A Tale of Three Small Towns: Loveno, Hurley, and Brisbane

Tahquamenon River, Upper Michigan

I've gone into detail in past postings about family/DNA "energy stamps" across vast areas. The idea that we as individuals, families, and clans are tied to places in which we have never been; where out ancestors or relatives have lived in the past for long periods of time. Life's experiences---great and small, good and bad---form a geographic/meta-connection. These types of DNA energy imprints upon the earth form something of a DNA grid. Unless an individual is entirely materialistic with no folk spirituality at all, the places in which our ancestors or relatives have lived in the past means something! If we visit those places for the first time, we have come back home. This is a bit different than deja vu in which you experience something which you can connect to from a previous experience or perhaps even a previous life; either a literal place or somewhere which reminds one of a place, person, or experience. There's some conflation, but a meta-geographic connection is something different.

Ultimately, my own meta/geographic connections are only important to me/us. I'm just trying to encourage others, presumably chiefly folk-neopagans, to devote some thought to this in order to develop the concept further. This could take the form of storytelling for example. Even if a person is not directly blood-related, if they were of the same culture, they could still adopt--on a certain level--the "story" of another family... especially if that family followed a similar path... a shared history. This may sound like a funny thing to say, but I can say from experience that there are places where one could pull up a couple of fold-up chairs on a high point and tell another of a long family/clan history while literally "pointing" in the horizon at various related locations. That is if anyone could take some time out from their busy lives and the "sports and entertainment" culture to actually sit down and listen for a short while.

If the past, present, and future are not intertwined, then we have nobody to blame but ourselves. They are interconnected at all times, we just lose sight of it. One location which so much defines my family's origin is a group of small villages, the largest being Loveno. It's located on the edge of a valley and tributary river to the Val Camonica and the prominent Oi River.... called the Val Paisco. Part of this village-group connects to vast grassy hillsides from a high plateau on the Val Camonica side to the east, while another part of it lays on the edge of a much more closed-in, steep, and wooded Val Paisco to the west. Driving westward through the dense forested Val Paisco perhaps eight miles, the dense dark road opens up like heaven to a vast lowland surrounded by far off mountains. There you would see the the small beautiful town named Schilpario, which is actually in the Bergamo province (Orobie Alps) and they speak a slightly different dialect of the Lombard language than the Brescia province (Val Camonica).

Many of the words are slightly different despite the short trek. For example, on the Camunian side the word for family is "famia" (different than the Brescian "famija") while on the Orobie side the word is "famèa." It's like a subtle tribal affiliation, and we must look at it from the standpoint of history, back many centuries. For that long period of time, centuries, while they politically belonged to numerous different nations, small "tribal" differences remained in place, such as the difference in dialect. Certainly there were marriages between Camuni and Orobiesi, for example between people in Loveno and Schilpario, but the bride (in most cases) just adopted the subtly different ways of their new "tribe" so to speak. This is a place where time has stood still, and old ways remain in place. One paternal great-grandmother of mine, named Theresa, was born here in these relatively remote Alps at about 1870. Her parents were not born in "Italy," but in the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom... a colonial possession of the Austrian Empire.

Despite being a relatively short distance from major cities--such as Milan, Bergamo, and Brescia--the rugged, mountainous, and sleepy Val Paisco was much more in tune with the vast underpopulated regions of the east Lombard Alps. Again, a place where old traditions die hard. Metaphorically-speaking, I would compare the relationship between urban Milan and the east Lombard Alps with the relationship between San Jose, California and the nearby mountainous county of Santa Cruz. So close, yet so far away. Theresa eventually joined her children and grandchildren in Hurley, Wisconsin sometime in the 1920s. Hurley had a history of Lombard and Venetian immigrants going back to the late 1880s. She must have felt at home in the rural town and within the community surrounding the old St. Mary's Catholic Church. Although the Hurley-Ironwood (Upper Michigan) area would essentially be flatland in comparison to Loveno, the eighty-mile long Gogebic Mountain Range was right nearby.

Remarkably, the tradition of mining those mountains was the same here as it was in the mountains surrounding the Val Camonica. Also the same, the mining had largely diminished there just as it had back in the Val Camonica. Hurley had once been a major and wild "frontier town" in the late 1800s, housing many miners, and crawling with vice. Even Al Capone himself was impressed with the local operations, of which he wasn't able to penetrate himself; finally just agreeing to co-operate with the local black marketeers as they smuggled liquor down from Canada through Hurley and other locations in the Northwoods. With the decline of mining and the advent of Prohibition, the town started to dry up. Only the local long-standing community remained. However then (and even today), Silver Street, which had been ground zero during the old mining and vice days, still remained a haven for bars and topless dancing. There are tours for anyone interested in that part of local history.

