Monthly Archives: January 2013

MYTHOLOGY: THE INUIT DEITY KALLAK

Inuit regionKALLAK – Kallak was the first-born son of the Inuit Earth goddess Nunam and the wind and weather god Sila. When he came of age Nunam mated with Kallak and the two had a daughter. When that daughter came of age Kallak mated with her and the pair produced all of the original Inuit people. 

This myth is at odds with another myth which claims that Kallak and his daughter’s union produced the race of giants who warred with Sila and were killed by him in the end. Nunam brought the slain giants (who are her brothers, not her children in some versions) back to life. Sila insisted they be punished however, and shrunk the giants, who became the Ishigaq, the one meter tall Inuit version of elves.

Still another Inuit tradition says that Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS: JANUARY 30TH

florida christian college sunsNCCAA Division 2 – 1. FLORIDA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE SUNS   ###   2. OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS   ###   3. VALLEY FORGE PATRIOTS   ###   4. OZARK CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AMBASSADORS   ###   5. NORTHLAND INTERNATIONAL PIONEERS   ###   6. TRINITY BAPTIST LIONS   ###   7. GRACE Continue reading

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THE TOP FIFTEEN DEITIES IN IROQUOIS MYTHOLOGY

Iroquois Confederacy

Iroquois Confederacy

The original five tribes of the Iroquois Confederation were the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga. They were later joined by the Tuscarora.

As with Inuit mythology the exact names and roles of the major Iroquois deities varied a bit from tribe to tribe but there is an overall pantheon that is recognized as belonging to the Iroquois belief system. I will be using deity names selected from each of the nations of the Iroquois League so be aware that when looking into the beliefs of one particular tribe the names may be different from the ones I use here.

The following entries are done in the same style as my examination of gods and goddesses of the Navajo, Choctaw, Polynesians, Vietnamese and many others.

15. DOENDZOWES – The Iroquois earthquake goddess. She lived in a longhouse lodge in a large crack in the ground caused by one of the tumultuous tremors she controlled. Earthquakes were caused by the wild dancing that often took place in her lodge. Her son Thagonhsowes had a handsome face that was split down the middle by a scar like the crevices that Doendzowes’ earthquakes tore in the ground.

The swan goddess Oweeyegon had her two daughters bake Marriage Bread and sent them to marry the earthquake goddess’ son. After a suitable time Doendzowes invited Oweeyegon to come live in the longhouse lodge with them and join in the raucous dancing that causes earthquakes. “Doendzowes’ parties are NUTS, dude!” 

14. OTGOE – The wampum god. Otgoe’s tears, mucous and vomit were wampum, like the white shells found in sandy deposits near bodies of water. When he smoked from his pipe and then spit the spittle also turned into wampum.

As highly prized as wampum was Otgoe was a very valuable deity and was once kidnapped by an evil and very powerful medicine man to provide wampum for him and the malevolent tribe he ruled over. The tribe did this by prodding him with firebrands to make him cry wampum tears.

Eventually he was freed by his brother, Hodadeion the god of magic. Later Otgoe was devoured by a gigantic bird, who Continue reading

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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY RESULTS FROM JANUARY 26TH

Cumberlands PatriotsNUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – The 25th ranked UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS hosted the number 3 team in the nation yesterday, the PIKEVILLE UNIVERSITY BEARS. In what turned out to be the game of the day the Patriots hung tough and won a 73-71 Instant Classic that may turn out to be the team’s signature win of the regular season.   ###   Meanwhile the WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS took on the 4th ranked JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY GOLDEN EAGLES and came out on top by a score of 84-70.   ###   At number 8 the WILLIAM CAREY CRUSADERS fell on the road to the unranked AUBURN UNIVERSITY AT MONTGOMERY WARHAWKS in a 62-55 clash.   ###   The (18) ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY HILLCATS joined the fad of ranked teams losing on the road yesterday. The Hillcats were toppled 69-65 by the ever-tough LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CHAPARRALS.   ###   .. And the number 24 SHAWNEE STATE BEARS added some novelty by losing at home to the ST CATHARINE PATRIOTS in an 80-72 hardcourt epic.  

southeastern university fireTOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA DIVISION TWO – The SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE brought down the number 4 ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS in a 60-58 game for the ages.   ###   The T12th ranked BETHEL (IN) PILOTS (riverboat pilots) fell on the road 85-79 to the unranked TAYLOR TROJANS.   ###   In a case of Tiger on Tiger violence the DAKOTA WESLEYAN TIGERS toppled the homestanding (T12) DOANE TIGERS by a score of 87-83.   ###   The COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES took it on the road and brought down the 15th ranked NORTHWEST (WA) EAGLES  84-72.   ###   … And the Continue reading

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COOL-NAMED SPORTS TEAM: UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND

UNE NoreastersUNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND NOR’EASTERS

Location: Biddeford, ME

Conference Affiliation: Commonwealth Coast Conference

Comment: Nor’easters can be potent storms or in this case the potent sports teams from the University of New England. Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with their Continue reading

