Maru Cult
The Maru Cult is a revitalization movement associated with the California Pomo people, particularly in the Clear Lake area. This cult is rooted in the Ghost Dance movement, which emerged in the late 19th century as a response to the social upheaval brought about by contact with settler cultures. The Maru, or "dreamer," serves as the leader of religious ceremonies, interpreting dreams as divine guidance for the community. Ceremonies typically involve elaborate rituals, including the presence of "Big-Head Dancers" and various dancers, drummers, and singers who adhere to specific purity rules.
While the traditional Maru Cult ceremonies saw their last iterations in the 1950s, contemporary celebrations still embody the spirit and cultural significance of these earlier practices. Modern gatherings reflect the songs, dances, and beliefs of the Maru Cult, highlighting their importance within the larger context of Indigenous spiritual movements. Through these ceremonies, the Pomo continue to affirm their cultural identity and resilience in the face of historical challenges.
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Subject Terms
Maru Cult
- TRIBE AFFECTED: Pomo
- SIGNIFICANCE: The Maru Cult, a revitalization movement, has beliefs in common with the Ghost Dance movement
The Maru Cult of the California Pomo (surrounding the Clear Lake area in Northern California) is a direct offshoot of the Ghost Dance, which began as a religious ceremony and ideology in the 1870s and resurfaced in the 1890s among Plains Indians. The Ghost Dance involved various ideological aspects, including a return to Indigenous ways and a rejection of settler culture. As such, the Ghost Dance, and the many religious movements it inspired, was seen as “revivalist,” a religious response to social circumstances of breakdown and change brought about by contact between two alien cultures—and the power difference between them.
The inequality in relations between settlers and Indigenous people may explain why many Indigenous Americans sought supernatural comfort and deliverance, believing that the simple ways of traditional warfare were not effective against the encroaching settlers. The main influence of the Ghost Dance movements in California was the “Earthlodge” cults, which arrived in Pomo territory as early as 1872. The cult was led by a “Maru,” or “dreamer,” the head functionary of religious ceremonies in its Pomo manifestation. Initially, the selection of lodges for these ceremonies was inspired by the notion that large houses (dome-roofed constructions, of which some pictures are available) were to be a place of refuge from anticipated destruction. The influence of Christian missionaries can be discerned in the Noah’s Ark theme in the construction of these longhouses.
A Maru who dreams becomes the individual leader of the ceremonies. They (for, since 1920, women have played an increasingly significant role in the Maru ceremonies) who dream and call the ceremonies dictate the rules of the ceremony itself, and the dream is highly respected as a source of direction from supernatural promptings. The ceremony usually involves an opening flag-raising to “purify” the hall where the ceremonies are to occur. Prominent in most observations of the Maru Cult are “Big-Head Dancers,” so named because of their large headdresses. Typically, there are four Big-Head Dancers and a number of drummers and singers. There are other dancers who must also observe a number of purity rules throughout the occupation of the ceremony itself. The ceremony may last many days and vary in the dance and song style, all according to the dreams of the specific Maru.
In the twenty-first century, Maru ceremonies continued, although they were much different from their traditional form. The last traditional Maru Cult ceremonies were performed in the 1950s. Still, the more contemporary celebrations and cultural practices of the Pomo reflected many of the songs, dances, and spiritual beliefs that could be found in the traditional ceremonies. Modern celebrations continued to hold the same cultural significance for the Pomo as their Maru Cult ceremonies. They reflected the larger Indigenous spiritual movements they were part of and remained essential to Pomo tribal culture.
Bibliography
Chaney, Anthony. "Ghost Dancers Past and Present." Society for US Intellectual History, 14 Feb. 2018, s-usih.org/2018/02/ghost-dancers-past-and-present. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, www.hoplandtribe.com. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Meighan, Clement W., and Francis Riddell. The Maru Cult of the Pomo Indians: A California Ghost Dance Survival. Los Angeles: Southwest Museum Papers, 1972.