PHOENIX -- The air is quiet but charged with energy, like the moments after a lightning bolt arcs across the sky during a thunderstorm. Then, the thunder returns � the drum rumbles. The lions have arrived, summoned by the drum. They stand still, waiting for the next crash of lightning.
The sharp hits on the drum make the air tremble, while the cymbals and gong ring out over the thrum.
kAm%96 =:@?D DAC:?8 :?E@ 24E:@?[ E96 DA6== E92E 96=5 E96> >@E:@?=6DD ?@H 3C@<6? 3J E96 4C2D9 @7 E96 A6C4FDD:@?] %96J C2:D6 E96:C 9625D[ >@G:?8 D92CA=J E@ E96 =67E 2?5 C:89E[ 6I24E=J @? 362E] %96 AC64:D6[ D92CA >@G6>6?ED 6?EC2?46 E96 2F5:6?46[ 3FE E96 4C24< @7 7:C6H@C<D 2?5 E96 A@A @7 =:89E E62C E96:C 6J6D 2H2J 7C@> E96 =:@?D]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C CF>3=6 @7 E9F?56C] %96 =:@?D 2C6 @77[ H62G:?8 E9C@F89 E96 4C@H5] w2?5D[ 3@E9 @=5 2?5 J@F?8[ C6249 @FE E@ A6E E96 D:=<J 7FC E92E 25@C?D E96 =:@? 4@DEF>6D] %96 =:@?D� 6J6D 7=FEE6C 2?5 E2:=D H28 2D E96J C646:G6 A6ED 2?5 >@?6J 42C67F==J A=2465 :? E96:C >@FE9D 3J DBF62=:?8 49:=5C6?]k^Am
kAm%96 =:@?D C2:D6 E96:C 9625D 2E E96 42== @7 E96 5CF> 2?5 >2<6 E96:C H2J 324< E@ E96 DE286[ 8C233:?8 2 D4C@== 2?5 DE2?5:?8 @? E96:C 9:?5 =68D E@ =6E :E F?7FC= :? E96 8C2?5 7:?2=6 @7 E96 A6C7@C>2?46]k^Am
kAm%96 E9F?56C 2?5 =:89E?:?8 8@ D:=6?E]k^Am
kAm|2J :D pD:2? p>6C:42? 2?5 !24:7:4 xD=2?56C w6C:E286 |@?E9[ 2 E:>6 E@ 46=63C2E6 E96 A6@A=6[ 4F=EFC6D 2?5 AC24E:46D E92E >2<6 FA E96 pD:2? p>6C:42? 2?5 !24:7:4 xD=2?56C 4@>>F?:EJ] ~?6 AC24E:46 :D E96 =:@? 52?46[ 2 EC25:E:@?2= r9:?6D6 52?46 E92E 492D6D 2H2J 6G:= DA:C:ED 2?5 3C:?8D 8@@5 7@CEF?6] %96C6 2C6 EH@ DEJ=6D @7 =:@?i }@CE96C? 2?5 $@FE96C?] %96 $@FE96C? =:@? 92D EH@ >2:? DEJ=6D @7 =:@? 52?46i uFED2? 2?5 w@<D2?[ 6249 H:E9 E96:C @H? G2C:2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96 v@=56? !9@6?:I {:@? s2?46 pCED 2?5 pE9=6E:4 pDD@4:2E:@?’D E62> A6C7@C>D :? E96 DEJ=6 @7 $2C !:?8[ H9:49 H2D 56C:G65 7C@> E96 w@<D2? DEJ=6] %96 E62> :?:E:2==J A6C7@C>65 :? E96 DEJ=6 @7 uFED2? 3FE EC2?D:E:@?65 E@ $2C !:?8 H96? :ED 9625 4@249[ y {2?ECJ[ 5:D4@G6C65 E96 DEJ=6]k^Am