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PULP HEROES – THE MOON MAN: STORIES 13-15

moon manI’m continuing my look at Frederick C Davis’ pulp hero the Moon Man. In reality police detective Stephen Thatcher, the Moon Man stalked the night-darkened streets of fictional Great City (“Great City ya got here … it’d be a shame if something happened to it …”) clad in his black costume and his helmet made of one-way Argus glass. Armed with an automatic pistol plus limitless courage and ingenuity the Moon Man captured or killed Great City’s most dangerous criminals (white collar and blue collar) and robbed them of their ill-gotten booty. He would then distribute that money to the city’s Great Depression-ravaged poor. ( “Great Depression ya got here … it’d be a shame if – ” oh, forget it!) All this made him hunted by both the crooks AND the cops. For more on the Moon Man and other neglected pulp heroes click here: https://glitternight.com/pulp-heroes/

13. THE MURDER MASTER – The Moon Man robs the box office of Great City’s New Community Theatre while his alter ego’s fiancee, Sue McEwen, is performing on stage in a play titled The Perfect Murder. During the confusion caused by our hero’s escape from the police’s attempts to collar him Sue is framed for the murder of a costar. Lt Gil McEwen must arrest his own daughter, who Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS: JANUARY 23RD

https://i0.wp.com/naia.jacksonsun.com/images/Columbia-logo.gifNAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Division One –   1. COLUMBIA (MO) COUGARS   ###   2. LEE UNIVERSITY FLAMES   ###   3. LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS   ###   4. PIKEVILLE UNIVERSITY BEARS   ###   5. XAVIER (LA) GOLD RUSH   ###   6. JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY GOLDEN EAGLES   ###   7. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS   ###   8. OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON   ###   9. EMMANUEL LIONS   ###   10. HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ROYALS   ###   11. MONTANA STATE- NORTHERN LIGHTS   ###   12. ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY HILLCATS Continue reading

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SPECIAL GUEST COMMENTATOR ROSEMARY WOZNIAK BREAKS DOWN THE IDITAROD

Iditarod Dogs Racing togetherBalladeer’s Blog welcomes my sister Rosemary as a guest commentator to share her enthusiasm for the upcoming Iditarod Race. She is a terrific Good Will Ambassador for the event and has gotten me and several other people into following the event each year.

Balladeer’s Blog will once again offer updates on the race as it progresses, complete with each competitor’s Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname. For instance four-time Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey, known to my readers as “The Mad Musher”. Now over to Rosemary, after this reminder that the 2013 race will begin on March 3rd.

Rosemary: Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be alone in the Alaska wilderness…just you and maybe 18 well-trained sled dogs pulling your sled?  Well, I have.  I have been a fan and a follower of the Iditarod Race since the early 1990s and since around 2004 I’ve been able to virtually experience the thrills and spills of the race; admire the fortitude of the mushers and the Continue reading

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THE FOUR MOST INCOMPETENT U.S. PRESIDENTS IN HISTORY

Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the four most thoroughly incompetent presidents in American history. The list features two Republicans and two Democrats but naturally Liberal fanatics will accuse me of being a Conservative and Conservative fanatics will accuse me of being a Liberal. It’s all part of living in this land of partisan zealots.

Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison

4. BENJAMIN HARRISON

Party Affiliation: Republican

Background: Benjamin was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison, who was famous for dying barely a month into his term.

Presidency: Harrison lost the popular vote to incumbent Democratic President Grover Cleveland but won the Electoral College so Cleveland was out and Benjy was in. Harrison’s campaign virtually sold every possible presidential appointment in its desperate bid for the presidency, so Benjamin had almost no leeway on who he could nominate for positions from Cabinet level on down. The confirmation hearings provided ample fodder for political humor as some of the most unqualified nominees in U.S. history paraded before the Senate. 

Harrison proved to be in over his head on the Continue reading

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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY RESULTS FROM JANUARY 19TH

https://i0.wp.com/minorityrecruitonline.com/college/resources/1/georgetown/Georgetown_College_Tiger.gifNUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – The unranked GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS took it on the road and brought down the number 2 team in the nation, the PIKEVILLE UNIVERSITY BEARS. In a hard-fought game that the Georgetown faithful will be talking about for years to come the Tigers emerged with an 80-77 victory.    ***    Meanwhile, in another example of an unranked team toppling a ranked program the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS (TX) CELTS likewise played road warriors and defeated the 24th ranked TEXAS COLLEGE STEERS. This matchup was a defensive epic with the final score being Celts  55  Steers  53     ###    … And finishing out the upsets in the NAIA Top 25 yesterday the number 25 MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS fell to the CULVER- STOCKTON WILDCATS in an 89-88 heartbreaker on the road.

https://balladeer.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/sxucougars1.png?w=500TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION TWO – The 18th ranked SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS were on the road against the number 3 CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY WOLVES and when the dust settled the Cougars went home with a 66-62 win in this undeniable Instant Classic.   ###   The (23) CAL MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS lost a 71-70 Overtime nailbiter on the road to the UC-MERCED BOBCATS    ###    … And in the only other upset in the Top 25 for this division of college basketball the YORK (NE) PANTHERS edged the Continue reading

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