Rapa Nui, Easter Island Timeline

One hallmark of Aspergers is fascination bordering on obsession with various obscure subjects. For the past week, I have been researching Rapa Nui, otherwise known as Easter Island...you know, the place with the big Moai head statues, of which there are 887 documented.
I searched the Internet for a concise, all-inclusive timeline but only found pieces here and here so I compiled, what I believe to be, one of the most conclusive Rapa Nui Timelines.

200 AD Polynesia begins to be settled
300-1100 (there is considerable debate about this approximate date) Rapa Nui is settled
1000-1600 creation of Moai statues
1500 intense island warfare, the Birdman faction rises
1550 some researchers estimate the island population peaked at 7000-10,000
1722 April 6th Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen (1659-1729) arrived with three ships: Arend, Thienhoven and Afrikaansche Galey. He "named" the island Easter Island because they arrived at Rapa Nui on Easter Sunday
1770 November 15 Spanish navigator, Felipe Gonzales de Ahedo, with two Spanish ships, San Lorenzo and Santa Rosalia, visits and claims the island for Spain, renaming it "Isla deSan Carlos", ceremoniously signs a treaty of annexation, erects three wooden crosses on Poike volcano. Stays for 5 days, thoroughly surveys the coast. First probable contact with European infectious disease
1774 March 12 staying for four day, Captain of Resolution, British navigator James Cook(1728-1779) visits. Several Moai are observed toppled
1786 French navigator Jean-Francois de Galaup, Comte de LaPerouse (1741-1788) arrives with scientists and naturalists.
1805 American vessel, The Nancy visits and abducts 22 islanders
1825 British ship, Blossom visits. No Moai observed still standing
1837 first Chilean ship, the Colo Colo visits
1862 December first Peruvian slave raiders abduct half the population, 1,500 men and women, to work on the Peruvian Guano Trade
1864 January first missionary arrives from Valapariso
1866-1867 end of the Birdman cult
1867-1868 Commercial exploitation begins. French Captain Jean-Baptister Dutrou-Bornier arrives, claims lordship, bought most of the land
1867 first Christian missionary, Eugene Eyraud dies from tuberculosis along with half the population
1868 the British HMS Topaz removes two Moai statues, Hoa Hakanani'a and a smaller one and they are presented to Queen Victoria and the British museum
1877 Peruvian slave traders abduct all but 110 islanders, 36 of which have offspring. All Rapanui have descended from these 36
1878 first Catholic church constructed
1888 American warship, Mohican visits
Chile annexed the island
1914 Easter Islanders revolt
Katherine Routledge visits for an expedition, publishes first compressive book of the island, "The Mystery of Easter Island" in 1919
1916 Chilean Bishop Rafael Edwards visits, protests against the poor treatment of native islanders by the sheep farm company
1952 Chilean navy takes over administration of the island
1953 Williamson-Balfour Company sheep farm finally leaves
1955 Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl undertakes excavations
1964 Emergence of Independent Movement; revolt of Islanders
1966 Chile declares Easter Island a province
1967 airfield constructed at Mataveri; Rapa Nui connected with Santiago
1986 landing strip extended to allow Easter Island to be used as an emergency landing strip for the NASA space shuttle

So, this is one of the things that I enjoy doing

Watching People Talk...it's a visual thingy

I had a most interesting experience the other day talking with another Aspie. I watched him talk. As he spoke, it was as if there was a flat plane at about his chin level and as he spoke ...it was as if you took a matchbox car and very slowly moved it this way, to the left, turning, in a spiral, off to the right, moving, flowing, slowly, all in my minds eye. I had never seen anyone talk before, ever. There was no color to it...just light shades of grey. The plane was smooth and flat. I found it most fascinating. I very much enjoyed watching the verbaization.
Whereas, if I were to focus on my speech...if I saw it...it would be more of short bursts that go straight out for about 6 inches and quickly turns back in, toward me.
As long as we are on the subject of verbaization...I think I can read subtle changes in people's voices. Maybe it's a developed skill from having such limited eye contact. So, I was talking to a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and her voice caused me great concern. It was guarded and varied in..distantance. Even though we were in the same room, she oscillated between varying distances away from me. Reminds me of a ten foot pole. I hadn't heard that tone before with her so I wasn't sure what was up..till later on...then it made sense.
I can read voices but only for those close to me...those five or six close friends whom I have known for awhile:)
It's interesting...a very cool experience. I look forward to talking with my Aspie friend again to see if the same visuals happen.
Just wanted to share:)

