Redefining who is Native American

I was recently teaching my Stones and Stories: Living the Medicine Wheel when an insight came to me.

I have been hearing for years, "so goes the buffalo, so goes the Indian."

The buffalo is making a significant come-back. Starting from a herd of 30 (starting from an estimated 40 - 60 million animals in pre-Colombian days) in the early 1900's the herd or herds have increased to over 400,000. In the meantime, the in-breading and out-breading of the buffalo have created a species that looks much like the buffalo but is part domesticated beef cow and the difference between the prairie buffalo and the woodlands buffalo has be all but eradicated.

In the meantime the Native American population began, again pre-Colombian days, at about 20 - 26 million and has been reduced through genocide and disease to about 2.5 million (only 1% of the US population, US census 2000).

So....This is the question: How does the Native American population make a come-back like the buffalo are doing?

I am welcoming a dialogue on this...

Meditations: East Meets West

Akita mani yo (Lakota) - observe everything as you go

What does the air smell like today? How does the wind feel on my face? How bright is the sun, how clear the sky? What does my morning cup of coffee taste like? Body check: From head to toe how do I feel? Do I hear the morning voices of the winged ones? Do I sense the energy and life of the four legged one who lies near my feet?

When I breathe and watch everything around me, I allow all of my senses to come to attention.

Native American Flutes/Native American Spirituality

Native American Spirituality is really impossible to define. There are over 500 nations on Turtle Island, each with differing viewpoints. Native American spirituality is not monolithic but pluralistic...many voices, many lenses through which to view life. That is the beauty!

Today I sing praises to Creator with my flutes. I am crafting a new flute after my teacher, Louis Webster's creations. Louis has crossed over, but his beautiful teachings live in me.

Miigwetch

Native American Spirituality/Native American Flutes

Bill Miller once said to me, "Don't forget these flutes are first and foremost spiritual." Basil Braveheart at a Native American Spirituality gathering said to me, "The flute is like the pipe, it represents our breath." BJ (Blackwolf) Jones said, "Creator breathes us. We are granted our breath at birth and when we cross over, Creator takes our breath back to himself." Chi Miigwetch for the flute and for the breath.

Native American Spirituality

Today Cyndi and I are getting ready for drumming, talking circle and feast. We will pray hard!

Making Native American flutes, writing music, practicing Native American spirituality, and doing yoga is the way that I cure the winter blues. Check my calendar for performing dates.

Welcome

Welcome to HawkSounds!