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EARTH CITIZENSHIP NETWORKEARTH ~ A Nice Place to Live, Learn, Love and Laugh ~ EARTH UN-DRIP Call to ActionTake a Moment and then Take some Action
Remind President-Elect Obama to ADOPT the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples... Please!
President-Elect Obama Please Hear The Vision: After you watch the youtube click on the link below and tell him that freedom, equality and justice for Indigenous Peoples are important to you! Or just cut and paste "Adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" in the provided form. http://change.gov/page/s/yourvision
Want more information on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples? http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/ Call for Support!A Dear Brother of ours sent this along and it is well worth your time and hopeful attention.
Hau! to All My Relatives who follow the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota way, There may be some who say that what I have to say here has no relationship to this ceremony list, but I say to them that the Canumpa is central to all our ceremonies! The White Buffalo Calf Pipe is kept in Green Grass, SD by Arvol Looking Horse. He has been the Keeper for over forty years, since he was about ten years old. When he was young a lot of old Medicine People would visit with him and tell him things he needed to know to be the keeper. So he was spiritually well educated and the Spirits have continued to teach and guide him. If you really follow these ways, you will know that, on a deep level, the Canumpa takes care of itself in the sense that if Arvol was not supposed to be the keeper, or if he was misbehaving with the Canumpa or on it's behalf, then the spirits would chastise him, punish him in some profound manner. This is not happening and it is fairly obvious that Arvol is the proper Keeper and that he is upholding his responsibilities in a good way. There has been a lot of controversy and quite a bit of bad or negative feelings on the part of many non-Native pipe carriers due to his statement of a few years ago about white people shouldn't be carrying Canumpas. But there hasn't been any effort to take Canumpas away from anyone or even to keep up a dialogue about it, not by Arvol nor by anyone else that I am aware of. I have personally spoken with him about this and the main thing that came of the conversation was that there are some non-Native peoples who believe that it's ok for them to carry Canumpa and not have to follow the spiritual ways that come with it, to still use marijuana or alcohol, to use the Canumpa to make money or to make themselves famous, to use it to have influence over others, or maybe not be careful about how the Canumpa is handled and cared for, or not keeping them away from women on their moon. (I actually know one woman who told me that she had dedicated her Canumpa to be used by women on their moon) Things like this are not to be done! That woman was the kind of person Arvol was meaning when he made the declaration. And if you think about it, it is obvious that those people who think they are above reproach, that no one can correct them, that they can do anything they wish with these Sacred tools, then they shouldn't be in possession of these sacred things. But no one can take them away. All that can be done is to try to influence them in a positive manner. The White Buffalo Calf Pipe is one of the few remaining Wakan gifts in this world that hasn't been profaned. I personally believe that we non-Natives who have had these ways shared with us have a responsibility to hold ourselves to a higher standard and strive to be blameless in the way we carry our Canumpas and in how we live our lives on the Red Road and the Sundance path. But I digress from my purpose in writing here. The Canumpa Wakan is kept in a little log house up the hill a little behind Arvol's trailer house. People can go there and leave prayer ties and flags and folks do this quite often. I suggest that everyone who carries their Canumpa in the Lakota tradition should make an effort to get there at least once in their lifetime, to see the Pipe House, and to pray there, to place ties or flags there, and possibly to meet Arvol. Sometimes when a person goes there there's not anyone home, and that's ok, but sometimes either Arvol or someone in his family or circle is there. In the old days, the people took care of the Pipe Keeper. They made sure the Keeper had their needs covered so that the Keeper could focus on taking care of the Canumpa and thereby taking care of the People. Today few folks help our Pipe Keeper. He has a hard time making ends meet. LIke so many on the Reservation, the Keeper is unemployed. He was trained as a mechanic and sometimes he picks up a little work that way, but if you know much about the reservation then you know that there's a lot of trained mechanics there and also there's not a lot of folks with enough money to hire one at a liveable rate of pay. Arvol does travel and do talks and he makes a little money that way, but he is often severely criticized for doing it, and it doesn't bring in a lot of money, either. I have been on this Ceremony list for a long time. I know that most of the people who dance at Little Pilot Rock are sincere. I know that you try to support Helmina and other elders who help you with the Ceremony there, and I admire you for that. I am writing at this time because I believe that all of us who follow the Lakota way have a responsibility to also help Arvol a little bit from time to time. I do it myself or I wouldn't be writing this. Like most of you I'm not a wealthy person but I do manage to send a couple of dollars to Arvol to help him out, not regularly, but a few times during the year. I'm writing now to suggest that maybe some of you could find it in your hearts, and wallets, to send him a little wo'okiye, a little maza ska, from time to time. I'm not asking anyone to try to pledge so many dollars a month, or to try to totally support him, but just to help him out occasionally. Maybe send twenty, thirty, fifty, or whatever you can, to give him a little help and support and to remember to do it a couple of times a year, and just as important, to remember him in your prayers. He needs our help through prayers, too. There's a lot of people who criticize him, who work against him, who even threaten to go and take the Pte Ska Wicincala Canumpa away from him by force, crazy people who think they know more than God, than Wakan Tanka, people who are jealous, and who are not spiritually well educated!!! Arvol's address is PO Box 687, Eagle Butte, SD 57625. Help him and surprise him. He lives in an older, single wide trailer house that he's had to refinance a few times, he's always trying to keep an older car or van running for his travel and his family, and he has a lot of spiritual responsibilities. Pilamiya for reading this far. Mi Takuye Oyasin, Clem Wilkes 707-984-8203 days 707-984-6079 home PO Box 208 Laytonville, CA 95454 40 Best Advise items that we all can live by!1. Pray, Meditate, Set aside time everyday to
Think in a Peaceful Way.
