Summer Solstice in Western Pennsylvania

[Miguel Sague Jr]

Takaji My Relatives

We enjoyed gorgeous summer weather this past Saturday as we celebrated the 2012 Summer Solstice on the grounds of the CANEY INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL CIRCLE's Verona, Pennsylvania Teaching Lodge.

We were blessed by the presence of the Ohio representative of United Confederation of Taino People, our dear Taino sister, Rose Anao Quinones from Youngstown. Ohio, who came accompanied by several members of her family including her brother David and his three beautiful daughters.

We were also joined by a number of local Peaceburghers who have made our Caney Circle ceremonies here in the Pittsburg area a bit of a habit including our brother Sol Shanti who arrived with his son Isaiah and generously provided us with all the wood for the guanara (sweatlodge) fire.

Sol and Harold "Dog" RomanNose singlehandedly split wood and manned the sweatlodge fire throughout the ceremony.

Sol's son Isaiah was helpful with, and other participants watched on as I prepared the leaf and twig effigy of the shark for the Shark Dance.

We were honored by the participation of the David Jorge family friend, Sam Dolak who played the role of Yoka Hu during the Radiant Sun Ceremony and the  subsequent Shark Dance.

As a result of the fire-keeping efforts of Sol and Dog the inside of our guanara hut got good and hot during the kansi (sweatlodge) ceremony after the Shark Dance and those who chose to sweat with us had a powerful experience.

Bo Matun and Jajom (Thanks) to all of those beautiful souls who shared this wonderful ceremony with us this past weekend.

Taino Ti

Miguel