So this Aspie says to this other Aspie...Conversation, Solitude, Self-Esteem

So, sometimes I am aware of my sequestered existence...especially when I actual engage someone in an hour long conversation and I am able to see things differently. You know, those almost minimalist, everyday chats that most do as a matter of course...are actually huge, arena events for me.
Conversations are not normal for me. Even an hour long event produces a plethora of old and new thoughts, various feelings and mostly, reams of insight....in addition to nervous tension, anxiety, bits of euphoria and tempered understanding.

So I met with this other Aspie... The only other one I know who is not in denial, aware of his condition and freely talks about it.
I found it very interesting. It's like, to coin an old phrase, we were very much on the same wavelength. It's like....the feel of it...is very much like finding a long lost relative...an immediate connection that is unmistakable and bright. The air changed.....it wasn't me vs him, it was an unspoken kinship....argh, still not right....it's like he walked in one door, I walked in another and we sat at the same table and wanted the same food....and we used our utensils the same way. And neither one of us was a wierdy.
A number of things struck me. One, I did kind of have to...adjust what I said. My AspieSpeak is very rusty and hasn't been used much. And it was very much like two young, impulsive, erratic teenagers getting together for lunch.
I made a number of comparisons, which .....probably jumped to a number of very biased conclusions or assumptions based on my small pool of candidates, and experiences....anyway...I marveled at his ease of verbalizing yet once again. We had meet once previously and I marveled then, too. I think my verbal abilities are quite...different and less...more of a struggle.
He never flinched..when I would get up or move around which makes me wonder how much of my physical/sexual abuse trauma reactions have carried over into my adult life or if it's where I am on the spectrum.
I liked his androgyny which is extremely similar to mine. It wasn't like he was a he and I was a she...it was just two peoples, two Aspies, two homogenous aliens. I liked the way he exhibited similar characteristics....the way he moved his hands when he talked, went off on very cool tangents and freely said what was on his mind..his irks are also my irks and such.
We are working on getting an Adult Aspie group going and I would really like to see this come to fruition. I think I would benefit by being exposed to my own kind.
Funny, my visual thinking exploded as we talked and afterwards. I thought in pictures twenty times more than I usually do...which did amaze me. So I am hoping we can get the group up and running and hang out more often. It is of benefit to me.
I'm really wondering about my low self-esteem these days and how to work that to a better state of being. My wound has finally healed. In my minds eye, I see it no more, so that is a big positive. I want to get back out to my horses but am torn between that and continuing this solitary road of self-discovery that I have fallen, face first, upon.
I have found a number of odd, little things that I like and that delight me....I love to sit on the floor and rock, stare out windows at the sky and tree tops, eat burger/ ricotta/ mozzarella heated up meals, painting and creating little cool things, engaging me spouse in small talk, big talk and banter, hanging out with little dude and discussing the virtues of various Pokemon, I like solitude but not loneliness.....I like to know someone is out there, close by, I like to hide under blankets and engage in deep, prophetic dreaming or that very cool, peaceful half-awake state where I ponder, I have about half a dozen subjects I would plum the depths of..if I had the time....just saw a show on Rapa-Nui and the Easter Island statues that was very cool, I have a book I would like to read about how not to get lost outdoors...sounds intriguing...I'm a little nervous about this Christmas trip to visit family.....ahhh, I really got into this temporary stress-free livin and likin it.
I want to keep scouring the inet for research on other Aspie groups...
I've actually been enjoying this solitude...having my own space to rest, play and catch up on sleep and dreams.
Whilst I like this new career choice of being a very good recluse...I understand all good things must come to an end....the real world don't excite me much...not much at all...but it hasn't gone away...it's still there beckoning...knocking......
It's just plain hard...to throw ones self to the wolves. I know the anxiety and stress of walking out that front door where pain can lurk and await around an unsuspecting corner....and I don't want to and you can't make me.
If only it were easy...if only it didn't hurt...I would be more willing to deal with life outside my warm, cozy bunker. Ahhh, the dilemma of it all....my anxiety rises even thinking about venturing out......hmmmmm
Where I go from here...I do not yet know. I must be back up to 50% at this point...that's what it feels like. Once I hit 100% well...then I will figure out some new parameters and find a direction. Right now I enjoy playing being me:)
Be good. Be Nice

