"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

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.
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