TWO MOON
Legend and ancient indigenous wisdom say the object in the sky that we identify as “The moon,” or “a dead planet,” is First Earth.
According to my indigenous Elders, First Earth had everything this earth has: Birds, butterflies, children, trees, fish. “Then two “’Thinkings’ came. Nobody knows from where. One ‘Thinking’ said: ‘This (First Earth) is a beautiful place. It is mine. I will use it to keep myself happy.’” The other ‘Thinking’ said: “No. You must not use. Many generations of children coming. Must save for them.”
“’Thinkings’ got into arguments over First Earth. They argued long time. Neither side win argument. Arguments started war. It big war and last long time. Near end, “Thinkings” want save earth for future generations of children used up half First Earth trying to protect it, and the other “Thinkings’ that want use earth for its own selfishness, used up half First Earth assaulting those want save it. First Earth all use up.
One day First Earth catch fire. Not enough water to put the fire out. First Earth burned all up.”
According to Craven, First Earth clearly shows that war. First Earth is scarred, scratched and pitted with eruptions.
CONTEMPORARY PROPHECY
Craven Gibson, invited us to look upon this Earth at this time. Clearly we must be concerned because of present “Thinkings” and their intentions to destroy Earth.
Craven then compared this earth’s “thinkings” now with First Earth’s “thinkings” then. He sounded like our earth was preparing to burn into another moon. Long I looked at Craven then asked, “Two Moons”? Craven softly answered, “Two Moon. Mebee soon.”
The end of that narrative sounded like the end to life as we know it, that this earth will burn into a moon, too. But an old tribal Grandmother (from the generation before my Grandfather) caught my brothers, cousins and I as we raced through summer’s freedom. To slow us down and get our attention, she gave us wahach and wild plum preserves. We were quiet, sitting at her kitchen table, chewing wahach and savoring the wild perfume in her preserves.
“No. That is not way.” She was talking about Craven’s moon narrative. “It must not be.” After a deep breath she continued. “Ye’ja” is song, yes, but, but medicine song. Ye’ja is in children hearts, one who yet ‘Twinkle little star.’ That one. At dawn, universe listen for song from children. Hearts pure. Song say:
‘Help Mother Earth, please. Mother sick and hurt. Help. Make good ‘gin.’ Great Power, Great Spirit, Great Wonder he listen, he hear. He wrap medicine ‘round world, heal. But children of world must sing, dawn, mountain top. You be responsible hisnawa (warrior). Do job. Earth heal. Juyjowa (sickness/badness) go.’”
The legend explains that humans being neglectful and cruel to earth, water, and life are hastening the day this earth catches on fire and burns into another moon. Tribal Grandmothers instructed this generation to not allow this to happen. They said dance (Medicine Healing Dance) and YE’JA (Medicine Love Song to Mother Earth) must now do their part and begin a healing so Mother Earth will not burn into another dead planet. That is all I am permitted to know at this time. Darryl Babe Wilson/Sul’ma’ejote
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
“El ESPIRANZA!”
“El ESPIRANZA!”
Mati Waiya and Luhui Isha, Chumash, are intensely committed to a dream of gathering their Chumash and all people, so they might look upon Mati’s building of original tribal history, something he accomplished himself. He is expecting his cultural labor to become an inspiration that urges many other tribal people to begin using their hands and their dreams given to them by elders, and our original histories and begin building villages, tomols (plank canoes) and dance arenas; to carry water to sprinkle upon earth like rain-dreams, and to continue to revive the greatness of the Chumash Nation. For it is true. Chumash come from great people, therefore, Chumash are great people. Now we see Mati’s unique and rare effort in building a Chumash village with muscle and love, care and concern. He is supported with a startling will that is guided by fresh dreams from Pukamuka (wise and beautiful ancient ancestors who walked earth before us). Kim Rudner (Australia) said of his spiritual efforts, “I think it is a powerful gift. It is an inspiration for other tribes. I would hope someday a village could be created to use full time.” Wishtoyo has arranged the Medicine man/woman Summit at this creative, lively, culturally breath taking site. We are here for that Summit.
In the frightening days when Kennedy was murdered in Dallas and Johnson stepped up the carpet bombing of Viet Nam, a very old and wise Councilman from my tribal people dwelling near Mt. Shasta, gave me a note to “Give to the President (Johnson) the next time you see him.” It was written on a piece of brown paper bag he got while grocery shopping, and with a pencil he found while walking home: “There is no power in destructive, only in creative.” Maybe the President passed the note to Mati, “The next time he saw him,” because there is a glorious, seemingly ethereal essence here at Wishtoyo. At the moment I am at my cabin in the nearby hills. There is a Woman’s and men’s Talking Circle happening out on the grass. I must hurry, The Medicine man from Surinam is speaking through a translator. He leans forward, chin out, back straight, his words, intense. He is rigid and the pain, humiliation, anger and feelings of helplessness are etched on his face and pronounced in creases around his mouth and in the rigidness of his spine. Oh, no, he relaxed. He becomes silent. The next speaker is up. I found an empty chair at the circle. Soterro and Theo are already here. Kim is over in the medicine woman’s circle.
At the continental brunch (I asked for potatoes. They said “This is Continental! “Can’t you make Continental Potatoes?” Luhui Isha did - maybe the first Continental Fried Potatoes in this world). Then, there was a women’s/men’s Circle where we compared notes and prepared for the gathering just down the hill at Wishtoyo. The emerging, frightening reality is that the logging, road building, gold mining and oil drilling is destroying the rain forests. This activity must cease because the Medicine People harvest medicines from the rain forests that are used to combat diseases that have been rampant and mutating since Columbus and his mercenaries penetrated our homeland. No rain forest, no medicine. “Progress” and “Success” seem to be gruesome machines designed to watch us all die from diseases preventable but that are viciously curtailed by “Progress” destroying the medicines that will provide a cure for us. The medicine people are in terror of why “harvesting” the rain forest persists.
Dreaming in the essence while looking over the expansive blue ocean dancing far beyond the horizon, we revel in the depth of beauty all around Wishtoyo, with secrets snuggling into the many recesses the eternal ocean creates as it is busy carving cliffs and sandy beaches here in Malibu, the southern most end of the Chumash home land. We stand in awe. Wishtoyo is a Chumash village being constructed by Mati Waiya, almost single handedly except for a few friends and family. His wife Luhui Isha, the blessed, is there standing with him, too. Mati said he was blessed when Luhui Isha came into his life. Not only Mati was blessed, the landscape the dawn, the ocean and the stars were blessed, too. Mati showed us the tule and willow huts he constructed almost alone and almost all by hand, which are of better quality than Robinson Caruso. Of Wishtoyo, I am confident my Elders would say, tijtawa (genuine).
With excited pride Mati pointed out land marks in the landscape and out across the ocean. I failed to see the landmarks on the vast ocean until he pointed southwest and said there is where a pod of whales visited Wishtoyo. “They were going north.” Sometimes a big tail would splash and sometimes a big, shining, black body would rise. My mind saw that and marked it with a “thought” buoy. It was beautiful. “We, (he and Luhui Isha) were so excited and honored to see that, right at our front door.” With bubbling pride Mati continued to point out landmarks while hawks and sea gulls wheeled upon the wind. A mild sun made each little ripple on the ocean sparkle and danced towards the horizon. A ship, almost invisible because of the distance, moved slowly north.
The Medicine man/Shaman Summit that we are attending is near Malibu, and a few miles upon the hill at the Cal-amigas ranch. This gathering is most spectacular and necessary. The medicine men/women are from Hawaii, Costa Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Surinam, The Amazon Basin, Africa, and other places where rain forests grow the medicinal plants. Their concern is deep. The logging, road building, oil drilling, and gold mining are destroying the forest which also destroys medicinal plant life. Too, they worry how to protect the medicine knowledge they now have, from exploitation. Interpretation and translation was necessary, so we listen mostly and never had a moment for one-on-one conversations (with a translator in the middle). We had several men’s circle, women’s circle and mixed circle discussions. I watched the eyes and body language of the medicine people as they discussed their fears and hopes. Worry and concern were etched by creases on their faces and the urgency of the moment was in the jut of their chin or the stiffening of their spine as they talked.
Then, suddenly it was time for a feast and the last dance before we went home. Startled I looked around wondering where all of the five days went. I felt we were building rainbow bridges between South and North America and we were just beginning. We can’t go now! Hummingbird, in the legend, prepared to put a bouquet in the center of the sun so there always would be rainbows for children. At dawn he collected the bouquet from the meadow. At sunrise he dashed to the sun, planted the bouquet and darted home. Mission accomplished. It seems we are still in the meadow picking flowers and are not yet prepared for a sun-journey. It is the last dinner and the last dance! Next year, Mati and Luhui, can we find little moments for one-on-one discussions and a chance to dream and gather flowers together once again? That may make for a more perfect journey to the sun.
Of Mati, my son, Soterro, said, “He is one of the few who carries a good thought.” Theo hollered from the kitchen, “He is hope.” I looked at him for clarification and he said, “El Espiranza!” I cherish the way Mati and Luhui carry their hearts in their hands and all of their dreams in their hearts. On the last day some of us were comfortable sitting in the shade of a huge round structure where the fire pit lives. The structure that the Boy Scouts helped Mati build has a smoke hole in the roof. “We can see the moon through that hole,” Mati said.
After al fresco dinner at Wishtoyo, and near sunset, the Chumash dancers entered the already crowded fire pit arena, dancing. Soft drumming guided the feet and the rhythm of the traditional dancers while sleepy sun dropped behind the horizon and the drums found a more rapid beat. The shadowy fire pit arena could not hold all of us and yet have room for dancers even though we chinked in at every angle. Then the Aztec/Mexica dancers entered the firelight, moving us closer to each other. Next, the Hawaiian dancers filed down into the fire arena, causing us to snuggle closer, still. They danced and they drummed and they dreamed –we all dreamed. Dreams danced in sparkling eyes all around the fire pit arena. It was beautiful. It was precious. It was most comforting, safe and marshmallow-sweet. I cried, but not alone. After composing myself I looked. Happy moon was peering through the smoke hole. A little later the drums and clappers stopped. Last dance was over. Dark. We gobbled food scattered across several tables nearby, then we departed to our cabins on the hill, headlights searching ahead.
Mati and Luhui, while planning for the next Summit, please allow us time to dream all together. The mighty ocean will provide us with good thoughts. The warm breezes will stir our creativity. Soft autumn sun and sweet Mother Earth will touch the wisdoms our Elders left for us, moon and songs from the universe will shift our understanding and Earth Mother will provide love. Our job then will be to fold these delicate and necessary ingredients together with a spoon full of our dreams. After we slightly knead it, we’ll cook it marshmallow-like at the fire pit and share our bounty with each other and everyone. Then we will dream the evening down and at dawn look upon a beautiful rainbow of our own dreaming. Then, in time of need the precious medicine people can come to us or we can go to them, like the Wishtoyo legend says, walking upon the rainbow.
But first we must stop logging the rainforest and destroying medicinal plants, prevent any more roads through its landscape, and arrest the relentless tactics of gold diggers because the damage they each do today threatens the medicines we need tomorrow. It is a simple equation. The medicines gathered from Mother Earth are more necessary to future than a mountain off gold.. “Progress” and “Success” must amend their priorities.
This Chumash dream created a beautiful event and wrapped it delicately around the concerns of our medicine people – our healers and Doctors. They need protection and love, too, and so do the rain forest , and the children of our future.
A moment ago I asked Theo what he thought the first time he saw Mati and Luhui Isha at Wishtoyo. “The guy with bones in his nose?” “Yes.” He said, “I was happy to see them and I hoped they were happy to see me.”
They were, absolutely!
Dr Babe
Mati Waiya and Luhui Isha, Chumash, are intensely committed to a dream of gathering their Chumash and all people, so they might look upon Mati’s building of original tribal history, something he accomplished himself. He is expecting his cultural labor to become an inspiration that urges many other tribal people to begin using their hands and their dreams given to them by elders, and our original histories and begin building villages, tomols (plank canoes) and dance arenas; to carry water to sprinkle upon earth like rain-dreams, and to continue to revive the greatness of the Chumash Nation. For it is true. Chumash come from great people, therefore, Chumash are great people. Now we see Mati’s unique and rare effort in building a Chumash village with muscle and love, care and concern. He is supported with a startling will that is guided by fresh dreams from Pukamuka (wise and beautiful ancient ancestors who walked earth before us). Kim Rudner (Australia) said of his spiritual efforts, “I think it is a powerful gift. It is an inspiration for other tribes. I would hope someday a village could be created to use full time.” Wishtoyo has arranged the Medicine man/woman Summit at this creative, lively, culturally breath taking site. We are here for that Summit.
In the frightening days when Kennedy was murdered in Dallas and Johnson stepped up the carpet bombing of Viet Nam, a very old and wise Councilman from my tribal people dwelling near Mt. Shasta, gave me a note to “Give to the President (Johnson) the next time you see him.” It was written on a piece of brown paper bag he got while grocery shopping, and with a pencil he found while walking home: “There is no power in destructive, only in creative.” Maybe the President passed the note to Mati, “The next time he saw him,” because there is a glorious, seemingly ethereal essence here at Wishtoyo. At the moment I am at my cabin in the nearby hills. There is a Woman’s and men’s Talking Circle happening out on the grass. I must hurry, The Medicine man from Surinam is speaking through a translator. He leans forward, chin out, back straight, his words, intense. He is rigid and the pain, humiliation, anger and feelings of helplessness are etched on his face and pronounced in creases around his mouth and in the rigidness of his spine. Oh, no, he relaxed. He becomes silent. The next speaker is up. I found an empty chair at the circle. Soterro and Theo are already here. Kim is over in the medicine woman’s circle.
At the continental brunch (I asked for potatoes. They said “This is Continental! “Can’t you make Continental Potatoes?” Luhui Isha did - maybe the first Continental Fried Potatoes in this world). Then, there was a women’s/men’s Circle where we compared notes and prepared for the gathering just down the hill at Wishtoyo. The emerging, frightening reality is that the logging, road building, gold mining and oil drilling is destroying the rain forests. This activity must cease because the Medicine People harvest medicines from the rain forests that are used to combat diseases that have been rampant and mutating since Columbus and his mercenaries penetrated our homeland. No rain forest, no medicine. “Progress” and “Success” seem to be gruesome machines designed to watch us all die from diseases preventable but that are viciously curtailed by “Progress” destroying the medicines that will provide a cure for us. The medicine people are in terror of why “harvesting” the rain forest persists.