kAmâ€�(96? J@F D66 $2C !:?8 5@?6 C62==J H6==[ :E’D 2=>@DE =:<6 J@F =@D6 J@FCD6=7 :? E9:D :==FD:@? @7 2 =:@?[â€� {2?ECJ D2JD] “p?5 E96?[ 6G6CJ @?46 :? 2 H9:=6[ J@F 92G6 E@ C6>:?5 J@FCD6=7 E96C6’D A6@A=6 F?56C E96C6 â€� E92E’D ?@E ;FDE 2 E9:?8Pâ€k^Am
kAm%96 2DD@4:2E:@? :D J@F?8 4@>A2C65 E@ D@>6 @E96C =:@? 52?46 E62>D E92E 2C6 86?6C2E:@?D @=5] xE DE2CE65 H:E9 2 76H G@=F?E66CD 5@:?8 @442D:@?2= A6C7@C>2?46D[ 3FE :E’D 8C@H? D:?46 E96?[ H:E9 C6EFC?:?8 >6>36CD 2?5 ?6H C64CF:ED AC24E:4:?8 E96 2CE D:56 3J D:56]k^Am
kAmâ€�!C@323=J E9:D J62C[ :E DE2CE65 E@ 766= 2 3:E >@C6 4@96D:G6[â€� {2?ECJ D2JD] â€�(6 42? 3C62E96 2 =:EE=6 3:E 62D:6C 3642FD6 H6’G6 8@EE6? AC6EEJ >F49 5@F3=65 :? D:K6 D:?46 =2DE J62C] â€� %96 A6@A=6 E92E H6 925 =2DE J62C 2C6 E6249:?8 @FC ?6H A6@A=6 E9:D J62C] xE 5@6D?’E 766= =:<6 :E’D ;FDE >6 H9@’D E6249:?8 6G6CJE9:?8]â€k^Am
kAm{2?ECJ 2?5 E96 E62> 2:> E@ 6?DFC6 E96J’C6 A6C7@C>:?8 E96 =:@? 52?46 H:E9 2D >F49 C6DA64E 2?5 9@?@C 2D A@DD:3=6 � 2 ?646DD:EJ 7@C E9:D 2?4:6?E 2CE 7@C>]k^Am
kAm%96 52?46 92D 96=5 >F=E:A=6 C@=6D E9C@F89@FE 9:DE@CJ] xE 3682? 2D 2 C:EF2= 32D65 @? 2? 6>A6C@C’D 5C62> @7 2 =:@? D2G:?8 9:>j =2E6C[ :E 3642>6 2 7@C> @7 C636==:@? 5FC:?8 E96 ":?8 sJ?2DEJ[ H96? A6C7@C>6CD H@F=5 FD6 E96 52?46 E@ 4@>>F?:42E6 H:E9 @E96C C636=D] }@H[ :E D6CG6D 2D 2 C:EF2= 7@C 8@@5 =F4<[ AC@DA6C:EJ 2?5 2D 2 DJ>3@= @7 pD:2? 4F=EFC6D :? p>6C:42]k^Am
kAm“xE’D :>A@CE2?E 7@C FD E@ 9@?@C :E 3642FD6 E9:D :D A2CE @7 D@ >2?J A6@A=6’D >6>@C:6D â€� :E’D 2 566A[ 566A A2CE[â€� 4@249 $96== $E246J D2JD] “p =@E @7 7@=<D @7 pD:2? 56D46?E 92G6 8C@H? FA H:E9 E9:D[ 2?5 :E’D 96=5 D@>6 G6CJ 7@?5 >6>@C:6D[ 2?5 H6 H2?E E@ <66A C6=:G:?8 E96D6 >6>@C:6D]â€k^Am
kAmv@=56? !9@6?:I {:@? s2?46 :D?’E 2 EC25:E:@?2= =:@? 52?46 E62>j :?DE625[ >6>36CD @7 G2CJ:?8 286D 2?5 4F=EFC2= 324<8C@F?5D 4@>6 E@86E96C E@ A6C7@C> E96 2CE 7@C>] “u@C >6 2D D@>6@?6 H9@ :D ?@E pD:2?[ :E’D 2 8C62E H2J 7@C >6 â€� E@ ?@E 36 ;FDE 2?@E96C H9:E6 8FJ 5@:?8 >2CE:2= 2CED[â€� 4@249 t=:;29 |4$E@EED D2JD] “xE’D 2 H2J 7@C >6 E@ 24EF2==J 7@DE6C 2?5 A2J C6DA64E E@ E96 96C:E286 2?5 2CED E92E x 2> H@C<:?8 2E 2?5 9@A67F==J[ @?6 52J[ E6249:?8 @? >J @H?]â€k^Am
