Issue 48
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In this issue:
1) Welcome Letter by Sibyl McLendon
2) How to help children cope by Pat Valle
3) Life Is? by Robert Taylor
4) Many Trails by Bill Miller, The Red Road Album
5) Taken from Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
6) The Power Of Music
7) Aquamarine by Sibyl McLendon
8) Where oh Where has My Heritage Gone? by Terri Jean
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Welcome Letter
by Sibyl McLendon
Greetings, everyone. I have had a very busy weekend, with company and
performing a wedding ceremony on Saturday. I have just learned about our
attack on Afghanistan, and although I knew it was inevitable, I am still praying
for the protection of the innocents. I hope that you all have a good
week.
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How to help children cope with fear in these uncertain times
by Pat Valle
One of the main concerns I have during this time of uncertainty is that our children are fearful of their future. We are constantly being bombarded by news on television concerning the recent attacks on our country and the very real threat of a biological nature. What can we say to the children to give them a sense of security and help them understand and cope? As a parent and grandparent, I've had to give this much thought. One way is to let them know that we love them and they we will do everything within our power to protect them. Communication is so important when dealing with children because they understand a lot more than we give them credit for. Have you noticed while having a discussion with a friend or family member while your child was playing or watching television that they hear everything that is being said? While I thought my own kids were busy, they were picking up the conversation and would repeat what was said or ask questions later.
We must teach these children to respect all people, no matter where they are from, the color of their skin or their religious beliefs. They also need to understand that although there is evil in the world and that some people want to destroy harm and destroy, there is much beauty all around us if we only take the time to notice. Just because they are young does not mean that they have no fears and concerns. We, as parents need to really listen to them and not ignore their thoughts and ideas because they can contribute also.
Take some extra time to show them the beauty of nature or go with them to a museum, zoo, amusement park or just sit down with them and tell them how special they are. Help them not to live in fear for their future but that there is always hope. I believe that love is the most important gift we can share with one another.
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Life Is?
by Robert Taylor
Life is anything we believe it to be. We can deem it unbearable, joyful beyond belief, or anything in between. Why is this so? Why do different people react in totally different ways to the same situation or set of circumstances?
It must be our attitude toward and outlook on life. There are many ways in which we develop our attitudes and outlooks. It all starts with our parents and siblings when we are very young. It then moves to encompass everyone and everything with which we come in contact.
Our basic attitudes and outlooks are fairly well established by the time we reach the age of six years or so. We carry these with us throughout our lives, with minor changes made through further contact with a broadening circle of people and events.
There are no drastic changes unless there is some kind of a crisis which snaps us out of the ruts we have made and propels us toward our innate greatness. In some cases it can be something as simple as a phrase or story in a book, a speech given by someone, or a striking event in a movie.
In other cases it takes severe alcoholism, bankruptcy, depression, illness or other greatly debilitating circumstances to provide the shock leading to a better outlook on life.
William James, James Allen, Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone and others of their caliber have truly stated words to the effect that one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century is that we become what we believe and we have the power to believe whatever we wish.
There are numerous self-help and self-development books based on this primary concept. The great majority of these books set forth ways and means to develop your beliefs and turn them into reality. For some people the information and methods provided by these books work. Many find little or no change in their attitudes, beliefs and actions.
We are all different and it is unthinkable that the same techniques would work equally well for all of us. Some will get what they need from reading one or two of these books, while others will read a large number of books, getting a little from each of them, and make only a small amount of
headway.
Much of this can be attributed to our early formative years and the attitudes and outlooks we developed at that time. However, when we are receptive to good advice and instruction we can change all of that. It will be more difficult for some than for others, but each and every one of us can change our attitudes and outlooks.
In some cases the change is virtually overnight and in others it is a long and drawn out process. In all events it is the most worthwhile thing you will ever do. Even the smallest change for the better will make an amazing difference in your life.
We each have to approach changing our attitudes and outlooks in our own manner. For some motivational tapes work best. For others, books. For still others, it could be videos or
person-to-person, such as in a seminar. Find the way that works best for you and follow it to the best of your abilities.
Let's face facts. You have nothing to lose but a losing attitude, and much to win with a winning attitude. Take that first step today. It always seems the first step is hardest and consequent development comes easier the further we progress.