Dreaming in the essence while looking over the expansive blue ocean dancing far beyond the horizon, we revel in the depth of beauty all around Wishtoyo, with secrets snuggling into the many recesses the eternal ocean creates as it is busy carving cliffs and sandy beaches here in Malibu, the southern most end of the Chumash home land. We stand in awe. Wishtoyo is a Chumash village being constructed by Mati Waiya, almost single handedly except for a few friends and family. His wife Luhui Isha, the blessed, is there standing with him, too. Mati said he was blessed when Luhui Isha came into his life. Not only Mati was blessed, the landscape the dawn, the ocean and the stars were blessed, too. Mati showed us the tule and willow huts he constructed almost alone and almost all by hand, which are of better quality than Robinson Caruso. Of Wishtoyo, I am confident my Elders would say, tijtawa (genuine).
With excited pride Mati pointed out land marks in the landscape and out across the ocean. I failed to see the landmarks on the vast ocean until he pointed southwest and said there is where a pod of whales visited Wishtoyo. “They were going north.” Sometimes a big tail would splash and sometimes a big, shining, black body would rise. My mind saw that and marked it with a “thought” buoy. It was beautiful. “We, (he and Luhui Isha) were so excited and honored to see that, right at our front door.” With bubbling pride Mati continued to point out landmarks while hawks and sea gulls wheeled upon the wind. A mild sun made each little ripple on the ocean sparkle and danced towards the horizon. A ship, almost invisible because of the distance, moved slowly north.
The Medicine man/Shaman Summit that we are attending is near Malibu, and a few miles upon the hill at the Cal-amigas ranch. This gathering is most spectacular and necessary. The medicine men/women are from Hawaii, Costa Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Surinam, The Amazon Basin, Africa, and other places where rain forests grow the medicinal plants. Their concern is deep. The logging, road building, oil drilling, and gold mining are destroying the forest which also destroys medicinal plant life. Too, they worry how to protect the medicine knowledge they now have, from exploitation. Interpretation and translation was necessary, so we listen mostly and never had a moment for one-on-one conversations (with a translator in the middle). We had several men’s circle, women’s circle and mixed circle discussions. I watched the eyes and body language of the medicine people as they discussed their fears and hopes. Worry and concern were etched by creases on their faces and the urgency of the moment was in the jut of their chin or the stiffening of their spine as they talked.
Then, suddenly it was time for a feast and the last dance before we went home. Startled I looked around wondering where all of the five days went. I felt we were building rainbow bridges between South and North America and we were just beginning. We can’t go now! Hummingbird, in the legend, prepared to put a bouquet in the center of the sun so there always would be rainbows for children. At dawn he collected the bouquet from the meadow. At sunrise he dashed to the sun, planted the bouquet and darted home. Mission accomplished. It seems we are still in the meadow picking flowers and are not yet prepared for a sun-journey. It is the last dinner and the last dance! Next year, Mati and Luhui, can we find little moments for one-on-one discussions and a chance to dream and gather flowers together once again? That may make for a more perfect journey to the sun.
Of Mati, my son, Soterro, said, “He is one of the few who carries a good thought.” Theo hollered from the kitchen, “He is hope.” I looked at him for clarification and he said, “El Espiranza!” I cherish the way Mati and Luhui carry their hearts in their hands and all of their dreams in their hearts. On the last day some of us were comfortable sitting in the shade of a huge round structure where the fire pit lives. The structure that the Boy Scouts helped Mati build has a smoke hole in the roof. “We can see the moon through that hole,” Mati said.
After al fresco dinner at Wishtoyo, and near sunset, the Chumash dancers entered the already crowded fire pit arena, dancing. Soft drumming guided the feet and the rhythm of the traditional dancers while sleepy sun dropped behind the horizon and the drums found a more rapid beat. The shadowy fire pit arena could not hold all of us and yet have room for dancers even though we chinked in at every angle. Then the Aztec/Mexica dancers entered the firelight, moving us closer to each other. Next, the Hawaiian dancers filed down into the fire arena, causing us to snuggle closer, still. They danced and they drummed and they dreamed –we all dreamed. Dreams danced in sparkling eyes all around the fire pit arena. It was beautiful. It was precious. It was most comforting, safe and marshmallow-sweet. I cried, but not alone. After composing myself I looked. Happy moon was peering through the smoke hole. A little later the drums and clappers stopped. Last dance was over. Dark. We gobbled food scattered across several tables nearby, then we departed to our cabins on the hill, headlights searching ahead.
Mati and Luhui, while planning for the next Summit, please allow us time to dream all together. The mighty ocean will provide us with good thoughts. The warm breezes will stir our creativity. Soft autumn sun and sweet Mother Earth will touch the wisdoms our Elders left for us, moon and songs from the universe will shift our understanding and Earth Mother will provide love. Our job then will be to fold these delicate and necessary ingredients together with a spoon full of our dreams. After we slightly knead it, we’ll cook it marshmallow-like at the fire pit and share our bounty with each other and everyone. Then we will dream the evening down and at dawn look upon a beautiful rainbow of our own dreaming. Then, in time of need the precious medicine people can come to us or we can go to them, like the Wishtoyo legend says, walking upon the rainbow.
But first we must stop logging the rainforest and destroying medicinal plants, prevent any more roads through its landscape, and arrest the relentless tactics of gold diggers because the damage they each do today threatens the medicines we need tomorrow. It is a simple equation. The medicines gathered from Mother Earth are more necessary to future than a mountain off gold.. “Progress” and “Success” must amend their priorities.
This Chumash dream created a beautiful event and wrapped it delicately around the concerns of our medicine people – our healers and Doctors. They need protection and love, too, and so do the rain forest , and the children of our future.
A moment ago I asked Theo what he thought the first time he saw Mati and Luhui Isha at Wishtoyo. “The guy with bones in his nose?” “Yes.” He said, “I was happy to see them and I hoped they were happy to see me.”
They were, absolutely!
Dr Babe
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
SILVER DAWN OF THE SWINOMISH, 2011
[I wrote this for my grandchildren so they might see, touch and taste what I did. Maybe it will cause the hair on their neck to stand up. I wrote it so I would never forget, too ]
SILVER DAWN OF THE SWINOMISH, 2011
It is true, it is true,
It is true, it is true
they came in a dream in a whispering canoe
They came as one heart hearing an ancestral drum, beating
I looked and there was a great greeting, a great greeting, a great greeting,
Paddles thrusting, rising, shining, dipping, thrusting
as it has been for every generation of our lives, trusting
Muckleshoot and Quiluete, S’Kokomish, Sonomish, Suquamish too,
Puyallip, Samish and Lummi true,
Shinnocok, Kyuqot, Sliammon then
Hamoloco, Nanoose, Naniamo again and again,
Slipping through the silver dawn they came,
as a dream, as a dream, as a dream they came,
Dandalia, Bella Bella and Warm Springs slid by
Our ancestors singing under dripping skies,
Sauk Suiattle, Alaska, Santa Barbara, see,
they came as a dream for you and for me
The paddles splashed, a thousand cameras flashed,
and the multitude was crying,
While the universe wrapped around us all
and was sweetly sighing
The mist appeared then came a constant sprinkle
The same that fell a million years ago,
making sweet, little hearts tinkle.
Great Powers of the universe leaned close
whispering one to another,
“It is a good way, yes it is a good way, yes it is a good way,
little sister and brother.”
Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla; Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla; Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla….
Darryl Babe Wilson (Grampa Babe)
(Read this again listening to the heart-beat of the universe. Also, please know that my capacity as a writer is faulty. To include every tribe, nation and person is sometimes difficult).
SILVER DAWN OF THE SWINOMISH, 2011
It is true, it is true,
It is true, it is true
they came in a dream in a whispering canoe
They came as one heart hearing an ancestral drum, beating
I looked and there was a great greeting, a great greeting, a great greeting,
Paddles thrusting, rising, shining, dipping, thrusting
as it has been for every generation of our lives, trusting
Muckleshoot and Quiluete, S’Kokomish, Sonomish, Suquamish too,
Puyallip, Samish and Lummi true,
Shinnocok, Kyuqot, Sliammon then
Hamoloco, Nanoose, Naniamo again and again,
Slipping through the silver dawn they came,
as a dream, as a dream, as a dream they came,
Dandalia, Bella Bella and Warm Springs slid by
Our ancestors singing under dripping skies,
Sauk Suiattle, Alaska, Santa Barbara, see,
they came as a dream for you and for me
The paddles splashed, a thousand cameras flashed,
and the multitude was crying,
While the universe wrapped around us all
and was sweetly sighing
The mist appeared then came a constant sprinkle
The same that fell a million years ago,
making sweet, little hearts tinkle.
Great Powers of the universe leaned close
whispering one to another,
“It is a good way, yes it is a good way, yes it is a good way,
little sister and brother.”
Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla; Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla; Esquimalt, Quinault, Queets and Umatilla….
Darryl Babe Wilson (Grampa Babe)
(Read this again listening to the heart-beat of the universe. Also, please know that my capacity as a writer is faulty. To include every tribe, nation and person is sometimes difficult).
O’SIAM(honored relatives) SWINOMISH IT WAS A DREAM OF OUR ANCESTORS, SINGING
8-2-11, Santa Cruz
ITSPO’EE’OTISE:
(When the eyes of your heart look into the eyes of my heart seeing only good, and the eyes of my heart look into the eyes of your heart seeing only good, then the words between us can only be genuine)
O’SIAM(honored relatives) SWINOMISH
IT WAS A DREAM OF OUR ANCESTORS, SINGING
It was the 22nd annual inter-tribal canoe gathering, this time rotating to Swinomish, Washington, July 25 – July 31. Aurelia Washington, Swinomish canoe journey coordinator said. “We are reintroducing our traditional practices and the ways of our ancestors. The spirits among our children have come alive and they are enthusiastic about singing and dancing.” On the day of the canoe landing the pavilions were full and rain was sweet but constant. Some of us were very soggy, but it was a welcome soggy as we watched a dream unfold.
My sons, Theo and Soterro Garcia, my cousin Bruce Gali and I, departed Freemont on a marathon run up I-5 to Seattle, then to La Connor and the Swinomish homeland. The drive took all of my strength and I was weary , but, there has never been an Aztec King or Prince nor Tribal Chief, more honored with respect than we were. From the moment we arrived at the Swinomish reservation, we were taken good care of. Our cabins were beside the Swinomish Sound, the fire circle was just out the back door and our food was catered. I was beginning to enjoy the pampering. Over in the big tents the volunteers were usually flying low and in three directions but they were most courteous, giving us directions, explaining some of the all that we did not understand, or simply welcoming everyone. The atmosphere was syrupy sweet. The Staff were usually on a mission, flying under the radar, yet they took a moment to point lost souls in a good direction so we could focus on the best things in life – seeing the power of spirit and pride dancing in everyone’s eyes. Itspo’ee’otise smiled.
The medicine people brought their thunder and “doctored.” The Medicine Man worked on my flu/pneumonia one evening and at dawn at the fire circle I first noticed the sickness was going away. Stacey, a young woman who simply took my heart and danced into the future, had a damaged hand. The same Medicine Man doctored her. Her American doctors said she never would have feeling. “As The Medicine Man moved his hand about 2-inches above mine there was a tingling. Then I knew I would have feeling again.” Such was the magic dancing in every eye, every heart, every moment at Swinomish.
In my youth, in the safety of a mountain valley snuggled between the Great Mountains (*Ako Yet and Yettajenna), at the north end of the Sierra range and under the safety of silver pines, Grandmother spoke at the dancing fire about dreams.
“It is known, if you want your dream to come true, you will take dream to the great river and place it there on the water. Dream will go out. It will travel the great oceans touching many lands. Dream will gather knowledge and wisdom. Then it will return to you and it will be real.”
Standing beside the great silver-misty waters in the homeland of Swinomish at dawn, a dream appeared. A river of long canoes swept by, paddles flashing. As the gathering watched the last canoe vanished around a distant point. It was like watching a dream go softly away. Then silence as prayers and dreams and wishes followed the fleet that followed the stars, “going out” into forever. Then we retired with our own thoughts into our own solitude.
“What a beautiful way to gather wisdom.” One thought said to another. “Yes, we need only wait for the great river of canoes to return.”
“That is how it was in the days of our ancestors. Patience was all that was necessary to live, to dream and live again.”
Apnui (that time when spring is turning to summer and flowers are yet in the meadow: Flowered Summer), Mr. Ray Williams from Swinomish came to my apartment in Santa Cruz with Lauren Texieria from California Indian Storytelling Association (CISA). It must be noted that the National Endowment for the Arts issued CISA a grant making the national and international communications and networking programs to continue with the gathering at Swinomish. We talked about canoes from the Pacific Rim gathering at Swinomish. As he talked my mind saw many long canoes landing on the shore, it experienced happiness and joy. My heart watched a great history unfolding. I imagined many Chiefs giving oratory like Chief Seattle, long ago. I “watched” the medicine people gathering thunder and power, sending it with the fleet to return in the proper season. It was a dream, it was a marvelous dream.
Then my thoughts turned to the establishment of League of Indigenous Storytellers (LIVS) which is emerging as an organization sans perimeters, a bold step, a necessary step, and a move towards storytelling and indigenous history that may attract the best stories the world has ever produced. The purpose and contents of the LIVS document will be openly discussed at Swinomish.
***********
My body cringed thinking about the long drive from Santa Cruz to Seattle, but we packed our bags and turned north. North, ever north we streaked. Finally a big sign, “Seattle ” and we knew we were close to Swinomish. We got some last minute instruction on our cell phone, and eased into La Connor and the Swinomish reservation. Soon I was in bed. Sooner yet I was sleeping. Sooner still I was dreaming.
Dream took the hand of my heart saying, “Come, quietly.” Instantly we were at my Granddaughter’s home in San Jose, California. We slipped into her bedroom. She was sleeping among piles of long, black hair. One eyelash fluttered then she smiled. Satisfied that she was dreaming about us, dream and I magically returned to Swinomish. Dawn, there was a fire circle and sage with much tender and emotional communications between California and New Zealand, Swinomish and Australia, Canada and Hawaii. It was a courteous ceremony and most delicate.
