Bear Medicine. Miwok, Maidu, Nisenan Native Traditions

This explanation of the Grizzly Bear in Sacramento Valley & Foothill Native American culture is given at the dedication of a monument to Huuk Coppa Hembo. At the Nature Fest on April 27 in Georgetown with local historian Guy Nixon (Red Panther Redcorn). Coppa Hembo helped build the first school houses on the Georgetown Divide, and strongly encouraged young people to learn to read and write, and become fluent in English. He is credited for saving his people from being rounded up by soldiers and removed to reservations, which began in the 1860's. Coppa Hembo played a major role in seeing the tribal children were educated in Georgetown area schools side by side with non-native children. It was also pointed out how Coppa Hembo led a vaccination campaign against smallpox, which saved the Maidu from the devastating impact smallpox had on Irish, Spanish and Chinese miners. See more here: http://inedc.com/1-4329 Coppa Hembo, translated as "Grizzly Bear Slayer". Legend of The Grizzly Bear Slayer As a young brave, Tchumbo was hunting deer with his friends. They hiked on a forest trail near Rock Creek, as they came around a large boulder they startled a huge grizzly bear foraging in the brush. The massive bear stood 8 feet tall, roared angrily, and charged straight toward the Indian hunters. His two companions turned and fled, but Tchumbo stood his ground and shot two quick arrows into the bear, striking him in the chest. Although wounded, the bear continued its fierce attack, slashing Tchumbo across his forehead with strong sharp claws. With the weight of the bear crushing him, he stumbled backwards, plunging his razor-edged quartz knife deep into the bear as they fell. From a distance his companions watched in horror. They bolted back to their settlement, Syhylim Toma, and sadly told the villagers what they had seen. They mourned the loss of such a brave young warrior who fought the attacking bear, while allowing his friends to escape. The next morning, Tchumbo staggered into Syhylim Toma wearing the hide of the grizzly bear. His friends believed they were seeing a ghost, and were afraid. Tchumbo explained that after he regained consciousness, he rolled the dead bear off his chest. When he regained his strength, he gutted and skinned the bear, then slept in the bear hide for warmth. Tchumbo had been severely wounded, with deep forehead lacerations, bites on his arms, and broken ribs from the bear falling on him. As the elder women of the tribe nursed him back to health, he spoke of how fiercely the bear had tried to bite and claw him. After the bear died, he felt his own strength ebbing away. Tchumbo believed he was dying, and gave thanks to the spirits of his ancestors that he had been able to kill the bear who had killed him, and that his tribe would have good meat. When he had more fully recovered, tribal elders gave him his adult name, Coppa Hembo, translated as "Grizzly Bear Slayer". The surrounding villages made him their regional Chief, and revered him as a man of great courage and bravery, willing to sacrifice his own life to protect his people. He was respected as a warrior in battle when necessary, and known as a peacemaker when possible.