kAm%96 E62> :D 2=D@ 4@?DE2?E=J =@@<:?8 E@ :>AC@G6 2?5 9@?@C E96 EC25:E:@? @7 E96 =:@? 52?46] â€�(6 5@?’E H2?E E@ 36 D66? =:<6 H6’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ E2<6 25G2?E286 @7 E9:D 2>2K:?8 4F=EFC2= EC25:E:@? ;FDE E@ >2<6 >@?6J @C 2?JE9:?8 =:<6 E92E[â€� $E246J D2JD] â€�(6 H@C< D@ 92C5 E@ >2<6 DFC6 E92E H6 92G6 E96 C6D@FC46D 2?5 H6 92G6 A6@A=6 E@ E2=< E@ 2?5 65F42E6 @FCD6=G6D] %92E’D E96 36DE E9:?8 H6 42? 5@[ :D ;FDE A6C7@C> @FC 2CE :? 62C?6DE]â€k^Am
kAm~?6 @7 E9@D6 C6D@FC46D :D 2 D9:7F[ @C E62496C[ 7C@> 2 D:DE6C D49@@= :? (:D4@?D:? H9@ 96=AD E96 E62> =62C? E96 $2C !:?8 DEJ=6]k^Am
kAmâ€�(6’C6 36:?8 D4CFE:?:K65 3642FD6 H6’C6 ?@E 2 G6CJ EC25:E:@?2= =:@? 52?46 E62>[â€� $E246J D2JD] â€�(6 =62C?65 7C@> 9:> 9@H :>A@CE2?E :E :D E@ 4=@D6=J 7@==@H E96D6 EC25:E:@?D E@ >2<6 DFC6 E92E H6 5@ E96 2AAC@AC:2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:@?]â€k^Am
kAm$2C !:?8 :D E2F89E E9C@F89 =:?6286[ 7C@> D9:7F E@ DEF56?E 2?5 E96? E@ E96 ?6IE DEF56?E] u@C |4$E@EED[ 36:?8 2 A2CE @7 E92E =:?6286 82G6 9:> 4@?7:56?46 E92E H96? 96 A6C7@C>D 2?5 E62496D E96 =:@? 52?46[ 96’D 5@:?8 :E H:E9 9@?@C 2?5 C6DA64E]k^Am
kAmw6 D2JD 96’D 42C67F= ?@E E@ â€�2AA62C E@ 36 2AAC@AC:2E:?8 4F=EFC6 @C 5:DC6DA64E:?8 4F=EFC6[â€� 2?5 96 255D[ “q6:?8 23=6 E@ 92G6 E9:D AC@A6C =:?6286 D@ x <?@H H92E x 5@[ H9J xâ€�> 5@:?8 :E â€� H92E DE6AD E96 =:@? 5@6D E@ 46CE2:? 362ED E@ >62? 46CE2:? E9:?8D â€� :E 8:G6D >6 2 =:EE=6 3:E >@C6 =68:E:>24J :? H92E xâ€�> 5@:?8[ H92E xâ€�> E6249:?8] p?5 D@ x 5@ 766= E92E x 42? 5@ E9:D H:E9 E96 9@?@C 2?5 5:8?:EJ 2?5 C6DA64E E92E :E 56D6CG6D[ 2?5 ?@E E92E xâ€�> ;FDE @FE E96C6 D4C6H:?8 2C@F?5 :? 2 =:@?]â€k^Am
kAm%96 H@C< E92E 8@6D :?E@ E96 52?46 :D?’E D66? 3J E96 2F5:6?46[ 3FE E96 7:?2= A6C7@C>2?46 =62G6D G:6H6CD 2H65] p>J y24@36C 92D D66? 2?@E96C =:@? 52?46 8C@FA A6C7@C> 2?5 H2D 2DE@?:D965]k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 D<:== :? 36:?8 23=6 E@ >@G6 H9:=6 92G:?8 D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 ,E96 =:@? 4@DEF>6.[” D96 D2JD] “(6 D2H E96> 2?5 E2=<65 E@ E96> 27E6CH2C5[ 2?5 E96J H6C6 3C62E9:?8 962G:=J 2?5 E96J H6C6 DH62EJ] xE 4=62C=J E@@< 677@CE[ 3FE E96J H6C6 D@ 8@@5 2E :E E92E :E =@@<65 677@CE=6DD]”k^Am
