"One of the most notable features of Tribal Culture is the custom
of naming individuals. Indian names stand for certain qualities,
for exploits, for unusual physical charastics, and for the
individuals unusual religious experiences. Every person has a name
given in religious ceremonies in which his uniqueness is recognized.
"But take a name like "Havey Cox" for example; Harvey Cox, as a
name, indicates that for an undetermained number of generations the
male member of the genetic line has been called Cox, and Harveys
parents happened to like the name Harvey. Such a name hardly
indicates a personal self but at least partially denotes a breeding
line.
"Our people are once again realizing the wisdom of our Elders and
beginning to bestow on their children names that speak to their
uniqueness. it's part of who we are as a people and we should
be proud to carry on this tradition.
"If you have an "Indian Name", it would be good to have it registered
in the county that has your birth records; add it to your name or
have your name changed to reflect your heritage. If you don't have
one, take steps to have one bestowed on you by an elder."
MITAKUYE OYASIN
BRAVEHAWK
IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO SURVIVE WHATEVER IS COMING,
THEY BETTER KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHY THEIR ANCESTORS
LIVED AND BELIEVED THE WAY THEY DID AND THAT THERE IS
NOTHING WRONG WITH WHO THEY ARE!!!!
D'ont you think this is worthy of our consideration....get yourself
involved in the education work of our young ones. our ancestors are
ashamed of how we let our children just drift about in the white mans
world. DO SOMETHING...find out how to help. go see an elder and help
our traditions survive. we all owe it to the seven generations....
BRAVEHAWK
In 1890, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, over 350
men, women, and children, were massacred because they refused to give up ONE weapon they had with which to hunt.
Government rations were being held up and much of it stolen and
sold to whites before the Indian people could get the agents to pass
it out to the starving people.
From this massacre, about 23 Congressional Medals of Honor were
awarded to the U S Military. More Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded for this massacre than for any battle the U S Military has participated in.
NOTE: file this under SHAMEFUL HISTORY
BRAVEHAWK
When we say MITAKUYE OYASIN, many people don't understand the meaning of those words.
The phrase MITAKUYE OYASIN---"All Our Relations"---has a bigger meaning than just our blood relatives.
MITAKUYE OYASIN means more than our family, more than our Nation, more even than all humankind. Our Mother Earth herself, MA-KA UN-CI, is our relation, and so is Grandfather Sky, and so are each of the two-legged, the four -leggeds, the winged nation, the root nation, and the crawling beings who share the earth with us. MITAKUYE OYASIN refers to the interconnectness of all beings and all things. We are all interconnected. We are all one.
Each time we utter this phrase, MITAKUYE OYASIN, it would be good to think on this.
MITAKUYE OYASIN
BRAVEHAWK
ONE OF OUR TEACHINGS TOLD THAT WHEN A BUFFALO WAS WOUNDED OR SICK, THE OTHERS WOULD CIRCLE AROUND HIM TO HELP HIM STAND. WE, TOO, MUST DO THAT WITH EACH OTHER.
THE BUFFALO NEVER ASKED THE NATURE OF THE INJURY OR SICKNESS, THEY NATURALLY AIDED THE AFFECTED ONE TO REGAIN BALANCE AND HEALING.
CAN WE DO LESS THAN OUR RELATIVES?
HAVE WE GOTTEN AWAY FROM OUR TEACHINGS TO THE POINT OF LETTING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DRIFT ALONG IN THEIR PAIN AND MISGUIDED PATHS WITHOUT AT LEAST TRYING TO HELP THEM TO RECOVER AND CONTINUE TO WALK THE RED ROAD?
WHAT OF THE ONES WHO ARE IN THE WHITE MANS IRON HOUSES ALL ACROSS TURTLE ISLAND? THEY ARE STILL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND NEED OUR HELP AND GUIDANCE. ARE WE LESS THAN THE FOUR LEGGED ONES THAT TAUGHT US THIS IMPORTANT WAY OF LIFE AND HEALING?
PERHAPS IT IS TIME TO REVISIT JUST WHO WE ARE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MADE US THE GREATEST PEOPLE ON MOTHER EARTH. ARE YOU WILLING TO AT LEAST GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO OUR OLD TEACHINGS?
WE HAVE MUCH TO TEACH, AND MUCH TO LEARN. OUR CHILDREN MUST WALK THEIR PATH AND IT SHOULD BE ONE OF HONOR, RESPECT, AND HELP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEED. MAKE OUR ANCESTORS SMILE AND LIVE THE WAY WE WERE MEANT TO. GIVE OF YOURSELVES TO OTHERS.
