jameschurchwardsmu: 2006

Friday, December 15, 2006

Welcome Message Converted

The My-Mu.com Welcome Message has been converted and placed in youtube.
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Sunday, December 03, 2006

The Cascajal Block and the Lost Continent of Mu

Cascajal Block and Symbols

In September 2006, Science Magazine published a paper entitled "Oldest Writing In the New World". The item of note in the article and most widely reported was that the block showed what appeared to be a sample of the oldest writing ever found in the Americas. As this discovery took place in a location where William Niven had unearthed artifacts and relics in the early 20th century and some of these items were subsequently used as evidence by James Churchward of ancient civilizations - then this new discovery might have some bearing on my research.

The questions I want answered are:

1. How close were the discoveries by Niven to the Cascajal Block?

2. Does this ancient script have similar characters to the symbols discussed in the books by James Churchward ?

3. Does this new discovery prove, disprove, or have no bearing on the theories of James Churchward ?

In answering questions about William Niven and his digs in Mexico - I turned to the biography of William Niven entitled: "Buried Cities, Forgotten Gods."[Wicks and Harrison; Texas Tech University Press]

In the 1890s, Niven excavated ruins in Guerrero and brought out statues and artifacts. In 1910, Niven unearthed tablets in Placero del Oro and conducted surveys over two thousand square miles in the Valley of Mexico. He finally confined his excavations to an area north of Mexico City. His fifteen years of work brought many beautiful relics and artifacts to light. Niven's discoveries were not all without controversy, but no evidence was ever produced implicating Niven. According to James Churchward's own words - the tablets he based his theories on were from the Valley of Mexico, so the artifacts from his digs in Guerrero are outside the sphere of this discussion.

Niven's Tablet #1584
It is true that the 1926 'Lost Continent of Mu, Motherland of Man' had an entire chapter entitled "Niven's Buried Cities," but James' first contact with Niven was after the publication of the first book (September 19, 1927.) Their relationship, as determined from correspondence, is covered in "Buried Cities, Forgotten Gods." In 1928, Niven sent rubbings of some 2500 tablets from the Valley of Mexico to James. These were translated by James and found their way into the 1931 "Lost Continent of Mu" and the 1931, "Children of Mu." I have seen references to these rubbings having been published, however I am not aware of the location of the original or reproductions thereof. Whether or not James' interpretation was valid is left to different research, the preceding is background information to help calculate the distance between discoveries.

One location cited in the Mexico Valley was Atzcapotzalco (19.4889N 99.1836W.) The Cascajal Block was found in Cascajal, Veracruz-Llave (17.9500N 95.1167W). Using an online latitude/longitude calculator (http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~cvm/latlongdist.html) and would place them 286.9 statute miles apart.
Link to Google Search for Maps of Mexico.

In answering question #2, I perused the 1926 Lost Continent of Mu, Motherland of Man, a 1969 reprint of the 1931 Lost Continent of Mu, a 1988 reprint of the 1959 printing of Children of Mu (originally published in 1931,) and the 1988 reprint of the 1960 printing of the Sacred Symbols of Mu (originally published in 1933.)

I could find no direct matches between the symbols on the Cascajal Block and any symbol in the aforementioned books. I looked at the symbols contained in the creation myth, I looked at the tables of primitive symbols and hieratic characters and I looked at the depictions of rock carvings.

Cascajal Block Symbol #53

Symbol from
Lost Continent of Mu (1931) page 53

The closest a symbol came to resembling a symbol in James Churchward's books is #3[& 16, 45, 53, 59.] The symbol at the top is referenced in numerous places as "Lands of the West" (Lost Continent of Mu, Motherland of Man page 53). The oblong shape beneath is not part of Churchward's theories. Michael Everson, on his website analysis of the Cascajal Block (http://www.evertype.com/gram/olmec.html) identifies the symbol as a pineapple, which is as good an explanation given the other symbols on the tablet.

Given that 28 (or 30 as interpretated by Michael Everson) unique symbols found on the Cascajal Block only one remotely resembles a symbol from an ancient civilization, then I would have to answer that there is no correlation between the symbols on the Cascajal Block and symbols discussed by James Churchward.

Does this discovery prove, disprove or have no bearing on the theories of James Churchward ?

Having no matches between the Cascajal Block symbols and those found in James Churchward's works does not prove or disprove anything, nor does the distances between where the objects were found. It might be said that the age of the artifacts could be different and that could account for the differences. Unfortunately, the Cascajal Block has no bearing on proving or disproving the theories of James Churchward, but still is an object to be studied in the hopes that one day, its secrets will be revealed to the world.

