OCTOBER 15, 2019
NATIVE AMERICANS
Yesterday, most of the country celebrated CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DAY. This day has
been set aside to honor the man who has thought to have discovered America. In fact, "America" had been "discovered" long before Chris got there! Native Americans were there long before, and had already established a community and culture that honored the land, revered nature and understood community. If we want to continue to celebrate this day, we should call it what it is: the conquering of native, indigenous groups of people by selfish, greedy white men. Adventure and exploration are natural traits in us all, so it is not surprising that this part of the world was taken over and dominated by its conquering aggressors. And in so doing, a GREAT culture was lost! Just like putting the Japanese (U.S. citizens) in contained barricades, we enclosed the native Americans on reservations. We did nothing to help them better themselves or to have a life beyond hopelessness. Years ago, when I marched in the "Poverty March," in Washington, D.C. I worked with a group of native Americans who I came to know well, and love. These are the Indians who are now housed on Reservations and struggling with alcohol and hopelessness. A Native American prayer that I recite often, I would like to share here:
OH GREAT SPIRIT
WHOSE VOICE I HEAR IN THE WIND
WHOSE BREATH GIVES LIFE TO ALL THE WORLD, HEAR ME
I AM ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN; I AM SMALL AND WEAK
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOM
LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY AND MAKE MY EYES
EVER BEHOLD THE RED AND PURPLE SUNSET
MAKE MY HANDS RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE
AND MY EARS SHARP TO HEAR YOUR VOICE
MAKE ME WISE SO THAT I MAY UNDERSTAND THINGS
YOU HAVE TAUGHT MY PEOPLE
LET ME LEARN THE LESSONS YOU HAVE HIDDEN
IN EVERY LEAF AND ROCK
I SEEK STRENGTH NOT TO BE GREATER THAN MY BROTHER OR SISTER
BUT TO FIGHT MY GREATEST ENEMY....MYSELF
MAKE ME ALWAYS READY TO COME TO YOU
WITH CLEAN HANDS AND STRAIT EYES
SO WHEN LIFE FADES, AS THE FADING SUNSET,
MY SPIRIT MAY COME TO YOU WITHOUT SHAME.
LAKOTA...………..CHIEF YELLOW LARK 1887
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMND A GREAT "READ" CALLED "THE MIRCLE LIFE OF EDGER MINT"BY BRADY UDALL DEPICTING A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP ON AN INDIAN RESERVATON.....BRILLIANT AND VERY FUNNY.
NATIVE AMERICANS
Yesterday, most of the country celebrated CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DAY. This day has
been set aside to honor the man who has thought to have discovered America. In fact, "America" had been "discovered" long before Chris got there! Native Americans were there long before, and had already established a community and culture that honored the land, revered nature and understood community. If we want to continue to celebrate this day, we should call it what it is: the conquering of native, indigenous groups of people by selfish, greedy white men. Adventure and exploration are natural traits in us all, so it is not surprising that this part of the world was taken over and dominated by its conquering aggressors. And in so doing, a GREAT culture was lost! Just like putting the Japanese (U.S. citizens) in contained barricades, we enclosed the native Americans on reservations. We did nothing to help them better themselves or to have a life beyond hopelessness. Years ago, when I marched in the "Poverty March," in Washington, D.C. I worked with a group of native Americans who I came to know well, and love. These are the Indians who are now housed on Reservations and struggling with alcohol and hopelessness. A Native American prayer that I recite often, I would like to share here:
OH GREAT SPIRIT
WHOSE VOICE I HEAR IN THE WIND
WHOSE BREATH GIVES LIFE TO ALL THE WORLD, HEAR ME
I AM ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN; I AM SMALL AND WEAK
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOM
LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY AND MAKE MY EYES
EVER BEHOLD THE RED AND PURPLE SUNSET
MAKE MY HANDS RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE
AND MY EARS SHARP TO HEAR YOUR VOICE
MAKE ME WISE SO THAT I MAY UNDERSTAND THINGS
YOU HAVE TAUGHT MY PEOPLE
LET ME LEARN THE LESSONS YOU HAVE HIDDEN
IN EVERY LEAF AND ROCK
I SEEK STRENGTH NOT TO BE GREATER THAN MY BROTHER OR SISTER
BUT TO FIGHT MY GREATEST ENEMY....MYSELF
MAKE ME ALWAYS READY TO COME TO YOU
WITH CLEAN HANDS AND STRAIT EYES
SO WHEN LIFE FADES, AS THE FADING SUNSET,
MY SPIRIT MAY COME TO YOU WITHOUT SHAME.
LAKOTA...………..CHIEF YELLOW LARK 1887
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMND A GREAT "READ" CALLED "THE MIRCLE LIFE OF EDGER MINT"BY BRADY UDALL DEPICTING A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP ON AN INDIAN RESERVATON.....BRILLIANT AND VERY FUNNY.
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