hEyOkA mAgAzInE
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BILL BOWERS

HEYOKAH/HOKAHEY

 

  
 

John LeKay:  Can you please tell me how you became interested in the Heyokah?

Bill Bowers:  I am a solo performer, and have had the great opportunity to travel all across the United States and Europe for the past 25 years, most often by myself.  I continue to put my self in the position of being "the guy from somewhere else", "the outsider", "the other".   I am drawn to this experience, over and over again. 

I grew up as a gay kid in a small town in Montana in the 60's (before Oprah or Will and Grace!), so I certainly knew from an early age that I was "different?".   There was no conversation to be had about who I was and how I felt, so I became a quiet person...I was drawn to, and protected by the Big Quiet of Montana.   I was raised in a big quiet family, who talked about NOTHING.   Silence of the landscape. Silence of my family.  I grew very skilled at not talking, so much so that at age 14, I had begun teaching myself the art of Mime (though I had actually never seen Mime before).

I am the black sheep of my family in that I left Montana to go to college, to pursue an artist's life, to become a MIME no less.  I am now a Westerner who lives in the East.  I am a Montanan who lives in New York City.  Right now I am a New Yorker working in Laramie Wyoming......I am "the guy from somewhere else".


These experiences have given me a curiosity for and a fascination with what it is to be "different", and much of my work as a performance artist has been an investigation of that. (my other plays include UNDER A MONTANA MOON, A Collection of Silent Stories about the Subject of Silence; NIGHT SWEETHEART, NIGHT BUTTERCUP, a story of siblings who hold a family secret; and IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, an autobiographical story of Why I became a Mime and where that road has led me.)  In researching the history of "The Other" in civilization and how "difference" is tolerated,  I came upon the Contrary Clowns of Native America; in particular, the HEYOKAH.

 

 

Bill Bowers

 
 

Bill Bowers

 
 

JL: For the sake of readers who don't know what the Heyokah is, can you tell us a little about this?

Bill Bowers:  In the Lakota language, Heyokah translates to “the one who walks backwards; the contrary, opposite the norm”.   The sacred clown, Heyokah, is a phenomenon not only of the Plains Indians; but in fact, some version of this “Contrairie Clown” can be found in over 155 different Native cultures. (The Koshari of the Hopi tribe, the Cheyenne Inverted Warriors, who rode into battle backwards, the Zuni Ihamana, the Navajo Nadleeh, the Mojave Alyha.)

The purpose of the Heyokah was to “mirror” society; to show people their reflection, their opposite, their reverse image.  Some Heyokahs literally walked backwards, talked backwards, wore their clothes inside out and upside down.  Many Heyokahs were believed to be “Two Spirits” or “3rd Gender” in that they possessed both the male and female spirit.  By living in opposition to their community, Heyokahs by example showed that there is always more than one way to see the world; and that every human has value, particularly those who are “different”. 

As a Crow elder states, “We don’t waste people like the White society does. Every person has their gift." 

Someone who is different offers advantages to society precisely because he or she is freed from the restrictions of the usual.  It is a different window from which to view the world.”

 
Heyokahs were spiritual teachers of tolerance and inclusion. They “asked why” of dangerous subjects, and balanced Sacredness with Irreverence.  Most importantly, Heyokahs encouraged people to take themselves less seriously; to laugh at one’s self while being compassionate to others. 

 

JL: How did you get to do your play HEYOKAH HOKAHEY?

Bill Bowers:  I was awarded an Artist of Eminence Endowment by the University of Wyoming, which provided an opportunity to work on a new play.  I thought it would be interesting to work with a cast of young actor/creators to devise a theater piece inspired by the Heyokah.   Laramie Wyoming is located in the heart of sacred land that was once home to the Plains Indian tribes, and to the Heyokah, so it seemed like a fertile ground on which to develop this play.  I also wanted the play to come through the voices of young artists, who are confronting their own "otherness".   As a company of 18, we have worked for 5 weeks devising HEYOKAH HOKAHEY. Much of our work has been physically based (Mime, Viewpoints work, Butoh, Mask), and we have used writing exercises, group discussion, traditional native stories, literature, and music as source material.

 

 

JL: Sounds really interesting. Can you please tell me a little about your play and is it set in traditional or modern times?

Bill Bowers: HEYOKAH/HOKAHEY takes its inspiration from the Native Contrary Clown, the Heyokah.  Our springboard is the concept of the Twin Soul...that every human has a higher self of the opposite gender.   Men on Earth have a female higher self, women on Earth have a male higher self.  the two selves communicate, influence each other, stay in balance.  However, our choices and actions on Earth can cause imbalance with the higher self.

Through a series of vignettes, the play looks at the relationship of the Twin Soul, and how we all have more to us than meets the eye.  For example, Everyone has both "Boy" and "Girl" within themselves, everyone has an "Other," everyone has an inner Heyokah, who reminds us of the Balance of all things  (male/female, shadow/light, sacred/irreverence...)

 

 

Bill Bowers

 

 

The play includes 3 traditional Native American Creation Stories, as well as 3 "Sweet Medicine" Stories, all of which are re-told in contemporary ways.   