One day after lunch there was a stampede as many people rushed to Tilalip to see the first wave of canoes. My deeper thought were of the canoes returning with great wisdom and knowledge. Destiny was so easy to dream about with seagulls spinning nearby, eagles flying far over the sound and pelican “Vs” searching for a soft landing.
And I again heard my ancestors speak about original people of this hemisphere:
“Jeu hataji (one heart),
Jeu telamji (one spirit),
Jeu himal (one mind),
Jeu tasokjami (one dream)
Jeu Awt’e (one people)”
The day of the canoe landing at Swinomish, we gathered on the shore and waited with bubbling expectation. A voice hollered, “Look!” A great canoe slipped across the silver water, rippling to shore. canoe stopped, The power man hollered, “May we come ashore?” 5,000 hearts as a single voice whispered, “Welcome.” It is true. It was the fulfilling of a great prophecy. It was the fulfilling of our history. It was the fulfilling of our deeper dreams. Gedin’ch’lumnu (This is the way it was meant to be).
Chief on shore spoke, “You are welcome to come ashore, to stand and sing by the fire. Earth is our mother. Please come join us. You have traveled far. We will dance for you. You will eat with us. We are sisters and brothers dreaming under the stars.”
Dream like ether entered the secret chambers of our hearts, looked around at the beauty and wonder of a moment that lasts only a moment but lasts through eternity, too, knelt there and cried.
In my youth grandmother spoke in council. Although we were “warrors” in our hearts who should be chasing grizzly bears and running down antelope, we listened because grandmother often spoke of children. Again she spoke of our dreams.
“Hisnawa (young warriors). Your hearts know dreams. Your hearts know dreams are real and true. Always look to the greater truth and the greater dream and your heart will know happiness. Trust your dreams. Trust your ancestors from where your dreams emerged. Then one day our dreams will sit in council around a fire larger than the sun. Do not forget.”
There is a truth. We are each created different. The elders said, “From the moment stars were sprinkled in the night sky long ago, our destinies were sprinkled there also. Because of this we are similar, yes, but like snowflakes we are each different from one another because our destinies are never created the same.”
As the long canoes silently approached our hearts beat as with a single drummer and our greater dreams danced with Great Powers that stir the universe, and the many universes in the vastness beyond our understanding
My imagination looked and saw a great canoe upon the shining water and watched that canoe with our dreams in it vanish into tomorrow around a distant spit. Coming home they slipped, across the water, canoes from many tribes and nations. I imagined one returned that carried our dreams out long ago. Then my mind decided they each harbored this cargo which is essential to life, and my life enjoyed their power surge, their song and the drumming.
At morning fire, during lunch breaks and at meetings convened specifically for it, the boundless LIVS documentation was discussed and at this moment somewhere in the world (maybe upon the vast ocean in a canoe) its necessity, value, and purpose reaches an urgency effecting all indigenous and many who are not considered indigenous. The positive power surges out with velocity.
The gathering was magic. The canoes gathering was more magic. But we had to get our rented car back to Fremont, CA. Protocol was still in motion and our hearts were bound to sweet friends but we ripped ourselves away like new Velcro, and soon we were on I-5, hurrying south.
There is a term in my language that is used when people are having an exceptional visit and one party must leave. To insure your return and to let the host know the depth of your deeper feelings and your want to return one day soon, the ancient ones in my homeland said: Ina’lum’qotmi (I must go but I leave my heart with you).
As we moved down I-5 past Tilalip I looked back and whispered ina’lum’qotmi to everyone who produced the glitter that made this golden adventure sparkle, from the oldest person on the Swinomish Senate to the youngest dancer in the protocol.
Darryl Babe Wilson
(Grampa Babe)
ITSPO’EE’OTISE:
(When the eyes of your heart look into the eyes of my heart seeing only good, and the eyes of my heart look into the eyes of your heart seeing only good, then the words between us can only be genuine)
O’SIAM(honored relatives) SWINOMISH
IT WAS A DREAM OF OUR ANCESTORS, SINGING
It was the 22nd annual inter-tribal canoe gathering, this time rotating to Swinomish, Washington, July 25 – July 31. Aurelia Washington, Swinomish canoe journey coordinator said. “We are reintroducing our traditional practices and the ways of our ancestors. The spirits among our children have come alive and they are enthusiastic about singing and dancing.” On the day of the canoe landing the pavilions were full and rain was sweet but constant. Some of us were very soggy, but it was a welcome soggy as we watched a dream unfold.
My sons, Theo and Soterro Garcia, my cousin Bruce Gali and I, departed Freemont on a marathon run up I-5 to Seattle, then to La Connor and the Swinomish homeland. The drive took all of my strength and I was weary , but, there has never been an Aztec King or Prince nor Tribal Chief, more honored with respect than we were. From the moment we arrived at the Swinomish reservation, we were taken good care of. Our cabins were beside the Swinomish Sound, the fire circle was just out the back door and our food was catered. I was beginning to enjoy the pampering. Over in the big tents the volunteers were usually flying low and in three directions but they were most courteous, giving us directions, explaining some of the all that we did not understand, or simply welcoming everyone. The atmosphere was syrupy sweet. The Staff were usually on a mission, flying under the radar, yet they took a moment to point lost souls in a good direction so we could focus on the best things in life – seeing the power of spirit and pride dancing in everyone’s eyes. Itspo’ee’otise smiled.
The medicine people brought their thunder and “doctored.” The Medicine Man worked on my flu/pneumonia one evening and at dawn at the fire circle I first noticed the sickness was going away. Stacey, a young woman who simply took my heart and danced into the future, had a damaged hand. The same Medicine Man doctored her. Her American doctors said she never would have feeling. “As The Medicine Man moved his hand about 2-inches above mine there was a tingling. Then I knew I would have feeling again.” Such was the magic dancing in every eye, every heart, every moment at Swinomish.
In my youth, in the safety of a mountain valley snuggled between the Great Mountains (*Ako Yet and Yettajenna), at the north end of the Sierra range and under the safety of silver pines, Grandmother spoke at the dancing fire about dreams.
“It is known, if you want your dream to come true, you will take dream to the great river and place it there on the water. Dream will go out. It will travel the great oceans touching many lands. Dream will gather knowledge and wisdom. Then it will return to you and it will be real.”
Standing beside the great silver-misty waters in the homeland of Swinomish at dawn, a dream appeared. A river of long canoes swept by, paddles flashing. As the gathering watched the last canoe vanished around a distant point. It was like watching a dream go softly away. Then silence as prayers and dreams and wishes followed the fleet that followed the stars, “going out” into forever. Then we retired with our own thoughts into our own solitude.
“What a beautiful way to gather wisdom.” One thought said to another. “Yes, we need only wait for the great river of canoes to return.”
“That is how it was in the days of our ancestors. Patience was all that was necessary to live, to dream and live again.”
Apnui (that time when spring is turning to summer and flowers are yet in the meadow: Flowered Summer), Mr. Ray Williams from Swinomish came to my apartment in Santa Cruz with Lauren Texieria from California Indian Storytelling Association (CISA). It must be noted that the National Endowment for the Arts issued CISA a grant making the national and international communications and networking programs to continue with the gathering at Swinomish. We talked about canoes from the Pacific Rim gathering at Swinomish. As he talked my mind saw many long canoes landing on the shore, it experienced happiness and joy. My heart watched a great history unfolding. I imagined many Chiefs giving oratory like Chief Seattle, long ago. I “watched” the medicine people gathering thunder and power, sending it with the fleet to return in the proper season. It was a dream, it was a marvelous dream.
Then my thoughts turned to the establishment of League of Indigenous Storytellers (LIVS) which is emerging as an organization sans perimeters, a bold step, a necessary step, and a move towards storytelling and indigenous history that may attract the best stories the world has ever produced. The purpose and contents of the LIVS document will be openly discussed at Swinomish.
***********
My body cringed thinking about the long drive from Santa Cruz to Seattle, but we packed our bags and turned north. North, ever north we streaked. Finally a big sign, “Seattle ” and we knew we were close to Swinomish. We got some last minute instruction on our cell phone, and eased into La Connor and the Swinomish reservation. Soon I was in bed. Sooner yet I was sleeping. Sooner still I was dreaming.
Dream took the hand of my heart saying, “Come, quietly.” Instantly we were at my Granddaughter’s home in San Jose, California. We slipped into her bedroom. She was sleeping among piles of long, black hair. One eyelash fluttered then she smiled. Satisfied that she was dreaming about us, dream and I magically returned to Swinomish. Dawn, there was a fire circle and sage with much tender and emotional communications between California and New Zealand, Swinomish and Australia, Canada and Hawaii. It was a courteous ceremony and most delicate.
One day after lunch there was a stampede as many people rushed to Tilalip to see the first wave of canoes. My deeper thought were of the canoes returning with great wisdom and knowledge. Destiny was so easy to dream about with seagulls spinning nearby, eagles flying far over the sound and pelican “Vs” searching for a soft landing.
And I again heard my ancestors speak about original people of this hemisphere:
“Jeu hataji (one heart),
Jeu telamji (one spirit),
Jeu himal (one mind),
Jeu tasokjami (one dream)
Jeu Awt’e (one people)”
The day of the canoe landing at Swinomish, we gathered on the shore and waited with bubbling expectation. A voice hollered, “Look!” A great canoe slipped across the silver water, rippling to shore. canoe stopped, The power man hollered, “May we come ashore?” 5,000 hearts as a single voice whispered, “Welcome.” It is true. It was the fulfilling of a great prophecy. It was the fulfilling of our history. It was the fulfilling of our deeper dreams. Gedin’ch’lumnu (This is the way it was meant to be).
Chief on shore spoke, “You are welcome to come ashore, to stand and sing by the fire. Earth is our mother. Please come join us. You have traveled far. We will dance for you. You will eat with us. We are sisters and brothers dreaming under the stars.”
Dream like ether entered the secret chambers of our hearts, looked around at the beauty and wonder of a moment that lasts only a moment but lasts through eternity, too, knelt there and cried.
In my youth grandmother spoke in council. Although we were “warrors” in our hearts who should be chasing grizzly bears and running down antelope, we listened because grandmother often spoke of children. Again she spoke of our dreams.
“Hisnawa (young warriors). Your hearts know dreams. Your hearts know dreams are real and true. Always look to the greater truth and the greater dream and your heart will know happiness. Trust your dreams. Trust your ancestors from where your dreams emerged. Then one day our dreams will sit in council around a fire larger than the sun. Do not forget.”
There is a truth. We are each created different. The elders said, “From the moment stars were sprinkled in the night sky long ago, our destinies were sprinkled there also. Because of this we are similar, yes, but like snowflakes we are each different from one another because our destinies are never created the same.”
As the long canoes silently approached our hearts beat as with a single drummer and our greater dreams danced with Great Powers that stir the universe, and the many universes in the vastness beyond our understanding
My imagination looked and saw a great canoe upon the shining water and watched that canoe with our dreams in it vanish into tomorrow around a distant spit. Coming home they slipped, across the water, canoes from many tribes and nations. I imagined one returned that carried our dreams out long ago. Then my mind decided they each harbored this cargo which is essential to life, and my life enjoyed their power surge, their song and the drumming.
At morning fire, during lunch breaks and at meetings convened specifically for it, the boundless LIVS documentation was discussed and at this moment somewhere in the world (maybe upon the vast ocean in a canoe) its necessity, value, and purpose reaches an urgency effecting all indigenous and many who are not considered indigenous. The positive power surges out with velocity.
The gathering was magic. The canoes gathering was more magic. But we had to get our rented car back to Fremont, CA. Protocol was still in motion and our hearts were bound to sweet friends but we ripped ourselves away like new Velcro, and soon we were on I-5, hurrying south.
There is a term in my language that is used when people are having an exceptional visit and one party must leave. To insure your return and to let the host know the depth of your deeper feelings and your want to return one day soon, the ancient ones in my homeland said: Ina’lum’qotmi (I must go but I leave my heart with you).
As we moved down I-5 past Tilalip I looked back and whispered ina’lum’qotmi to everyone who produced the glitter that made this golden adventure sparkle, from the oldest person on the Swinomish Senate to the youngest dancer in the protocol.
Darryl Babe Wilson
(Grampa Babe)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
CULTURAL SEDITION/TRIBAL TREASON
05-28-10
CULTURAL SEDITION/TRIBAL TREASON
Don’t say “THE INDIANS GOT A RAW DEAL” because the suggestion in that phrase proclaims everything is over, in the past, too far back to be worth remembering. That is simply not true. The “raw deal” is in the past but it is more in the present and has every intention of traveling into the future for as long as Americans need to parade around the world claiming justification in assaulting with imbalanced and fetid premeditation to kill and/or damage all of the indigenous nations and the physical world they are born into.
Psychological warfare against unblemished and humble people is insidious, deceptive, and immoral.
Cultural Sedition is rebellion against the authority of the Tribal council and giving allegiance and assistance to a different form of governance. And in America it means that a native must accept the authority of the a strange and fictitious Government (America) while denying ancient tribal authority. America is happy when the thoughtless native body denies old tribal laws and switches to new American fabricated laws, which seems to validate America while making the strong suggestion that American laws are better than the “Old way.” This seditious activity is exhilarating to the American concept because tribal people are condemning the power and wisdom of their own tribal rule that has developed as a gift over a time span civilized society cannot comprehend, while it clings to the “all mighty (and off balance) American dollar” program.
Tribal treason is parting from tribal guidance by a traditional council. Treason: violation of allegiance against one’s sovereign or country. Any betrayal of trust of confidence (in a sitting government) and consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies. (indigenous government workers and supporters fit smugly into this category)
Not long ago those being charged with sedition or treason were routinely destroyed, and sometimes their family, too. This activity was used to fortify the power of the Kings and Queens of Europe and off shoot governments, like that created by the U. S. Constitution.
Treason and sedition, both death penalty accusations, were and remain a very serious activity. Point a finger, say the word “sedition” and by noon there is a hanging on a nearby tree, a barn burning with horses in it and a home burning with a family in it. Point a finger, say the word “treason” and watch someone shot at sunrise and listen to screams of animals and humans while the home and barn burn, yet many indigenous find glory in nonchalantly committing both treason and sedition on a daily basis.
