Thursday, December 30, 2010
Did you know...
that until The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 we were not even considered to be citizens of this country. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act put an end to individual states claims on whether or not Indians were allowed to vote through a federal law.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
UK won't let Iroquois lacrosse team go to tourney
By: Samantha Gross
NEW YORK – An American Indian lacrosse team will not be allowed entry into England for the world championship of the sport the Iroquois helped invent unless members accept U.S. or Canadian passports, the British government said Wednesday.
The Iroquois Nationals team won't be attending the world championship in Manchester unless the British government reverses its decision and allows them to use passports issued by the Iroquois Confederacy, said Tonya Gonnella Frichner, a lawyer for the team.
"They're telling us: 'Go get U.S. passports or Canadian passports,'" Frichner said Wednesday shortly after getting the news. "It's pretty devastating."
The team's 23 players — who are all eligible for passports issued by those nations — say that accepting them would be a strike against their identity.
In a statement, the U.K. Borders Agency said: "Like all those seeking entry into the U.K., they must present a document that we recognise as valid to enable us to complete our immigration and other checks."
Get the rest of the story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100714/ap_on_sp_ot/us_lacrosse_iroquois_passports
NEW YORK – An American Indian lacrosse team will not be allowed entry into England for the world championship of the sport the Iroquois helped invent unless members accept U.S. or Canadian passports, the British government said Wednesday.
The Iroquois Nationals team won't be attending the world championship in Manchester unless the British government reverses its decision and allows them to use passports issued by the Iroquois Confederacy, said Tonya Gonnella Frichner, a lawyer for the team.
"They're telling us: 'Go get U.S. passports or Canadian passports,'" Frichner said Wednesday shortly after getting the news. "It's pretty devastating."
The team's 23 players — who are all eligible for passports issued by those nations — say that accepting them would be a strike against their identity.
In a statement, the U.K. Borders Agency said: "Like all those seeking entry into the U.K., they must present a document that we recognise as valid to enable us to complete our immigration and other checks."
Get the rest of the story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100714/ap_on_sp_ot/us_lacrosse_iroquois_passports
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Sometimes...
Someone told me today that my standards are too high. The circumstances under which these words were spoken to me don’t really matter. The bottom line is this…I was faced with a situation which caught me off-guard. I found myself in a position of having to choose my principles or lie. So when I was asked a very direct and pointed question I chose to answer with the truth. Ever since then I’ve been condemned and abandoned.
It hurts more deeply than anything I can express that people who claim to love and respect me expected me to do anything different. Yet! I am told my standards are too high for people to live with.
I ask you this…what was I supposed to do? If I had gone against everything I believe in and stand for by lying then what good are my principles? What purpose does it serve to say you believe in one thing but do another?
My name is Waterbird/Weighs The Truth for a reason. Truth is the number one reason for my existence. Even if I try to justify any excuse for breaking my own code of ethics it doesn’t work because then I’m only lying to myself. I will not, under any circumstance, betray my name by speaking in a deceitful manner. What is wrong with this way of thinking? And why is it such a high standard to live up to?
Once upon a time I had faith in humanity. Once upon a time, on more than ten occasions, I have discovered how absurd people can really be. It’s a sad, sad state of affairs. It’s not like I gave away military secrets. If someone shares a confidence with me and someone else asks me about it I simply state that I am not at liberty to speak. But if I am asked to commit subterfuge, well, I simply refuse to participate at all.
Here’s the thing. My ancestors have had the burden of heavy lies and deceit for way too many generations. Too many games were played against them they couldn’t comprehend and I made a promise to them a long time ago that I would seek out the truth in their honor and memory.
It is my belief that if everyone would choose just one thing they believe in and then walk their talk; this world would be such a better place. After all, we live in an exquisite world. It’s only we human who screw it up. No laws are ever broken in the natural world. People are the single species who break the laws.
Sometimes I wish I was a dog.
It hurts more deeply than anything I can express that people who claim to love and respect me expected me to do anything different. Yet! I am told my standards are too high for people to live with.
I ask you this…what was I supposed to do? If I had gone against everything I believe in and stand for by lying then what good are my principles? What purpose does it serve to say you believe in one thing but do another?