MITAKUYE OYASIN
BRAVEHAWK
SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality is not as popular as "religion" because people cannot make money on it. It cannot be sold, marketed, or even monopolized, though some try. It cannot be charged, bought on credit, or installments.
No one can hold it back from another, or take only a piece of it and leave the rest. No one can direct it, nor can he or she change it if it does not suit his or her liking or taste.
Spirituality will never be considered "popular"
or a fad. It is constant and will never change. Because it is Truth, it cannot be coaxed or persuaded. The message of spirituality will be as good tomorrow as it is today.
It needs no building or construction in which one must bow or pray. The poor have it as well as the rich. It is shared equally among all things around and about you.
Spirituality never presents barriers. The only barriers are the ones we set for ourselves--arbitrary limits imposed that prevent or block the spiritual guidance sent to us.
It recognizes you clothed or naked. It talks to you, and you to it, by silent feelings. In the quiet, in silence, it talks. It has no rules, procedures, formalities, written laws or commandments--only great Universal Truths to discover, to learn and to follow.
Spirituality cannot be taught, only learned from, witnessed and experienced. It cannot be forced but must be entered into gently, and only when ready. It waits for you and not you for it.
It is old yet ageless, for the Spirit is eternal.
BRAVEHAWK
JUDGING OTHERS
DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS PATHS AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL NOT JUDGE YOURS.........
REMEMBER THAT CHOSEN PATHS ARE PERSONAL CHOICES MADE WITH THE HELP OF THE CREATOR/WAKAN TANKA. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ALL OF HUMANITY. IF MORE WOULD REMEMBER THIS...THEN WARS WOULD NOT BE FOUGHT AND WORDS NOT SPOKEN THAT ARE CRUEL AND WOUND OTHERS.
BRAVEHAWK
THINGS TO SAY TO A WHITE PERSON
TOP 10 THINGS YOU CAN SAY TO A WHITE PERSON UPON FIRST MEETING
10. HOW MUCH WHITE ARE YOU?
9. I'M PART WHITE MYSELF, YOU KNOW.
8. I LEARNED ALL YOUR PEOPLE"S WAYS IN THE BOY SCOUTS
( ORDER OF THE BULLET ).
7. MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WAS A FULL-BLOODED WHITE AMERICAN PRINCESS.
6. FUNNY, YOU DON'T LOOK WHITE.
5. WHERE'S YOUR POWDERED WIG AND KNICKERS?
4. DO YOU LIVE IN A COVERD WAGON?
3. WHAT'S THE MEANING BEHIND THE SQUARE DANCE?
2. WHAT'S YOUR FEELING ABOUT RIVER-BOAT CASINOS? DO THEY REALLY HELP YOUR PEOPLE, OR ARE THEY A SHORT TERM FIX?
1. OH WOW, I REALLY LOVE YOUR HAIR! CAN I TOUCH IT?
RED TAIL HAWK
THE RED TAIL TEACHES US TO HAVE A BROAD VIEW OF THINGS, WHILE NOT MISSING THE STIRRINGS OF A SINGLE MOUSE.
hau, kolas;
it is unthinkable that some will equate evil in the concept of
balance. evil is the other direction, the other side of the good
road to a better life on this earth walk. for the traditional native
american, it is ok to rest on our travel then to go on in our manner,
the ways of our ancestors. it is never ok to move on to the other
direction, the black road, which leads to distruction. this black
road is never to considered as "balance", or even a concept of
balance in our lives. it is like picking up a snake and then
wondering why it bites us.
our ancestors were wise enough to turn from this concept and stay on
the good red road. they never tried to "balance" their path with
good and evil, not untill western european thinking invaded the minds
of some who were not strong enough to resist this, knowing what it
was.
today, it is a hard thing to think in the ways of our old ones and to
put evil concepts out of the way. it takes reasoning and much prayer
to Creator to keep our path guarded from these distructive thoughts,
but it can be done.
who among us has the notion that he is wise? who has learned the
wisdom of teachings by our ancestors? we are all pitiful and weak
and can do nothing without the aid of Creator and the Grandfathers in
the four directions. it is a good thing to seek council and guidance
from these powers that keep us balanced with no thought of the
concepts of evil the western european way is trying to teach us. be
wise enough to reason this out for yourselves through the quiet time
we spend each day listening to the voice of Creator as it comes to us
in the wind.
