Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 51

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Bear Medicine	Birth Totems	Coyote Medicine	Dragon Ranks	Dragonfly Medicine	Eagle Medicine	Four Animal Helpers	Grey Wolf Medicine	Hawk
Heron Medicine	Horse	Magpie	Raccoon	Salmon Medicine	Spider Medicine	Swan Medicine	Thunder Being Medicine	Totem Loss Disc

EAGLE DISCUSSION
By Jimmy WhiteBear

If you would like to watch nesting Eagles do keyword search Eagles Online-Northeast Utilities.
www.nu.com/eagles/
My babies LOL, been following these Eagles for the past three years. Bear

CinnamonMoon:
Thank you Jimmy! Up until 5 years ago I lived on a rural farm and we had a family of 6 Eagles
that resided there. It was awesome to see them in flight on a daily basis. I loved them. Last
winter (having moved to a large metropolitan city now) I was driving through town and passed a
lake with an opening in the ice filled with hundreds of Canadian Geese. Sitting on the edge of the
ice was a Bald Eagle, totally out of territory there, and I had to smile to myself thinking it was
definitely hunting ground. It was good seeing him again. Now if I want to see them I have to
drive along the river and park atop the cliffs. They do love hunting fish along the power plant
areas where the warm waters in motion churn up the fish and make it easy for them to feed. It
was nice just stepping out into my own yard, looking up and watching them circle or come to sit
in the trees to keep me company. I miss that a lot.

Jimmy WhiteBear:
These Eagles are now sitting on two eggs. Check on them daily and watch the progress. Then
when they hatch you'll be able to watch them grow and boy do they grow fast. The year before
last I watched two grow, one day there was only one in the nest. I drove up and thought I heard
the little one below the nest. I called fish and wildlife to report one had fallen out of the nest only
to find out next day that it started flying LOL. Mean time The Environmental police came up to
try and get it back in the nest. Ticketed everyone that went with in 200 yds. of the nest. oops!...
Awesome to watch them grow!...Enjoy!

CinnamonMoon:
When I was on the farm the 6 that lived there were 3 generations and all flew together. It was
such a joy watching the young ones change colors over time and grow. Amazing creatures and
so majestic! A friend owned a resort/lodge and had nesting pairs in her trees. They dropped
feathers all the time and not realizing she was doing anything wrong she gathered the plumage
and made crafts out of the. Someone reported her to the authorities and the raided her house
taking everything with feathers. She was so distraught about that, as she felt they were gifts to
her and the Eagles were on her property to begin with. When last we spoke she wasn't touching
them anymore. Evidently they threatened to imprison her if she did.

Jimmy WhiteBear:
Hi Cinn, In the US it is illegal to be in possession of any parts of the birds of prey. One has to go
through a long application and waiting period to possess (Registered) eagle feathers or other
parts. It is part of the "Endangered species act". If someone owned and was handed down for
generations, I believe they still have to be registered. Imprisonment and very hefty fines are the
punishment for possessing them.

CinnamonMoon:
Hi Jimmy, yes, I know about this. I held tribal ordination for a time and the Chief wanted me to
protest this aspect with the government and through CNN news. I just couldn't go there. *S* This
friend of mine did not know what she'd done and was very upset by the raid on her
establishment. She meant no harm and had done no poaching, so saw no wrong in having the
feathers. I realize any bird of prey is going to fall in this category. *S* And I know too, that if
you do make request based on religious need it usually is going to receive the permission and registry.

Earthwalker:
Do you really mean if you find a feather in the woods and it happens to be a feather of an eagle
or bird of prey you can be fined. That is most assuredly a good use of judicial system.
Nevertheless, I liked the site thank you Jimmy. I have only seen one Eagle in non-captivity. I
was driving home from work near the rocky outcropping of a mountain and i saw this thing drop
out of the sky at tremendous speed. AS it neared the ground it feathers where standing up right it
wings stretch back and talons showing obviously trying to catch some type of prey. I thought it
must a Hawk since it was completely brown but lighter in color albiet it was too large to be a
Hawk. I latter went on line and realized it was a Golden Eagle. I didn't know we had any in the
east US. It was beautiful and I would have pulled over put couldn't. Nevertheless it was a gift to
see it. I am still amazed at it speed.

CinnamonMoon:
Yes, you can be fined and imprisoned for that. Unless you have government permission with
registration as a holder of any raptor body parts (feathers, claws, wings, bones etc.) it is most
definitely against the law and strictly enforced. Permission is granted only to those listed as
being on tribal roles (recognized tribes only by the way) and the body parts are to be used for
religious and/or sacred purposes. It's a lengthy process. If you want more information you can
look up the US Fish and Game on the net and they will have information links for you. The fines
are hefty and the jail time is too.

Earthwalker:
So the feather my son has found and given to me I need to find out what it belongs to and return
it to the forest if it is from a raptor? I am sure that the law protects the birds from being killed for
the feathers but to apply the rule to feather freely given to or found by a child who in returns
gives them to another is nonsensical. How would you even know what bird they came from? To
me it holds the same meaning as a pressed dandelion or rose or a stone gifted from a special
garden. I guess I'll check and see if I can determine what bird the one feather I have is from. I
hopes it is from a pigeon. Thank you for the information though.

CinnamonMoon:
Actually they are to be turned over to DNR in your area if it's a body part. If you can find out
what bird it's from it may be something you can keep. They can tell you which ones are on the
endangered or protected lists. The law applies to all feathers no matter how they are obtained. I
believe that's because people could say anything they wanted to about how they came by them.
You have to do what you feel is right. I know people ignore the law and keep secret feathers. You
hear about it all the time, but everyone has to make their own choice in the matter. Those that
use the feathers for religious purposes can sometimes get an exemption. If you have NA heritage
and can prove that you may be eligible.