My name is Waterbird/Weighs The Truth for a reason. Truth is the number one reason for my existence. Even if I try to justify any excuse for breaking my own code of ethics it doesn’t work because then I’m only lying to myself. I will not, under any circumstance, betray my name by speaking in a deceitful manner. What is wrong with this way of thinking? And why is it such a high standard to live up to?
Once upon a time I had faith in humanity. Once upon a time, on more than ten occasions, I have discovered how absurd people can really be. It’s a sad, sad state of affairs. It’s not like I gave away military secrets. If someone shares a confidence with me and someone else asks me about it I simply state that I am not at liberty to speak. But if I am asked to commit subterfuge, well, I simply refuse to participate at all.
Here’s the thing. My ancestors have had the burden of heavy lies and deceit for way too many generations. Too many games were played against them they couldn’t comprehend and I made a promise to them a long time ago that I would seek out the truth in their honor and memory.
It is my belief that if everyone would choose just one thing they believe in and then walk their talk; this world would be such a better place. After all, we live in an exquisite world. It’s only we human who screw it up. No laws are ever broken in the natural world. People are the single species who break the laws.
Sometimes I wish I was a dog.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Former Cherokee Nation chief Wilma Mankiller dies
By: Rochelle Hines and Murray Evans, AP writers
OKLAHOMA CITY – Former Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller, one of the nation's most visible American Indian leaders and one of the few women to lead a major tribe, died Tuesday after suffering from cancer and other health problems. She was 64.
Mankiller, whose first taste of federal policy toward Indians came when her family ended up in a housing project after a government relocation project, took Indian issues to the White House and met with three presidents. She earned a reputation for facing conflict head-on.
As the first female chief of the Cherokees, from 1985 to 1995, Mankiller led the tribe in tripling its enrollment, doubling employment and building new health centers and children's programs.
"We feel overwhelmed and lost when we realize she has left us, but we should reflect on what legacy she leaves us," current Cherokee Chief Chad Smith said. "We are better people and a stronger tribal nation because her example of Cherokee leadership, statesmanship, humility, grace, determination and decisiveness."
Mankiller met snide remarks about her surname — a Cherokee military title — with humor, often delivering a straight-faced, "Mankiller is actually a well-earned nickname."
Continual struggles with her health appeared not to deter her. A 1979 car accident nearly claimed her life and resulted in 17 operations. She developed the muscular disorder myasthenia gravis and had a kidney transplant in 1990.
Mankiller used some hospital stays to work on her autobiography with Michael Wallis, which came out in 1993. In "Mankiller: A Chief and Her People," she said she wanted to be remembered not just for being the tribe's first female chief but for emphasizing that Cherokee values can help solve contemporary problems.
"Friends describe me as someone who likes to dance along the edge of the roof," she wrote. "I try to encourage young women to be willing to take risks, to stand up for the things they believe in, and to step up and accept the challenge of serving in leadership roles."
Mankiller had also battled lymphoma, breast cancer and several other health problems. Last month, her husband, Charlie Soap, said that she had stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer.
After that, Mankiller said she was "mentally and spiritually prepared for this journey."
"I learned a long time ago that I can't control the challenges the creator sends my way, but I can control the way I think about them and deal with them," she said in a statement released by the tribe last month.
"On balance, I have been blessed with an extraordinarily rich and wonderful life, filled with incredible experiences."
"We have lost an inspirational leader and a great American, someone who was truly a legend in her own time," Gov. Brad Henry said. "As a leader and a person, Chief Wilma Mankiller continually defied the odds and overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to better her tribe, her state and her nation."
Born at W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, Mankiller moved with her family to San Francisco in the 1950s when their farm failed. The pledge of opportunity turned out to be poverty in a housing project. She married and had two daughters, Felicia and Gina.
In 1969, she got what she called "an enormous wake-up call" and took her first step into Indian activism by participating in the 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island.
Seventy-nine Native Americans took over the site of the former federal prison to protest a policy that terminated the federal government's recognition of tribal sovereignty and the exclusion of Indians from state laws. The policy was based on the belief that Native Americans would be better off if they assimilated as individuals into mainstream American society.
Mankiller moved back to her family's land in Oklahoma after getting divorced in 1975. A decade later, she succeeded former Chief Ross Swimmer, who had tapped her as his running mate because of her business savvy. During her re-election campaign, she pledged to improve the tribe's economic interests.
As chief of the Tahlequah-based tribe, Mankiller was less of an activist and more of a pragmatist. She was criticized for focusing almost exclusively on social programs, instead of pushing for smoke shops and high-stakes gaming.