It is extremely necessary for the notion “America” to eliminate tribal authority and it pampers those individual indigenous committing treason and sedition in their daily routine who, without thought to spiritual retribution, accomplish the American mission.
Let us look at the Bureau of Indian affairs and the Secretary of the Interior as they collude to institute both Cultural Sedition and Tribal Treason among the established tribal people of the western hemisphere in an action (the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act) that, on the surface, appears to give back to natives those things previously confiscated, but in reality, confiscates pride, honor, respect, responsibility and tribal dignity, by changing indigenous allegiance from ancient laws and rules to the fabricated laws and rules made by a hand full of seditionists, laws and rules later establishing America
That, Act authored by John Collier, is a prime example of government promoting cultural sedition and tribal treason. This plot, the product of nefarious collusion by the U. S. Congress, Interior Secretary and Indian Commissioner, intends to and does eliminate sitting tribal councils and bypasses that tribal authority (established for many, many generations of dignified rule) and institutes a paper government. The paper government is then “recognized” by the American government because the government creates the rules for tribal function. It then appoints “Chiefs” and “Chairmen,” (who immediately become agents for the American government), then “Chief” or “Chairman” hurries to Washington to have drinks on the government. At that time “Chiefs,” inebriated by “power,” sign papers that will never get back to the tribal people. Homelands and tribal authority are signed away before the next round of drinks from a Great White Father.
The government lauds the appointed “Chiefs” as “The only smart ones, the only deserving.” The government proclaims the “Chiefs” are so much smarter than the old, slow, decaying process of tribal consensus.” Consensus may take time processing. So it seems in this fast moving American world it is necessary to make quick decisions and absolutely unnecessary to have basic understanding and thorough discussion of the subject.
On the surface the social propaganda displays an American government having concern for native societies and native activities within those societies. But the reality is that B.I.A. and Secretary of Interior, charged with guardianship of all natives, but adhering to the wishes of Congress, persuades, induces, tricks natives into performing both tribal treason and cultural sedition before it will “recognize” them, giving government created programs in exchange for tribal allegiance and cultural dignity. One of the requirements is to hold original tribal laws and rules in contempt while adopting a “constitution” (of paper rules) designed by the American government’s agents.
Within the new government constitution (a contract) is the urgency to abandon the ancient tribal process that established “leaders,” and in responsible positions, install any irresponsible tribal member, some who cannot read and who often display a crude and fractured inability to neither comprehend nor understand.
Being appointed by the President (and not even suggested by the natives), the Commissioner and Secretary have allegiance and responsibility only to the wishes of Congress, and indigenous needs are ignored. In the scope of that venue, any remnant of values the natives have left from previous administration grabbing is usurped by BIA and delivered to Congress.
The act of America, encouraging indigenous to join its systematic destruction of their own culture (a culture which is responsible for the health of earth, an appointment by Great Powers), appears to somehow strengthen the American fabric, but it does not. In the final analysis, the government acquires a welfare-state, frightened and weak native population that strongly resembles a people afflicted by cultural autism - while the tribe hastens to defend itself against the accusation, by those not displaying credence to American rule, that “the only smart ones” just surrendered established tribal authority to the American administration for trinkets and beads.
These government-made indigenous creatures filter into the government and become a lethal disease to the indigenous body and the diseases (like the diseases coming with Columbus and Cortes) infects all tribal structures hastening their decay. Too, the autistic events of ceremony in English supply anthropology with more reasons to condemn the native cultures as “extinct.” Native cultures are not extinct. Indigenous cultures have been abused, ridiculed, condemned, massacred, assaulted and ignored (like the indigenous languages), but yet they survive.
Denying ancient wisdom is a spiritual crime and those committing the offense will have to, according to a tribal council man, “Justify your actions to the Great Powers of the Universe, as we continue this Journey of life.” However, to consciously and deliberately abandon “the way” of previous generations while causing future generations to be born into a physical and political situation of spiritual limitation and atrophy, as promoted by trespassing America and its intruding laws, may never find relief. We shall see.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
CULTURAL SEDITION/TRIBAL TREASON
Don’t say “THE INDIANS GOT A RAW DEAL” because the suggestion in that phrase proclaims everything is over, in the past, too far back to be worth remembering. That is simply not true. The “raw deal” is in the past but it is more in the present and has every intention of traveling into the future for as long as Americans need to parade around the world claiming justification in assaulting with imbalanced and fetid premeditation to kill and/or damage all of the indigenous nations and the physical world they are born into.
Psychological warfare against unblemished and humble people is insidious, deceptive, and immoral.
Cultural Sedition is rebellion against the authority of the Tribal council and giving allegiance and assistance to a different form of governance. And in America it means that a native must accept the authority of the a strange and fictitious Government (America) while denying ancient tribal authority. America is happy when the thoughtless native body denies old tribal laws and switches to new American fabricated laws, which seems to validate America while making the strong suggestion that American laws are better than the “Old way.” This seditious activity is exhilarating to the American concept because tribal people are condemning the power and wisdom of their own tribal rule that has developed as a gift over a time span civilized society cannot comprehend, while it clings to the “all mighty (and off balance) American dollar” program.
Tribal treason is parting from tribal guidance by a traditional council. Treason: violation of allegiance against one’s sovereign or country. Any betrayal of trust of confidence (in a sitting government) and consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies. (indigenous government workers and supporters fit smugly into this category)
Not long ago those being charged with sedition or treason were routinely destroyed, and sometimes their family, too. This activity was used to fortify the power of the Kings and Queens of Europe and off shoot governments, like that created by the U. S. Constitution.
Treason and sedition, both death penalty accusations, were and remain a very serious activity. Point a finger, say the word “sedition” and by noon there is a hanging on a nearby tree, a barn burning with horses in it and a home burning with a family in it. Point a finger, say the word “treason” and watch someone shot at sunrise and listen to screams of animals and humans while the home and barn burn, yet many indigenous find glory in nonchalantly committing both treason and sedition on a daily basis.
It is extremely necessary for the notion “America” to eliminate tribal authority and it pampers those individual indigenous committing treason and sedition in their daily routine who, without thought to spiritual retribution, accomplish the American mission.
Let us look at the Bureau of Indian affairs and the Secretary of the Interior as they collude to institute both Cultural Sedition and Tribal Treason among the established tribal people of the western hemisphere in an action (the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act) that, on the surface, appears to give back to natives those things previously confiscated, but in reality, confiscates pride, honor, respect, responsibility and tribal dignity, by changing indigenous allegiance from ancient laws and rules to the fabricated laws and rules made by a hand full of seditionists, laws and rules later establishing America
That, Act authored by John Collier, is a prime example of government promoting cultural sedition and tribal treason. This plot, the product of nefarious collusion by the U. S. Congress, Interior Secretary and Indian Commissioner, intends to and does eliminate sitting tribal councils and bypasses that tribal authority (established for many, many generations of dignified rule) and institutes a paper government. The paper government is then “recognized” by the American government because the government creates the rules for tribal function. It then appoints “Chiefs” and “Chairmen,” (who immediately become agents for the American government), then “Chief” or “Chairman” hurries to Washington to have drinks on the government. At that time “Chiefs,” inebriated by “power,” sign papers that will never get back to the tribal people. Homelands and tribal authority are signed away before the next round of drinks from a Great White Father.
The government lauds the appointed “Chiefs” as “The only smart ones, the only deserving.” The government proclaims the “Chiefs” are so much smarter than the old, slow, decaying process of tribal consensus.” Consensus may take time processing. So it seems in this fast moving American world it is necessary to make quick decisions and absolutely unnecessary to have basic understanding and thorough discussion of the subject.
On the surface the social propaganda displays an American government having concern for native societies and native activities within those societies. But the reality is that B.I.A. and Secretary of Interior, charged with guardianship of all natives, but adhering to the wishes of Congress, persuades, induces, tricks natives into performing both tribal treason and cultural sedition before it will “recognize” them, giving government created programs in exchange for tribal allegiance and cultural dignity. One of the requirements is to hold original tribal laws and rules in contempt while adopting a “constitution” (of paper rules) designed by the American government’s agents.
Within the new government constitution (a contract) is the urgency to abandon the ancient tribal process that established “leaders,” and in responsible positions, install any irresponsible tribal member, some who cannot read and who often display a crude and fractured inability to neither comprehend nor understand.
Being appointed by the President (and not even suggested by the natives), the Commissioner and Secretary have allegiance and responsibility only to the wishes of Congress, and indigenous needs are ignored. In the scope of that venue, any remnant of values the natives have left from previous administration grabbing is usurped by BIA and delivered to Congress.
The act of America, encouraging indigenous to join its systematic destruction of their own culture (a culture which is responsible for the health of earth, an appointment by Great Powers), appears to somehow strengthen the American fabric, but it does not. In the final analysis, the government acquires a welfare-state, frightened and weak native population that strongly resembles a people afflicted by cultural autism - while the tribe hastens to defend itself against the accusation, by those not displaying credence to American rule, that “the only smart ones” just surrendered established tribal authority to the American administration for trinkets and beads.
These government-made indigenous creatures filter into the government and become a lethal disease to the indigenous body and the diseases (like the diseases coming with Columbus and Cortes) infects all tribal structures hastening their decay. Too, the autistic events of ceremony in English supply anthropology with more reasons to condemn the native cultures as “extinct.” Native cultures are not extinct. Indigenous cultures have been abused, ridiculed, condemned, massacred, assaulted and ignored (like the indigenous languages), but yet they survive.
Denying ancient wisdom is a spiritual crime and those committing the offense will have to, according to a tribal council man, “Justify your actions to the Great Powers of the Universe, as we continue this Journey of life.” However, to consciously and deliberately abandon “the way” of previous generations while causing future generations to be born into a physical and political situation of spiritual limitation and atrophy, as promoted by trespassing America and its intruding laws, may never find relief. We shall see.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
Monday, September 20, 2010
AMERICANS ARE OLDER THAN ICE AGE
June 30, 1998, San Jose, CA
AMERICANS ARE OLDER THAN ICE AGE
In response to a news article circulating in Holland, “Americans are Older than Ice Age,” just know Americans are not older than the ice age. Americans have a definite date of their emergence upon the theater of politics, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, just not long ago. (“The unanimous Declaration of thirteen United States of America” and reaffirmed by the Articles of Confederation, 1778. The Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California, pp 20 and 24).
However, the origin of the native people of the western hemisphere is a very different narrative, and something that must be constantly defined and defended as more garbled information emerges from various institutions of the “civilized” world, that tend to muddle intruding and greedy Americans, people of good heart, and indigenous into one social suggestion.
I am original native from NE California (Itami Is on my mother’s side and Aw’te on my fathers). Our homeland is many miles from Holland. According to the legends of my people, our homeland was the first land area upon this earth created from song and dance by Silver Fox long ago when he came here from the land beyond the stars. It is said he came here on a rope made of songs. The lack of understanding by many academic Americans does not allow them the capacity to fathom this event because it is not written on 20# white bond paper and filed on the appropriate shelf in the library. If it is written on stones in the valley or on cave walls, and not in English only, they cannot understand it and to their nebulous, one-dimensional reasoning, it is invalid.
Earth is here and beautiful, sun is here and beautiful, moon and universe are here and beautiful. All of nature is “proof” according to indigenous legends, yet these things do not comprise “proof” for refined and “civilized” thoughts squatting in citadels called university.
The world of academics can neither understand nor accept the oral literature of the original beings living upon the western hemisphere as valid narration. Instead the educated population of both “America” and Europe scoff at indigenous narratives branding them as illegitimate because they do not agree with the European social plan and the explanation they have fabricated for their own existence.
Presently I am in Santa Cruz, CA, investigating how to unravel a single indigenous history that is scrambled in all of the academic disciplines beginning with grade one and continuing through the Ph. D. process.
How many academic scholars willingly accept that their ancestors were and remain psychotic, murdering, heinous invaders into the western continent? Not many. How many of them are convinced their ancestors were peaceful adventurers and explorers? Nearly all. But, no matter what they accept as their identity, they were and remain beyond cruel to the native people since first contact and have remained in the assault-indigenous mode since fall, 1492.
Excuses for the European invasion into the western hemisphere are legion, and new ones are contrived and fed to the world via education, daily. This wild guess from a European brain is a continuing fragment of that paradigm. A social anthropologist of Holland asked me to respond to this gem of academic confusion.
This article and the lack of sound reasoning that produced it make my spirit tremble. The author knows that there are many gullible people throughout the “civilized” world who refuse to search for reasonable truths, but take guess-work as fact, translate the “facts” in the caverns of their brains, and spew their thoughts out to society thinking that something new and worthwhile has been accomplished, while another brick added to the academic mountain of confusion is the only result.
“Real evidence about the age of Americans has too come from diggings.” Again I must establish that Americans have an exact date of when they arrived upon the political expanse, not many years ago. It is a recent event, and indigenous writers must labor diligently to maintain a separation between the histories of this continent and the histories produced by strange and foreign entities. The invaders have been here (with the intent of staying, possessing and damaging) for just 500+ years.
Indigenous have been on this continent since earth began its journey around the sun. Our history is in oral literature. It is in our instructions from spirit beings that dwell in the universe and beyond, and it is also in our heart-spirit. And while foreigners dig around in earth for support of their imaginings that other people lived here long ago and indigenous are invaders, too, they might find that this land has been traveled by people of the world in every generation, and eons before Europeans invaded it. Their digging will reveal, too, that other people had enough respect to go home and not start a wave of destruction to life upon this hemisphere that has lasted for 500-years now with no sign of abatement upon the most distant horizon. Some visitors are buried here because they were not cremated as is the cultural practice of indigenous.
Too, bone and stone scholars of the many academies could stop digging around earth disturbing delicate ceremonies and ask natives the history of the indigenous. It may be because indigenous rarely trust scholars with truth and wisdom because the scholar does not report what indigenous say, but records what he thinks his university wants to hear. Besides, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge that scholars should be searching for cannot be found under a rock. It is in indigenous. In the historic narratives and it is also pronounced by all of nature. Indigenous did not have to write things as “proof.” Indigenous simply did not lie. Some day the scholars will drop their shovels and picks and cease disturbing the bones of our ancestors and dinosaurs, and look around with a silly expression on their faces, when they realize it is the lie that requires “proof” in writing and in law (with weapons to defend it), not truth.