There is also a "silent film"/pantomime adaptation of HANDS from Sherwood Anderson's WINESBURG OHIO, and pieces inspired by music of contemporary singer songwriters Dar Williams and Cheryl Wheeler.  The finale of the play uses the text from Seamus Heaney's CURE AT TROY.     

HEYOKAH HOKAHEY is a physical theater piece, employing Mask and Mime, Vertical Dance, Beatbox, and contemporary dance.   The role of the Heyokah, being a backwards/upside down/inside out trickster/story teller, is a predominant devise.

 

 

JL: Is your play autobiographical at all?
  
 Bill Bowers: The play is autobiographical in the sense that is has been developed by the ensemble cast.  We used writing exercises and movement improvisation to investigate ideas of Otherness, Difference, Gender, and Opposites.  I brought in the initial "Frame" or "Questions", and then we investigated how to devise our ideas into theater.   I served the Head Creator, and the cast as Actor/Creators.  The designers have been part of the creative process as well, responding to how the piece evolved through rehearsal.

 

 

JL: What kind of feedback have you gotten so far?
 
 Bill Bowers: The feedback has been extraordinary.  The University of Wyoming has never produced a Devised Theater piece, so this is a new experience for the company and certainly for the audience.  Laramie is also a fairly conservative community.   However, after every performance there are people at the stage door wanting to thank us.   Structurally, HEYOKAH/HOKAHEY is non linear; it is a variety of scenes and music that investigate a theme, so the audience does have to adjust to that.  They don't know what is coming next, and there is a mix of funny pieces and emotional ones.  A common audience reaction after the show is, "I laughed, and then in the next minute I was crying."   I received the following emails from audience members:

** A short note of special thanks for making this current production possible!

I think it is unique and
special and
stimulating and
amusing and
poignant and
memorable and
educational and
haunting and more but just simply delightful!
*Wow.  What a wonderful notion Heyokah is. You have hit on something  that enlarges and embraces our idea of what an artist contributes to the culture.  The alternative view.  Your show gives new meaning to the word Backward.  And it empowers anyone whose looks, point of view, and parentage might set them away from the mainstream.

I adore the notion of man/woman --earth/spirit in all of us and love how you express it so basically and artistically.  Congratulations.  I hope this beautiful piece will grace a stage in Seattle soon.  

 

 

JL : Do you plan on taking it on the road or to other venues across the US?

Bill Bowers: Yes. I would like to work on this project with a number of companies across the country.   However, it would always be a new script, a new production.  The subject of Difference and How that is experienced seems to be such a fertile conversation, particularly with college age actors.  I would also like to investigate this topic with professional theater companies as well.  The challenge will be to secure funding to support an extended rehearsal period.

 
 

JL: That's very interesting. Do you mean that each production will tell different stories or that the original production will be modified somewhat?

Bill Bowers: I would like to continue this topic with other groups.....it would be interesting to see how the piece changes from group to group.  There are certain elements I would retain from this original production, but so much of the experience comes from the collective of performers.   I would continue to look for source material and for questions that would bring ideas from the cast.

JL : The Winyanktehca, (Winkte for short) are known as a 'two-spirits-person".  John Fire Lame Deer talks about them in his book,  Lame Deer Seeker of Visions.  These people were considered crossed gender and often dressed in the opposite gender's clothing.  How do you see the distinction between a Heyokah and a Winkte?

Bill Bowers:   I am still studying this phenomenon, and trying to understand the relationship of Two Spirits and Heyokahs.  To my knowledge, Two Spirits are beings that come to Earth as Twin Souls (both male and female selves).  Some Two Spirits take on the sacred role of Heyokah, and live their lives as contrary clowns.  There is also documentation of the Berdache, the 3rd gender.  I even found a Creation story that describes the first humans on Earth as Man, Woman, and Man/Woman.   Will Roscoe  has written extensively about the Two Spirits.  His book THE CHANGING ONES was really useful research for my play. Yesterday, I met with a woman here in Wyoming who had met 2 Heyokahs when she was a child.  They were a husband and wife, who lived at the edge of their community.  They only came out at night, and they wore their clothing inside out.  She remembered that other people were terrified of this couple, for they were believed to have supernatural powers.   The costume design for HEYOKAH/HOKAHEY embraced the cross gender idea and also the upside down, inside out.   Underwear was worn on the outside, some men had women's clothes, women wore men's clothes. I wanted to express not only male/femaleness, but the ideas of opposition, contradiction, and our Otherness, our Shadow, suppressed, secret selves.  (In reading about Heyokah I soon found my way to Carl Jung and Robert Blye.) 
 

Heyoka Medicine Man John Fire Lame Deer

  

 

JL:  Did you hear about the prophecies of the heyoka, that there will come a time when our world faces disaster, four Heyoka's will appear to help us get out of the mess; one red, one white, one black and one yellow? 

Bill Bowers: I love this! Is this from LAME DEER SEEKER OF VISIONS?    