Mankiller decided not to seek re-election in 1995, and accepted a teaching position at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., where she held an honorary degree. Among her other honors was a Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation's highest civilian award — presented in 1998.
A memorial service has been scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds in Tahlequah.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Intertribal Teachings - Positively Negative
Intertribal Teachings
Positively Negative
By: Pamela Waterbird Davison
aka Weighs The Truth
One of the most prominent teachings amongst North American tribes is balance. As is the case with intertribal teachings, it’s a fairly simple concept. We must have balance.
We cannot know light without darkness. We cannot know love without hate. We cannot know joy without sorrow. In other words, we cannot live in a perpetual positive state. If we didn’t have hard times or troubled relationships we would not know how to appreciate when times are easy and our relations flow.
Negativity is a fact of life. It’s absolutely crucial. And it’s a shame how modern society views negativity. The truth is that as a general rule we humans learn more from the negative flow in life than at any other time. It’s just the way it is.
Instead of looking at the negativity, groaning and complaining about the situation, I sit back and ponder what it is I’m supposed to be learning. Believe me, I know when I’m wrapped up in the moment it can be very hard to see the lesson. Sometimes it might even take years before I understand the ramifications of a negative energy.
But what I’ve come to know of balance is how truly important it is. Too much sun will dry and crack the precious soil. Too much rain will flood the garden and rot the roots. So for every drop of sun and every gray cloud, I am grateful to be in balance, even if it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of fun at the time.
That’s why every seed I plant every day is charged with positively negative energy. In doing so my harvest is guaranteed to fill my life’s journey with great satisfaction and my spiritual needs are always met.
Positively Negative
By: Pamela Waterbird Davison
aka Weighs The Truth
One of the most prominent teachings amongst North American tribes is balance. As is the case with intertribal teachings, it’s a fairly simple concept. We must have balance.
We cannot know light without darkness. We cannot know love without hate. We cannot know joy without sorrow. In other words, we cannot live in a perpetual positive state. If we didn’t have hard times or troubled relationships we would not know how to appreciate when times are easy and our relations flow.
Negativity is a fact of life. It’s absolutely crucial. And it’s a shame how modern society views negativity. The truth is that as a general rule we humans learn more from the negative flow in life than at any other time. It’s just the way it is.
Instead of looking at the negativity, groaning and complaining about the situation, I sit back and ponder what it is I’m supposed to be learning. Believe me, I know when I’m wrapped up in the moment it can be very hard to see the lesson. Sometimes it might even take years before I understand the ramifications of a negative energy.
But what I’ve come to know of balance is how truly important it is. Too much sun will dry and crack the precious soil. Too much rain will flood the garden and rot the roots. So for every drop of sun and every gray cloud, I am grateful to be in balance, even if it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of fun at the time.
That’s why every seed I plant every day is charged with positively negative energy. In doing so my harvest is guaranteed to fill my life’s journey with great satisfaction and my spiritual needs are always met.
Monday, March 29, 2010
False Evidence
F – false
E – evidence
A – appearing
R – real
It’s startling to think of how much fear is the basis for everything in this world. I mean think about it. We have fear of intimacy, fear of terrorism, fear of success, fear of failure. The driver with road rage is either afraid he won’t make his appointment on time or he’s afraid of looking weak. The murderer kills because he’s afraid of what will come out if the victim lives or he’s afraid of looking weak. The ironic thing is that fear is the very thing that makes us weak. A woman throws herself at every man she can because she’s afraid she isn’t attractive or afraid she has nothing of value to offer. We live and die, make huge life decisions derived from a bottom line of fear.
So I looked up the word FEAR for a solid definition. Webster’s New World dictionary says the following:
1. a feeling of anxiety and agitation cause by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc. 2. respectful dread, awe; reverence. 3. a feeling of uneasiness or apprehension; concern.
It’s interesting to think on these things from a detached point of view. When I think back on my younger years and realize how many mistakes I made based solely on the idea of fear it becomes abundantly clear to me. I didn’t have children because I was afraid on very many levels for very many reasons. I married because I was afraid I wasn’t worthy of better. Oh sure, I loved the guy but my choice to marry, if I’m being honest with myself, wasn’t for love…it was for fear of losing.
