From Pablo@Abenaki.Tribal.Org Tue Dec 3 10:17:25 1996 Received: from mx4.u.washington.edu by lists.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW96.08/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA39556; Tue, 3 Dec 96 10:17:24 -0800 Received: from comet.connix.com (comet.connix.com [198.69.10.4]) by mx4.u.washington.edu (8.8.2+UW96.11/8.8.2+UW96.10) with ESMTP id KAA29051 for ; Tue, 3 Dec 1996 10:17:20 -0800 Received: from connix.com ([206.156.55.2]) by comet.connix.com (8.8.4/8.7.3) with SMTP id NAA11495 for ; Tue, 3 Dec 1996 13:17:11 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1996 13:17:11 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19961203131747.0cdf3976@connix.com> X-Sender: pbristol@connix.com X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (16) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: INDKNOW@u.washington.edu From: Pablo Lonesome Wolf Subject: The Sacred Circle (FWD) >Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1996 13:10:12 -0500 (EST) >From: "Looking Glass (Raymond Lussier)" >Subject: The Sacred Circle > >Tonight as I watch the peaceful, dreaming wonder of a sleeping child. And >listen to the music of the native flute. I go back to another time, another >world, one of goodness and of innocence, one of peaceful heart, a time where >honesty and manners were the order of the day and love for the CREATOR, >FAMILY UNITY, and INTER-TRIBAL UNITY were accepted facts of life. > >Of this I wish to share my heart with you. So it is with all things. We must >be prepared to take part in the things given to us by the Creator. We must >remember, as we endure times of pain, that all things in life are circles >and circles within circles. No matter how deplorable or how wonderful life >maybe now, we will move on to the next path on our journey. We must be >prepared for what is coming and leave our lessons learned for those that follow. > >Earlier this year I was honored to support Arvol Looking Horse in his >request for a Peace and Unity Prayer day amongst all people. This dream did >become somewhat of a reality. Unfortunately, I was to hold my personal >ceremonies at a rehabilitation hospital having suffered a major stroke two >weeks prior to the appointed day of prayer. Unfortunate, maybe not because >it seems that there were other human beings there that needed each others >presence in their life at that time. As we all know we have always done our >human best, given the moment we are in, to say or due the right thing. > >Many have asked that since the day of occupation has there ever been peace. >The logical answer is no. But, the truth is that in 1621 during what has >become known as thanksgiving week friendship was guarded and not always >sincere, and although the peace was to be very soon broken we find that for >three days in the history of the people PEACE and FRIENDSHIP were there. > >Giving thanks to the CREATOR for the harvest of the land has always been a >time of the people coming together, therefore thanks has been offered for >the gift of fellowship between all people. > >We must not give up, contemplating, attempting to bring unity amongst our >people. Very often we find that in order for us to be a strong people we >must put yesterday to sleep and wake up today. What has happened to tribal, >inter-tribal and family unity ? > >Some of us remember that many French Canadian Metis, and First Nations >people of many >tribal groups, in order to survive, bought their new beginnings to a new >land. Their love of family and Spiritual awareness. The love of the native >language. ( Although they were forced to acknowledge American English as >their first language. ) > >When we are asked " What customs do you remember from your youth which are >still part >of your family pride." Many of us reply that our first memories are of when >we visited our " memere " and " pepere " ( Grandparents ) were the nightly >offerings ( prayers ) to the powers above before retiring for the night. > >Our meals were often simple but in all cases an elder most often " Memere" >would invoke the blessings of the CREATOR for what ever was placed before >us. Family meals with our parents in attendance were informal, sometimes >witty, with the elders >speaking first amongst themselves, then my grandparents would ask all the >children to relate what had happened since the last time they had seen us. >Politeness and manners towards the elders was important and no one left >without asking permission. All the children were taught and felt that there >was a place in the family circle for them. Family gatherings were special >not because of the giving or receiving of gifts but because of the love, >camaraderie, and real affection for Everyone present family member or >extended family members. Sometimes we would attend church en masse, not as a >duty, but because it gave us a chance to mingle with friends and relatives. > >Old fashioned you may say, but there was less crime, You could walk the >streets day or night without fear of mayhem. When we went to sleep at night >and the elders would concur that most homes were unlocked. To steal from a >relative or a neighbor was unthinkable. The fear of getting the hell beat >out of you for going downtown was non-existent. To be responsible for our >Brothers, our Sisters, our Mother Earth, and to forget our own selfish >needs, that is what