THEIR LIFE, THEIR LAND, THEIR WATER!

The Wise Man believes profoundly in silence - the sign of a perfect equilibrium. 

Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit. 

The man who preserves his self-hood ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence - not a leaf, as it were, astir on the tree, not a ripple upon the surface of the shinning pool - his, in the mind of the unlettered sage, is the ideal attitude and conduct of life. 

What are the fruits of silence? They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character. ~ Ohiyesa / Santee Sioux

There is a BAD situation we have across these United States.  This land is rich and abundant with respects to archaeology & artifacts!  There is North American Indian trace beneath our land and within our waters... BUT it was NEVER exclusively "OURS".   A BAD WIND has been blowing across these lands since before you and I... a bad wind, long blowing.  

We should have NO tolerance for the ignorance of men which has gone to seed.  We should literally MOVE their persuasions with wisdom, strength & intelligence.  How could a man tolerate living in a Land where the ignorant and presumptuous dictate when we bend over and pick up a rock!  How completely foolish to consider such artifacts “hands off”.  They look to appease their own guilt.  

The substance of Stone Age tools was utilitarian and expendable resource!  It was akin to our own plastic bottles or silverware or a multitude of other tools we use!!!  THESE artifacts are NOT sacred to the People… what WAS sacred to them was THEIR LIFE, THEIR LAND, THEIR WATER!  Think about this...

The same presumptuous people who frown on artifact collection are the ones buried in guilt posing amendments to sanctify broken promises!!!!  They posture protection of Indian “artifacts” while standing on raped land wet with blood they shed unmoved!

May the express Spirit of the Creator touch all men's heart to teach & to learn.  Can we look at the root to legal policies based on greed and self-seeking honestly... can we stand resistance & proud to represent the truth of the North American Indian?  Can we be honest as to what continues to be sacred to them?  

The land is sacred. These words are at the core of your being. The land is our mother, the rivers our blood. Take our land away and we die. That is, the wildness in us dies. 

- Mary Brave Bird / Oglala Sioux

  

We Can Live Stronger!

It has been a long time since this the prior Post!  Nothing has waned in the passion I have for the North American Indian and their story here.  I have traveled no less across the land they once lived... running distances... collecting Their trace.  Our interpretation of time, and what we do inside it, is always so relative.  For this moment; while I have a good moment; I will share the following reflections on the Nomadic... which People we are.  I begin with a great quote by Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux Chief 

“Conversation was never begun at once, nor in a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, thought comes before speech.” 

When one considers the vast tribes of People who made up the Majority Race here in North America, so many reflections flood the heart.  The first place to begin in any of them is humility in our humanity.  To accept our own frailty... if we can.  No man alone is truly strong.  As the Sioux have said, "I have seen in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself."  But do we in this postmodern, American material culture, have the capacity to be vulnerable?  To accept others and lift them up?  To seek out their skill sets and join in the celebration of every individual? 

The reality of dependence on others strengths was never considered a weakness in one of the strongest races in human history... the North American Indian.  The essence of their lives was clearly a covenant devoted to the protection and wellness of others.  Although many were indeed stoic, magnificent in self-denial... even Warriors, it would seem this mindset betters any human being for selfless sacrifice and the love of others.  Consider D.H. Lawrence's words...

I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a branch

without ever having felt sorry for itself.

I shall always be a priest of love.

Without making this too long, it all seems clear in life that the best foundations are self-denial... with the intention of making it better for others.  No self-pity.  Long distance running is like this, the lives of the North American Indians were like this and the best people to love are like this.  The conditioning of our spirits, our minds and our bodies are for the ability to make others richer within and without.  If we consider conditioning ourselves, for ourselves, we will only stand alone.  I will close with an ageless Indian quote... Their eloquence far exceeds my own.

"Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it, we must have it because, without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love, we can no longer look out confidently at the world. With love, we are creative. With love, we march tirelessly. With love, and with love alone, we are able to sacrifice for others."  ~ Chief Dan George, Geswanouth Slahoot (1899-1981)

Today we can live differently... today we can live stronger!

Sacred Order, Ancient Honor

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind… with the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.  ~ Job 12:10-12 

I have paused one hundred times to consider the life of this North American Indian above... 

He lived and died in the Canadian regions.  It is certain that he and his lived with sacred order and with ancient honor.  It seems that for too long we have not rightly considered the virtue of the People who were here before us... for They were the Craftsmen {Craftswomen}, the hunters & the gatherers.  Although I am locked into a post modern civilization, I try to promote the honor of the ancient.  For it never occurred to Them to promote themselves.  This just would not have been Their sacred order.

Archeologically they have unavoidably and inevitably left the trace of Their lives behind for us to gather and for us to learn from.  These strong, innovative Craftsmen knew balance, aesthetics and efficiency.  We do well to save the expressions they left behind.  They were the Majority Race of mankind... and They loved, felt, needed and wanted just as you and I.  

Now, all the lands of treasure are ready to gather again.  So much dirt laid open with ages never seen before.  So many miles of crops freshly set within these lands, and so many thousands of rows.  The life of man lays silently and waits.  All is locked in store for time appointed.  The day is not yet, and the rains have not come, yet the Indian trace waits silently... anciently. 

As the People now, our responsibility rests on the ready. Our hope fills and overflows. Our expectations level themselves.  When all the lands of treasure are ready to gather...

Cheers to all!