Now I’ve learned that life isn’t something to be afraid of if you’re telling the truth and walking your talk. It’s okay to be late for an appointment. It’s okay to be weak. It’s okay to live and die fearlessly. In fact, if we live as though there were nothing to be afraid of then we are living fully and willfully. How cool is that idea? How cool it is to know that no matter what questions we ask or how many times we ask them we don’t have to be afraid…as long as the questions are coming from a place of honesty and truth. No hidden agenda. No secret identity. We can be who we are.
Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if people could simply relax, let themselves live without concentrating so much on what might or might not be? Letting go of all the anxiety is so empowering. I’ve seen it for myself in my own day to day living. Who cares if I’m attractive enough? If someone doesn’t like the way I look they don’t have to hang around me. Who cares if my house is the cleanest? In a hundred years who will be around to talk about it? So what if I don’t win a singing competition? There will be someone who wants to hear my song, even if it’s just the trees and dogs and birds and lizards.
This is one of the big things I’ve learned over the last two years. I’m not here to agree with you. I’m not afraid if we disagree. I’m not here for my reputation or yours. I’m here to tell my truth. I’m here to walk my talk. I’m here to teach. I’m here to learn. Where ever that leads me I will not be afraid. False evidence will never appear real to me. It’s all a part of the journey and even death doesn’t scare me. This is what makes me free.
Try it. I bet you like it.
E – evidence
A – appearing
R – real
It’s startling to think of how much fear is the basis for everything in this world. I mean think about it. We have fear of intimacy, fear of terrorism, fear of success, fear of failure. The driver with road rage is either afraid he won’t make his appointment on time or he’s afraid of looking weak. The murderer kills because he’s afraid of what will come out if the victim lives or he’s afraid of looking weak. The ironic thing is that fear is the very thing that makes us weak. A woman throws herself at every man she can because she’s afraid she isn’t attractive or afraid she has nothing of value to offer. We live and die, make huge life decisions derived from a bottom line of fear.
So I looked up the word FEAR for a solid definition. Webster’s New World dictionary says the following:
1. a feeling of anxiety and agitation cause by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc. 2. respectful dread, awe; reverence. 3. a feeling of uneasiness or apprehension; concern.
It’s interesting to think on these things from a detached point of view. When I think back on my younger years and realize how many mistakes I made based solely on the idea of fear it becomes abundantly clear to me. I didn’t have children because I was afraid on very many levels for very many reasons. I married because I was afraid I wasn’t worthy of better. Oh sure, I loved the guy but my choice to marry, if I’m being honest with myself, wasn’t for love…it was for fear of losing.
Now I’ve learned that life isn’t something to be afraid of if you’re telling the truth and walking your talk. It’s okay to be late for an appointment. It’s okay to be weak. It’s okay to live and die fearlessly. In fact, if we live as though there were nothing to be afraid of then we are living fully and willfully. How cool is that idea? How cool it is to know that no matter what questions we ask or how many times we ask them we don’t have to be afraid…as long as the questions are coming from a place of honesty and truth. No hidden agenda. No secret identity. We can be who we are.
Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if people could simply relax, let themselves live without concentrating so much on what might or might not be? Letting go of all the anxiety is so empowering. I’ve seen it for myself in my own day to day living. Who cares if I’m attractive enough? If someone doesn’t like the way I look they don’t have to hang around me. Who cares if my house is the cleanest? In a hundred years who will be around to talk about it? So what if I don’t win a singing competition? There will be someone who wants to hear my song, even if it’s just the trees and dogs and birds and lizards.
This is one of the big things I’ve learned over the last two years. I’m not here to agree with you. I’m not afraid if we disagree. I’m not here for my reputation or yours. I’m here to tell my truth. I’m here to walk my talk. I’m here to teach. I’m here to learn. Where ever that leads me I will not be afraid. False evidence will never appear real to me. It’s all a part of the journey and even death doesn’t scare me. This is what makes me free.
Try it. I bet you like it.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Impact - part 2
My Relatives Say: “We are all related. We are related. All my relations.”
The impact of these words is more than phenomenal. From the trees to the soil beneath our feet, from the eagle to the mouse, from man and woman to child, we are a part of each other, connected in ways we can’t possibly begin to comprehend. Every single molecule that courses through our bodies out into the atmosphere through the sky right on up to the moon and stars connects us, weaves us together like a spiders web. And like a spiders web it is strong but tenuous; able to withstand up to a hundred times its own weight but easily torn apart when a single thread becomes weak.
