Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Day LXXXV - Pamola


Wings of cold weather,
Natives fear the antlers,
Sacred mountain moose.


Identified as the protector and guardian spirit of Mount Katahdin in what is now the state of Maine, the Pamola is characterised as having the head of a moose, the body of a human and the talons and wings of an eagle. A spectacular bird creature from Native American tradition, tribes such as the Abenaki and Penobscot respect Pamola as a thunder god who brings cold weather and comes down hard on the humans it resents. Terrified of the antler-toting spirit, climbing the great mountain was considered taboo in native culture and to dissuade intruders the flying moose clouds obscures the peaks with lightning storms and clouds. Even though hikers appear to ignore the spirit, you'd be hard-pressed to consider a winged moose weather lord anything but compelling and worthy of kudos. The powerful Pamola of American folklore deserves praise and veneration indeed.

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