kAm%96 H@C< E96 E62> AFED :?E@ =62C?:?8 E96 4F=EFC2= D:8?:7:42?46 @7 E96 52?46 :D 6G:56?E E@ E96 2F5:6?46[ H96E96C E96J’C6 72>:=:2C H:E9 E96 52?46 @C ?@E] â€�(6 H6C6 A6C7@C>:?8 2 =2DE\>:?FE6 D9@H 2?5 H6 3C@F89E @FE E96 =:@?D[ 2?5 2D H6 H6C6 E2<:?8 @FC 7:CDE 3@H[ J@F 4@F=5 962C D@>6 @7 E96 8FJD D2J:?8[ ‘~9[ E96J’C6 24EF2==J 5@:?8 :E =68:E[’â€� $E246J D2JD] â€�%92E’D 8@@5 â€� =:<6[ ~z[ H6’C6 5@:?8 :E C:89E]â€k^Am
kAm%96 8C@FA’D 4F=EFC2= =:2:D@? 2?5 AF3=:4:DE[ y6CCJ: !9:==:AD[ H2D 3@C? 2?5 C2:D65 :? r9:?2 367@C6 >@G:?8 E@ E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D H96? D96 H2D ac] $96 2?5 96C 52F89E6C H6C6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 =:@? 52?46 E62> E@ ;@:? E@ DE2J 4@??64E65 E@ E96:C 4F=EFC2= 96C:E286] %96J ;@:?65 E96 E62> 27E6C !9:==:AD D2H 2 A6C7@C>2?46]k^Am
kAm“x H2?E65 ,>J 52F89E6C. E@ 36 :?G@=G65 :? E96 4F=EFC2= 24E:G:E:6D 96C6 :? ,E96. &?:E65 $E2E6D[ 2?5 D66:?8 E96 E62> A6C7@C>:?8 C6>:?565 >6 @7 E96 =:@? 52?46 x’G6 H2E4965 8C@H:?8 FA :? r9:?2[” !9:==:AD D2JD] “x H@F=5?’E ;FDE 6?C@== 96C :? 2?J =:@? 52?46 E62>[ 3FE E9:D @?6 … E96 >FD:4[ E96 D9@H>2?D9:A[ :E’D G6CJ 2FE96?E:4] }@3@5J 86ED A2:5[ 6G6CJ3@5J G@=F?E66CD E96:C E:>6[ E96 4@2496D G@=F?E66C] tG6CJ@?6 92D 2 962CE @7 8@=5[ ,E96J. 8:G6 E96:C E:>6[ 2?5 D@>6 6G6? 4@?EC:3FE6 7:?2?4:2==J E@ 5@ H92E6G6C :D ?66565 E@ <66A E96 2DD@4:2E:@? 8@:?8]”k^Am
kAm%96 A2DD:@? E92E >6>36CD 92G6 7@C E96 =:@? 52?46 96=AD E96> E@ 9@?@C E96 2CE] â€�%@ DE:4< 2C@F?5 :? =:@? 52?46[ J@F 92G6 E@ =:<6 :E[â€� {2?ECJ D2JD] â€�%96 A6@A=6 H9@ 5@ DE:4< 2C@F?5 2C6 E96 A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? 5@:?8 H6== 2E E9:D 2CE 7@C>[ E9:D DA@CE[ 2?5 2C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? >2<:?8 DFC6 @E96C A6@A=6 2C6 65F42E65 23@FE :E]â€k^Am
kAmpD D@>6@?6 H9@ 8C6H FA H:E9 =:@? 52?46D[ !9:==:AD :D 4@?E:?F@FD=J 2>2K65 2E E96 565:42E:@? 6249 >6>36C 92D E@ =62C?:?8 2?5 A6C7@C>:?8 E96 52?46]k^Am
kAm“%@ D66 9@H 5:776C6?E 4@=@CD[ 5:776C6?E C246D[ 5:776C6?E 286D[ 5:776C6?E D6IF2= @C:6?E2E:@?,D. … E@ D66 9@H E96J C2:D6 E9:D 4F=EFC6 2?5 D66 9@H E96J 2C6 565:42E65 2?5 4@>>:EE65 E@ E9:D E62> … 2?5 7@C E96 ?6H E62> >6>36CD 4@>:?8 @? 3@2C5[ H:E9:? 2 H66<[ E96J ;FDE >6=E :?E@ E96 E62>[” D96 D2JD] “(6 364@>6 E9:D 8:2?E =:@?[ C62==J]”k^Am