Recycled Feathers
Gail Gillogly
Spring 2004
I can see the visual beauty and I see the reflection of the inner beauty I know so well, that of one of my companions, a Blue & Gold Macaw called Mac. He came to us with a battle-laden history, yet he continues to show me strength, agility, humor, determination and love. I hope I may learn these qualities too, my friend.
These are troubled times we live in. It seems society has managed to obliterate many of the simpler things that were once taken for granted. I like recycling and don’t mind doing my part. We live in such a disposable world it is hard to remember it doesn’t take much to make a little difference. I re-use my grocery bags, save jars; my wardrobe is mostly re-cycled (it’s not my fault it came back in style.) I re-use toy parts for my crew, take the left over feed out to the wild birds, and so forth. I really don’t consider myself as falling into the category of “Tighter than the bark on a tree.” I simply would like to see a lot more bark remain on the trees. For some reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to throw away the beautiful feathers my crew would shed, so they have built up to quite a little collection over the past 5 yrs. Curiosity and luck was to lead me to a project to believe in and participate in, the “Feather Depot” created and headed by a gentleman named Jay Blalock.
I was surfing around one weekend scanning through some of my favorite site. I went to OAS (Okla. Avicultural Society) and as I looked to see if anything new was posted, Mr. Blalock’s plea caught my eye. It read:
“I am a member of the Inter-Tribal chapter of the Native American Church of Oklahoma. We normally utilize feathers from protected birds in our ceremonies. But the feathers are either getting hard to obtain from the Federal Government (5 years with a previous permit), or the old handed down feathers are wearing out from use. As you well know, birds have a reason for molting - to renew their feathers. The birds of past choice are Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, Anhinga or Scissortail Fly Catcher, but most of these must have been in Indian ownership prior to 1973.
I am a feather craftsman and give away most of my feather objects to be used in the church or for Native dance clothes. I, as many others have turned to making ceremonial fans, used for christening, baptism, naming, and blessing rituals from non-protected birds. I have found that I can obtain feathers from several online sources. This can and has become quite expensive; as a result this limits the feather work that I can give away. I do not sell my items as I believe this would lessen the blessing that is asked or received, for the person or the birds whose feathers are used. So now for my plea. If you do not sell (to help with the cost of raising birds) your molted feathers or are already donating them, or just throw them away, I could put them to good use or disperse them to other craft persons. All feathers big and small (tail, wing, & coverlet) can be utilized.
Thanks….Jay Blalock”
Well I thought this was certainly a wonderful concept - to utilize the fallen feathers for such a beautiful culture, so I contacted Mr. Blalock. I was not disappointed in our correspondence through the internet. Jay answered my questions with a proud sense of a very dedicated individual. As he wrote to me of his family, wife of 28 years, his project and cultural activities, I grew more interested.
Although it is like watching someone from a distance tending a garden to supply food for many, I am learning how far a little seed goes. He has sent me information about Pow-Wows, with pictures, showing how parrot feathers have been incorporated into the Native dance clothes (they are beautiful of course.) He has sent me sorrowful information about the poaching of magnificent birds that are slaughtered for nothing more than the lust of money. And of course, there are those who are ambitious to make the money in the tourist campaign, and have lost all sight of the original religious ceremony, held close to the hearts of many. I think the one thing that will always stick in my heart and mind is when Jay wrote to me and said, “How can you sell a prayer?” Think about that.
I have looked around on the internet and found sites where feathers are being sold. I know, this is America and “everything” will always be for sale, but at what cost? And as they pump up the profits for the tourist trade, how will this affect the scattered tribes as they struggle to continue a proud culture that is closely bound to the land itself.
I have always dreamed of working on a great project like the Tambopata research being carried on in the Amazon rain forests of Peru, or to be able to help in finding a cure for the diseases that cost the lives of many companion parrots each year. But for now this gives me a little ray of sunshine in my life, knowing that I am helping to benefit and nurture a culture that is alive and doing so much. I may never know for sure the destiny of each feather but I am happy now they do have a destiny, and will be used or worn with honor, dignity and pride.
Funny isn’t it, that’s how they were originally worn and cared for. Jay ended one of his correspondences with me like this..... Che-Meg-Wetch (great thanks in Ojibwe) I like that. So thanks Jay for allowing me to dream too. You are more of a craftsman than you will ever know.
As I pick up a fallen feather from the floor I raise it to the sunlight streaming in through the window, allowing myself to daydream. I can hear the drum pacing the foot fall of the dancers, hear the voices reaching from the hearts of the singers, and there, with a slight wisp of wind, just catching it enough to say “I am here,” is a feather shed from one of my companions, stirring bravely in the hair of a warrior; and wait… is that Dinky’s feather tickling the face of that tiny little girl dancing so proudly beside her mother………..