Schooksonruss' photostream  

... remember

early morning pollinators are lining-up to complete their mission of collecting the golden pollen from these saguaro cactus flowers.

these are the first ever buds and flowers produced by this "young" 15' high saguaro cactus.

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The Clown dances among the other four Apache Crown Dancers; each of them representing one of the four principal compass points - north, south, east, and west, in addition to the Mountain Spirits

To the Apache people, the Clown is a sacred being with great power given to him by Thunder; he represents just what the power of thunder provokes, fear from a tremendous power in the sky, greater than anything that we see on the earth. In this way, the manner of the Clown "fooling around" is anything but trite; instead, this is a serious spiritual element to a ceremony reflecting the randomness of misfortune in his seemingly mad behavior, just as nature reminds us of our own mortality. Therefore, his key message is to always take the time to enjoy life and its' rewards by constantly reminding us about the ever present potential of experiencing sorrow through deep personal loss; the meaning and importance behind love, friendship, family, and community are thus evident.

The Clown is holding a “bull-roarer” in his right hand, which is whirled on a length of string to produce a distinctive, resonating sound - drums and singing accompany dancing

~attended this sacred ceremony by invite; photos were taken at the request of ceremony organizers, and the approval of tribal families and participants~

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Sacred Apache Crown Dancers - The Mountain Spirits ensure the well-being of the Apache people by protecting them from epidemic diseases and enemies. The Mountain Spirit Dancers or Crown Dancers "become" these sacred beings. The Western Apache call them the gaan while the Eastern Apache know them as gaa'he. - Embodying the Mountain Spirits, they dance, bringing the spiritual world into physical manifestation. Their heads crowned with wooden slat headdresses; there are four Mountain Spirit Dancers and a clown dancer (in the white mask).

~attended this sacred ceremony by invite; photo was taken at the request of ceremony organizers, and the approval of tribal families and participants~

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..Crown Dancer - The Mountain Spirits ensure the well-being of the Apache people by protecting them from epidemic diseases and enemies. The Mountain Spirit Dancers or Crown Dancers "become" these sacred beings. The Western Apache call them the gaan while the Eastern Apache know them as gaa'he. - Embodying the Mountain Spirits, they dance, bringing the spiritual world into physical manifestation. Their heads crowned with wooden slat headdresses; there are four Mountain Spirit Dancers and a clown dancer.

~photo was taken by invite and at the request of ceremony organizers, and the approval of participants~

© All rights reserved