JL: I don't know if Lame Deer mentioned it but someone else told me about it a few years back.  I also read something similar by Richard Boylan, Ph.D. See here. Transition from Fourth To Fifth World: The "Thunder Beings" Return.

Bill Bowers: I would love to include this in the next permutation of the show. The Ways of Sweet Medicine speaks of this idea: that all different kinds of people can live in harmony, and did so until the Westward expansion threw off the balance. In my mind, the Heyokah is partially an extension of Sweet Medicine, and a reaction to the imbalance brought by Whites coming West.

The opening of my play includes Lightning and Thunder coming down from the sky, and the cast becomes a Thunderbird.   They then enact the ritual of  "The Bow and the Basket", in which a child who is believed to be Two Spirit is placed inside a brush enclosure, with a man's bow and arrow and a woman's woven basket.  The parents then set the enclosure on fire, and whichever object the child chooses to bring with him or her as they escape the flames is indicative of their spiritual path....

 

 
JL: How would you define and describe someone as being like a modern day Heyoka in today's world? 
  
 Bill Bowers: I would define a modern day Heyokah as someone who speaks the unspeakable, who shoots the sacred cows. Perhaps political satirists.  John Stewart?  I guess the obvious would be stand up comedy....certainly the good ones: Lenny Bruce, George Carlin. I wonder if Tiny Tim would classify? Borat?

There is a female comic, Lisa Lampinelli,who dresses as a 50's housewife, but does filthy, crass, sexual material.  She swears like a truck driver and berates both women and men.  I also love Sarah Silverman, and her irreverent material about race, and religion.  She was the first person I heard do comedy about 9/11.   There is also a man who lives in Provincetown who wears no clothing.  He walks downtown naked, and has been arrested repeatedly. 

In Laramie, last week I was driving across a bridge and 2 kids (probably 9 or 10) were walking backwards along the road.....I felt that was a real Heyokah moment.

 

 

George Carlin

  
 

Lenny Bruce

 

 

JL: Yes sounds like it. What I like about them is their Zen-like nature of waking people up through their shocking antics.

Their fearlessness of transgressing any kind of taboo and how they interrupt the solemnity of a ceremony, such as farting in order for people to see beyond the literalness of the ritual and into the deeper mysteries of the sacred. So that these people would not take themselves so seriously or see themselves as self righteous, holy, high and mighty. 

Bill Bowers: There is A Song about Intolerance in the show, which begins with a self righteous folk singer, but soon you learn that she is singing about Lactose intolerance.  There are 3 back up singer/dancers, all of whom fart through the entire song. (we use a series of pre-recorded farts)   It is VERY Heyokah in that sense!  The audience doesn't quite know what to do with it.  I also positioned this song to follow the story of HANDS, from Sherwood Anderson's WINESBURG OHIO, which is a serious story from 1919 about small town homophobia and fear. 
 

JL: I think Lame Deer said that artists are like Heyokahs in a way.  Do you touch on their supernatural abilities in the show?

 Bill Bowers: We don't really deal with supernatural.  The initial entrances of the Heyokah characters in the show are surprising and from unusual places.  One Heyokah comes up through the passenger seat in my car (through a trap door).  Others fly in from above (using vertical rigging and ropes), upside down, so that they connect to their Earth bound twin "head to head".   Others walk in backwards, upside down....

JL:  As an artist yourself, how do you think the Heyokah like spirit has helped you with your own work or creative process?
Bill Bowers: I agree with Lame Deer about the artist's role as Heyokahs, in that we can provide a different way of seeing things, and we can use that "license" of parody and satire to throw light on difficult subjects.  In reading more about Heyokahs I am more empowered to trust my own POV, and am reminded that I have a function.  Particularly as a gay man, I feel more committed to being open and out and accessible about my life and my work. My focus in these last several years is to take my work to small towns and conservative areas, and to work with young people.  I don't consider my self in any way a gay activist, but am committed to being truthful, and telling my own story.

I meet young people nearly every day who are gay or questioning and have little or no opportunity for conversation/interaction with a gay person.  I feel like that is my role.  I have spent 6 weeks in Laramie Wyoming, which is a conservative little town identified as "that place where they killed that gay kid" (Matthew Shepard).   It is a very hard place to be gay, maybe more so than ever.  I felt like this has been a fertile ground to work on a piece of theater about being An Other, being Different. 

 

 
 

JL: It sounds like you have your work cut out for you. What else do you have lined up and where do you think this is going to take you?

Bill Bowers: I have a solo play called IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING that ran Off Broadway last season, and I am now touring it around the country.  I have upcoming performances in Kansas City, Dallas, New Brunswick NJ, and Savannah Georgia.  I am interested in continuing work on HEYOKAH/HOKAHEY, and will look for other opportunities to explore this idea.  

I teach Movement and Mime at NYU, and also conduct master classes throughout the country.  Next year I hope to perform in several international festivals, and am looking for funding to do so.
 

Bill Bowers It Goes Without Saying Photo by David Rodgers

  

 

 

for more info visit www.bill-bowers.com

 

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