CONCOW MAIDU LEGEND OF PUCHANO/ by Eric Whollem/ DIGITAL PAINTING/ Native American Folklore

PUCHANO

1998-2014

Eric Whollem

digitally remastered mixed media painting

copyright by the artist

THE LEGEND OF PUCHANO

The story of Pe-uch-ano as found on the Maidu.com website relates how

the Maidu in their wanderings had gone far from We-lu-da, their ancestral

homeland. Through the prayers and leadership of Pe-uch-ano and his wife

Um-wa-na-ta they crossed over the Trinity River and finally returned to

We-lu-da. The Trinity is called Ani-ka-to in the Koncow Maidu language.

Ani-ka-to is the Konkow Maidu 'River Jordan.'

The Konkow Valley people also believe that a Christ-like teacher of wisdom

named Yane-ka-num-ka-la came at one time to teach the people. He was

later followed by two men from the cold reaches of the north--the realm

of Yu-dic-na. These latter two men were also spiritual teachers of the

Koncow.

In the teachings of the Nome Cult of Konkow Valley 'Sahm' is the name

given to the great destructive fire sent by the Great Spirit to punish

mankind for wrongdoings. Pe-uch-ano and his wife were legendarily two

lone survivors of Sahm, which anciently came to destroy the land. The

children of Pe-uch-ano and Um-wa-na-ta became the progenitors of the

renewed  Koncow people. The children of Pe-uch-ano and his wife took

them at their last request to see the flowerland of We-lu-da beyond the

Trinity River.

The Maidu apparently dwelled not far from Mt. Shasta in the old days;

other legends of the Maidu also speak of Shasta, which is called 'Kom'

in the Maidu language. Was the realm of Yu-dic-na related to the snowy

peak of Mt. Shasta? An interesting question.

The Trinity River is far north of Butte County; there is evidence that the

Maidu people may have had a nomadic history, having travelled through

various parts of California. Some speculate that they are related to the

Reed Boat Builders, who are a group distantly linked to the Mayans of

the far south. Other speculations say that they are involved in migrations

through Utah. Others accounts say they moved down from Oregon. The

Reed Boat People are referred to as the Penutians. Other tribal groups,

such as the Hopi Indians, have a whole mythos built around the subject

of migration, which to them is a sacred manifestation of the cosmic order

of  life.

Despite the varying views as to the distant origins of the People, there is

no dispute as to their Butte County heritage, which is well established

as a part of California history. The Mooretown site has been dated at

3500 years of continuous habitation, for example.

TO READ MORE ABOUT THE MAIDU INDIANS SEE:
http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/maidu%20indians

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