Hipiningkodom
Maidem Kodom
2010
by Eric Whollem
copyright by the artist
Hipiningkodom, the Valley of Heaven
This stamp's design is based upon an earth painting I painted in
Feather Falls, California. It is called 'Doctor at the Center of the
World.' It is painted with earth pigments gathered in nature. The
blues and greens of the background are from ore deposits on
Lumpkin Road near the Enterprise Bridge. The golden brown
Lumpkin Road near the Enterprise Bridge. The golden brown
paint is from sandstone in the Pentz area of Butte County. The
pigments have to be broken down in a mortar and filtered before
use as paint. I variously use milk glue or polyvinyl or acrylic
resin as glue binders for my earth art.
The figure in this painting is rendered in a stick figure fashion,
adapted from Native American rock art, etc., where figurative
naturalism is not followed by the artist. Much of the prehistoric
rock art of California is actually brilliant abstract art.
Artists in Europe like Paul Klee and Joan Miro used the paleolithic
art of their European ancestors to create modern symbolic art.
Pictographs and petroglyphs deserve respect not just for their
cultural and symbolic meanings, but for their beauty of form,
though it may be an acquired taste to appreciate them.
THE VALLEY OF HEAVEN
Hipiningkodom is the second spiritual level of the other world.
It is also a name given to the Sacramento Valley. Hipiningkodom
means 'The Valley of Heaven.'
At Histayami or the Sutter Buttes near Marysville is the dwelling
of the Earth Initiate or World Maker, Wonomi.
Three spirit levels manifest at Histayami; the lowest level is
Yongkodom, the Flowerland. The highest level is Kakinimkodom,
the Land of Spirits.
The higher orders of spirits have two designations in the Concow
Maidu language: 'kakini' and 'saltu.'
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To view my posts on Pictographs and Petroglyphs see:
For my posts on my uses of Earth Paints view:
My posts on the Maidu may be found here:
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Artist stamps, artistamps, cinderella stamps, cyberstamps, fantasy stamps, faux postage, mail art, micronation stamps; mythology; shamanism; metaphysical art.
