Several North American peoples hold that a bear hibernates by sucking juice from its paws; the Ottawa say its navel. The same belief is recorded among the Kamchadal, Ainu and Sami across three continents. Hallowell calls independent invention an "impossible theory of psychic accidents" and says diffusion would require at least four centres of origin. 🐾
Bear-paw juice belief spans North America, Asia and Europe
Key facts
- Several North American peoples hold that bears survive hibernation by sucking juice from their paws; the Ottawa specifically say the juice comes from the navel.
- The same belief is recorded among the Kamchadal, Ainu and Sami, formerly called Lapps.
- Hallowell calls independent invention an "impossible theory of psychic accidents" and suggests the belief may preserve an ancient idea shared by Old and New World bear customs.
- If diffusion is accepted, Hallowell identifies at least four proposed centres of origin: eastern North America, western North America, northeastern Siberia and northern Europe.
- The belief covers a smaller area than bears' hibernation range, which Hallowell cites against purely independent invention.
Sources
(PDF) BEAR CEREMONIALISM IN THE NORTHERN ...academia.edu
The hibernation of the bear during the winter months is a distinguishing habit of the animala2and the fact that the beast collects no food to sustain itself
Ask A Wildlife Biologist:, Alaska Department of Fish and Gameadfg.alaska.gov
Hibernation for bears simply means they don't need to eat or drink, and rarely urinate or defecate. They lower their body temperature 8-12 degrees, and they ...
Hibernation | Bear Projectbrownbearproject.com
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity when the body slows down; heart rate and breathing slow and body temperature and metabolic rate lower. Bears ...
Do Bears Really Hibernate?nationalforests.org
Bears enter a lighter state of sleep called torpor. Hibernation is a voluntary state an animal enters to conserve energy, when food is scarce, and minimize ...
Bear Hibernation - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. ...nps.gov
Bears are survivors with a very special adaptation—hibernation—that allows them to survive harsh wintertime conditions and famine remarkably ...
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