"I've often wondered why it was that American Indian names sounded like provinces in China: Hopi, Hopei, Souix, Xiu, Apache, Pache, Maya, Miao, PiLu, Peru, Shan, Chan, Guatama, Guatemala... or why the Hawaiian word for 'knot' (Kipu'u) was also the Quechuan word for 'knot' (Quipu) and both were also the word for a knotted cord record-keeping device. I ponder why the Mayan word for 'spirit breath' (ik) is the mirror image of the Chinese word for spirit breath (ki), and the Mayan word for ritual (ok) is the mirror of the Chinese word for ritual (ko), or why a fourth century Chinese teachers name (paoputzu) is prounounced like the Mayan Book of Council (Popul Vuh)...or why, in that same Book of Council, there is the line 'The Sun that can be seen is not the real sun' which mimics the famous line from the Tao Te Ching; 'The Tao that can be known is not the real Tao'. Coincidences? Or co-incidences?
Intuitively, we know that there is something going on here that is not taught in sixth grade history. Find out what it is."
I visited the village of Taos(!) in New Mexico some time ago, made friends with the local medicinman, who suddenly looked like an old chinese to me.
This was the turn for my travels and researches, I did go to China later on, where also my grandfather has been in the age of 25.
Then I was invited to Korea, where I found similar patterns of basically shamanistic drummings and voices, the way I heard them around the native indians in USA, it was stunning!
By the way, the chinese tradition of native drummings has been widely lost, but does come to life again lately and is as interesting in this context. I hope for more from there (Beijing based).
But not enough, I happened to be contacted by a korean member of the Seoul Universitiy in Korea and told him about the native US indian's music, it was a very long talk, he was into sociology, but never thought of such similarities of native indians to koreans and was highly "alarmed".
By the way, somewhere else I read about a certain asian speer(?) plus according picture, that was carried for long and still at use or somewhere in the Taos indian tribe (pueblos).
When I was back in Berlin another time, I suggested to some korean friends, to cooperate with some african drummers. It so turned out, that they just rehearsed with some, because they had found out similar patterns, as they told me! It then was a wonderfull concert indeed!
There also is a strong liking and cooperations from the japanese side towards african drummings. On this level, they have a wonderfull understanding for each other, as many can confirm here, I suppose. One summer, the main theme for most music-festivals in Japan was percussion, and I happened to be there and could confirm this even more. Some Koreans were also invited, Africans anyhow...
And, if I am not mistaken, somewhere there are reports of very early chinese sailors to South America, actually. So, it then did go via more than just the Bering street, as for language-traces.
All bits and pieces, but something to think about.
