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Bear Man
1998
by Eric Whollem
goauche, acrylic and parafin resist on paper
Collection of the artist.
Copyright by the artist.
Pano Maidem, Bear Man
CONCOW MAIDU SHAMANIC LORE
The Concow Maidu Indians of Butte County, California, often
times call one of their traditional healing doctors "Pano Maidem,"
or "Bear Man." The shamans in the old days would dress up in the
hide of a black bear before approaching a sick person. The doctor
would growl like a bear to "scare away" the sickness in the patient.
Other bear shamans include the greatly feared "Grizzly Bear Doctors."
The grizzly is, of course, a very dangerous animal; so shamans who
would utilize this energy would be operating on a dark level. The
black bear is much gentler.
The Bear Dance
The yearly Bear Dance in Janesville, California, brings
Maidu peoples from all over Northern California to a
very special celebration. The dance grounds include a
large lodge, made from natural materials. The lead dancer
is called "Bear." He represents the black bear. Pano
is bear in the Concow language.
Tribal Structure of the Maidu
Other groups of the Maidu include the Nisenan, or
Southern Maidu, and the Mountain Maidu. These
are broad categories.
Maidu culture is based on family. The family structure
is the "tribe." Thus it is not accurate to call the Concow
Maidu, Nisenan, or Mountain Maidu "tribes," as these
groups, of course, include many families.
My Contact With the Maidu
I lived in close proximity to a Concow Maidu Indian
family for many years.
I lived at the site of the old Mooretown Rancheria in
the Feather Falls area of Butte County, California.
The painting above is a mixed media work inspired by
my knowledge of Indian language and legend.
These videos tell more about the
CONCOW MAIDU:
CONCOW MAIDU INDIAN LORE in the Art of Eric Whollem
A video by Eric Whollem, 2011
A video by Eric Whollem, 2011
CONCOW MAIDU RELIGION Kuksu in the Art of Eric Whollem
ERIC WHOLLEM
See my posts about shamanism on this link:
Readers interested in the Maidu Indians may want to see these links:
BELOW ARE SOME
FANTASY OR FAUX POSTAGE STAMPS
THAT I CREATED FOR
"MAIDEM KODOM,"
WHICH IS MY PRIVATE AND IMAGINARY DESIGNATION OF
THE MAIDU NATION
MAIDEM KODOM FANTASY STAMPS
by Eric Whollem
copyright by the artist
Readers intrerested in my posts about the stamps of MAIDEM KODOM should check out:
or view the brief video below:
SPIRIT ANIMALS OF THE CONCOW MAIDU
stamps from Maidem Kodom
by Eric Whollem
*
Abstract art, Indians, shamanism, mixed media painting, anthropology.
FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION.
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