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1REMEMBRANCES2 Haia–A Remembrance and Tribute
By Steve Mitchell
Haia was born Ted Joseph Berkowitz in Nebraska, on July 23rd, 1935. In this lifetime he would be known to the many that met him along the way as a friend, poet, musician, political activist, hippy, drug groupie, thespian, priest, Radical Faerie, shamanic-wiccan, playing his flute, a pied piper. Haia beguiled the Radical Faeries with his poetry, wit, and zany magical charisma. Many faeries considered him a shaman. Haia loved dolls, especially elf-like boy dolls. His favorite of them being Elfie Greensleeves. After surviving his childhood with an artist’s soul, he attended college at UCLA graduating with a BA in Theater Arts. Haia lived in many places around the world including England, New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, South America, and India. Through his diverse activities knew many famous people. With the Hare Krishna’s in London he hung out with the Beatles. In the New York Beat scene he palled around with Allen Ginsberg. In San Francisco his band, the CIA, played with Janis Joplin, who he would drink with in Buena Vista Park. Ted had been a part of a circle of people in that gathered around 1966 in a house in Yelapa Mexico who precisely exemplified the times. They included such people as Victor Maimumez, Bob Dylan’s road manager, Rick Griffin the famous psychedelic poster artist, Louis Gosset Jr., Tom Law, John Philip Law’s brother, and a member of the Barrymore acting family. For over twenty years as a Radical Faerie Haia was one of the most colorful among them. People have pictures and poetry of his everywhere. Many Faerie circles were held at his apartment. The following poem is my favorite of his that sums it up for me:
Co-Existant with Star Creations
There is Man
Faery tribe born
From winds of Pan.
Summer’s prize in Horned God’s eyes, Sighs, from those who come upon Brother angels of the dawn.
To those who remember him and to future members of the faerie family, he will always remain one of the most loved and fabulous of the Radical Faeries!