SONG OF THE PEOPLE/ an abstract work depicting the Kakinim, or spirits, who are evoked in the singing of traditional Maidu Indian music

         

                     

   Song of the People

   1984

    by Eric Whollem

    watercolor, plastic emulsion, and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist

    9 x 6"

           Copyright by the artist

The Kakinim

The Kakinim are those beings who are called

spirits or ghosts by the Concow Maidu Indians

of Northern California. Kakini is the singular

form of the word.

The Sutter Buttes in the Sacramento Valley are

called Histayami by the Maidu. Histayami is

divided into three spirit levels by the Maidu.

Kakinimkodom, or Spirit Country, is the highest

level.

This painting gives an imaginative visual form

to a Maidu song. . . a surrealistic interpretation.  

BELOW IS A VIDEO ABOUT

CONCOW MAIDU

CULTURE

                           ERIC WHOLLEM

An excellent album of Maidu songs was issued

by Pacific Western Traders in Folsom. I used to

live in the house of one of the singers on that album,

Herb Young, a shaman of the Maidu.

_______________

SPIRIT ANIMALS OF THE CONCOW MAIDU

 Video by Eric Whollem

See my posts about the Maidu Indians on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/maidu%20indians