The Greatest Spirit, Part 2

Welcome back!  We are all running life's distance through... hopefully with heart!  Let's continue with a clean glimpse of the virtue of the utility, relationship and survival the North American Indian lived with through untold millennium.  Let's make this simple... 

Every thought, every action and every tool they had was utilitarian. It had a specific and tangible use. Their thoughts did, their actions did and their tools did. Ours do not. Because they (just as we) were designed as artistic beings, these artistic expressions laced themselves throughout.

Every thought and every action was connected to relationship TO others.  The life they had was supported and revolved around the support they could give others.  The support and encouragement of others was their primary thought.  In American Material Culture never chooses this "way" first.  The North American Indian held the better portion in these regards.

Lastly, the North American Indian had a constant and daily focus on living... on surviving. They accepted ardent, difficult conditions and moved forward resolute that the Great Spirit would provide and supply. Many times, modern man does not.  They, in these demands, were constantly a people of faith. It was demanded of them.  We had rather trust in materialism, industry and technology. I still think they might have had the better portion.

Good thoughts to know who They were!  Be well! 

The Greatest Spirit, Part 1

The strength of our modern environment has effected our insight.  Our perceptions naturally have conformed to the "force" of our social environment.  As it would be, in any environment a child matures in, the influence of that environment will become the reality of their own perceptions.  Whether good or bad, one will be a product of their environment. 

The social influence of our lives is happening immediately and it is usually not perceivable by us. These contrasts and influences MUST be considered when we approach the anthropology of the North American Indian. Our society has grown incredibly fast.  The United States solid social foundation of materialism, industry and technology has been our conditioning. The North American Indian's society was based solidly on utility, relationship an survival.

I must note here that this does NOT make the North American Indian a lessor people than we. Many have believed this.  The very thought of this is a product of our sociology.  The ERROR is to think of any people, "If they do not have what we have, or can do things the way we can or have the ability to manage both, then these are obviously less important people."  Tragically less valuable, less worthy or less deserving.  This mind frame is the cancer of the human race.

Our lives with the North American Indian is a huge unquestionable contrast!  If anyone is interested in understanding the great past race of the North American Indian there is a beginning. The treasure we should daily seek before all things is an ancient mind frame. More appropriately the SPIRIT they were compelled by their environment to live with and through.  It is a treasure within to see the way they saw and interpret life as they did.  To find the real appreciation in humanity requires this.  Can we? 

Without The Benefit of the Ancients

It would seem that with respects to our immediate understanding of the great dispensations of time immemorial here in North America, and our understanding of how the crossing paths of specific sociological adaptations has deeply affected humanity in North America, we might well be too young to grasp such graphic, inevitable changes.  Our understandings are immediately subject to the current Modern Age we are in… without the benefit of the Ancient Age we have changed.

In the brevity of 500 years the sacred land of the North American Indian has been

the basin, the foundation if you will, to the material culture the entire world could not, and will not, do without.  The overpowering influence of electricity, industry, agriculture & technologies alone evaporate the ability to understand the influence of the Majority Race here in North America.  However, a good heart still unfolds mysteries for the benefit of their character.    

Evil & greed were not the materials created, or the technologies developed, BUT evil & greed has been within the hearts of mankind.  This is the substance which has forever hurt humanity... the North American Indians were on a similar line as to all shattered humanity.  However, it has been exclusively Their land, and Their lives (no other peoples in the world) which provided the world with extreme material comfort and ease. The Conquest of North American laid the foundation for the Industrial Revolution.  Although many millions have cared for lost humanity (of which I am included), the industry of the world was inevitable.

With that said, catastrophically altering a race of man, the North American Indian, in the space of 200 years cannot give we, who are inside the force of Their change, the understanding we yearn for of Their People.  We remain outside the reality of Their lives… separated by the fate of our own formation.    

So the best many can do (of whom I am one) is study and collect the knowledge of

The North American Indian from every approach possible.  Search the testimonies of the way they lived, loved, dreamed, fought and died; find the tangible trace of  their life-way in tools and art; and the touch their People and bloodline. We can understand more, we should endeavor to understand more, yet will never grasp the effects of this colossal change until we look at it from the other side. All honor and sympathy to the North American Indian, both past and present. Our devotion true.