“So far it was assumed that 11,000 years ago a people inhabited America for the first time. The indications that the earliest immigrants came much earlier are getting stronger. Research about the subject may become a problem for the Indians.”
The scientific explanation or assumption of the time line concerning early or earlier immigrants into the western hemisphere by humans is not “a problem for Indians” at all but a problem for academics who long for their guess work to assume the mantle of paradigm and some day be accepted by an unaware public when it magically changes to a doctrine. Some assumptions do, some do not. Therefore it is extremely important for the academies to put forth researchers who create many assumptions.
According to our oral histories, all of nature and life was created. Then, last to be created was people. People were made from the forks of berry bushes and were created last in order to appreciate and honor all that was made before them. Everything was created beautiful from beautiful dreams and songs. It must be loved, cherished and protected and that is the responsibility of humans.
“Europeans have to laugh sometimes when they hear talking about “old” things in America. The highly developed cultures in America are after all hundreds till thousands years younger than the ones of the old world. And even Americans themselves don’t exist that long yet.”
Many anthropology experts in European and American colleges and universities like to guess that somehow the western hemisphere was not populated at all, that natives somehow entered as immigrants, wanderers and could not improve it. This guesswork is to soften the military invasion by Europeans dead bent on genocide of indigenous and to somehow pardon their continual malice aforethought military occupation, now for more than 500-years.
It is clear to the indigenous, since Columbus’ unwelcome arrival, that this European author (who feathers into the multitude of the European-based misinformed) is feeding from the scientific paradigms that has been offered to the world’s educated beings ever since historians decided that the Holy Bible was the fountain of history. However, since the Bible failed to mention the western hemisphere, Europeans did not know then nor do they know now what to think or how to act when this fully populated continent was bumped into by lost people wandering and desperately hoping for a place to rest.
The whole earth, according to my ancient people, was created at the same time from beautiful dreams and beautiful songs. Therefore, there cannot be one part of earth older or younger than any other. The “new” world filled with abundance was not “new.” It was simply cared for like a garden, respected and loved, and it was in balance with all other life here. Comparing it to a ragged, abused, misused, neglected, damaged and disease-promoting, dirty Europe, it looked new. That was only 500years ago. Now America is only moments from becoming a welfare state, damaged beyond repair as resources are continually being used up by ill-informed Nilludawi (wanderers).
To the indigenous this hemisphere was home. It has been nurtured by traditional thoughts and continual “good talk.” Indigenous were instructed to balance families with life surrounding us, and we did, because we received much instruction from the great powers living everywhere in the universe.
It seems God gave instructions to the Europeans, too. “Thou shalt kill indigenous. Thou shalt possesseth earth. Thou shalt dominate it. Thou shalt ignore the spiritual essence of earth and life as thou assault it again and gain, damaging everything thou toucheth.”
EuroAmerican historians and scholars must emerge from the academic dungeons where they cultivate tunnel vision caked with ice ages. The western hemisphere was not created empty. Children are not born a blank slate. This hemisphere was created with abundance and it was beautiful. Children come complete but delicate.
One day ignorance and indifference entered this hemisphere from the European continent. In the short time Europeans have occupied this land they have managed to damage land and ocean severely, maybe beyond repair.
While the Americans rush to establishing that this continent was barren until Europeans invaded, an invasion that was just in the nick of time because all indigenous were destroying each other and the European presence quelled that terrible action, simple world knowledge holds that paradigm as insipid, at best. But there are still whispers that quite possibly the Europeans brought the wind and the sunshine, too.
Simply because Europeans and Americans refuse to believe indigenous legends and oral history passed verbally from generation to generation, (neither can they translate the history “written” on the rocks of the mountains and valleys), does not prove the information invalid. Because God did not translate the rock written history and deliver the formula in the Bible, does not prove invalidity. Because academics selectively and intentionally ignore indigenous wisdom, does not render it historically valueless.
Reason clearly for a single moment –please. If Columbus came from there, heaven must be a terribly filthy disease- infested place complete with an abundance of murderous thoughts and intentions. Too, it must be devoid of dreams.
The European/Americans have inherited a special need to disenfranchise the original natives of the western hemisphere. This seems to be in order for them to feel better about their ever changing and carelessly invented paradigms. Their ridiculous suggestion that natives invaded this continent in the far north during an ice age, then filtered down the continent to the very tip islands of South America by a long journey has been academically contrived to somehow pardon the European invasion into this hemisphere with fire, guns, other weapons and their uncontrollable ability to commit deadly, multiplying crimes against humanity while bragging about their deeds that must have been directed by a hideously wicked and psychologically deranged God.
“Civilized” teachers must emerge from their tunnel-vision citadels in academia and take a long look at the world. This continent was not empty just waiting for a lost band of pirates to bring new life, new plants, and new animals as history bugles, neither are children born as blank slates, as education bugles.
Americans rush out and establish through education that this continent was an empty place thankfully filled after the Europeans “discovered it. Then they convince other people here with roots in Europe this ridiculous idea. Today, should a gullible person listen long enough, s/he could soon be convinced the sunshine and rainbows came from Europe on a boat, too.
A university refusing to acknowledge the oral narratives and ancient tribal histories passed from one generation to the next sans the crutch writing, does not make the information invalid.
“But in America, skulls have been found which differ a great deal from the normal Indian. This is a disadvantage for the present Indians. They have certain rights in the Unite States because of remains of original Americans. Already claims like that are disputed in court. And maybe some day it turns out, when it comes to taking the prairies, the Indians are just as guilty as the white man.”
The European/Americans have been saddled with a special need to disenfranchise the original natives of the western hemisphere. This is in order to cause their penetration into the western hemisphere to appear as simply a second wave of visitors while they hope their paradigms that the Indians invaded this hemisphere at the far north and filtered down to the tip of South America on a meandering journey continue their severely crooked path. They have a need to pardon each other for entering our homelands with weapons, diseases and fire, and an uncontrollable need to commit heinous crimes while dancing with their God as our villages and crops burned and our children were dismembered and chopped up and used for dog food. My Elders would say that is not a good way to visit because it is too much “disrespects.”
Still I wait for European man to discover where Europeans came from. Perhaps it is a messy reality better left alone but truth will surface sometime and it will be examined. Academics have created much fiction out of “Western History” and they intend to continue upon that path created from crooked ideas and empty dreams.
So it may never be realized, by academics, that there was no “taking of the prairies” by indigenous but there was an accepting of a gift from Great Wonder and Great Spirit which requires a commitment for natives to love, honor, respect, and care for Mother Earth with tender devotion. The instructions Elders left us with, to salvage little earth now, is to take children out to the mountain tops at dawn to sing Ye’ja (love medicine song) from their hearts. Universe will bounce song back to precious and damaged little earth. That is all.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
AMERICANS ARE OLDER THAN ICE AGE
In response to a news article circulating in Holland, “Americans are Older than Ice Age,” just know Americans are not older than the ice age. Americans have a definite date of their emergence upon the theater of politics, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, just not long ago. (“The unanimous Declaration of thirteen United States of America” and reaffirmed by the Articles of Confederation, 1778. The Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California, pp 20 and 24).
However, the origin of the native people of the western hemisphere is a very different narrative, and something that must be constantly defined and defended as more garbled information emerges from various institutions of the “civilized” world, that tend to muddle intruding and greedy Americans, people of good heart, and indigenous into one social suggestion.
I am original native from NE California (Itami Is on my mother’s side and Aw’te on my fathers). Our homeland is many miles from Holland. According to the legends of my people, our homeland was the first land area upon this earth created from song and dance by Silver Fox long ago when he came here from the land beyond the stars. It is said he came here on a rope made of songs. The lack of understanding by many academic Americans does not allow them the capacity to fathom this event because it is not written on 20# white bond paper and filed on the appropriate shelf in the library. If it is written on stones in the valley or on cave walls, and not in English only, they cannot understand it and to their nebulous, one-dimensional reasoning, it is invalid.
Earth is here and beautiful, sun is here and beautiful, moon and universe are here and beautiful. All of nature is “proof” according to indigenous legends, yet these things do not comprise “proof” for refined and “civilized” thoughts squatting in citadels called university.
The world of academics can neither understand nor accept the oral literature of the original beings living upon the western hemisphere as valid narration. Instead the educated population of both “America” and Europe scoff at indigenous narratives branding them as illegitimate because they do not agree with the European social plan and the explanation they have fabricated for their own existence.
Presently I am in Santa Cruz, CA, investigating how to unravel a single indigenous history that is scrambled in all of the academic disciplines beginning with grade one and continuing through the Ph. D. process.
How many academic scholars willingly accept that their ancestors were and remain psychotic, murdering, heinous invaders into the western continent? Not many. How many of them are convinced their ancestors were peaceful adventurers and explorers? Nearly all. But, no matter what they accept as their identity, they were and remain beyond cruel to the native people since first contact and have remained in the assault-indigenous mode since fall, 1492.
Excuses for the European invasion into the western hemisphere are legion, and new ones are contrived and fed to the world via education, daily. This wild guess from a European brain is a continuing fragment of that paradigm. A social anthropologist of Holland asked me to respond to this gem of academic confusion.
This article and the lack of sound reasoning that produced it make my spirit tremble. The author knows that there are many gullible people throughout the “civilized” world who refuse to search for reasonable truths, but take guess-work as fact, translate the “facts” in the caverns of their brains, and spew their thoughts out to society thinking that something new and worthwhile has been accomplished, while another brick added to the academic mountain of confusion is the only result.
“Real evidence about the age of Americans has too come from diggings.” Again I must establish that Americans have an exact date of when they arrived upon the political expanse, not many years ago. It is a recent event, and indigenous writers must labor diligently to maintain a separation between the histories of this continent and the histories produced by strange and foreign entities. The invaders have been here (with the intent of staying, possessing and damaging) for just 500+ years.
Indigenous have been on this continent since earth began its journey around the sun. Our history is in oral literature. It is in our instructions from spirit beings that dwell in the universe and beyond, and it is also in our heart-spirit. And while foreigners dig around in earth for support of their imaginings that other people lived here long ago and indigenous are invaders, too, they might find that this land has been traveled by people of the world in every generation, and eons before Europeans invaded it. Their digging will reveal, too, that other people had enough respect to go home and not start a wave of destruction to life upon this hemisphere that has lasted for 500-years now with no sign of abatement upon the most distant horizon. Some visitors are buried here because they were not cremated as is the cultural practice of indigenous.
Too, bone and stone scholars of the many academies could stop digging around earth disturbing delicate ceremonies and ask natives the history of the indigenous. It may be because indigenous rarely trust scholars with truth and wisdom because the scholar does not report what indigenous say, but records what he thinks his university wants to hear. Besides, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge that scholars should be searching for cannot be found under a rock. It is in indigenous. In the historic narratives and it is also pronounced by all of nature. Indigenous did not have to write things as “proof.” Indigenous simply did not lie. Some day the scholars will drop their shovels and picks and cease disturbing the bones of our ancestors and dinosaurs, and look around with a silly expression on their faces, when they realize it is the lie that requires “proof” in writing and in law (with weapons to defend it), not truth.
“So far it was assumed that 11,000 years ago a people inhabited America for the first time. The indications that the earliest immigrants came much earlier are getting stronger. Research about the subject may become a problem for the Indians.”
The scientific explanation or assumption of the time line concerning early or earlier immigrants into the western hemisphere by humans is not “a problem for Indians” at all but a problem for academics who long for their guess work to assume the mantle of paradigm and some day be accepted by an unaware public when it magically changes to a doctrine. Some assumptions do, some do not. Therefore it is extremely important for the academies to put forth researchers who create many assumptions.
According to our oral histories, all of nature and life was created. Then, last to be created was people. People were made from the forks of berry bushes and were created last in order to appreciate and honor all that was made before them. Everything was created beautiful from beautiful dreams and songs. It must be loved, cherished and protected and that is the responsibility of humans.
“Europeans have to laugh sometimes when they hear talking about “old” things in America. The highly developed cultures in America are after all hundreds till thousands years younger than the ones of the old world. And even Americans themselves don’t exist that long yet.”
Many anthropology experts in European and American colleges and universities like to guess that somehow the western hemisphere was not populated at all, that natives somehow entered as immigrants, wanderers and could not improve it. This guesswork is to soften the military invasion by Europeans dead bent on genocide of indigenous and to somehow pardon their continual malice aforethought military occupation, now for more than 500-years.
It is clear to the indigenous, since Columbus’ unwelcome arrival, that this European author (who feathers into the multitude of the European-based misinformed) is feeding from the scientific paradigms that has been offered to the world’s educated beings ever since historians decided that the Holy Bible was the fountain of history. However, since the Bible failed to mention the western hemisphere, Europeans did not know then nor do they know now what to think or how to act when this fully populated continent was bumped into by lost people wandering and desperately hoping for a place to rest.
The whole earth, according to my ancient people, was created at the same time from beautiful dreams and beautiful songs. Therefore, there cannot be one part of earth older or younger than any other. The “new” world filled with abundance was not “new.” It was simply cared for like a garden, respected and loved, and it was in balance with all other life here. Comparing it to a ragged, abused, misused, neglected, damaged and disease-promoting, dirty Europe, it looked new. That was only 500years ago. Now America is only moments from becoming a welfare state, damaged beyond repair as resources are continually being used up by ill-informed Nilludawi (wanderers).
To the indigenous this hemisphere was home. It has been nurtured by traditional thoughts and continual “good talk.” Indigenous were instructed to balance families with life surrounding us, and we did, because we received much instruction from the great powers living everywhere in the universe.
It seems God gave instructions to the Europeans, too. “Thou shalt kill indigenous. Thou shalt possesseth earth. Thou shalt dominate it. Thou shalt ignore the spiritual essence of earth and life as thou assault it again and gain, damaging everything thou toucheth.”
EuroAmerican historians and scholars must emerge from the academic dungeons where they cultivate tunnel vision caked with ice ages. The western hemisphere was not created empty. Children are not born a blank slate. This hemisphere was created with abundance and it was beautiful. Children come complete but delicate.
