"We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, and winding streams with tangled growth as "wild". To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery."

Luther Standing Bear - Rosebud Sioux

Guardian of the Water Medicine

Guardian of the Water Medicine
Dale Auger

Dale Auger

Dale Auger: On Art, Blood and Kindred Spirits
by Terri Mason

Defining Dale Auger in one sentence is akin to releasing the colours of a diamond in one cut. It can’t be done. It’s the many facets that release a diamond’s true brilliance, as it is the many facets of Auger’s life, education, ancestry, experiences and beliefs that have shaped and polished his work into the internationally acclaimed and collected artist that he is today.

Born a Sakaw Cree from the Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta, Auger’s education began as a young boy when his mother would take him to be with the elders. “I used to say to myself, ‘Why is she leaving me with these old people?’ – but today I see the reason; I was being taught in the old way.”

Auger’s respect for traditional teachings led him on a journey to study art, opening the door to a doctorate in education. He is a talented playwright, speaker and visual artist whose vividly coloured acrylics have captured the attention of collectors that reads like an international ‘Who’s Who’ spanning English to Hollywood royalty. The essence of his work is communication, and now Dr. Auger has come full circle, interpreting the life of his culture – from the everyday to the sacred - through the cross-cultural medium of art.

Read the rest here:

http://www.daleauger.com/printversionbio.cfm

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

How antelope stole the moon

Spokane legend...

There was an Indian village down near the place where the sun sets. The people there had the moon.

Other Indians wanted to go and steal the moon and put it back up. They were going to hide and try to steal it. The Indians who had it knew the others were coming to get the moon. They were going to run after them and kill them.

Then two antelope came and decided they would steal the moon. They knew they were so fast the people wouldn't be able to catch them. They stole the moon, and sure enough, the people couldn't keep up because the antelope ran so fast.

When the antelope came to the other village they put the moon outside a teepee and went in. Coyote heard about it and ran out and saw the moon outside by the teepee. He took the moon and ran away with it.

The antelope heard him, and they ran after Coyote as he raced toward the river. They were going to catch Coyote, but he gave the moon a mighty heave and threw it in the pool below the falls in the Spokane River. It is still there.

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