My Relatives Say: “If we see as a mouse we live as a mouse.”
Mouse cannot fathom what is beyond his whiskers. The only world he knows is what lies immediately ahead and surrounding him. It is hawk and eagle who can fly the highest and can fully see the ramifications of our relation. If everything in the universe is connected like a web then the impact of what we do to ourselves we do to everyone and everything. What we do to our relatives we do to ourselves. If we poison we will be poisoned. If we kill we will be killed. If we love we will be loved.
My Relatives Say: “Honor all of Creation and you will Honor Creator.”
For a long time now I’ve wondered why people say and do the things they do. I’ve wondered why humanity cannot see how much we have in common with each other, how much we have in common with rabbit, snake, mouse, dragonfly, bear, wolf, rock, sand, wind, rain, and all the other things of this world we call insect, predator, or annoying. And really we’re not all that different from each other. We all want to be understood and accepted. These ideas impact me on so many levels.
I do not worship the moon or even the earth. I do not pray to many gods. I give thanks for and honor every speck of this world we live in. I realize that to walk in balance with all I live with in this world then surely Great Mystery is also honored. And that is why I want to walk gently upon the shores, treasure the gifts offered in the smallest ways, hear the spirit of Great Mystery in the wind and rain, and smile whenever I see a rainbow.
Tomorrow I will go to powwow for the first time in over two years. I look forward to seeing relatives I have not seen for so long. I will leave the past behind me, forgive the mistakes made by everyone, including myself, and move into the life I want to live. And when I dance in the circle I will honor the healing that will be taking place. There may be moments when I will see as a mouse but I know there will be many more moments when I will see as eagle. I will be thankful for all my relatives through laughter and tears. Once again, I will be connected and know my ancestors are smiling. It is the purest joy anyone can ever hope to experience.
We are all related. We are related. All my relations. Can you feel the impact?
The impact of these words is more than phenomenal. From the trees to the soil beneath our feet, from the eagle to the mouse, from man and woman to child, we are a part of each other, connected in ways we can’t possibly begin to comprehend. Every single molecule that courses through our bodies out into the atmosphere through the sky right on up to the moon and stars connects us, weaves us together like a spiders web. And like a spiders web it is strong but tenuous; able to withstand up to a hundred times its own weight but easily torn apart when a single thread becomes weak.
My Relatives Say: “If we see as a mouse we live as a mouse.”
Mouse cannot fathom what is beyond his whiskers. The only world he knows is what lies immediately ahead and surrounding him. It is hawk and eagle who can fly the highest and can fully see the ramifications of our relation. If everything in the universe is connected like a web then the impact of what we do to ourselves we do to everyone and everything. What we do to our relatives we do to ourselves. If we poison we will be poisoned. If we kill we will be killed. If we love we will be loved.
My Relatives Say: “Honor all of Creation and you will Honor Creator.”
For a long time now I’ve wondered why people say and do the things they do. I’ve wondered why humanity cannot see how much we have in common with each other, how much we have in common with rabbit, snake, mouse, dragonfly, bear, wolf, rock, sand, wind, rain, and all the other things of this world we call insect, predator, or annoying. And really we’re not all that different from each other. We all want to be understood and accepted. These ideas impact me on so many levels.
I do not worship the moon or even the earth. I do not pray to many gods. I give thanks for and honor every speck of this world we live in. I realize that to walk in balance with all I live with in this world then surely Great Mystery is also honored. And that is why I want to walk gently upon the shores, treasure the gifts offered in the smallest ways, hear the spirit of Great Mystery in the wind and rain, and smile whenever I see a rainbow.
Tomorrow I will go to powwow for the first time in over two years. I look forward to seeing relatives I have not seen for so long. I will leave the past behind me, forgive the mistakes made by everyone, including myself, and move into the life I want to live. And when I dance in the circle I will honor the healing that will be taking place. There may be moments when I will see as a mouse but I know there will be many more moments when I will see as eagle. I will be thankful for all my relatives through laughter and tears. Once again, I will be connected and know my ancestors are smiling. It is the purest joy anyone can ever hope to experience.