One day ignorance and indifference entered this hemisphere from the European continent. In the short time Europeans have occupied this land they have managed to damage land and ocean severely, maybe beyond repair.
While the Americans rush to establishing that this continent was barren until Europeans invaded, an invasion that was just in the nick of time because all indigenous were destroying each other and the European presence quelled that terrible action, simple world knowledge holds that paradigm as insipid, at best. But there are still whispers that quite possibly the Europeans brought the wind and the sunshine, too.
Simply because Europeans and Americans refuse to believe indigenous legends and oral history passed verbally from generation to generation, (neither can they translate the history “written” on the rocks of the mountains and valleys), does not prove the information invalid. Because God did not translate the rock written history and deliver the formula in the Bible, does not prove invalidity. Because academics selectively and intentionally ignore indigenous wisdom, does not render it historically valueless.
Reason clearly for a single moment –please. If Columbus came from there, heaven must be a terribly filthy disease- infested place complete with an abundance of murderous thoughts and intentions. Too, it must be devoid of dreams.
The European/Americans have inherited a special need to disenfranchise the original natives of the western hemisphere. This seems to be in order for them to feel better about their ever changing and carelessly invented paradigms. Their ridiculous suggestion that natives invaded this continent in the far north during an ice age, then filtered down the continent to the very tip islands of South America by a long journey has been academically contrived to somehow pardon the European invasion into this hemisphere with fire, guns, other weapons and their uncontrollable ability to commit deadly, multiplying crimes against humanity while bragging about their deeds that must have been directed by a hideously wicked and psychologically deranged God.
“Civilized” teachers must emerge from their tunnel-vision citadels in academia and take a long look at the world. This continent was not empty just waiting for a lost band of pirates to bring new life, new plants, and new animals as history bugles, neither are children born as blank slates, as education bugles.
Americans rush out and establish through education that this continent was an empty place thankfully filled after the Europeans “discovered it. Then they convince other people here with roots in Europe this ridiculous idea. Today, should a gullible person listen long enough, s/he could soon be convinced the sunshine and rainbows came from Europe on a boat, too.
A university refusing to acknowledge the oral narratives and ancient tribal histories passed from one generation to the next sans the crutch writing, does not make the information invalid.
“But in America, skulls have been found which differ a great deal from the normal Indian. This is a disadvantage for the present Indians. They have certain rights in the Unite States because of remains of original Americans. Already claims like that are disputed in court. And maybe some day it turns out, when it comes to taking the prairies, the Indians are just as guilty as the white man.”
The European/Americans have been saddled with a special need to disenfranchise the original natives of the western hemisphere. This is in order to cause their penetration into the western hemisphere to appear as simply a second wave of visitors while they hope their paradigms that the Indians invaded this hemisphere at the far north and filtered down to the tip of South America on a meandering journey continue their severely crooked path. They have a need to pardon each other for entering our homelands with weapons, diseases and fire, and an uncontrollable need to commit heinous crimes while dancing with their God as our villages and crops burned and our children were dismembered and chopped up and used for dog food. My Elders would say that is not a good way to visit because it is too much “disrespects.”
Still I wait for European man to discover where Europeans came from. Perhaps it is a messy reality better left alone but truth will surface sometime and it will be examined. Academics have created much fiction out of “Western History” and they intend to continue upon that path created from crooked ideas and empty dreams.
So it may never be realized, by academics, that there was no “taking of the prairies” by indigenous but there was an accepting of a gift from Great Wonder and Great Spirit which requires a commitment for natives to love, honor, respect, and care for Mother Earth with tender devotion. The instructions Elders left us with, to salvage little earth now, is to take children out to the mountain tops at dawn to sing Ye’ja (love medicine song) from their hearts. Universe will bounce song back to precious and damaged little earth. That is all.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS, AN INTERNATIONAL LAW CONCERN
03-11-2009 Bella Vista, San Jose
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS,
AN INTERNATIONAL LAW CONCERN
To honor responsibility, at the World Court of Justice and other international courts beyond immediate American influence, Aboriginal Title, Rights and Protections pertaining to the western hemisphere must be adjudicated. The power and force of world bodies must be brought to bear upon any entity that heretofore has not established rights and protections for Aboriginal land title and the aboriginal people from whence that title emanates, and those fraud-based titles issued between illegal states and invading individuals must find annulment, and that decision must, for the respect of justice, be vigorously enforced.
Those aboriginal who have consciously and deliberately joined with the invading forces by committing tribal treason or cultural sedition must find equal treatment as that of the occupying forces. For within themselves they volunteered to and have abandoned the wisdoms and intentions of the ancestors knowing that earth is our mother and we have no right to sell her or to prostitute her to any force within this universe. This thought must not be abandoned as incidental.
In defense of aboriginal land title, the argument should find: Where Aboriginal Title can be proven as valid, alive, and not compromised in any manner, state and federal law have no right in law to issue land titles without consent or authorization of the indigenous people living upon and claiming their traditional land area because aboriginal title has never been annulled, extinguished, legally exchanged, or abandoned.
In America, and much of the world, ignoring indigenous has matured into a deceptive habit that has acted as though the laws are fulfilled and satisfied. Too often the ignoring of aboriginal people and their rights has found no solace in the attitudes of the courts or the masses of Europeans who must yet be held in the capacity of invaders. The ignoring of the indigenous is too commonly accepted as a fulfilling of the established rule of law which suggests international law. Ignoring the violated person(s) is not the fulfillment of the natural laws of humanity neither should it be viewed as satisfying any semblance of justice. The heinous crime of invasion and the nefarious crime of theft and mass murder have been committed and the assault has not abated. Upon the world stage the rule of law must be satisfied to those damaged and defiled, not to those invading and damaging.
The crime of murder involving 200-million aboriginals of this hemisphere will one day find adjudication, but, again, the court hearing that case must assemble beyond the land claimed by America or it will forever be entangle in a web of lies wrapped around with deception for “America” is a fabrication held together with half-truths and its foundation is diseased by its lack of reality. America’s entire program is a displaced practice from Europe and claims being real while using stolen aboriginal land for their right of existence. “America the beautiful,” is really “America the undutiful,” neither is it “The land of the free,” but “The land filled with foreign debris” It will come to pass that the invading forces and the communities those forces spawned will be excused to return to Europe carrying their debris, their diseases, and their form of civilization.
In America justice is relegated to the position of being not only “blind,” but absent-minded and feeble while it relies upon defective laws to somehow salvage itself from its defects, but any young person who has struggled out of education’s straight jacket and has taken a fresh look around knows there is much deception involving much of the world and all of America. Education is not “education,” but a rote training course that instructs: “Don’t question government. Pay your taxes. Don’t make ripples. Salute the flag”
The aboriginal of the western hemisphere have a gargantuan task ahead. We must remind the forces that invaded our homelands that they are yet an unwelcome presence and that any people invited to this land by the military occupation and created “lawful” land claims, because of the fact of military occupation, are yet that, occupiers and their “lawful” claims are null and void. Because the masses of Americans are here under military protection only provides occupation under false pretense and all of the land titles manufactured by the invading force that are exchanged between the invaders and do not emit from aboriginals must be held mute and annulled as fraud.
Then we must establish that it is not the truth that requires guns to protect it, but the lie
The European crusade against aboriginals must end. Only the indigenous can effectively accomplish this. We must now stand together, invoke the truth and power of our sterling ancestors, reignite their dreams of our future, and hold our hearts in our hands with all of our dreams in our hearts, while we are ever walking to the sunrise singing a power song to Mother Earth.
Justice and truth do not emerge from the barrel of a gun, political power does. It will come to be, once the lies of political occupation of invade homelands are adjudicated throughout the world, that justice and truth will emerge with a frightening velocity.
In 1972 “Grampa” David Monongye of Hopi said, “Justice will come across the land like the dawn.” Gedin’ch’lumnu.
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS,
AN INTERNATIONAL LAW CONCERN
To honor responsibility, at the World Court of Justice and other international courts beyond immediate American influence, Aboriginal Title, Rights and Protections pertaining to the western hemisphere must be adjudicated. The power and force of world bodies must be brought to bear upon any entity that heretofore has not established rights and protections for Aboriginal land title and the aboriginal people from whence that title emanates, and those fraud-based titles issued between illegal states and invading individuals must find annulment, and that decision must, for the respect of justice, be vigorously enforced.
Those aboriginal who have consciously and deliberately joined with the invading forces by committing tribal treason or cultural sedition must find equal treatment as that of the occupying forces. For within themselves they volunteered to and have abandoned the wisdoms and intentions of the ancestors knowing that earth is our mother and we have no right to sell her or to prostitute her to any force within this universe. This thought must not be abandoned as incidental.
In defense of aboriginal land title, the argument should find: Where Aboriginal Title can be proven as valid, alive, and not compromised in any manner, state and federal law have no right in law to issue land titles without consent or authorization of the indigenous people living upon and claiming their traditional land area because aboriginal title has never been annulled, extinguished, legally exchanged, or abandoned.
In America, and much of the world, ignoring indigenous has matured into a deceptive habit that has acted as though the laws are fulfilled and satisfied. Too often the ignoring of aboriginal people and their rights has found no solace in the attitudes of the courts or the masses of Europeans who must yet be held in the capacity of invaders. The ignoring of the indigenous is too commonly accepted as a fulfilling of the established rule of law which suggests international law. Ignoring the violated person(s) is not the fulfillment of the natural laws of humanity neither should it be viewed as satisfying any semblance of justice. The heinous crime of invasion and the nefarious crime of theft and mass murder have been committed and the assault has not abated. Upon the world stage the rule of law must be satisfied to those damaged and defiled, not to those invading and damaging.
The crime of murder involving 200-million aboriginals of this hemisphere will one day find adjudication, but, again, the court hearing that case must assemble beyond the land claimed by America or it will forever be entangle in a web of lies wrapped around with deception for “America” is a fabrication held together with half-truths and its foundation is diseased by its lack of reality. America’s entire program is a displaced practice from Europe and claims being real while using stolen aboriginal land for their right of existence. “America the beautiful,” is really “America the undutiful,” neither is it “The land of the free,” but “The land filled with foreign debris” It will come to pass that the invading forces and the communities those forces spawned will be excused to return to Europe carrying their debris, their diseases, and their form of civilization.
In America justice is relegated to the position of being not only “blind,” but absent-minded and feeble while it relies upon defective laws to somehow salvage itself from its defects, but any young person who has struggled out of education’s straight jacket and has taken a fresh look around knows there is much deception involving much of the world and all of America. Education is not “education,” but a rote training course that instructs: “Don’t question government. Pay your taxes. Don’t make ripples. Salute the flag”
The aboriginal of the western hemisphere have a gargantuan task ahead. We must remind the forces that invaded our homelands that they are yet an unwelcome presence and that any people invited to this land by the military occupation and created “lawful” land claims, because of the fact of military occupation, are yet that, occupiers and their “lawful” claims are null and void. Because the masses of Americans are here under military protection only provides occupation under false pretense and all of the land titles manufactured by the invading force that are exchanged between the invaders and do not emit from aboriginals must be held mute and annulled as fraud.
Then we must establish that it is not the truth that requires guns to protect it, but the lie
The European crusade against aboriginals must end. Only the indigenous can effectively accomplish this. We must now stand together, invoke the truth and power of our sterling ancestors, reignite their dreams of our future, and hold our hearts in our hands with all of our dreams in our hearts, while we are ever walking to the sunrise singing a power song to Mother Earth.
Justice and truth do not emerge from the barrel of a gun, political power does. It will come to be, once the lies of political occupation of invade homelands are adjudicated throughout the world, that justice and truth will emerge with a frightening velocity.
In 1972 “Grampa” David Monongye of Hopi said, “Justice will come across the land like the dawn.” Gedin’ch’lumnu.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Indigenous people: They Did Not Return to Thank Us for the Original Gifts
Indigenous people
They Did Not Return to Thank Us for the Original Gifts
By Darryl Wilson
The following letter was addressed to the Dali Lama, on occasion of his visit to Siberia, in the former USSR, to commemorate 250 years of Buddhism there. The letter was hand-delivered to him at Lake Baikal in the summer of 1992 by Frank Lake of the Native American Student Union at the University of California at Davis.
Your Eminence:
We understand you will be celebrating the 250th year of Buddhism being practiced within the boundaries of the Soviet Union.
As professors and students of history, we are well aware of the parallels between your people and our Original Native Nations. Tibet is currently smothered under an ocean of Chinese military might, even as the native nations of the Americas are smothered under a blanket of arrogance calling itself Democracy.
The Americans came to our homeland with the same purpose the Chinese Imperial powers came to your door. They came to kill, to conquer, to colonize, to capture, to torture, to take and to destroy that which they could not take. They created laws which claim that they, the intruders, are the rightful owners of our sweet and precious motherland. And they manufactured the name for themselves: Americans.
They demanded gold and other precious gifts. And when we gave them the amount deemed sufficient by our Council of Elders and our Chiefs, they decided it was not enough and cut off the hands of the gift bearers. They razed our homes, decimated our tribes and nations, and decided that our homeland was too good for us – a homeland given to us to care for by the awesome powers that scattered the stars in the vastness and gave us songs to sing to them. The Americans came with an invisible God, a God who told them to take our homeland for their own. This God-who-cannot-smile issued many commandments to them – one commandment was to destroy us to the last child.
The Europeans penetrated our domain without welcome. They kidnapped our people and spirited away our food staples, so they could pump fresh life back into a Western Europe that was facing its own created demise.
The Europeans came in wave after diseased wave. Today that tide refuses to ebb. In the holds of their ships were strange animals from the European continent. And in their holds also, another possession: black people from the African continent, chained one to another and to the planks of the vessels.
They did not return to thank us for the original gifts. And today and tomorrow they feverishly prepare for what they see as their 500th “birthday.”
Since 1492 the Original Natives of this hemisphere have received only criminal treatment from “Americans” and their government. The strangers came and with barbed wire, fenced us out of our most sacred places of worship. They built roads upon the graves of our ancestors. They constructed Universities (including the University of California at Davis) upon our sacred burial grounds.
They have not yet asked pardon from our Chiefs for their original trespass. They may not even possess the ability to realize they are out of balance with the powers of the universe.