it is all about. Realize that LOVE AND RESPECT is not a >privilege GIVEN to us by someone, it is a RIGHT, a responsibility, that we >carry in our hearts to share with others. " The love in your heart wasn't >put there to stay. Love isn't love until its given away." > >>From all wind directions comes the one common theme that unites us all " The >Dream ". The Dream that there will be one world, one peace, one People. >THAT, is the Dream. We are all different. but, all the same, for the >ceremony is to hold sacred our belief in a Creator. One that unites us. It >does not matter if the words are spoken in Lakota, Algonquin, Wampanoag, >Narragansett. NipMuc, Abenaki, Spanish, French, English all speak their >sovereign language to one purpose to unite call together all in peace and >healing. > >But above All, You should understand that there can never be peace between >nations until you understand the true peace, that inter-tribal peace which, >as I have often felt is within the souls of man. > >It is not that we own the land; we can't own the land, it's not ours to own. >Regardless of how many taxes you pay on a house, it is not yours. You can't >stop an ant from walking across the border or an eagle from going across the >ocean and you cannot do that to a human being." > >First ! Please understand that while I consider myself a traditional Native >American, My definition and explanation is not going to be exactly the same >as every other persons. > >Tribal differences, and differences of practice do exist among us. The >Sacred Hoop is a SYMBOL, A way to visualize a very complex yet simple >concept. This concept underlies a form of thinking that is foreign to most >modern Americans (even a lot of us Indians). It is sometimes necessary to >work hard at setting aside modern cultural adaptations to encompass it. > >The Sacred Hoop represents the "Circle of Life" Some like to call it >"interconnectedness". Remember, a hoop or circle has no beginning and no >end, when you reach the end you are at the beginning, Just as the seasons >evolve from Spring to summer to fall to winter to spring, so do our lives >evolve with the seasons. From conception, to youth, to middle age, to old >age, We do not know from where we come at conception, nor do we know exactly >where we go at death..but it is most likely the same place, thus completing >the circle. > >For some Native Americans it also represents the "Hoop of the Nation" the >interconnectedness of each member of the tribe to every other member of the >tribe. > >For our ancestors this was a natural way of thinking, circular rather than >the customary Linear style of thinking that was predominant in most of the >early white settlers who arrived here. The responsibilities conveyed by the >concept of the Sacred Hoop are enormous. If the cycle is disturbed, all LIFE >is disturbed in some way. This concept underlies all of Native American >religion and culture. > >These ideals will only return when there is family unity and intr-tribal >unity amongst the Native people, a time when families and human beings can >sit around the council fire together and accept each other regardless of >tribal affiliation. > >We must bring back INTER-TRIBAL and FAMILY UNITY > >Those of you that know me know that I have never asked anything to teach, to >share, to pass on the words of those before us. But, now I do ask for >something. I ask that all of you join us in the re-affirmation of >inter-tribal and family unity. I ask you please stop the arguments, please >stop tearing our nations apart by the pettiness of quarreling amongst ourselves. > >For some of us, our flaming star will soon be extinguished. Would it not be >a beautiful thing to see all our brothers and sisters, once again talking >and sharing their heritage together before that happens ?. > >Now that I have deliberately provoked my enemies with new information and >different opinions, and also regarding my feelings towards truth and myths. >I feel that it is necessary to try and reach beyond the myths for some >degree of historic truth. > >I am called Looking Glass Speaker for the So. New England Abenaki Council, >and as the " Holiday Season " approaches I send you my sincere regards >during this the season of popping trees. Although I may not practice >Christianity I do believe in the Creator and share with you many of the >Creators Gifts of Honesty, Love, Respect, Sharing, Wisdom, and Humility. >Although I personally refrain from celebrating Christmas, this time of year >almost always fills me with a certain amount of happiness. I enjoy seeing >the growing excitement of the children and a feeling of a sense of warmth >among some adults as they suddenly realize that this is a time of sharing, >and demonstrating compassion and good will. > >A needed disclaimer. I can not, and do not infer that I speak for all >Indians. I speak only for my family and the elders and people of the So. New >England Abenaki Council. > >KASSIWI WAJ8NEMAG ALOKAMUK WIG8DAMIWI >( willingly we must work together) > >ADIO, WLI NANAWALMEZI >( goodby take care of yourself ) > > >I am Pipinawjak8gan aka Looking Glass and I have spoken Aho > > >Pablo Lonesome Wolf >Gsiniwi M8tsem >Abenaki > > > >To Heal the Sacred Circle you start by Respecting the People!! > > > Pablo Lonesome Wolf Gsiniwi M8tsem Abenaki To Heal the Sacred Circle you start by Respecting the People!! .