BRAVEHAWK
BUFFALO SPIRIT
THE OLD PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE IS A BIG BUFFALO SPIRIT THAT STANDS AT THE WESTERN DOORWAY. HE WATCHES OUR PEOPLE LIVE. IT IS SAID THAT THIS IS THE BUFFALO SPIRIT THAT GUIDED NANA-BHOO-ZHOO TOWARDS THE WEST IN SEARCH OF HIS FATHER. WHEN LIFE WAS GOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO ALL LIVED IN A GOOD AND SACRED MANNER AND WERE RESPECTFUL TOWARDS MOTHER EARTH AND HER BOUNTY AND TOWARDS EACH OTHER, THIS GIANT BUFFALO SPIRIT WAS VERY POWERFUL. WITH HIS FEET PLANTED FIRMLY THE GROUND LIKE POWERFUL TREES, THIS BUFFALO SPIRIT PLEDGED TO STAND FIRM IN HIS PROTECTION OF OUR PEOPLE AND WAYS.
WHEN THE RELIGIOUS PRIESTS/BROTHERS/MISSIONARIES CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AND BEGAN TO DIVIDE THE PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE WAYS OF OUR NATURAL DEVOTION, THE BUFFALO LOST ONE OF ITS LEGS..THIS GIANT BUFFALO SPIRIT SACRIFICED ONE OF HIS LEGS SO THAT OUR NATION COULD GO ON LIVING. STILL HE STOOD FIRMLY ON THREE LEGS AT THE WESTERN DOORWAY.
WHEN THE ARMIES OF THE "LIGHT-SKINNED" PEOPLE CAME TO THIS LAND AND BEGAN TO REMOVE OUR PEOPLE FROM THEIR LAND, WIPING OUT ENTIRE TRIBES FROM THIS LAND THROUGH GENOCIDE/MASSACRES AND TURNING THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF THIS CONTINENT AGAINST EACH OTHER, THE BIG BUFFALO SPIRIT SACRIFICED ANOTHER LEG SO THAT OUR NATION WOULD GO ON LIVING. THE GIANT BUFFALO SPIRIT HAD TO STAND AS BEST HE COULD ON TWO LEGS. STILL HE STOOD AT THE WESTERN DOORWAY KEEPING WATCH OVER OUR PEOPLE AND STAYING FIRM TO HIS PLEDGE.
THAT TIME (OR AGE) CAME WHEN THE DESCENDANTS BEGAN TO TURN THEIR BACKS ON THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF THE OLD WAYS AND TO IGNORE THE ELDERS OF OUR NATION. WHEN THE ELDERS BEGAN TO LOOSE THEIR REASON FOR LIVING, THE BIG BUFFALO SPIRIT LOST ANOTHER LEG. WITH ONLY ONE LEG REMAINING, THE GIANT BUFFALO SPIRIT KNEW THAT IF HE FAILED IN HIS DUTY AS GUARDIAN OF THE WESTERN DOORWAY, THERE WOULD BE NO HOPE FOR THE NATION. SO HE GATHERED ALL HIS REMAINING STRENGTH AND STOOD FAST ON THE GROUND...
STILL HE STANDS.....ON THE ONE LEG, AT THE WESTERN DOORWAY, PERFORMING HIS TASK OF GUARDIANSHIP AND STRIVING AS BEST HE CAN SO THAT OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE A FUTURE IN THIS WORLD.
TODAY, A LOT OF OUR NATION HAS RENEWED INTEREST TOWARDS THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF THE OLD WAYS AND WILL SEEK OUT THE ADVICE/GUIDANCE OF OUR ELDERS. THIS GIVES GREAT STRENGTH TO THE GIANT BUFFALO SPIRIT WHO STANDS AT THE WESTERN DOORWAY. IT GIVES HIM GREAT STRENGTH AND SUPPORT TO STAND FIRM ON HIS ONE LEG, WHICH, IN TURN, GIVES OUR NATION HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
GREAT BUFFALO SPIRIT STORY........OJIBWE
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BE OJIBWE TO APPRECIATE THE MANY LESSONS CONTAINED IN THIS STORY. WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE, ONE BLOOD.....THAT WHICH BEFALLS ONE NATION BEFALLS US ALL
BRAVEHAWK
IF THE EYES HAD NO TEARS, THE SOUL WOULD HAVE NO RAINBOW.
