http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/25/rain-dance-drought-oceanside-park-native-american/ When in drought, rain dance
By Maureen Magee
7:40 P.M. JAN. 25, 2014
OCEANSIDE - The scent of burning sage wafted toward the inflatable bounce house. The beat of drums and the distinctive cries of
Apache song caught the attention of boys playing soccer.
Smack in the middle of Mance Buchanan Park in suburban Oceanside on Saturday, dozens of Native Americans gathered in a circle on the
brown grass to do what their ancestors had done generations before them: pray, sing and dance for rain.
As California enters its third straight year of dangerously dry conditions amid what Gov. Jerry Brown has proclaimed a drought
emergency, Gil "Feather" Fernandez led a traditional rain dance on yet another hot and sunny winter day. He was joined by Sam
Bearpaw, Windwalker and dozens of other Native Americans from multiple tribes who work to keep the traditions and rituals of their
culture alive in a modern world.
"This is our way of bringing awareness to the severe drought we are having here in California," Fernandez said. "We look at it from
a spiritual angle. But we also want to remind people to respect the earth and take care of it."
The ritual drew attention from picnicking families and others at the park. The group couldn't help it, with many dressed in full
regalia of head dresses, fringe, beads and leather. Some wore feathers to represent wind and turquoise to symbolize water.
Members of the Kalifornia Ramblers sang traditional Native American songs while others danced for rain inside a ring of people
holding hands.
"Water is a gift of life. Good, clean water is more valuable than gold or oil," Fernandez said. "We pray for rain."
Tangi and Damon Livingston and their daughter, Jade, sat on the grass to watch the sacred ritual unfold.
"I've lived my whole life in Oceanside and never seen anything like this," Damon said. "It's pretty impressive to see this. It does
make you think about things. Maybe there is something to the rain dance. I don't know. We try to teach our daughter to conserve and
do what we can to help out."
Average rainfall at San Diego's Lindbergh Field for the month of January is 1.98 inches. So far this January? Zero.
As Brown seeks financial aid from the federal government during the state's third dry year, others like Fernandez are asking for
help from a higher authority.
The California Catholic Conference of Bishops issued a call for "all people of faith to join in prayer for God's mercy and
compassion" - specifically by sending relief in the way of rainfall.
No doubt, we can use all the help we can get when it comes to precipitation. But according to the National Weather Service, the
chance that a rain dance would produce moisture on Saturday was "zero."
"It's good to call attention to the drought. It's good to have people dialed in," said Miguel Miller, a forecaster with the National
Weather Service in San Diego. "Hopefully, it will bring some rain down the road. But it ain't going to rain down on them as they
dance. Not going to happen."
The updated forecast from the National Weather Service calls for a slight chance of sprinkles in San Diego through Monday.
Coincidence? Maybe.
There will calling out all kinds of crazy people
