and post portions of his novel, Potowatomi Tracks, here, at Bingorage. I'll be sharing some more illustrations, and his words, this winter.


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[From Chapter One (The Ballad of Vietnam)
of "Potowatomi Tracks":]




On our first day out in the bush, we came under fire.
Richard and I both hit the ground when the firefight started.
In that firefight the point man, whose name was Giles, came upon two NVA soldiers walking down the trail.
Those two NVA soldiers acted like they were out for a walk in New York City on a sunny day in June...
They had their AK-47's slung over their shoulders;
Their careless ways would turn into a dirge song.
Our point man killed one NVA soldier, and the other one left a blood trail through the jungle.
We all walked past the dead NVA soldier's body.
He lay on the side of the trail; he was dressed all in black... as the rain fell on his body.





Some infantry units in the 'nam would go through the jungles making enough noise to wake the dead.
The officers made evryone in our company keep it down.
That probably saved more lives than we will ever know.





I had gone through the monsoon season in the Quang Tri province.
Nothing can compare to the misery of sleeping in the rains;
All night the rain would fall...
There was almost perpetuity to the rains.
I said to myself"This rain can't last forever."
My feet would get white from having my feet wet all the time; this was called emersion foot.



The leeches crawled on my arms,
They would fill up with blood; I'd have to burn them off with a cigarette, then the little bloodsuckers would fall off into the jungle.
Jungle rot appeared on my arms.
You get jungle rot from being wet all the time.
Those visible scars that would stay on my arms throughout my life.





Glossary of Vietnam War terms at Cavhooah dot com.

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I remember hearing that The Hard Rock Cafe, the entire franchise, had been sold. What I didn't realise was that the Seminole Tribe of Florida,bought it.

Native Chefs dot com

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Although I really don't think it is necessary, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that two members of Tsartlip First Nation on Vancouver Island were within their treaty rights to jacklight for deer. This decision will probably affect treaty rights across the country.

Eighth Annual Native American Music Awards - Thursday, December 28th, 8:00PM. Website for "the Nammys".

Leonardo DiCaprio has been asked to provide a voice to raise the profile of Cree people fighting DeBeers mining for diamonds on their lands.

Sample of music from the great Nakota blues band, Indigenous. If you like/love Stevie Ray Vaughn, the lead guitar guy has got the chops.

ManitoulinIsland art

Native web art links

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