Copyright 2001 by Robert Taylor
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Many Trails
by Bill Miller, The Red Road Album
A boy heard the voice of the whippoorwill one night and went out to find where he was singing. He had to walk quite a ways through a big field, because the song of the whippoorwill carried so well in the wind he sound much closer then he really was. And on the way the boy found a well worn trail, so he stayed on it for a while. And sitting in the middle of the trail was coyote, and coyote was singing too. He turned and saw the boy and he said "Why are you follow me?" The boy was frightened and said "Well the trail you made happened to be a short and easy way through this field. Then coyote asked "Well if your not following me then why are you here?" "Well I heard the beautiful song of the whippoorwill and wanted to watch him sing." "Well do you not think my songs are beautiful?", said coyote. "Oh", said the boy, "there good but I hear you all the time. I much prefer the songs of the whippoorwill" This made coyote furious and he was jealous of the whippoorwill's song. He said "Listen to my night song you might like this one" And he pulled back his head and yodeled out a tune. The boy covered his ears and politely said, "Thank you for the song, but I must be going now." "Well", coyote said, "I can show you a short cut to the whippoorwill boy, and where he sings is just over there." Pointing his claw, smiling out of the side of his mouth. The boy paused, looked around, he knew the night was passing fast so he agreed to follow coyote. But coyote's trail was rough and rocky. And the boy fell in quite a few gopher holes along the way. Coyote turned around and laughed and he yelled to the boy. "Were almost there, hurry up." Coyote was at a full trot but the boy had just fallen again and hurt his knee. And by the time he got to the place where the whippoorwill had been singing all night, it was morning. Whippoorwill was gone. And so was coyote, in fact he could hear coyote's songs in another field. So the boy turned and headed for home, covered with burrs, misq bites and a skinned up knee. And it was many summers later when the boy became a wiser man. And he realized, there are no shortcuts to find something you really love. But there are many trails in this life. So you must stay true to your path, and always keep and eye out for coyote.
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Taken from Women Who Run With the Wolves,
by Clarissa Pinkola Estés,
as told to her by an old African-American in the mid-South.
("This is the way of the old African kings," he said.) An old man is dying, and calls his people to his side. He gives a short, sturdy stick to each on his many offspring, wives, and relatives. "Break the stick," he instructs them. With some effort, they all snap their sticks in half.
"This is how it is when a soul is alone without anyone. They can be easily broken."
The old man next gives each of his kin another stick, and says, "This is how I would like you to live after I pass. Put your sticks together in bundles of twos and threes. Now, break these bundles in half."
No one can break the sticks when there are two or more in a bundle. The old man smiles. "We are strong when we stand with another soul. When we are with another, we cannot be broken."
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The Power Of Music
Author unknown
Taken from Paul Winter's "Earth, Voices of a Planet" ©1990, Earth Music Productions
If the Earth were only
a few feet in diameter, floating a
few feet above a field somewhere,
people would come from everywhere to
marvel at it. People would walk around it,
marveling at its big pools of water, its little pools
and the water flowing between the pools. People would
marvel at the bumps on it, and the holes in it, and they
would marvel at the very thin layer of gas surrounding it and
the water suspended in the gas. The people would marvel at
all the creatures walking around the surface of the ball, and
at the creatures in the water. The people would declare it
precious because it was the only one, and they would protect
it so that it would not be hurt. The ball would be the
greatest wonder known, and people would come to behold
it, to be healed, to gain knowledge, to know beauty
and to wonder how it could be. People would love
it, and defend it with their lives, because
they would somehow know that their
lives, their own roundness, could be
nothing without it. If the Earth
were only a few feet
in diameter.
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Aquamarine
by Sibyl McLendon
Aquamarine is a beautiful crystal, pale blue to lavender. It is highly valued as a gemstone. When buying
aquamarine jewelry, be cautious. Unscrupulous dealers will try to pass less-valuable stones off as aquamarine. Synthetic blue spinel is sometimes sold as aquamarine, and blue topaz is also difficult to distinguish from aquamarine. Both materials are less valuable than real aquamarine, so this gem should be purchased from a reputable dealer.
This crystal is a feminine energy stone, related to water and the ocean. It is an excellent emotional healer. It helps with calming, uplifting, flexibility, innocence, joy and creativity. It also
associates with the throat, and will heal throat-related problems. Aquamarine is associated with singers, musicians, artists, dancers, animal lovers, and healers.