Naivety, The Innocence of Aspergers, Autism

NAIVE: 1 unaffectedly, or sometimes foolishly, simple; childlike: unsophisticated 2 not suspicious; credulous
Syn- naive implies a genuine, innocent simplicity or lack of artificiality but sometimes connotes an almost foolish lack of worldly wisdom

So says Webster
I am naive. And I know it. One of the conundrums of Aspergers is an almost childlike innocence and way of looking at the world. I used to trust people, take them at face value, believe the words they said were literal and true...and I got hurt...a lot.
In my twenties and early thirties I found ways to protect myself and they weren't the most positive of virtues. I became suspicious, always looking for hidden meanings behind others actions. I learned to not trust what was being said because the actions rarely supported the words. I learned about masks that people wear, one for work, another for home, one for mom, one for friend.....but mostly, I learned to build walls...to separate even more from society because, quite frankly, I try and avoid pain.
I became the observer, the fly on the wall, watching, studying the words, movements and interactions around me.

Naivety is innocence. Be kind to the autistic. Remember that even though they look older, mature, grown up....sometimes they are nothing more than children trapped in adult bodies.

For the Aspie, the Auttie, be wary, but don't shut yourself off. I am physically old enough to say that there are many, many kind and caring NTs out there.
Things that helped me find the kind peoples: most NTs have patterns of behavior...if they yell and scream at their dog, they yell and scream at people; if they constantly put others down, whine a lot and are downright miserable, please, please walk away...don't try and rescue....rescuing is for the professionals, therapists, clergy; aim for hanging out with healthy people, those he are happy and content with themselves; avoid people who abuse substances and have a criminal history; don't make friends fast...take your time to get to know someone, find their patterns; trust your instincts...sometimes I meet someone for the first time and just feel like "ick" for no clear reason..I honor those inner feelings; ask someone You trust what they think about a new person you have recently meet...and listen to what they have to say.

You just have to be a little more cautious when you're Aspie. There are friendly, helpful and nice people's out there! I know, I have met many.

Remembering this most beautiful place, Spirit Houses Jiibegamig, Pinery Indian Cemetery

Last weekend I went sight-seeing in Baraga County. I headed East to L'Anse and drove north along the Keweenaw Bay on Pointe Abbay Peninsula. On my trek back, I came across "Indian Cemetery Road" and drove to see if I could actually find a cemetery.

A few miles down the road, on a bluff at the crest of a hill, I found the most beautiful cemetery I had ever seen...and I have visited dozens.

As I turned onto the precarious dirt road, overlooking a most beautiful valley, with birch trees and a small lake in the distance, my heart raced and I was enthralled. Spirit houses!
Spirit Houses or Jiibegamig, are knee high wooden structures built over a gravesite. I had never seen these before! They were positively glorious to behold.
As I got out of my car, camera in hand, I started bowing my head and mumbling, asking for permission to walk among the graves. I also thought and said, "I humbly and with great respect, walk among my ancestors." I had never felt so inclined to ask the spirit guardians in such a reverent manner before.
I knew I was on very sacred ground and I walked slowly, head bowed and humbly.
There had been a fire back in 2009 and 45 spirit houses had been damaged or burned. Remnants of burned tree trunks were quite obvious. One person I spoke with said the local Native American Tribe of Chippewas had to come in to remove the burned trees and clean up the cemetery.
In many places, were no grave markers or spirit house stood, red flags were put in the ground marking the locations.
I searched the Internet and found photos of the cemetery from years past. Spirit houses were varying sizes and often had a wooden cross affixed at the top apex.
My intense reaction made me wonder. Do I feel so strongly because it is such a sacred site and ancient? Is this a place where I feel a deep connection to the Earth and all it's beings? Or is it because I have a blood relative buried there?
The latter Is actually possible as my great-grandfather, Sebastian Wise was half Native American and lived in the Detroit area when he met my great-grandmother. I have a photo of him. And Grandma, Sebastians daughter, tells of how he went to a mission school where they changed his Indian name and no one knew his birth name or place of birth. Interesting...very interesting.
I will return to the UP and visit this cemetery again. I will also continue my research into this truly fascinating place.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Horses 101 Things to Know.....Autism, Aspergers

