Red People and Wild Goats
A powerful ceremony and ritual in Sardinia, Italy
©2008, Turtle Heart photos and text
Sardinia. 01 August 2008
I was invited to bring the ceremonies to Sardinia in a festival to honor the life and music of Andrea Parodi. He was a gifted artist representing the culture and spirit of sardinia. He has passed away, passing into the couds. Two years ago now. When I arrive I see his two daughrers, so young and sweet and bright. His wife looks into my eyes when we are introduced. I saw and felt only her kindness my heart received a strong burst of light from her right away. When I arrived after 12 hours of travel to a diner of some ten or so persons. These were his family and close friends and we stood up together in once sacred circle and were touched on our hearts by one eagle feather and we looked at each other. I used an old song to look around each of them and feel them. They were really there, every one of them. No one was bored. No one was out of their bodies, or at least not far away.
Maybe we were all a little nervous.
Also, I think, when people think of an American Indian or anyone really, they build a picture of what they look like. I remember one woman who makes the most amazing potteries, ceramics. Looking at those I build the most detailed picture of what she must look like. Years later when I finally had the pleasure to meet her, I was not even close in anyway, in any way. I think this most likely happens when people think of one american indian coming to their home. He must look like “this” or “this”. Then I arrive with my big head, my pale skin and the look on my face (which is more or less impossible to forget), because it is the face of Sacred Pipe. When I travel this way I hope I let go of the dead world and present only what might be possible with the help of sacred pipe.
Immersion is on my face. Sacred Pipe is a Spirit and so understands very well how to travel and keep the Spirit of one of the Fallen Dreamers of another culture. Their hearts might believe it is possible if I blieve it is possible because Grandfather said it could happen just like that. That is my “performance method.
I had arrived in a real place, with real people. They put their sacred right down in front of me.They put us into a good bed after feeding us good food and bringing us safely across the wide land into their lives for less than 24 hours.
They had their own medicine to make, they were living in the middle of their own ceremony. They had their own sacred rites right in their hands and on their minds. We were invited guests. I arrived in the middle of a life that had been lost. I carried with me two stones which I gave to them after the evening meal, the late evening meal. After one glass on the wine of sardi, of our host. Hand made. After a meal of grilled vegetables and arabic grains and sweet Sardi cookies.
I gave them one stone, a message from the Old Indians,I carved and gave them another stone, red sacred pipestone, a message for his wife, Valentina. More later in the week about this.