Sometime in the 1940s, one of my grand uncles, Frank--a nephew of Theresa--moved with his family to Brisbane, California... which was something of a "mini-Hurley" back then. The vast majority of the residents were of California-Dust Bowl heritage. In other words, they were of the millions of people who had migrated to California from Oklahoma and north Texas during the 1930s. Brisbane was their real hot spot just south of San Francisco, wth many "country western" bars along Visitacion Avenue. One such bar/night club was the semi-famous 23 Club. That local culture was going strong as late as the early 90s. Frank's move to Brisbane was the start of a long-standing family connection to the town. As amazing as it might seem, Brisbane is surrounded by San Bruno Mountain, part of the major Santa Cruz Mountain chain; and there was a large mining company in the industrial part of town, quarrying stones along one part of the mountain. The quarry has largely slowed down, but there is still a company which operates there.

Although small, Brisbane had long been well known for heavy industry. For decades, materials were brought in on train tracks from the nearby railroad which ran along the San Francisco Bay. My great grandmother, whom I never knew, had actually visited Brisbane on at least a couple of occasions. Apparently she believed in keeping the family clan together, or at least not wanting them to lose touch. Not surprising when considering that she had come from a culture in which nobody ever seemed to lose contact, unless they migrated to some faraway location like Chicago, Toronto, or Buenos Aires. The meta-connections between Loveno, Hurley, and Brisbane---and strongly considering the strong circumstantial-similarities between all three locations---is overwhelming for me. The fact that one person--Theresa--was present in all three locations, only further bolsters this DNA-connection!

I would like to encourage others--Neopagans, folk-polytheists, Asatruar, spiritually-minded genealogists and ethnologists, etc--to take another look at their own family history with new eyes relating to this "meta-geographical" concept. This isn't about "me," but I think this example hopefully can give others an impetus to take that further examination of their own family history. What does your family's Meta/DNA "grid" map look like? Are there some almost-eery "circumstantial-similarities"--not necessarily directly related to your family--present between those locales? I would especially like to encourage Asatruar or Odinists, who have been the chief driving force behind the folk-neopagan movement in recent years. Many really impressively know their local and family history, so maybe we can raise the bar on this. I think those meta-geographical connections/grids are real. I can feel it. There are connections--between various seemingly unrelated locations--which are far beyond mere faded memories. Find them!

While becoming, we discover, we already are


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Since I seem to have adopted the 89-mile Tahquamenon River as sort've a sub-theme here, I wanted to just follow up on it a bit. Windows 10 started featuring an image of it just today. Somewhat coincidentally, it's located in Upper Michigan.

Tahquamonen River

Tahquamonen Falls




Lower Taquamenon River Michigan

Michigan Interactive

A tour of the Lower Tahquamenon River in Chippewa County Michigan by fishweb.com

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"Moon-mountain portal" - Metaspiritual science in action II

I had mentioned in part one that weather conditions can block off the psychic-spiritual connection. Naturally it would be great if we could always enjoy the true "full Moon," but for many that's not always possible. While in some places, people can virtually always count on warm clear evenings during the summer and fall; here along the coast we're hit with fog in the afternoon, and it doesn't always clear out. Generally the weather is unpredictable.

I think that most people, while enjoying great weather, tend to subconsciously feel that it's just going to continue. However, at least here, it can change in one day. It can be absolutely perfect one day/evening, and it could be fogged in the next day. Usually it's more like in weekly patterns. Outside of traveling a certain distance to an always-good-weather spot, which is always great, those of us who live in unpredictable weather need to develop a strategy for the Moon cycles.

What I'm really getting at is that time is too precious to go through the trouble of planning and setting aside an evening for a full Moon... only to have the weather spoil the mood and connection that you were hoping for. Again, at least where I am, one evening could be as perfect as perfect can be... and the next night could be fogged in and sort've depressing. However, chiefly because you cannot make the psychic-spiritual connection that you want. I mean I could hike and enjoy just about any weather outside of heavy rain.

The only answer, for those of us living within an unpredictable weather area, is to look at the forecast leading up to the full Moon. Choose a good day within three days prior or following a full Moon evening, hopefully even the exact day. Also, it could allow a person or group to hand select a good day of the week. For evenings, I love Wednesday through Friday especially. Saturday you may have had something planned and it's hard to adjust or if you're visiting somewhere, Sunday evenings usually aren't good, and Monday/Tusesday are too early in the week.

I would also like to add that with quickly moving clouds at night, if they are strongly interacting with the Moon, they may actually enhance the energy. Sometimes as the clouds move over the Moon, it looks like sparks. There is a certain energetic interaction that I have found to work. I just didn't want to leave the impression that clouds are somehow a negative.

Metagenetics?

I think many who would criticize Stephen McNallen or Metagenetics, do so from a cowardly point of view. However, for an individual, it could be too large of a concept to start with. I think it's fine as a scientific study, but people need things they can personally and closely relate with. Why not make a Metaphysical connection to a favorite ancestor to start with? You're their direct DNA descendant. Perhaps later then, one could more closely tie in the larger concept in stages.

To always put up some type of loud "racial banner" just seems to distract the individual from locating her or his place within this Metaphysical environment. In other words, a Shintoist doesn't wave a Japanese war flag. They make connection with their direct ancestors. I believe that larger collective identities should be secondary, at least within this folk-spirit tie-in. An individual cannot truly ever be certain whether or not Diana, Freya, or Inanna is their direct ancestor I don't think. However, an individual can be certain that their great-great-grandmother is indeed their direct ancestor.