I am by no means an expert...but I have been working and riding horses for a few months and have learned a number of things that can be helpful to someone first meeting a horse. These are things either someone told me or I experienced myself. As someone with Aspergers, I thought these tips would especially benefit the autistic.
Greeting a Horse
Horses rely very much on body movements to tell them if someone is safe. Approach a horse slowly and from the side, not directly head-to-head...this is how horses approach each other. Keep your hands open and to your side, no fists or in pockets and carry nothing in your hands. Standing a little in front or alongside a horse hold out you hand, fingers together, palm up or down, and allow the horse to smell your hand. You will feel two or more warm horse breaths or snorts as the horse gets to know you.
These are important things to remember as most newbies, including myself, want to run up to a horse and pet it's face and nose without a friendly introduction. Take the time to say hello before touching...the horse will appreciate it.
To first pet a horse after greeting, start at the neck or alongside the face. Horses have a blind spot, an area where they cannt see anything, directly in front of them, so start petting in an area they can see before you pet their forehead.
Horses have very soft, sensitive noses so be extra gentle there.
One thing that surprised me is that like cats and dogs, horses have whiskers but theirs are under their chin and bottom lip. These help the animal to feel and sense his surroundings.
Each horse has it's own personality and some like their ears pet and some do not.
I work with a couple horses that routinely smell my hand, then lick it and sometimes give me a rather gentle nip. A horses tongue does feel different, yes it is warm and wet but not really slimey, and I think it's pretty cool and a usual routine for these two. I think it's because they know me pretty well as they are quite gentle about it.
When being around horses remember they can startle so walk and talk softly. They do like attention and being talked to. Grooming with a brush or combing their mane are a couple of things they really enjoy and the beginner can easily do.
Horses are wonderful, magnificent animals..especially up close.
Enjoy

How to Blog

Blog as if you are writing to yourself, knowing the entire world is reading it. Be honest. Protect the identity of those you write about. You do not want to defame, slander or call out anyone but yourself.
VENT, Whine, Complain, Release!!!! It can be a valuable healing tool. On a daily basis, resentments, hurts and slights can build into pain and illness.
Be kind to yourself...Discover what makes you tick.
Remember, this is all about you. The one format in which you have total and complete control. You are Queen, King, Emperor, Dictator, Editor, Publisher and President. Wield your power wisely lest comments or observations can turn around and bite you on the ass.
Do not tear anyone down..publicly. Pseudonyms, pet and false names work well. Keep them guessing...it saves on lawsuits and those revenge types.
Blogging is a journey of discovery and sharing. Although it feels ad if we are an island onto ourself, sometimes ones ruminations can help and connect us to others who also thought they were completely alone in their struggle, their challenges.
Share, write and free your soul.
Be good to yourself. Be kind to others when possible.
Write of the little, insignificant, the mundane...for oft every word helps to paint the picture.
Write of the largesse, the grandiose, the traumatic and dramatic.....it can prove to be insightful and healing. Words can clarify the inner turmoil and confusion. Use them profusely paying no attention to punctuation or how it might sound to your high school English teacher. Format doesn't matter, and is pretty trivial if you ask me...it's the content that does.
All thoughts, subjects, situations and ideals.....ready fodder for a post.
Write morning, night, lunch hour, breakfast, afternoon tea, whenever suits your fancy.
Ahhh, my favorite...write without thinking...automatically dispersing the first thoughts that pop your way. You would be amazed at where this leads....deep.
Edit if you want...delete when needed. Post, repost and proclaim.
Blog, live, love, learn..
Be Good
Be Damn Good to Yourself...you are all you've got...shouldn't you figure out what's underneath
Write