It is the birthstone for March.
Care should be taken when using any feminine stone. They can lead to being overly emotional. Also, never cleanse your crystal with salt or salt water! That old tale will damage a crystal's
ability to work. Hold it under running water, sit it under the moon for a night, or sit it on an amethyst or quartz crystal
cluster. Aquamarine will fade if left in sunlight.
Here are two sites with nice photos of aquamarines. I am not recommending any
commercial sites, I just like the photos:
http://www.collectorscorner.com.au/gemstones/Aquamarine1.htm
http://www.mineralminers.com/html/aqumins.stm
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Where oh Where has My Heritage Gone?
by Terri Jean
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"Our treatment of Indians . . . still affects the national consciousness... It seems a basic requirement to study the history of Indian people. Only through this study can we as a nation do what must be done if our treatment of the American Indian is not to be marked down for all time as a national disgrace."
~ John F. Kennedy ~
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Finding one's long-lost Native American heritage has fast become one of America's favorite "pastimes." Books, websites, and articles instruct root-seekers, in step-by-step how-to fashion, where to look, what to look for and what they should do once the lineage is established. With an estimated 12 million people living in the United States with an ancestral Native link - even if minuscule - there is a perpetual trend of indigenous interest in reconnection and even
self-identification. (According to the US 2000 census, people identifying themselves Native American increased by 26% - or 2.4 million - in just 10 years.)
So for those 12 million or so heritage-seekers with desire to know their Native roots, the path is generally long, winding and, more often than not, confusingly laid with pitfalls, obstacles and
quandaries. Ancestors recorded on your family tree may not be all that easy to verify on paper; and without a clear paper trail, according to those who require such evidence, your heritage does not
truly exist.
With Native people being the only US citizens requiring a pedigree, one might ask if this is an extension of cultural genocide by the American government. An actual continuous conspiracy to keep those millions of people from knowing there heritage. Here we explore sucha theory and the governments role in possibly perpetrating it.
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Note: Up until 1879, there was a legal question regarding whether American Indians were, in fact, human beings. On March 12th, 1880, US District Court Judge Elmer Dundy ruled that Indians were "persons within the meaning of the law" and therefore, deemed to be human.But their rights and liberties were still denied and they were not given US citizenship until 1924.
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"Missing" or Incomplete Documentation
If you're looking for your long-lost relative in the US census rolls from the 1800's, you may stumble upon your first roadblock. Federal records from 1790-1840 only contain information pertaining to
free, white heads of households. Information regarding minorities were not collected until 1850.
But not everyone were recorded. Many Native Americans missed the census completely during the 1800's and much of the early 1900's due to poor communication and too much of a traveling
distance for both recorder and the person being recorded. Others refused to admit to their Indian heritage due to fear and/or shame, and some of those who DID make it onto the census books were recorded with misspelled names and misreported ethnic heritage's.
It is also not uncommon to be informed that census, birth, death, marriage and land records have been lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed from fires, floods, theft or employee mishandling. Whether
these tales are true or not, in many circumstances, you will find that the documentation that you need the most no longer exists.
Denial of one's own Heritage
It is not uncommon to come across a census in which your great-great-grandmother was listed as `white.' Those with Anglo features who could pass as whites often did so in an attempt to
either assimilate into white society, or to hide from the prejudices within it.
During most of the 1800's, the Native populations were removed from their homeland, forced to trek across the country, endured great losses of life and liberties, and were rounded up like animals and held in concentration-camp like reservations where disease, malnutrition, starvation and cruelty were abundant. Without proper food, shelter, heat, water, medicine, physicians, or sanitary
facilities, death and despair were common threads binding each Nation to the other. Deemed savage, uncivilized and unworthy of citizenship, the right to own land, or to testify against a white man... it is no wonder that those who could pass themselves off as whites had done
so.
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"He is ignoble--base and treacherous, and hateful in every way. Not even imminent death can startle him into a spasm of virtue. The ruling trait of all savages is a greedy and consuming
selfishness, and in our Noble Red Man it is found in its amplest development." ~ Mark Twain, "The Noble Red Man" (1870)
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Shame, Fear, Segregation, & Prejudice
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"You will... use all means to pursuade any tribe to come in for the purpose of making peace, and when you get them together kill all the grown Indians and take the children... sell them as slaves to defray the cost..."