We are all related. We are related. All my relations. Can you feel the impact?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The State of Alaska, NARF, Northern Justice Project and ACLU Reach Settlement In Yup'ik Language and Voter Assistance Case
Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska state officials along with Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the American Civil Liberties Union, the Northern Justice Project, four Alaska Native elders and four tribal governments today jointly announced a settlement of Nick, et al. v. Bethel, et al. According to the settlement, the state of Alaska will make enhancements to language assistance for Yup’ik-speaking voters available at elections in the Bethel area.
The resolution of the case, originally filed in June 2007 on behalf of Alaska Native elders Anna Nick, Billy McCann, Arthur Nelson and David O. David and the tribal governments of Kasigluk, Kwigillingok, Tuluksak and Tuntutuliak was hailed by all parties involved.
"This settlement recognizes improvements to language-assistance protocols implemented by the state during the 2008 and 2009 elections, while providing for enhancements to ensure that limited-English-proficient voters receive effective assistance," said Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan. "We support fair voting practices and effective access to the voting booth for all Alaskans, and we will vigorously implement the terms of this settlement."
“We are extremely pleased the state of Alaska will provide Yup'ik-speaking voters in the Bethel area with the tools they need to fully participate in the political process," said Natalie Landreth of Native American Rights Fund (NARF). “That is what this case was all about – equal access to the polls.”
"Our right to vote is one of the most important that we as Americans possess," said Alaska Lieutenant Governor Craig Campbell, who oversees the Division of Elections. "Here in Alaska, we want all our citizens to exercise that right, regardless of where they live or the language they speak. We are pleased to have come together to ensure that this case is a win-win for Yup'ik-speaking voters and the State of Alaska."
Get the rest of the story here: http://narfnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-of-alaska-narf-northern-justice.html
The resolution of the case, originally filed in June 2007 on behalf of Alaska Native elders Anna Nick, Billy McCann, Arthur Nelson and David O. David and the tribal governments of Kasigluk, Kwigillingok, Tuluksak and Tuntutuliak was hailed by all parties involved.
"This settlement recognizes improvements to language-assistance protocols implemented by the state during the 2008 and 2009 elections, while providing for enhancements to ensure that limited-English-proficient voters receive effective assistance," said Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan. "We support fair voting practices and effective access to the voting booth for all Alaskans, and we will vigorously implement the terms of this settlement."
“We are extremely pleased the state of Alaska will provide Yup'ik-speaking voters in the Bethel area with the tools they need to fully participate in the political process," said Natalie Landreth of Native American Rights Fund (NARF). “That is what this case was all about – equal access to the polls.”
"Our right to vote is one of the most important that we as Americans possess," said Alaska Lieutenant Governor Craig Campbell, who oversees the Division of Elections. "Here in Alaska, we want all our citizens to exercise that right, regardless of where they live or the language they speak. We are pleased to have come together to ensure that this case is a win-win for Yup'ik-speaking voters and the State of Alaska."
Get the rest of the story here: http://narfnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-of-alaska-narf-northern-justice.html
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Impact
My Relatives Say: “You do not know the quiet power you possess.”
I’ve thought about this for many decades. Arrogant, hubris, forceful, blunt, are all words that have been used to describe me. So the words “quiet power” makes me want to stop dead in my tracks. I personally don’t see myself as arrogant, I see myself as confident. I don’t consider myself god-like but rather as having a sense of understanding when it comes to dealing with the human condition as a spiritual being. And it can be so damn hard to rise above the impact of words or labels.
Here’s what I mean. We all have a voice which speaks to us. Sometimes it tells us not to take a certain flight or a particular drive to work. Sometimes it tells us we are falling in love or to avoid dubious people. Sometimes we resist the voice, ignoring what it tells us. Predictably we discover the voice was right all along.
My Relatives Say: “Don’t forget you are a part of everything and everything is a part of you.”
Our bodies, mind, and spirit are moved by Grandmother Moon, she who controls the tides. In the human condition we are made up of approximately 75% water. The rest becomes nothing but dust without water. Both of these elements are vital to the earth and sky as well as to we humans. This holds true to every animal walking the planet. This is true to the very atmosphere we live in.
If we do not listen to our brothers and sisters, be they water, air, fire, or land, we doom ourselves and by extension the next seven generations. We are all connected. We are all related.
My Relatives Say: “It is not good to separate yourself from the land or from Great Mystery.”
