Sarah Palin: The Caribou Predator.

Caribou Barbie (otherwise known as Sarah Palin) was seen again recently traipsing through the mighty, Alaskan wild. Critters, campers and remote, cabin dwellers, beware because she's always packing a thunder stick!! News reports out of the Alaskan frontier seem grim to be sure. As it turns out, Palin gunned down a caribou for her "realty t.v." show. It has been asserted that it was hunted using, "fair chase" rules that are supposed to be an ethical way to hunt. One of the criteria is that you do not bring dishonor to the prey, which is great, but Palin did no such thing.

She killed an innocent animal in the name of: entertainment, financial benefit and political pandering. According to this environmentalist, that's not bringing honor to the animal. She callously and needlessly snuffed out the energy of that noble, sacred being. How can it not be dishonorable to kill a child of Mother Nature, which is the foundation for native, Inuit culture; in the name of entertainment? That would be like a Christian killing an angel. It is said that, "Every caribou has a bit of the human heart in him; and every human has a bit of caribou heart." So, how honorable is it to destroy a bit of the human heart? It's deplorable. With the exception of the bear, none are given higher recognition than the caribou within the native peoples of northeast Alaska and northwest Canada.

She also dishonored that caribou when one realizes that the caribou was traditionally hunted for survival. I am not against hunting (except for sport) but It's hard to say that the ridiculously wealthy, Palin family would have starved had she not murdered that animal. She said a very short, "thank-you" in a vain attempt at the bare minimum toward honoring the spirit of the animal. Sarah Palin is no friend of the environment, which she claims to cherish and love so much. She is a usurping, manipulator of nature, and a woman who could churn up nature faster than a tornado churns up a shit storm. If my animal friends up in Alaska around Sarah Palin's hunting range could hear me, I'd be screaming, run!!

PHOTO CREDIT: George River Caribou by Robert Bateman

~The Green Man has Spoken~

Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq,

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics and some of the athletes have embraced Pagan cultures' symbols and designs. For a more in-depth read on that--please visit my good friend, Riverwolf. In this post I'd like to write about the logo for this Olympics named, Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq. The Inunnguaq are statues made from rocks stacked together to create the form of a man by the Inuit native peoples who live in the vast Canadian, Arctic lands. The word, "Inunnguaq" means, "Immitation of a person."

To these nature based/Pagan peoples these statues served as steadfast guides posts of direction when walking the vast white horizon. It would seem easy to get lost in such an all-white, monochromatic landscape and these large, contrasting gray stone guardians seem like Arctic lighthouses and landmarks for navigation as the Inuit follow the herds. Over time the Inunnguaqs' welcoming arms standing straight out from the body gave the impression of a being forever ready to offer a hug. Thus, they came to symbolize friendship and hope that even the harsh Arctic weather would not hinder the Inuit people.

The 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games emblem called Ilanaaq is a contemporary interpretation of the Inunnguaq. I like these "stone huggers" and might have to make my own small version for my altar. These stone men are some of the oldest objects placed by humans throughout the Arctic and are sometimes used to designate the memorial of a deceased loved one. If I wasn't going to be cremated, I'd want a small Inunnguaq as a memorial stone on my grave. It would sure beat the same-old boring headstones used by most people.These stone guides remind me of Stonehenge in England, which might be why I'm so attracted to them because I am enthralled by the giant stone circle at Stonehenge. Rocks in general are sacred objects for me as they symbolize the durability of Mother Earth--mountains for example are her backbone. Their hard, strong and tough properties make it a powerful sign of endurance, safety and protection.

-Stay green-