1. The Heyoka tradition seems to differ from the coyote tradition in that it
is sometimes linked to the Thunder Bird spirit; this apparently is very
potent stuff and not particularly amendable to trickery.
2. Heyoka are sometimes referred to as "contrary ones" or "clowns" because
they can (and have license to) act in very "odd" ways but as I noted in my
previous post, my interviewee took his work very seriously and believed that
it was part of the "balance" of the world or the tribe (he referred to this
twice: once in terms of world, the other in terms of the tribe).
3) He disliked the term "medicine" or "medicine man" insisting that all were
"interpreters" -- all had spirits who might speak to them or who were
associated with their altars. Since many people could not hear/see/understand
these spirits, it was the function of interpreters to speak to people for
them, so that people might hear the wisdom. There was also clearly an element
of "crazy wisdom" here though -- some actions were intentionally provocative.
4) Most spirits are not Heyoka spirits: Heyoka spirits are "Thunder Beings"
connected to the Thunder Bird and the rain, the life of the earth. Some
interpreters might hear Heyoka spirits but were not themselves Heyoka -- to
be this one must not only hear Heyoka spirits but follow their counsel. This
was not the same as obedience, it was more like embodiment, so that the
people could see/feel/hear/touch what was being interpreted.
5) I asked if this was like being possessed or like channeling and got a very
strong _NO_ particularly to the latter. Interpreter/translator is the proper
term -- the spirit does not "pass through" the body, he is _there_
speaking/acting in the room right next to you -- it is a matter of
perception. There was a clear inference however that it could be taxing -- my
interviewee told me that he "thought backward" so much now that it was
difficult for him sometimes to engage in normal conversation.
I've perhaps made this sound too serious. There was clearly some playfulness
in the Heyoka's responses but neither play nor resistance seemed the central
point: balance would be a closer orientational stance I think but balance
more in terms of the tribe, less so for the individual perhaps.
Rolfe
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Rolfe Windward (UCLA GSE&IS, Curriculum & Teaching)
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