SPIRITS OF CREATION
In the beginning, when the Great Creator first made the world, He called together all the different spirits and asked them what they would like to be--some wanted to be the Four Powers of the universe, some wanted to be Lightning and Thunder, Wind, Rain, Snow, Earthquake. Some of the spirits said they would be Oceans, Mountains, Rivers and Streams. The other spirits said they wanted to be the Plant People, Tree People, Animal People, Bird People, Fish People, Snake People, Bug People, Rock People, and Human People. In this way they would represent all those who walk, crawl, fly, and swim, seen and unseen. Together, they all made Creation.
The Lakota have a saying: MITAKUYE OYASIN
It means all my relatives; all my relations.
One can see that everything is connected, we are all part of Creators Creation. We must treat everything in Creation as our relatives and harm nothing. It is the old way of existing in peace and harmony on Mother Earth.
THE TWELVE COMMANDMENTS
1. THERE IS BUT ONE GREAT SPIRIT. He is eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, invisible. He pervades all things at all times. Reverence Him, and respect all worship of Him by others, for none have all the truth, and all who recently worship have claims on our respect. So also, show respect to such things as are held sacred by others.
2. YOU WILL NOT MAKE A LIKENESS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT,
or portray Him as a visible being.
3. HOLD YOUR WORD OF HONOR SACRED.
Lying is at all times shameful for the Great Spirit is everywhere all the time. To swear falsely in the name of the Great
Spirit is worthy of death.
4. YOU SHALL KEEP THE FEASTS, LEARN THE DANCES, RE-SPEC THE TABOOS, AND OBSERVE THE CUSTOMS OF
YOUR TRIBE,
if you would be a good member of the community and profit
by it's strength. For these things are the wisdom of the
Ancients and of your fathers in the long ago.
5. HONOR AND OBEY YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER,
and their fathers before them, for age is wisdom; and their
discipline of you is surely for your helping and your last-
ing benefit.
6. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER.
Killing a member of one's own tribe, if deliberate, is worthy
of death; if by accident, it can be compensated by adequate
damages, according to the judgment of the Council.
7. BE CHASED IN THOUGHT AND DEED,
according to the highest standards of your Tribe. Keep your
marriage vows, and lead no other into breach of theirs.
8. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.
9. BE NOT GREEDY OF GREAT RICHES.
It is a shame and a sign of all unworthiness in a man to
have great possessions, when there be those of his Tribe who
are in want. When, by chance of war or of commerce, or the
gifts of the Great Spirit that have blessed him with power, he
has more than he needs for himself and his family, he
should call the people together and give a Potlatch or Feast
of Giving, and distribute of his surplus to those that have
need, according to their need; especially remembering the
widow, orphan, and the helpless.
10. TOUCH NOT THE POISONOUS FIREWATER,
that robs man of his strength, and makes wise men turn
fools. Touch not nor taste any food or drink that robs the
body of it's power or the spirit of it's vision.
11. BE CLEAN,
both yourself and the place you dwell in. Bathe every
morning in cold water, take the Sweat Lodge according to
your need, and thus perfect your body; for the body is the
sacred temple of the spirit.
12. LOVE YOUR LIFE. PERFECT YOUR LIFE, BEAUTIFY ALL
THINGS IN YOUR LIFE; GLORY IN YOUR STRENGTH AND
BEAUTY.
Rejoice in the fullness of your aliveness. Seek to make your
life long and full of service to your people. And prepare a
noble Death Song for the day when you are about to cross
the Great Divide.
It would indeed be a wonderful thing if we could all hold these things as truth and live by them.
BRAVEHAWK
EARTH CHANGES
For many years, the white man, and sad to say some of our own people, have been rapping our land for what it can give them in personal value. The disrespect for Mother Earth has run unchecked for generations. It is getting very close to the time when She will rebel in much furry. Our prophecies have told of these things but we have failed to listen to our ancestors.
We should realize that our Mother is alive and will only stand for so much disrespect before she teaches us all a hard lesson.
In Yellowstone Park, the rangers have had to close part of the ground because it is too dangerous for people to tread on. It seems that something, they don't know just what, is happening far underground that has caused the surface to get so hot that it is unsafe. Much steam is issuing forth from long dormant fishers and the area is unstable.
Could this be the result of our misuse and disrespect? Could Mother Earth be saying enough is enough? I think we should all be aware of what is going on. Changes are certain to take place and this could be a sign that our prophecies are beginning to come about.
We, as Native People, above all should realize the signs and once again begin to hold the ceremonies that tell our Mother we understand her plight. Keep abreast of the things that are happening to Mother Earth so we will be ready when she rebels.