Further Links

Jack Churchward
Clearwater, Florida

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Memorial Day 2006 Weekend with Uyghur Friends

Over Memorial Day weekend, we were fortunate enough to to meet with some Uyghur friends living in the United States. Uyghur people live in many countries now, not only the Xinjiang Province of the People's Republic of China. We have been very fortunate to become exposed to Uyghur culture and develop some lasting friendships among the Uyghur people. I must also acknowledge my Tibetan, Mongolian, and Taiwanese friends because we all share a common vision.

There were a few reasons for our visit. While Cindy met with some Tibetan friends and received teachings from wonderful Rinpoches, I had hoped to meet with the man that translated and published the Lost Continent of Mu" into the Uyghur language. Unfortunately, he was not present, but I do have a copy now. More on the Uyghur language version of the "Lost Continent of Mu" in another posting.

Another reason was to interview an Uyghur historian friend about his thoughts about the "Great Uighur Empire." The theory about the 'Great Uighur Empire' occupies a whole chapter of the 1931 "Children of Mu," by James Churchward. The 'Great Uighur Empire' (as referenced by James) predates the historical Uighur Empire and is identified as the "Primary / First' colonial empire of the Land of Mu. James also states that 'the history of the Uighurs is the history of the Aryan Race.' James uses a reference from a Tibetan monastery to indicate that the Naacals brought copies of the Sacred Inspired Writings to the Uighur capital some 70,000 years ago. So, some time prior to this, the Empire was started. He goes on to explain that the cataclysm that raised the mountains ended the Uighur Empire and separated the Uighur peoples. This cataclysm, as described in James' writings, roughly corresponds to the Biblical flood.
One element of his theories involves the origin of the Chinese people and reflects a philosophy some today may find repugnant. Using a stereotypical white superman (the Uighurs) and stereotypical brutish savage (the Mongols) as parents, the Chinese people were developed. In two paragraphs, James gathers the racial prejudices of the 1920s & 30s and denigrates entire races of people with a stroke of his pen. While these stereotypes may be acceptable for the popular culture of the late 19th and early 20th century, the truth as documented indicates a different picture of the Mongols. Of course, if you only read the Persian accounts of Genghis Khan, you might believe the stories. Apart from reading numerous Asian and Central Asian history books, my experiences with the Mongolian people has also been personal. I have seen no evidence that my Mongol friends were not equals or are somehow different - I find these theories as offensive as my friends would.

I have read about the historical Uighur Empire that existed in what is now known as Mongolia and eventually migrated to Central Asia. The history of Central Asia is the history of the Uighurs - the Uighur people are a distinct, vibrant cultural element of Central Asia. Whether you examine the role of Uighur scholars in Genghis Khan's court as administrators, peruse the artistic wonders of their architectural accomplishments involving the Buddhist, Christian or Islamic periods, or read translations of the numerous written works on medicine, history or just their humor, one cannot but realize the unique and vital contributions of the Uighur people to history. Currently, the majority of the Uyghur people live under the rule of the Chinese government. I would be remiss were I not to mention that this centuries-old culture is under attack - Uyghur language text books are banned from classrooms and book burnings have consumed thousands of books, just for being correct about history. Aside from the Chinese government propaganda that equates an Uyghur identity with terrorism, there is not truth in this stereotype either. I also know this from personal experience.

Now that I have painted a brief picture of James' theories versus what I have learned, it should be easy to see why I wanted to speak with my Uyghur historian friend. Due to contractual obligations and family safety, he was reluctant to be interviewed for a podcast or have his name mentioned. We did spend an evening together and talked about this subject. He said he also had a copy of the Uyghur language translation of "The Lost Continent of Mu" and had been conducting his own research into this topic. 'Erkin' is a methodical researcher with impeccable credentials - I expect his research to be the definitive answer when it is published.

So I am left with no further references from independent sources concerning James Churchward's claims about 'The Great Uighur Empire.' There is one article in one of James' scrapbooks that gives reference to Koslov but I was hoping to gather further sources. This theory was also studied by the father of the Turkish nation, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

To continue this study of the 'Great Uighur Empire,' I call on interested parties to send your ideas, comments, and references to a common location - open and available for viewing by everyone. Please add your comments below, or send your contribution to gue-list@my-mu.com - a new mailing list with an open subscription policy. If you have something to discuss or just want to read the results, please join here.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Research Update - October 2006

This past summer has been busy at my-mu.com, although unless you have visited the website, you may not have noticed it.
First, information about James Churchward and his theories of a lost Pacific Ocean continent continues to stack up here. Here are some of the high-points, each will be addressed in a separate posting to our blog and/or occupy a new and unique webpage.