On October 12, 1992, some “Americans” and many Europeans will be celebrating the Europeans’ destruction of our peoples. They will cheer and they will commit further crimes against our people to prove their original trespass was just. All people who care for justice know that the Euro/Americans are trespassing upon this land even as the Chinese Imperialists are trespassing in Tibet.
Let us unite our songs to float across the vastness of time, and mark the beginning of the ending of atrocities that are visited upon us daily. Our languages, our traditions and our dances are our foundation. Knowing this, the Americans are constantly stripping these precious elements from us.
In which season will the earth people unite in the struggle for that which belongs to us, not by the “political power that comes from the barrel of the gun (Mao),” but by the power that turns the earth around the sun and the sun around a greater wonder?
Until that time we ask you to join us in protesting any “celebration” that might be devised by those who identify 1992 as 500 years of freedom – for it has not been freedom for the Original Native Nations any more than it has been freedom for Tibetans, your precious people, since the invasion by the Chinese Imperialists.
The Americans would rather destroy us than give us the recognition Great Wonder gives us every moment of every day.
This letter to be delivered to your hands by Frank Lake, President of the Native American Student Union, University of California at Davis.
Thank you and we are sincerely,
Dr Steve Crum, for the Native American faculty,
Denni Shultheis for the Native American Society of Medical Students,
Darryl Wilson and Frank Lake for the Native American Student Union, University of California at Davis
Darryl Wilson is a Pit River Indian from the Northeastern corner of California. He recently graduated from the University of California at Davis and is about to enter a Master’s program in Native American Studies at the University of Arizona.
Turning Wheel Summer 1992
19
They Did Not Return to Thank Us for the Original Gifts
By Darryl Wilson
The following letter was addressed to the Dali Lama, on occasion of his visit to Siberia, in the former USSR, to commemorate 250 years of Buddhism there. The letter was hand-delivered to him at Lake Baikal in the summer of 1992 by Frank Lake of the Native American Student Union at the University of California at Davis.
Your Eminence:
We understand you will be celebrating the 250th year of Buddhism being practiced within the boundaries of the Soviet Union.
As professors and students of history, we are well aware of the parallels between your people and our Original Native Nations. Tibet is currently smothered under an ocean of Chinese military might, even as the native nations of the Americas are smothered under a blanket of arrogance calling itself Democracy.
The Americans came to our homeland with the same purpose the Chinese Imperial powers came to your door. They came to kill, to conquer, to colonize, to capture, to torture, to take and to destroy that which they could not take. They created laws which claim that they, the intruders, are the rightful owners of our sweet and precious motherland. And they manufactured the name for themselves: Americans.
They demanded gold and other precious gifts. And when we gave them the amount deemed sufficient by our Council of Elders and our Chiefs, they decided it was not enough and cut off the hands of the gift bearers. They razed our homes, decimated our tribes and nations, and decided that our homeland was too good for us – a homeland given to us to care for by the awesome powers that scattered the stars in the vastness and gave us songs to sing to them. The Americans came with an invisible God, a God who told them to take our homeland for their own. This God-who-cannot-smile issued many commandments to them – one commandment was to destroy us to the last child.
The Europeans penetrated our domain without welcome. They kidnapped our people and spirited away our food staples, so they could pump fresh life back into a Western Europe that was facing its own created demise.
The Europeans came in wave after diseased wave. Today that tide refuses to ebb. In the holds of their ships were strange animals from the European continent. And in their holds also, another possession: black people from the African continent, chained one to another and to the planks of the vessels.
They did not return to thank us for the original gifts. And today and tomorrow they feverishly prepare for what they see as their 500th “birthday.”
Since 1492 the Original Natives of this hemisphere have received only criminal treatment from “Americans” and their government. The strangers came and with barbed wire, fenced us out of our most sacred places of worship. They built roads upon the graves of our ancestors. They constructed Universities (including the University of California at Davis) upon our sacred burial grounds.
They have not yet asked pardon from our Chiefs for their original trespass. They may not even possess the ability to realize they are out of balance with the powers of the universe.
On October 12, 1992, some “Americans” and many Europeans will be celebrating the Europeans’ destruction of our peoples. They will cheer and they will commit further crimes against our people to prove their original trespass was just. All people who care for justice know that the Euro/Americans are trespassing upon this land even as the Chinese Imperialists are trespassing in Tibet.
Let us unite our songs to float across the vastness of time, and mark the beginning of the ending of atrocities that are visited upon us daily. Our languages, our traditions and our dances are our foundation. Knowing this, the Americans are constantly stripping these precious elements from us.
In which season will the earth people unite in the struggle for that which belongs to us, not by the “political power that comes from the barrel of the gun (Mao),” but by the power that turns the earth around the sun and the sun around a greater wonder?
Until that time we ask you to join us in protesting any “celebration” that might be devised by those who identify 1992 as 500 years of freedom – for it has not been freedom for the Original Native Nations any more than it has been freedom for Tibetans, your precious people, since the invasion by the Chinese Imperialists.
The Americans would rather destroy us than give us the recognition Great Wonder gives us every moment of every day.
This letter to be delivered to your hands by Frank Lake, President of the Native American Student Union, University of California at Davis.
Thank you and we are sincerely,
Dr Steve Crum, for the Native American faculty,
Denni Shultheis for the Native American Society of Medical Students,
Darryl Wilson and Frank Lake for the Native American Student Union, University of California at Davis
Darryl Wilson is a Pit River Indian from the Northeastern corner of California. He recently graduated from the University of California at Davis and is about to enter a Master’s program in Native American Studies at the University of Arizona.
Turning Wheel Summer 1992
19
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
POLLEN and MIGRATION
11-17-07
POLLEN and MIGRATION
At dawn as I pondered the meaning (not the application) of pollen, the possible explanation to my pondering may have arrived during my thoughts about migration. This is the result of my dinner visit with Summer Shapero and her mother, Sandy, last evening at CISA dinner in San Lorenzo. Summer is yet a girl baby four-years-old so we had to use a different style of communication because language and words were not at all appropriate.
Instead we used a slightly amended hay’dutsi’la, that power yet being fresh and full force within her, and me relearning its possibilities and limitlessness. (hay’dutsi’la is: thinking, refining and polishing the thought then using it for its intended purpose, which is communication and revelation, sometimes inventing, but certainly calculating).
Grace, wisdom, knowledge, and dreams can be thrown from thought to thought (if the receiving thought is “on”).
Slipping into my morning pondering was a thought from *Apnui that was also a revelation. In little girl language she thought, “Blossoms are not the only thing that need pollen,” then “threw” the thought to me. Maybe she thought it and sent it at the same moment. An instant later I received it, and marveled at her depth of analysis. Just a baby, she understood that I should search a larger area than blossoms for the activity of pollination. I did. But it remains a mystery. What power initiates her to “throw” thoughts? That she does is not the mystery, why everyone doesn’t communicate in this manner is. We would have no phone bills plus we would be in touch all of the time. Why aren’t we in touch?
I call Summer “Apnui.” Not that I dislike “Summer,” the name her mommie and daddy gave to her. It is precious. In my language, Apnui, means summer, but also a long spring that lingers over into early summer when flowers are still in the meadow). She and her Sister, Sky, remind me of sweet, delicate flowers flourishing boldly upon earth. I call Sky, “Assela.” In my language Assela means sky, but also many skies: blue-blue, soft blue, powdered blue, turquoise blue, cloudy sky, winter sky, autumn sky, sunset red sky, gold and silver sunrise sky. The indigenous names are an understanding just between the girls, their family and me. When my journey on earth ends and I go on ahead, so will the memory and the names.
POLLINATION
Migrations may be a world event in pollination that we are conditioned to believe happens only with blossoms and bees. In civilization, many migrations often are termed an obstacle to “progress” and must be crushed from existence. This crushing is a direct result of Europeans being given (through the Bible they wrote for themselves), “dominion over,” instead of (in the native way) “responsibility for” natural life. That “dominion over” mentality now permeates civilization and natural life is being destroyed the world over. The Bible, written by humans but called “The word of God,” I am sure, contains many similar defects.
Please, let’s look to the migrations that we see in a yearly cycle, some of which we rely upon, whether we are aware of it or not.
First, let’s investigate what “pollen” is. Dictionary, Webster’s (’73) pp 1015: “Botany: The fine powder-like material produced by the anthers of flowering plants (anthers grow at the end of the stamen), and functioning as the male element in fertilization. [New Latin, from Latin: flour, dust].” Pursuing farther in the index we discover: “fine powder, dust.”
This tells us where pollen-wisdom is found (in Botany), and where in flowers, the anthers, but not what it is because it surely must be more than “dust” or “powder.” What are its magic ingredients to accomplish the task of causing a blossom to turn into a wild plum, a peach, a Bell flower apple, a mountain strawberry or a black walnut? If the blossom is the designing agent then why the need for pollen? Does pollen come only from the anthers of flowers? Is our understanding of pollen satisfactory? Has enough investigation and discovery been accomplished on what pollen is and its relationship to migration? Do we dare look upon the great natural migrations of animals, birds and fish of the world as carrying their own type of “pollen” to other parts of the land and sea, completing a necessary movement across earth keeping earth functioning? Can there be such a thing as “earth-pollination” and can it be partially accomplished with every migration created by nature?
SALMON
Great migrations of salmon are yet witnessed during the proper seasons by natives, bears, eagles, osprey, insects and many things living near the rivers and in the oceans, and they do other functions that we yet know nothing about. Besides feeding many life forms along the rivers, what is the original purpose of the migration? Is it a mysterious way for earth to somehow become “pollinated” in another necessary manner in order for it to carry on life in balance with the universal mysteries?
HOOF
Let us exclude scientific paradigms – which are no more valuable than our guesses. Now let us consider the great migrating herds of hoofed animals moving across earth at their appointed time Might they be carrying a type of “pollen” from point A to point B (for a reason civilization might never ponder), which could be as important and necessary to apples as the bee taking pollen to the apple blossom?
WHALES
The movement of the great whale pods around the vast oceans may be a necessary act of pollination in the world’s cycles on its journey to rendezvous with forever. The songs they sing to the ocean may have earth value equal to the songs a native grandmother sings to the dawn, in a mysterious act of pollination that science will never be prepared to investigate. Grandmother’s songs pollinate the universe with dreams, whale songs surely must accomplish the same act in the vast oceans.
BIRDS
Before civilization intruded upon this continent with no intention of leaving, flocks of geese were so numerous in the mountain valley of my birth that while lifting off to continue their migration either north or south, they blocked out the sun. They are few now. Some places have a flock of a hundred. But what did they bring from the north to the south and to the mountain valleys in that amazing cycle? In another manner, was earth “pollinated” with thought and dreams? A few of us will always wonder if the current rigid definitions of life are capable of satisfying the needs of next century.
All over earth there are migrations, ants, bees, hummingbirds and eagles, gnu, reindeer, swallows and butterflies. They all have a purpose other than seeking food and water. They obey great universal laws and fulfill obligations that humans will never know because the search for animal wisdom does not exist and too many learned people are convinced that knowledge comes from books and education, thereby limiting their search area for the rhythms of earth, universe, seasons, and for a multiple understanding of the meaning “pollination.”
But the search for a clear definition for what pollen is and its effects upon earth, other than pollen from flower anther to blossom, began because I must give Psukitok (Spring Maiden) and Amal (Flower Maiden) some points of pollination to discuss in the film and I know so very little concerning the function of pollen or even what it is and its parameters. There is no longer an Elder whom I can ask for knowledge, guidance, or direction, which makes many tasks difficult. Because of this I often feel I have been abandoned upon the ocean of inquiry and adrift upon the choppy sea of education.
Then I worry about hay’dutsi’la and the future of the delicate and boundless thought power that is reviving across the world. Technology is faltering. One day, if science and education just stay out of the trail, people will be communicating via hay’dutsi’la instead of a telephone or another technological device. If the U, S. mail service abandons civilization, we will still communicate. All of the necessary equipment is born with every child, complete. The education system cannot promote or stunt this natural ability because the natural senses refuses to acknowledge that “education” exists. I am not in love with the telephone company or technology (or the U.S. mail) because hay’dutsi’la does not recognize that technology is a greater work than the natural mind. Watching technology rust in a polluting pile might be a great exercise, but it surely would damage earth the more, too.
I must stop writing. Assela is sending me a thought. She is on an airplane returning from Iowa, thinking about a book she may write: “A Horse Called Man.” The message may take some powerful focus.
Excuse me. Ina’lum’qotmi (I must go but I leave my heart with you).
Sul’m’ejote
POLLEN and MIGRATION
At dawn as I pondered the meaning (not the application) of pollen, the possible explanation to my pondering may have arrived during my thoughts about migration. This is the result of my dinner visit with Summer Shapero and her mother, Sandy, last evening at CISA dinner in San Lorenzo. Summer is yet a girl baby four-years-old so we had to use a different style of communication because language and words were not at all appropriate.
Instead we used a slightly amended hay’dutsi’la, that power yet being fresh and full force within her, and me relearning its possibilities and limitlessness. (hay’dutsi’la is: thinking, refining and polishing the thought then using it for its intended purpose, which is communication and revelation, sometimes inventing, but certainly calculating).
Grace, wisdom, knowledge, and dreams can be thrown from thought to thought (if the receiving thought is “on”).
Slipping into my morning pondering was a thought from *Apnui that was also a revelation. In little girl language she thought, “Blossoms are not the only thing that need pollen,” then “threw” the thought to me. Maybe she thought it and sent it at the same moment. An instant later I received it, and marveled at her depth of analysis. Just a baby, she understood that I should search a larger area than blossoms for the activity of pollination. I did. But it remains a mystery. What power initiates her to “throw” thoughts? That she does is not the mystery, why everyone doesn’t communicate in this manner is. We would have no phone bills plus we would be in touch all of the time. Why aren’t we in touch?
I call Summer “Apnui.” Not that I dislike “Summer,” the name her mommie and daddy gave to her. It is precious. In my language, Apnui, means summer, but also a long spring that lingers over into early summer when flowers are still in the meadow). She and her Sister, Sky, remind me of sweet, delicate flowers flourishing boldly upon earth. I call Sky, “Assela.” In my language Assela means sky, but also many skies: blue-blue, soft blue, powdered blue, turquoise blue, cloudy sky, winter sky, autumn sky, sunset red sky, gold and silver sunrise sky. The indigenous names are an understanding just between the girls, their family and me. When my journey on earth ends and I go on ahead, so will the memory and the names.
