California
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Pacific Coast Musings
Herewith an introduction as to what brings me to this fabled place …
This page describes some of my wanderings in early 2022 around the very large and beautiful foreign land known as California. I begin by acknowledging this is colonized/occupied territory, formerly or currently lived in by many indigenous people/tribes/nations whose spirit, ancestors, and deep love and respect for this land are palpable. How else can it be when walking in beauty?
I have traveled among the humans for four score and more. I imagined I would go to Ramallah, Palestine to be away from winter and the angry, divisive US of A vibration for a few months studying Arabic, drinking coffee, writing, doing yoga, and supporting the Palestinians by my mere and very presence spending time, money, and energy among them. Walking the talk. But Covid precluded my getting into Israel, and more so the Occupied Territories, and I still wanted (needed badly) to get away from the energy inside this country, inside my home, and within my own soul by get away/escaping for a few winter months. Whereupon the Great Spirit said unto me, “Be among your children and grandchildren,” something I hadn’t been aware of wanting, fearing unconsciously perhaps that they didn’t necessarily want to spend time with me, without ever considering whether they feared I didn’t want to spend time with them, perhaps evoked by my apparent prioritization of international travel and political commitment before them, as manifest by my travel choices in my 60s and 70s. And so I came unconsciously to California, drawn to where my descendants are, wanting to be nearer them. Permitting myself to be just another grandparent wanting to spend time with the kids and grandkids. And here I am.
Tribes
California is occupied territory, formerly or currently lived in by many indigenous people/tribes/nations including the – Achomawi, Achumawi, Acjachemem, Atsugewi, Ahwahnechee, Antoniaño, Awaswas, Bankalachi, Barbareño, Cahto, Cahuilla, Chalon, Chilula, Chimariko, Chukchansi, Chumash, Chochenyo, Coso, Cruzeño, Cuyamaca, Cupeño, Esselen, Gabrieleño, Fernandeño, Huchnom, Inezeño, Juaneño, Konomihu, Obispeño, Purisimeño, Ventureño, Chimariko, Lassik, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Tsnungwe, Wailaki, Hupa, Karok, Kawaiisu, Kitanemuk, Konkow, Kucadikadi, Kumeyaay, Kumiai, Ipai, Jamul, Tipai, Luiseño, Maidu, Mechoopda, Nisenan, Miwok, Saklan, Mohave, Migueleño, Monache, Mono, Muwekma, Nomlaki, Ohlone, Costanoan, Karki, Mutsun, Ramaytush, Rumsen, Tamyen, Yelamu, Patayan, Patwin, Suisun, Pomo, Salinan, Migueleño, Serrano, Shasta, Okwanuchu, Tataviam, Timbisha, Tolowa, Tongva, San Clemente, Tubatulabal, Palagewan, Tübatulabal, Wappo, Washoe, Whilkut, Wintu, Wiyot, Yana, Yokuts, Tachi, Yuki, Ukomno’m, Yurok, Barbareño, Mattole, Wailaki, Tsnungwe, Kawaiisu, Ipai, Jamul, Tipai, La Jolla, Karkin, Yahi
What I Left
In the middle of a mild winter on Cape Cod in Massachusetts on the land of the Wampanoag and the Nauset i escaped before the storm of ’22 that turned mild into wild.
I took leave of my home, dog, plants, coyotes, whales, oysters, sunrises, sunsets, birds, bays, and so much more to travel by air across an entire continent and land here – link to “what i found”
What I Found
I arrived in Temecula. It is beautiful. You can buy five acres of hillside here with 2 houses and 100s of highly productive avocado, orange, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit and more trees, hundreds!, for less than a bucket of sand on the beach in Orleans. You do not have to worry about sharks. You do worry about water availability and water’s price, especially water enough to quench a growing avocado’s liquid needs.