2. Go to bed on time, it will become easier, but start tonight.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed and inspired
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your
mental health or core beliefs.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others and recognize their work.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life (physically, emotionally and spiritually)
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two can often be too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places, be respectful of others time.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump
the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time. 11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God
would have you do and let go of the anxiety.
If you can't do anything about a situation,
let it go.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden,
extra stamps, etc.
14. Don't worry about worst case scenarios but be prepared (Extra food, water, contacts, etc.).
15. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
16. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. 17. Carry Inspirational readings (Poetry, Self-Help, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, Kitab-i-Aqdas, Old and New
Testament, etc) with you and read them at every opportunity.
18. Get enough rest. 19. Eat right. 20. Get organized so everything has its place. (see #9) 21. Listen to inspirational CD's, tapes, spoken word while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
22. Write down your thoughts, inspirations and dreams, they all have purpose.
23. Every day, find time to be alone. 24. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time
to go to bed to try pray or mediate it away.
25. Make friends with inspired, like-minded and sacred people.
26. Keep a folder of favorite writings on hand. 27. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank You God'
28. Laugh. 29. Laugh some more. 30. Laugh until you cry! 31. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. 32. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
33. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
34. Sit on your ego. 35. Talk less; LISTEN more. 36. Slow down. 37. Remind yourself that you are not the Boss of the Universe.
38. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been
grateful for before.
39. Be Thankful and Tolerant of others Beliefs; Respect them as if they were your own.
40. Think and Live Globally, Work and and Make a Difference Locally
Grandfather Polar BearGrandfather Polar Bear Grandfather Bear showed the his grandchild where he could find a few fish to live on in a melting creek on the other side of their island he hugged him with all his heart and soul and then told him, "When I find those who have taken our ice I will plead with them to bring it back to us". This brought a smile to the little bear and his grandfather continued, "The ancients have told us that the ice is sacred like the sun, and like the sun the ice belong to no one so no one has the right to take away!" The old bear looked back over his shoulder feeling more than hearing his grandson words and with one big bang, slammed his paw in to icy waters of the North Atlantic producing a giant splash. Little Bear laughed out loud at his grandfathers acknowledgement and love. The big bear swam and swam his way in a direction he did not know but knew it had to be. He eventually swam out of sight of his ancestral Greenland home and found himself drifting in amongst the giant waves of the unforgiving ocean. He swam as much as he could and then he'd find himself riding up a big wave and down the other side. He swam with all his strength to keep on course. But he had no idea of that course. The Ancients of his bloodline reminded him that his home was back toward Greenland. They whispered in his spirit ear that he should turn around and go back but his stronger since of duty and family over road that internal compass. "I must go on!" he moaned to the ancient ones. The hours quickly turned into days and nights. Occasionally he would find a stranded iceberg and pull himself up to rest his tiring old body. He would rest and then with the passion of life and the love of his grandson, he would dive headfirst back into the waters and his destiny.
The big bear swam and swam in a direction he did not know but knew it would come in time. The Ancient voices grew weaker and he knew with that weaker voice that he was truly separating himself from his homelands. His hunger rose with each stroke of his powerful arms, a hunger bigger than the bear could bear. The Ancients answered, in their silent way, his hunger by bringing him an occasional fish close enough that he could sink his powerful teeth into it's flesh and from that gift of fish he would be given more strokes to travel.
Time floated by as he paddled his way in a direction he hoped would bring answers to why the ice had been taken away and with the help of the Ancients he knew he would gather up that ice and return it to his Greenland homeland and his waiting grandson. "What is that I see on the horizon?" thought the great bear. "Is it an island? Is it what I am seeking?" He slowed his pace down to watch for a moment and realize that the island he thought that he had found was actually a large ship with smoke bellowing out of it's stacks. He recognized this sight as danger and he swam away. He grew more tired and more lonely for land, the icebergs were now gone and he saw no more fish. It was at this moment that the Ancients sang a new compass in to his heart, the compass of a new direction and with this revelation he dug deep into waters in that direction that had come to him. More time and more energy was flowing out off his body but he kept going and going and going until after many more days and nights he finally saw land and new that this was the place he was destine for. The new homeland, the Iceland he had been promised by the Ancient voices.
His heart and spirit rose with excitement with this new land and he knew that it would be the place where the answers would come. He pulled his giant body up on to rocky shore; he stopped just for a moment to give thanks for the new compass and all the support that had been sent his way by the Ancients. He thought of his young grandson waiting and sent a spirit song back to him.
"I am here" he thought, "I am in Iceland, where the ice has gone to hide". Looking out onto the distance hillside his young ice bear came to him again, "Soon my grandson you will be smiling with this discovery and your tiny belly will be filled and your heart will sing a song of victory and my work will be done". He struck out onto that hillsides of the new land and with his new happiness and energy found nothing but rocks. This confused him, "Where is the sacred ice?" He stopped for a moment and sniffed the cold air in hopes of finding the ice but instead... "What is that smell?" He thought, "I have never smelt such a thing, it is awful". He slowly moved down an embankment and soon coming to his vision was a sight not seen before. "What is that, they walk like an upright bear" he thought, "but the stink of unnatural things and they carry in their hands shinny sticks. What are these animals?" He looked with amazement as they approached closer and closer.
From deep inside he heard the Ancient voices, "Run!" Without hesitation he turned and started away from the strange animals and with his next step he felt the power of fire exploding into his chest. "Hau!" He screamed in his bear voice and then again another exploding painful fire struck his hip and then another struck his belly and he fell to the rocky hillside. For a moment he lived, "Little Bear…I have failed you. Little Bear…… who… will… help… you… now"? Up-Coming Earth EventsGreetings One and All ~ Please allow me the opportunity to share some up-coming ECN events that may call your name or sing your song. For more information and directions call: (360) 557-6238 |
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