Uyghur Language version of
The Lost Continent of Mu

"Olga Muriel"
born 1873

"Gladys Stella"
born 1874

Frontispiece from Lost Continent of Mu
1988 Paperback

"Relics" from Mu

Niven's Tablet #1584

5. An ancient tablet from Veracruz, Mexico has made the news. While we have not done an exhaustive study of the images on the tablet and compared them to those images found by Niven, the results from a preliminary investigation will also be addressed. Please be aware that we do not have the tracings sent by Niven to James of the 2600 tablets, however there is a lead to where the images were published by James in 1927.

Discovered tablet from 2006

To keep up-to-date on our research, please join our
announcements mailing list which can be accessed from our interactive media page on our website. This is a low volume mailing list that promises to keep the number and size of emails small and to the point; we don't like spam either.

Second, there has been a complete update of my-mu.com. The old frames version of the website is gone and has been replaced with an easier, more accessible version. We have added a new section on James Churchward's research materials that contain thumbnails of each of the pages. While these may not be entirely legible, at least one of the thumbnails is an active link that will take you to a full-size scan of that sheet. To keep things interesting, the link will periodically change.

We are also posting articles by James that are being transcribed from his research materials. The first such article entitled "The Sun is Not a Superheated Body, He Declares," has provoked discussion. And some of his other works when released will also likely continue to challenge the status quo and bring the theories of James Churchward into focus.

Lastly, we are pleased to announce the immediate availability of three never before published elements of James Churchward's research materials. As described by Percy Tate Griffith in his biography of James, "Churchey" as he was known, was in contact with thousands of people across the globe. "Lost Gems of the Lost Continent of Mu: Reviews and Correspondence from James Churchward's Scrapbooks Volume 1 is partial evidence of the vast network of his contacts. A free preview is available online at the My-Mu.com Bookstore.

Additionally, two translated letters from Doctor Joseph Cserep of the University of Budapest are now available for the first time. "America as the Prehistoric Cradle of the Caucasian Race," translated from the Latin is a 19 page document written in August 1928. "Ancient Medes as the Ancestors of the Magyars of Europe", translated from the original Magyar manuscript is a 24 page document written in March 1929. As with the "Lost Gems of the Lost Continent of Mu," free previews are available at the My-Mu.com Bookstore.

These works are available in full color in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. Printed versions will be considered if the demand exists.

And finally, as a side-note:

Some individuals have copied pages, information and pictures from my-mu.com and added them to their own internet sites, as if the materials were in the public domain. This complete disregard for our intellectual property rights will be addressed to the fullest extent of the law. If you wish to use materials from www.my-mu.com on another website, please send us an email and maybe we can work something out, but please obtain written permission first.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

An Interview with Dick Lowdermilk

Dear friends,

This past Saturday (April 29, 2006,) I spent some time with Dick Lowdermilk of South Carolina. Dick recently purchased the rights and published the updated version of "My Friend Churchey and His Lost Sunken Island of Mu," the biography of James Churchward.

Originally penned in 1937 by Percy Tate Griffith, this work had remained unpublished for over sixty years. The original manuscript remained in the procession of his daughter Joan, and portions that had reportedly been lost, have been found. This work shows a different side of James - by someone who knew him over the course of decades.

As James' long-time friend and patent attorney, PTG, as he was also known, provides an account from the perspective of someone whose karmic threads are intertwined, not a casual acquaintance. PTG witnessed first hand the discussions between James Churchward and Dr. Augustus LePlongeon in his mother's parlor as well as countless other encounters. PTG even represented 'Churchey' in a $1,000,000 lawsuit against a major steel corporation. Percy Tate Griffith's first hand knowledge, observations, and recollections are the clearest glimpse of James, the person. The table of contents and complete first chapter of the original manuscript have been scanned and are available online at www.-my-mu.com.

I recorded a short, unrehearsed and informal podcast and it is available for download. A transcript will be made available shortly.

Click for Podcast

To order a copy of the 1937 biography of James Churchward, entitled: "My Friend Churchey and His Lost Sunken Island of Mu," please contact Dick Lowdermilk directly.

Dick Lowdermilk

PO Box 587

Sandy Springs, South Carolina 29677

Or telephone him at 864-224-7945