We do not have to walk barefoot in the snow to feel connected to our Mother. We do not have to suffocate in order to appreciate Father Sky. Then again, maybe we do. Whatever it takes to make a human feel their part in this world, then so be it. And if for just a moment we take the time to say “I Love You!” to all that is a part of us then it’ll be like a boomerang that comes back to us with “I Love You, too!”
We humans are like broken pieces of mirror. Some might say a broken mirror is bad luck. But My Relatives Say: “It is better to be a part of the mystery than not.” If we put the broken pieces of mirror together we get a clearer reflection of who we are as relatives.
Then and only then, do we come to understand the impact of our quiet power. The power we have to change the way we see each other, the power we have to impact our lives as well as others around us. Good, bad, ugly, beautiful, empathy or indifference, it all comes back us. If we resist we will be met with resistance. If we hold hatred close, disgust and revulsion will pursue us without relent. But if we become conscious to the impact of our quiet power then we soon learn there is little we cannot do. Even the most heinous of experiences cannot bring down the truth my relatives speak. History has shown this for more than 518 years.
Yes, I own the words forceful and blunt because my convictions won’t allow me to do anything else. And it’s not because I am arrogant. It’s because the voice inside me, the voice of all those ancestors, tell me this is honesty in its deepest form. If the impact of these words is considered hubris there is nothing I can do to change it.
Each and every day I will say “I Love You” to all of creation, to all my relatives, and mean it. I don’t have to agree with the hurricane winds or the flooding rains. I don’t have to yield to those who would steal my quiet power. But I can love it all. And I will stand by the impact of my sincerity.
I’ve thought about this for many decades. Arrogant, hubris, forceful, blunt, are all words that have been used to describe me. So the words “quiet power” makes me want to stop dead in my tracks. I personally don’t see myself as arrogant, I see myself as confident. I don’t consider myself god-like but rather as having a sense of understanding when it comes to dealing with the human condition as a spiritual being. And it can be so damn hard to rise above the impact of words or labels.
Here’s what I mean. We all have a voice which speaks to us. Sometimes it tells us not to take a certain flight or a particular drive to work. Sometimes it tells us we are falling in love or to avoid dubious people. Sometimes we resist the voice, ignoring what it tells us. Predictably we discover the voice was right all along.
My Relatives Say: “Don’t forget you are a part of everything and everything is a part of you.”
Our bodies, mind, and spirit are moved by Grandmother Moon, she who controls the tides. In the human condition we are made up of approximately 75% water. The rest becomes nothing but dust without water. Both of these elements are vital to the earth and sky as well as to we humans. This holds true to every animal walking the planet. This is true to the very atmosphere we live in.
If we do not listen to our brothers and sisters, be they water, air, fire, or land, we doom ourselves and by extension the next seven generations. We are all connected. We are all related.
My Relatives Say: “It is not good to separate yourself from the land or from Great Mystery.”
We do not have to walk barefoot in the snow to feel connected to our Mother. We do not have to suffocate in order to appreciate Father Sky. Then again, maybe we do. Whatever it takes to make a human feel their part in this world, then so be it. And if for just a moment we take the time to say “I Love You!” to all that is a part of us then it’ll be like a boomerang that comes back to us with “I Love You, too!”
We humans are like broken pieces of mirror. Some might say a broken mirror is bad luck. But My Relatives Say: “It is better to be a part of the mystery than not.” If we put the broken pieces of mirror together we get a clearer reflection of who we are as relatives.
Then and only then, do we come to understand the impact of our quiet power. The power we have to change the way we see each other, the power we have to impact our lives as well as others around us. Good, bad, ugly, beautiful, empathy or indifference, it all comes back us. If we resist we will be met with resistance. If we hold hatred close, disgust and revulsion will pursue us without relent. But if we become conscious to the impact of our quiet power then we soon learn there is little we cannot do. Even the most heinous of experiences cannot bring down the truth my relatives speak. History has shown this for more than 518 years.
Yes, I own the words forceful and blunt because my convictions won’t allow me to do anything else. And it’s not because I am arrogant. It’s because the voice inside me, the voice of all those ancestors, tell me this is honesty in its deepest form. If the impact of these words is considered hubris there is nothing I can do to change it.
