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Posted July 9, 2012 by Billie K. Fidlin in Native American Spirituality
What is Sacred?
~ Russ Letica
Madawaska Maliseet First Nations
Imagine a time when the hair of our mother would blow in the wind…how many different colors it will grow over the seasons. A time when there was no shortage of food and it was free, because you prayed and gave thanks to the blessings you received. You prayed for the life your relative gave up for your survival. You showed respect for your customs, traditions, knowledge & wisdom, and for the structure of your village as a whole. You honored your Creator for giving you these things and the blessing bestowed upon our Mother for us to flourish as Indigenous People, free and living within our territories.
Can you ever imagine of just living off the land as it was, flourishing with food, medicines, shelter? A true undisturbed connection to your spirituality and in direct contact with your Creator? Maybe you day dreamed of a simpler time. Some of us thought ‘I'd love to be rich so I can afford the luxuries,’ while others think of a simpler time prior to colonization where money had no meaning in our lives.
All Nations concerns were their children, and their future. Why? Because these things are Sacred. They are given to us by the Creator. It is the essence of a blessing when we honor those things that are Sacred. It is what is provided to us freely, naturally, that is the blessing we walk past everyday. That we don't fight for in a majority such as water, clean air, environmental damages to earth, the home, to all life. We have sat back and allowed a world to destroy our rainforest and the Indigenous People who have lived there for centuries. Wiping out all that medicine. Medicine that is free from the Creator for all of us, yet stolen for the profit of a few in a world controlled by those monies and luxuries. A blind faith being led on the easy path, the path most traveled.
What is Sacred?
Our ancestors’ graves? Graves that continue to be violated and robbed. Another human being walking away with your Grandfather's head or my Grandmother’s hand. For what? Who does that? Who builds hydro-dams next to our resting places, or opens sewage treatment plants, nuclear power plants, electricity plants, or better yet builds a WalMart Super Store over them. These things are sacred to all faiths and beliefs around the world, except one. Native Spirituality has been demonized by all religions. It is the purest and truest connection to the one Creator of all religion's gods and the kingdoms they reign over. Yet it is disgraced and discouraged, even in some of our own communities. What is real is to be allowed to follow your heart and not a man-made dominant interpretation from men who walk in a different direction. Freedom is Sacred, but know what you need to be free from.
Imagine a time when humanity and life was precious. A time when we traveled with the herds. We planted, foraged, hunted and fed. We were free children of the land. Remember when we prayed to the sky and we thanked the Great Spirit for his blessing, a simple blessing such as waking up and being part of a working unit that produced good healthy community skills. Or maybe a time when there was a need, then everyone came to fill it. Perhaps once a year when the people would come together as a Nation. This was the time when women governed and men led. Remember our Clans’ Mothers?
So I ask one last time, What is Sacred? Stop and think, then produce those actions to instill that understanding. If you could imagine such things as I described, I urge you to stay on the Red Road and connected to your distinctive spirituality. It’s the one thing that could never be stolen from us; do not give it away freely. It is your lifeline connection to your ancestry. Produce good actions in this world your soul is living in, for one day your soul will shed the body that houses it and you will walk proudly with your people again in the next one, until it is your turn to walk our Mother once again.
Sacred is what is provided and the teachings handed down from ancient times among the Nations. Protect them and educate our future descendants in truth and respect for all life we share the web with.
Wakawse menakaci toqci kilum Ewikuwossit, nekom Scitposu
(Walk Gently on our Mother, She's Sacred)
Woliwon
Source: Whisper n Thunder Online Magazine www.whispernthunder.org
~ Russ Letica
Madawaska Maliseet First Nations
Imagine a time when the hair of our mother would blow in the wind…how many different colors it will grow over the seasons. A time when there was no shortage of food and it was free, because you prayed and gave thanks to the blessings you received. You prayed for the life your relative gave up for your survival. You showed respect for your customs, traditions, knowledge & wisdom, and for the structure of your village as a whole. You honored your Creator for giving you these things and the blessing bestowed upon our Mother for us to flourish as Indigenous People, free and living within our territories.
Can you ever imagine of just living off the land as it was, flourishing with food, medicines, shelter? A true undisturbed connection to your spirituality and in direct contact with your Creator? Maybe you day dreamed of a simpler time. Some of us thought ‘I'd love to be rich so I can afford the luxuries,’ while others think of a simpler time prior to colonization where money had no meaning in our lives.
All Nations concerns were their children, and their future. Why? Because these things are Sacred. They are given to us by the Creator. It is the essence of a blessing when we honor those things that are Sacred. It is what is provided to us freely, naturally, that is the blessing we walk past everyday. That we don't fight for in a majority such as water, clean air, environmental damages to earth, the home, to all life. We have sat back and allowed a world to destroy our rainforest and the Indigenous People who have lived there for centuries. Wiping out all that medicine. Medicine that is free from the Creator for all of us, yet stolen for the profit of a few in a world controlled by those monies and luxuries. A blind faith being led on the easy path, the path most traveled.
What is Sacred?
Our ancestors’ graves? Graves that continue to be violated and robbed. Another human being walking away with your Grandfather's head or my Grandmother’s hand. For what? Who does that? Who builds hydro-dams next to our resting places, or opens sewage treatment plants, nuclear power plants, electricity plants, or better yet builds a WalMart Super Store over them. These things are sacred to all faiths and beliefs around the world, except one. Native Spirituality has been demonized by all religions. It is the purest and truest connection to the one Creator of all religion's gods and the kingdoms they reign over. Yet it is disgraced and discouraged, even in some of our own communities. What is real is to be allowed to follow your heart and not a man-made dominant interpretation from men who walk in a different direction. Freedom is Sacred, but know what you need to be free from.
Imagine a time when humanity and life was precious. A time when we traveled with the herds. We planted, foraged, hunted and fed. We were free children of the land. Remember when we prayed to the sky and we thanked the Great Spirit for his blessing, a simple blessing such as waking up and being part of a working unit that produced good healthy community skills. Or maybe a time when there was a need, then everyone came to fill it. Perhaps once a year when the people would come together as a Nation. This was the time when women governed and men led. Remember our Clans’ Mothers?
So I ask one last time, What is Sacred? Stop and think, then produce those actions to instill that understanding. If you could imagine such things as I described, I urge you to stay on the Red Road and connected to your distinctive spirituality. It’s the one thing that could never be stolen from us; do not give it away freely. It is your lifeline connection to your ancestry. Produce good actions in this world your soul is living in, for one day your soul will shed the body that houses it and you will walk proudly with your people again in the next one, until it is your turn to walk our Mother once again.
Sacred is what is provided and the teachings handed down from ancient times among the Nations. Protect them and educate our future descendants in truth and respect for all life we share the web with.
Wakawse menakaci toqci kilum Ewikuwossit, nekom Scitposu
(Walk Gently on our Mother, She's Sacred)
Woliwon
Source: Whisper n Thunder Online Magazine www.whispernthunder.org
English (US) 