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New Steve McNallen interview on Red Ice Radio - "ancestral roots & metagenetics"

This is a new interview, posted on YouTube two days ago. Steve McNallen goes deeper into the spiritual and scientific side of things. “Synchronicity” was tied into the discussion as well. I wrote down a few points and observations. He compared death to a “curtain,” in which messages can occasionally get through from both directions. He brought up an interesting example as far as the disconnect between individuals and their roots; a present day family at the dinner table, and nobody is speaking to each other, as they’re too busy checking their cell phones, tablets, etc. Henrik, the host from Sweden, brought up a recent book that is said to show evidence between the ancient Norse and the ancient Greeks; I think partly due to the similarities between the two mythologies. Steve asked for the information on that, but didn’t comment on it.

One interesting pattern and I’m not suggesting any specific person or organization is that Guido von List is never mentioned that I can see. In this interview, Friedrich Nietzsche and Carl Jung  were discussed, but not List. “Metagenetics” is a bio-spiritual scientific belief that ancestry and metaphysics are systemically tied together. In so many spiritual traditions, especially in the east, there is no need to even mention this item because it isn’t even considered a part of wisdom. It would be like insisting that one should breathe oxygen. In the West however, and only within European/north European traditions, this passes as “controversial.” Since those traditions were genocided long ago, apparently the “guilt complex” doesn’t apply here. When someone delivers “controversy” to your doorstep, and only to your doorstep, it’s not easy to just ignore it.

Red Ice Radio

Stephen A. McNallen is a prominent religious leader of the native European path called Asatro. McNallen established the first legally recognized Asatro organization in the US in 1972 and quickly became a prolific writer and speaker on the subject on Germanic Paganism, which broadly includes the ancient tribes of Northern Europe. He believes that spiritual fulfillment is best achieved by following the ways of one's ancestors. In the first hour, Stephen addresses the importance of venerating our ancestors. He explains how discovering our ancestral past is vital for our future. We'll talk about what happens when one is cut off from their ancestral roots and how powerful interests rely on it. Stephen discusses how the "world managers" work to get the masses to lose their impulse for something deeper. They belittle honor, courage and heroism for reasons of control as these pose a threat to the system. Later, Stephen talks about the falsification of Europe's history, which always portrays Europeans as the evil ones, and people disown their ancestors because of it. In the member's hour, we'll hear about metagenetics and the idea that ancestry matters - that there are spiritual and metaphysical implications to heredity. He ties together varied topics as Jung's theories of archetypes, rebirth in the family line, psychic links between twins, and the Norse concept of the soul to support that statement. We'll also talk about how biology is being ignored to push egalitarianism. Later, McNallen talks about reigniting the spark, reconnecting to that which is in us. We're the outcome of all who have gone before us and their decisions up until this point. The hour ends on Odin's model of evolution.

 

Supermoon huddle

I thought I would add this here since Steve McNallen has mentioned many times the importance of retreats. Again, I’m not an Odinist. However, this past “supermoon” three days ago, a few of us gathered in a special location at the base of the northern Santa Cruz mountain chain. It was at a spot that we had not used before. It was at a location that was not hard to get to, but secluded, making it a perfect place to take a mini-retreat. A retreat doesn’t have to take a whole weekend, with lots of planning. I can’t stress it enough, sometimes you need to be physically distanced from it all, with no distractions; something a little more than a backyard retreat.

It was 9:45 PM, and a stream of clouds traveling in one direction blocked out the bright moon most of the time as we sat on a wide gravel trail at the base of a hill. We usually go for a location within the trees, but this was a nice alternative. An occasional breeze of warm yet cool air blew against my face during the otherwise still night. The dark mountains stood majestically against the dark blue sky. There was enough moonlight through that endless stream of clouds to illuminate the trail and hillside. The hazy light was beautiful, almost ethereal. For a moment, I recall thinking why can’t we do this more often?

When we first arrived, an owl flew up upon a branch about forty feet high. It stayed there for about five minutes. I tried to take its picture, but it was too high for the flash to be effective. It felt special to have an owl do something they rarely do. It was a special evening, with the clouds continuously swirling around the moon’s bright light. At one point I got up from my chair and walked down the wide trail for a while, beer in hand. I enjoy just thinking about what I want to think about in this type of location, and not what someone else thinks I need to be thinking about.

Sometimes, and not just because of a buzz from several beers, a special location can enhance certain emotions, and everything and everyone past and present seems timeless and together… and with the better of it all rising in spirit. Especially as I looked at the swirling clouds around the moonlight like sparks. Maybe the nearby mountains are like a spiritual antennae at night; opening that curtain between worlds of time. A large raccoon suddenly appeared walking across the trail, bringing me back to earth, and I returned to the camp.

There are two more "supermoons" left this year (August & September), and one more blood moon in October.

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