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Cosmic Curiosities

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
- Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian Poet-Writer

The Universe, Us, and the Coronavirus

Starting with Adolph Meinecke's contributions at the turn of the century and ending most recently with Dr. Nancy Oestreich Lurie's additions in the 1980s and several additions in the 1990s, MPM's Sami collection represents a large span in the fascinating history of Sami culture.

Numbering just about one hundred pieces, MPM's is the only sizeable collection in North America at this time, and perhaps the only large Sami collection outside of Europe at all.

To understand what treaty rights are, it is first important to understand what a treaty is.

A treaty is an agreement between two sovereign powers. When Europeans first made contact with the Indians, they usually (although not always) treated them as sovereign, independent nations much like European nations such as France, Spain, and Great Britain. European countries made treaties with the Indian tribes principally to cement military and political alliances and to make peace.

Warriors and Leadership

Although warfare never attained the prominence it did among the Plains tribes, it still had considerable importance in the Woodland value system. Among Indian tribes of the Great Lakes, warfare and hunting were exclusively male activities. A man's position and stature within an Indian society often rested on his abilities and accomplishments as a hunter and warrior.

Cosmic Curiosities

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”
~ Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch Artist

Cosmic Oxymorons

Hopefully, you’re not “clearly confused” by the “seriously funny” cosmic oxymorons that follow, but it’s a “definite maybe.” I’ll give you “even odds.” It’s my “only choice.”

Cosmic Curiosities

“There is every reason to believe that Mars and other planets are inhabited. Why should the Earth be the only planet supporting human life? It is not singular in any other respect."
- Albert Einstein

Great Lakes Indian people depended on the food secured by hunting and trapping, and these foods formed a considerable part of their diet.

Deer and moose were hunted as well as several kinds of fox -- red, the black, and silver gray. Timber wolves, a large prairie wolf, and a smaller prairie wolf that was not considered very good eating were also hunted. The bear was not killed without a special ceremony and apology, for this animal was greatly revered.

The beings that make up Kwakiutl mythology are remarkably diverse. Accounts of their interactions with humans and each other are passed along through stories that not only form the basis of traditional Kwakiutl spiritual and ceremonial life and lore, but also connect Kwakiutl families to their ancestral pasts. Many contemporary Kwakiutl identify themselves as Christians but incorporate traditional mythology into their faith, freely blending elements of Christian and indigenous religion.