Earthwalker:
Thanks for the information. I don't have NA heritage that I am aware of and would not
personally keep anything other than a feather. I don't care for stuffed animals birds etc. I had a
neighbor that hunted all over the world. In his camp he had heads of animals and bear paws
made into ash trays etc. I personally found it unacceptable. I'll just place the feather back in the
woods; at least that way it will go back to nature and be near the place where it was lost.
I have often wondered if I don't have some NA blood since the draw to these ways has been so
strong; yet my brother doesn't have the same feelings. I have wondered since my mother was
slightly darker in skin tone then her brothers. Her father and mother got divorced a few years
after her birth in Columbus Ohio in 1920, supposedly due to my grandmother spunky spirit and
difficult ways. This was something just not done in the early nineteen hundreds. My grandmother
remained close to my mother and us until her death when I was about 7. My fondest memories
were climbing on her lap and her reading Hiawatha. It was by far my favorite story. I only met
my grandfather once and I was an adult with children of my own (about 35). He lived his life
with my uncle in the south and there was almost no interaction between my mother and her
father. She was raised by her older brother (18 year older) who never discussed the situation with
her but never forgave his mother for something. Some early pictures of my mother had her
dressed in NA costume which suggest some sort of connection but it could have just been the
times, as well. My father never for once questioned my interest in the NA culture and if one
person would had been told it would have been he yet it was not something passed on to me. A
few weeks before my mother passed away I asked her if she ever knew what had happened
between her parents and she indicated no one had ever said nor had she ever asked. I have
meditated and possibly have met my grandmother whom indicated my feelings where correct but
I am not completely confident in this and have no details or proof. So therein for all legal
purposes I am Irish with a little German with just a little doubt in my mind. Ultimately, other
than for curiosity sake it truly makes no difference. I am simply myself, as we each are.

Jimmy WhiteBear:
Morning Earthwalker, Although it is very hard to search NA roots, it is not totally impossible. I
have misplaced your e-mail addy from when we use to chat. E-mail me and I will send you some
Genealogy links if you like...

CinnamonMoon:
Jimmy's right, it is difficult to trace that lineage. Back in those days any who were mixed-blood
hid the fact, ashamed of it, just as it was considered shameful back in the 50's and 60's to have
African-American blood. I've had hints that I have NA lines too, but I can't prove that either, just
things said when I was small and one family photo with a woman *no one knows* who seems NA
to the eye. I know back then they didn't take pictures with the house servants and this was my
great-grandfather's family of 9 children and their families too. So the woman stands out among
all of them. My skintone is darker too.

Like you, I've come to see it really doesn't matter unless you are looking for a legal standing
within a specific tribe. I love the NA path though, it's just *in me*. So from what I know it could
be Blackfoot or Paiute that I have some link to and one day perhaps it will come out. Most who
could validate it are gone now though. I'm honored to be adopted and blood-sister to the
Mohawk/Cherokee and for me that's enough. *Smile* And I have 2 little grandchildren that are
part Apache so when they are older Granny will be helping them trace their heritage. It seems
that side of the family has no interest in it but I do. How ironic that feels. LOL The oldest of the
two, now 5yrs, is already showing signs of holding her Medicine openly delivering messages
from the Angels. Her mother is nurturing it and she's very good about listening to her Guides.

Earthwalker:
Cinnamon, I think it would be almost impossible to trace. My grandfather is listed as the father
on my mother's birth certificate and they moved shortly after my mother's birth back to NYC. It
would have been a scandal in that day 1919 and my grandfather was a fairly well known
designer so I have been told. In addition, how one would even go about finding the tribes in the
area at that time would be difficult let alone trying to search tribal records of unrecorded births. It
is not really a concern either way just a thought in the back of my mind and one I will probably
never get answered and that is ok. In reality I am just being nosey.

Your grandchildren must be absolutely adorable. Any pictures? They will be lucky to have you
around as they grow up! I am sure you will help them to know all of their bloodlines.

CinnamonMoon:
I know what you mean, Earthwalker, I'm content just being me and curious too. LOL Yes, I have
many pictures of my grandchildren. I just don't have a scanner nor do I know how to operate
those contraptions! ROFL They are beautiful though. Zoe' the 5yr. old has the most beautiful
hair you can imagine, it's thick like yours, black and silky yet coarse, hanging down to her waist.
"T", her little brother is 3yrs old, and he's like the Little People, there's a lot of the Fae in his
features, a quiet child in many ways but when he lets loose watch out, he's a little dare-devil.
LOL "Put my bike on the couch, Mom, I'll take off from there." We're going to have a lot of fun
researching the Apache. I thought about studying them now, but decided to wait and study with
the children when they are ready for it. That way we can share the excitement together.

Earthwalker:
Cinnamon, I hope you have many wonderful journeys and experiences with them. They sound
absolutely adorable. A co-worker at work that had her baby very premature he was only two
pounds at birth brought him in he was wonderful to hold and play with. He about ten months and
starting to crawl. When I look at these little ones I always get a sense of how miraculous life
really is. They are so open in expressions of life.

PS ; As for the days of long thick dark hair. Well my hair is long but not as thick as it once was
and as for being dark (Smile); it is so only, in my dreams (ROFLMAO). My father was
prematurely gray in his twenties. My hair turned gray in my forties. I think it’s more on its way
to white than to dark brown.

CinnamonMoon:
I know your hair is no longer dark, but Zoe's got a lot of it like you do. It thins as we get older,
mine is too, and I'm getting a couple shocks of grey myself, (we just need to age gracefully, I
know those grey hairs are well-earned!) but that girl has enough hair for sharing. LOL It's
beautiful. And yes, life is a miracle and those little ones are good reminders. They are so
precious.