Each and every day I will say “I Love You” to all of creation, to all my relatives, and mean it. I don’t have to agree with the hurricane winds or the flooding rains. I don’t have to yield to those who would steal my quiet power. But I can love it all. And I will stand by the impact of my sincerity.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
My Relatives Say
O’Siyo Nigadawu (hello everyone),
I am AmaTsisqua (Waterbird), daughter of the Bird and Wolf clans and born to the Tsalagi (Cherokee). I am also known as Nudagesv Duyudv (Weight Truth or Weighs The Truth). For many decades now I have been listening to the voices of my relatives, learning truth in all its varying shades of gray, and learning the ways of bear, turtle, snake, scorpion, wolf, bird, dog, cat, dolphin, manatee, and fish. Along the way I have tasted of each element of life – water, fire, earth, and air.
Two years ago a drastic change took place in my life and It left me feeling desperately heaving for air. The details don’t really matter. My story is the same as yours except for one thing…I walk with one foot in one reality and one foot in another. As with most humans, I have experienced tragedy, disappointment, frustration, anger, gladness, exhilaration, falling in love, grief, and just plain joy. Each emotion at its greatest pinnacle had to be examined from two very different points of view. One perspective comes from the modern approach of practicality and moving ahead. The other perception comes from very conventional wisdom that is not widely known in current society.
This walking in two worlds can become confusing, not to mention down-right annoying, especially when life presents some of its greatest challenges. We ½ breeds, ¼ breeds, 1/16th breeds, 1/32nd breeds, and wannabes all amount to about the same. We’re searching to whom and where we belong.
Through this blog it is my intention and hope that while I ponder the deeper questions of life I will also share the voices of my relatives and what they have taught me when I’ve been willing to learn. Believe me when I say there is no one who challenges me better than myself. Yet I encourage you to question what I will tell you over the coming months. And while we’re at it, we’ll invite our ancestors into the discussion so we may learn from each other. It is the only way to go. You’ll see this to be true.
My next entry will be regarding impact. “Impact” will be at least a two-part series – possibly more. We’ll see as time goes on. The path always takes a winding course but it always comes back around to particularly important issues. I promise not to preach or belittle, look down or deny, live without empathy or with sympathy. Maybe through this journey we will learn how not to be divided. Maybe through this journey we will learn how to be spiritual beings having a human experience. Maybe we will learn the IMPACT we have on all our relations. Maybe we’ll see how very close we really are!
Let’s walk with both feet and see where it takes us.
I am AmaTsisqua (Waterbird), daughter of the Bird and Wolf clans and born to the Tsalagi (Cherokee). I am also known as Nudagesv Duyudv (Weight Truth or Weighs The Truth). For many decades now I have been listening to the voices of my relatives, learning truth in all its varying shades of gray, and learning the ways of bear, turtle, snake, scorpion, wolf, bird, dog, cat, dolphin, manatee, and fish. Along the way I have tasted of each element of life – water, fire, earth, and air.
Two years ago a drastic change took place in my life and It left me feeling desperately heaving for air. The details don’t really matter. My story is the same as yours except for one thing…I walk with one foot in one reality and one foot in another. As with most humans, I have experienced tragedy, disappointment, frustration, anger, gladness, exhilaration, falling in love, grief, and just plain joy. Each emotion at its greatest pinnacle had to be examined from two very different points of view. One perspective comes from the modern approach of practicality and moving ahead. The other perception comes from very conventional wisdom that is not widely known in current society.
This walking in two worlds can become confusing, not to mention down-right annoying, especially when life presents some of its greatest challenges. We ½ breeds, ¼ breeds, 1/16th breeds, 1/32nd breeds, and wannabes all amount to about the same. We’re searching to whom and where we belong.
Through this blog it is my intention and hope that while I ponder the deeper questions of life I will also share the voices of my relatives and what they have taught me when I’ve been willing to learn. Believe me when I say there is no one who challenges me better than myself. Yet I encourage you to question what I will tell you over the coming months. And while we’re at it, we’ll invite our ancestors into the discussion so we may learn from each other. It is the only way to go. You’ll see this to be true.
My next entry will be regarding impact. “Impact” will be at least a two-part series – possibly more. We’ll see as time goes on. The path always takes a winding course but it always comes back around to particularly important issues. I promise not to preach or belittle, look down or deny, live without empathy or with sympathy. Maybe through this journey we will learn how not to be divided. Maybe through this journey we will learn how to be spiritual beings having a human experience. Maybe we will learn the IMPACT we have on all our relations. Maybe we’ll see how very close we really are!
Let’s walk with both feet and see where it takes us.
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