Oko Wanci

Monday, Feb 28, to Sunday, Mar 6, 2022: high 68, low -4, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"

Happy New (Wingsprings) Year! This is the first week of the 19th Wingsprings year. That is why this is Oko Wanci, Week One. The new year begins the day the sun rises on the Wingsprings west-east axis and in so doing casts a shadow of the built facilities onto the slope on the west side of the springs. The Wingsprings west-east axis is an imaginary line that runs from Bear In The Lodge Butte through the center of the Wingsprings hocokab then through the center of the cairn and on to the pole of windsock. The sun rises on that axis twice a year, and sits on the axis twice a year. These four days are grouped into Wingsprings Sunrise Days and Wingsprings Sunset Days. The spring sunrise day marks the beginning of the Wingsprings year. This Wingsprings Sunrise Day alignment can be verified by standing directly on the axis and seeing that the shadow of the cockpit is on the axis and points directly to the Butte. The photo above shows this: the shingled ridge of the roof is directly on the axis; the little “finger” atop the shadow is cast from the cockpit; and that shadow points directly to the Butte (which is on the distant skyline, but barely visible because of its size and distance from Wingsprings. The springs Wingsprings Sunrise Day generally falls on February 28, but could occur one day either side. By decree, February 28 is the sunrise day. We have completed 18 years of construction here at Wingsprings, and now have entered into our 19th year.