In the western states, we should celebrate Marmot Day

Today is Groundhog Day, the only U.S. holiday named after an animal and a day watched by most of us with interest. Our superstitious hope is that the furry little weather prognosticator, "Punxsutawney Phil," will emerge from his snugly warm burrow at the top of Gobbler's Knob in the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney and not be frightened by the sight of his shadow, causing him to turn back to the warmth of his burrow and continue his winter nap for another six weeks which would indicate another six weeks of inclement winter weather for all of us to endure.

So where did this ritual begin? The earliest known date for the founding of this event began in 1723 when the Delaware Indians settled Punxsutawney as a campsite halfway between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna rivers. The Delaware considered groundhogs (marmota monax) honorable ancestors. According to the original creation beliefs of the Delaware, their forebears began life as animals in "Mother Earth" and emerged centuries later to hunt and live as men.

The name Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name for the location "ponksad-uteney" which means "the town of the sandflies." The name woodchuck, another name for groundhog, comes from the Indian legend of "Wojak, the groundhog" considered by them to be their ancestral grandfather.

Also, in the 1700s, German settlers came to the area, bringing with them a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc. It came at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition held that if the weather was fair Feb. 2, it meant six more weeks of winter that would be stormy and cold. For the early Christians in Europe, it was the custom on Candlemas Day for clergy to bless candles and distribute them to the people in the dark of winter. A lighted candle was placed in each window of the home. Somehow the Indian beliefs and the Candlemas traditions merged and the earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College: Dated Feb. 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County, Penn., storekeeper James Morris' diary ... "Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back in his burrow for another six-week nap, but if the day be cloudy, he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."

Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began on Feb. 2, 1886, with a proclamation in the 'Punxsutawny Spirit' by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and, up to the time of going to press, the beast has not seen its shadow."

The groundhog was given the name of "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seer, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extrodinary." But, in the 120 years of Punxsutawney Phil's prognostications, his seasonal forecasting accuracy has been somewhat low at a less than stellar 39 percent correct prediction rate.

My next question is this: What makes one groundhog the be-all-end-all of weather predictions when his closely related cousins live right here in the Sierra Nevada. Are they endowed with the same miraculous powers of prognostication? Why shouldn't they possess them too? The yellow bellied marmot (marmota flaviventris) are chubby, waddley entertainers in the high country of the Sierra. Having had the pleasure of their congenial company near many campsites during the time I have spent in the mountains, I am convinced that they should have the same recognition as their East Coast groundhog cousins.

One of many visits I had with our little marmot friends was most enjoyable and was the model for one of my drawings. I had stayed at our base camp at Lake of the Woods, a crystal clear lake at the base of Pyramid Peak, west of Echo Lakes and one of a chain of lakes; Aloha, American, Ropi, that all eventually comprise Horsetail Falls and part of the headwaters of the South Fork of the American River, seen flowing from the granite walls high above Highway 50 near Strawberry, Calif. As I was trying to occupy myself, I kept hearing a strange high pitched trill or whistle sound. Looking in the direction of the sound, I spotted a pair of marmots sunning themselves on some nearby rocks acting more curious than afraid of my presence. I was within just a few feet of them and they didn't seem to really care. I reached in the campbox and pulled out some Top Ramen, tossing it onto the rock, they barely flinched as they scooped the dried noodles up in their hand-like paws and crunched away. For the next couple of days we were camped at that sight, they were regular daily visitors.

So here is the test. Weather forecast for the East Coast today is clouds and snow conditions, meaning that winter has fairly well subsided for the year if the groundhog theory is right because Phil won't be seeing his shadow today. On the other hand, today's weather for us in the West is sunny, meaning that our little marmot friends, if they are awake in the first place, should see their shadow and head underground for six more weeks of winter weather.

Let's just see who comes closer to the truth. And, be it winter or warm weather, for the next six weeks, just keep on keepin' on.

-- Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com