POLLINATION
Migrations may be a world event in pollination that we are conditioned to believe happens only with blossoms and bees. In civilization, many migrations often are termed an obstacle to “progress” and must be crushed from existence. This crushing is a direct result of Europeans being given (through the Bible they wrote for themselves), “dominion over,” instead of (in the native way) “responsibility for” natural life. That “dominion over” mentality now permeates civilization and natural life is being destroyed the world over. The Bible, written by humans but called “The word of God,” I am sure, contains many similar defects.
Please, let’s look to the migrations that we see in a yearly cycle, some of which we rely upon, whether we are aware of it or not.
First, let’s investigate what “pollen” is. Dictionary, Webster’s (’73) pp 1015: “Botany: The fine powder-like material produced by the anthers of flowering plants (anthers grow at the end of the stamen), and functioning as the male element in fertilization. [New Latin, from Latin: flour, dust].” Pursuing farther in the index we discover: “fine powder, dust.”
This tells us where pollen-wisdom is found (in Botany), and where in flowers, the anthers, but not what it is because it surely must be more than “dust” or “powder.” What are its magic ingredients to accomplish the task of causing a blossom to turn into a wild plum, a peach, a Bell flower apple, a mountain strawberry or a black walnut? If the blossom is the designing agent then why the need for pollen? Does pollen come only from the anthers of flowers? Is our understanding of pollen satisfactory? Has enough investigation and discovery been accomplished on what pollen is and its relationship to migration? Do we dare look upon the great natural migrations of animals, birds and fish of the world as carrying their own type of “pollen” to other parts of the land and sea, completing a necessary movement across earth keeping earth functioning? Can there be such a thing as “earth-pollination” and can it be partially accomplished with every migration created by nature?
SALMON
Great migrations of salmon are yet witnessed during the proper seasons by natives, bears, eagles, osprey, insects and many things living near the rivers and in the oceans, and they do other functions that we yet know nothing about. Besides feeding many life forms along the rivers, what is the original purpose of the migration? Is it a mysterious way for earth to somehow become “pollinated” in another necessary manner in order for it to carry on life in balance with the universal mysteries?
HOOF
Let us exclude scientific paradigms – which are no more valuable than our guesses. Now let us consider the great migrating herds of hoofed animals moving across earth at their appointed time Might they be carrying a type of “pollen” from point A to point B (for a reason civilization might never ponder), which could be as important and necessary to apples as the bee taking pollen to the apple blossom?
WHALES
The movement of the great whale pods around the vast oceans may be a necessary act of pollination in the world’s cycles on its journey to rendezvous with forever. The songs they sing to the ocean may have earth value equal to the songs a native grandmother sings to the dawn, in a mysterious act of pollination that science will never be prepared to investigate. Grandmother’s songs pollinate the universe with dreams, whale songs surely must accomplish the same act in the vast oceans.
BIRDS
Before civilization intruded upon this continent with no intention of leaving, flocks of geese were so numerous in the mountain valley of my birth that while lifting off to continue their migration either north or south, they blocked out the sun. They are few now. Some places have a flock of a hundred. But what did they bring from the north to the south and to the mountain valleys in that amazing cycle? In another manner, was earth “pollinated” with thought and dreams? A few of us will always wonder if the current rigid definitions of life are capable of satisfying the needs of next century.
All over earth there are migrations, ants, bees, hummingbirds and eagles, gnu, reindeer, swallows and butterflies. They all have a purpose other than seeking food and water. They obey great universal laws and fulfill obligations that humans will never know because the search for animal wisdom does not exist and too many learned people are convinced that knowledge comes from books and education, thereby limiting their search area for the rhythms of earth, universe, seasons, and for a multiple understanding of the meaning “pollination.”
But the search for a clear definition for what pollen is and its effects upon earth, other than pollen from flower anther to blossom, began because I must give Psukitok (Spring Maiden) and Amal (Flower Maiden) some points of pollination to discuss in the film and I know so very little concerning the function of pollen or even what it is and its parameters. There is no longer an Elder whom I can ask for knowledge, guidance, or direction, which makes many tasks difficult. Because of this I often feel I have been abandoned upon the ocean of inquiry and adrift upon the choppy sea of education.
Then I worry about hay’dutsi’la and the future of the delicate and boundless thought power that is reviving across the world. Technology is faltering. One day, if science and education just stay out of the trail, people will be communicating via hay’dutsi’la instead of a telephone or another technological device. If the U, S. mail service abandons civilization, we will still communicate. All of the necessary equipment is born with every child, complete. The education system cannot promote or stunt this natural ability because the natural senses refuses to acknowledge that “education” exists. I am not in love with the telephone company or technology (or the U.S. mail) because hay’dutsi’la does not recognize that technology is a greater work than the natural mind. Watching technology rust in a polluting pile might be a great exercise, but it surely would damage earth the more, too.
I must stop writing. Assela is sending me a thought. She is on an airplane returning from Iowa, thinking about a book she may write: “A Horse Called Man.” The message may take some powerful focus.
Excuse me. Ina’lum’qotmi (I must go but I leave my heart with you).
Sul’m’ejote
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
ORAL LITERATURE
ORAL LITERATURE
We must not confuse the Western meaning of “storytelling” with indigenous “oral literature.” The difference between oral literature and storytelling is that storytelling is viewed as amusement or something made up as an explanation to an officer of the law for your committing of an infraction.
Oral literature is the transference of valid and valuable history from one indigenous generation to the next. Tribal people upon this Western Hemisphere had little reason to record histories in writing because oral literature was an honored mode of remembering and this mode functioned well and the word was honored until the European invasion forced its way into this hemisphere bringing a strange God. Their God commanded them to immediately establishing Europe again. The European paradigm did not function well in Europe and caused Europe to sicken and decay in every imaginable degree and subject, but that pattern is all they had because they were devoid of dreams.
Despite the hegemonic effort of the invading people to annul oral literature, it retreated into whispers but refused to dissipate. It was passed from indigemous generation to the next generation in the safety of the forests as the embers smoldered, upon the Great Plains under the silver moon, and in the warmth and seclusion of a desert night, brilliant stars dancing.
The wisdoms were passed to the future generation by Pukamuka (wonderful wise people). Knowing was offered by the Elders and leaders. The person especially prepared to be responsible for and be the “keeper” of these things, received them with the understanding that they would be passed to the approaching generation in a very strict and respectful manner. As in every society, the person was selected because of his/her ability to employ wisdom with the proper language to make the narrative appear while divulging a thorough understanding.
Life, to native knowledge, guided with the indigenous community world-view, was not understood as beginning at birth and ending in a grave, but as a continuation of a journey that required necessary changes. That is why the statement, “Gone on ahead” is used. “Gone on ahead” and “Changing Worlds” is a way to indicate the life-spirit is traveling and may return with wisdom one day. Since wisdom usually comes in the form of a dream, we are told the life spirit follows this pattern. This activity also supports the lesson that everything is a dream. Not long ago dreams appeared to everyone with a destiny, destination and purpose - to the hunter who charmed the game, to the basket maker who designed magic, to the dreamer who dreamed dreams of future, to the medicine people preparing to heal the injured. The instructions to the people usually came in silence, solitude and sterling moments. Dreams are the most important element in our native “way” insuring the continuation of our Journey
There is a vast difference between “knowing” and “believing.” In our “way,” to know something is to enter into a greater positive, and remain. Wisdom then prepares to reveal tijtawa (the real, the genuine). The Elders say, “To know is to know is to know. There is no room for hesitation. To believe is a notion waiting for a convincing argument and it is always prepared to change and not remain constant.”
Everybody has a Wa’tu and Ahlo. These are umbilical cords, one physical the other spiritual. The ahlo connects you to this earth through your birth mother. The wa’tu connects you to the universe and all “power” everywhere. The wa’tu connects you to kenemmumwa (forever). The connections are of identical purposes.
Today the old ones worry, because the confusion of civilization and God, that too many young natives stand too far from the Fire of Wisdom and many have completely turned away, refusing to acknowledge wa’tu. The “new Indians for a new time,” (appointed by the government) are in peril and their claim to be accepted by the Great Power is invalid. Their dreams are a brown study at best and the only language they know is foreign and imported by the colonizer. With this strange language they mock the original “way.” In a panic to be “valid,” they collect fragments of different ceremonies, kneading them together while claiming that this is the way of their people. Elders turn from this practice shunning its brazenness. Beware. They are not appointed by the Great Sun Chief. They are frantic imposters.
The old ones worry while the new generation is lured away from destiny. Today they see a diluted and fabricated form of the “Old way,” and watch the “power” flee from this mockery.
An Elder described to me how he viewed the spiritual decay of our world-view and our “way.” “Tower 1, Columbus; Tower 2, Cortes.” Frightened I recall the words of an Elder when he told about first earth. “Two bad thinkings come and ruin first earth. Now this one.”
When my concern moves my thoughts to question what can be a medicine for the damage disrespect and civilization have had on little earth, the Elders shake their heads saying, “Only way now, Ye’ja, Ye’ja and powerful dreamings.”
In our lessons and legends Mother Earth was created with a variety of beautiful power songs. The powerful magic of song must now be invoked through the innocence of our children singing at dawn.
This is all I am allowed to know about future, the validity of oral literature and the ferocious error of comparing storytelling to oral literature and its connection with wisdom, knowledge and forever. I am sorry for my lack of a concentrated presentation. At this time I am absorbed in telling the beautiful narrative of a creation and in encouraging earth’s children to sing a healing song to Mother Earth. Our future is waiting for their song. Indigenous oral literature says this will happen.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
We must not confuse the Western meaning of “storytelling” with indigenous “oral literature.” The difference between oral literature and storytelling is that storytelling is viewed as amusement or something made up as an explanation to an officer of the law for your committing of an infraction.
Oral literature is the transference of valid and valuable history from one indigenous generation to the next. Tribal people upon this Western Hemisphere had little reason to record histories in writing because oral literature was an honored mode of remembering and this mode functioned well and the word was honored until the European invasion forced its way into this hemisphere bringing a strange God. Their God commanded them to immediately establishing Europe again. The European paradigm did not function well in Europe and caused Europe to sicken and decay in every imaginable degree and subject, but that pattern is all they had because they were devoid of dreams.
Despite the hegemonic effort of the invading people to annul oral literature, it retreated into whispers but refused to dissipate. It was passed from indigemous generation to the next generation in the safety of the forests as the embers smoldered, upon the Great Plains under the silver moon, and in the warmth and seclusion of a desert night, brilliant stars dancing.
The wisdoms were passed to the future generation by Pukamuka (wonderful wise people). Knowing was offered by the Elders and leaders. The person especially prepared to be responsible for and be the “keeper” of these things, received them with the understanding that they would be passed to the approaching generation in a very strict and respectful manner. As in every society, the person was selected because of his/her ability to employ wisdom with the proper language to make the narrative appear while divulging a thorough understanding.
Life, to native knowledge, guided with the indigenous community world-view, was not understood as beginning at birth and ending in a grave, but as a continuation of a journey that required necessary changes. That is why the statement, “Gone on ahead” is used. “Gone on ahead” and “Changing Worlds” is a way to indicate the life-spirit is traveling and may return with wisdom one day. Since wisdom usually comes in the form of a dream, we are told the life spirit follows this pattern. This activity also supports the lesson that everything is a dream. Not long ago dreams appeared to everyone with a destiny, destination and purpose - to the hunter who charmed the game, to the basket maker who designed magic, to the dreamer who dreamed dreams of future, to the medicine people preparing to heal the injured. The instructions to the people usually came in silence, solitude and sterling moments. Dreams are the most important element in our native “way” insuring the continuation of our Journey
There is a vast difference between “knowing” and “believing.” In our “way,” to know something is to enter into a greater positive, and remain. Wisdom then prepares to reveal tijtawa (the real, the genuine). The Elders say, “To know is to know is to know. There is no room for hesitation. To believe is a notion waiting for a convincing argument and it is always prepared to change and not remain constant.”
Everybody has a Wa’tu and Ahlo. These are umbilical cords, one physical the other spiritual. The ahlo connects you to this earth through your birth mother. The wa’tu connects you to the universe and all “power” everywhere. The wa’tu connects you to kenemmumwa (forever). The connections are of identical purposes.
Today the old ones worry, because the confusion of civilization and God, that too many young natives stand too far from the Fire of Wisdom and many have completely turned away, refusing to acknowledge wa’tu. The “new Indians for a new time,” (appointed by the government) are in peril and their claim to be accepted by the Great Power is invalid. Their dreams are a brown study at best and the only language they know is foreign and imported by the colonizer. With this strange language they mock the original “way.” In a panic to be “valid,” they collect fragments of different ceremonies, kneading them together while claiming that this is the way of their people. Elders turn from this practice shunning its brazenness. Beware. They are not appointed by the Great Sun Chief. They are frantic imposters.
The old ones worry while the new generation is lured away from destiny. Today they see a diluted and fabricated form of the “Old way,” and watch the “power” flee from this mockery.
An Elder described to me how he viewed the spiritual decay of our world-view and our “way.” “Tower 1, Columbus; Tower 2, Cortes.” Frightened I recall the words of an Elder when he told about first earth. “Two bad thinkings come and ruin first earth. Now this one.”
When my concern moves my thoughts to question what can be a medicine for the damage disrespect and civilization have had on little earth, the Elders shake their heads saying, “Only way now, Ye’ja, Ye’ja and powerful dreamings.”
In our lessons and legends Mother Earth was created with a variety of beautiful power songs. The powerful magic of song must now be invoked through the innocence of our children singing at dawn.
This is all I am allowed to know about future, the validity of oral literature and the ferocious error of comparing storytelling to oral literature and its connection with wisdom, knowledge and forever. I am sorry for my lack of a concentrated presentation. At this time I am absorbed in telling the beautiful narrative of a creation and in encouraging earth’s children to sing a healing song to Mother Earth. Our future is waiting for their song. Indigenous oral literature says this will happen.
Sul’ma’ejote (AKA)
Darryl Babe Wilson
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