- Confederate Governor John R. Baylor, 1862
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Prejudice and racial hatred canvassed most of the US soil. Newspaper editorials called for the extermination of all Native people, including a March 1863 piece from the Rocky Mountain News which stated, "They are a dissolute, vagabondish, brutal, and ungrateful race and ought to be wiped from the face of the earth."
Indians were seen as unclean, savage pagans and most Anglo-Americans refused to accept them in their schools, churches, schools, towns or even in their states. Racial groups targeted Native people and even President Theodore Roosevelt remarked "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out often are, and I shouldn't inquire too closely into the case of the tenth. The most vicious cowboy has more moral principle than the average Indian."
Admitting one's heritage openly was something most avoided at all costs. The fear of racist attacks and incarceration kept most Indians from signing one's name to a census record or other political documentation.
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[I]f it is the purpose of the Government to civilize the Indians, they must be compelled to desist from the savage and barbarous practices that are calculated to continue them in savagery, no
matter what exterior influences are brought to bear on them.
~ Henry Teller, Secretary of the Interior, 1883 Secretary of the Interior Annual Report ~
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Shame (or brainwashing):
In the 1960's a study was conducted by American officials that would investigate and report on the current condition of the Native American population. The report concluded that American Indians
experienced more self-hatred than any other ethnic group. Having endured generation after generation of forced removals, anti-Indian laws, government lies, and broken treaties, the nation not only shunned the Native people, they openly ranted of their superiority and treated indigenous people as mindless children unable to tend to themselves. This is evident in most legal documentation of the late 1880's and early 1900's, including the 1869 Board of Indian
Commissioners Report which stated, "The legal status of the uncivilized Indians should be that of wards of the government; the duty of the latter being to protect them, to educate them in
industry, the arts of civilization, and the principles of Christianity…"
Often referred to as the "vanishing race," these so-called "conquered" people often had no choice but to submit to the whims of those who thought they had the right to dominate them.
Though some adults may of held on to their Native pride, the government focused on an easier target - the children.
THE CHILDREN:
By 1931, over 75,000 Indian children were enrolled in white-operated educational facilities including boarding schools. Away from home and parental influence, and more often than not stolen from parents with legal decrees and threats of imprisonment (or worse), children were held for years at a time in these missionary-operated facilitieswhere they were removed of their culture, their language, their religion, their dress and their names. Children who participated in their previous lifestyle, such as speaking their own language, were often severely punished.
On September 8, 2000, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Kevin Gover, admitted to such boarding school atrocities at the 175th anniversary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
" After the devastation of tribal economies and the deliberate creation of tribal dependence on the services provided by thisagency, this agency set out to destroy all things Indian...This agency
forbade the speaking of Indian languages, prohibited the conduct of traditional religious activities, outlawed traditional government,and made Indian people ashamed of who they were. Worst of all, the Bureau of Indian Affairs committed these acts against the children entrusted to its boarding schools, brutalizing them emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually. .. The trauma of shame,fear and anger has passed from one generation to the next, and manifests itself in the rampant alcoholism, drug abuse, and domestic violence that plague Indian country .Many of our people live lives of unrelenting tragedy as Indian families suffer the ruin of lives by alcoholism, suicides made of shame and despair, and violent death at the hands of one another. So many of the maladies suffered today in Indian country result from the failures of this agency. Poverty,
ignorance, and disease have been the product of this agency's work...."
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"[T]he changing of the language of a barbarous people, into the speech of a more civil and potent nation that have conquered them, hath been an approved experiment, to reduce such a people unto the civility and religion of the prevailing nation."
~ Daniel Gookin, 1674 ~
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The Success of Assimilation
In some respect, the United States goal of Native American assimilation has been, at least, partly achieved. Broken blood ties and untraceable relations make the task of filling in one's
family tree virtually impossible. What remains is millions of Americans caught in limbo - denied their heritage, the privilege of knowing their relatives, their ancestors, and their history.
On August 24, 1978, the US government enacted a law that continuedthe assimilation process. The Federal Acknowledgment Program stated that one's Native lineage must meet certain stipulations and mustbe traceable on paper. Once evidence is presented, your Native
American heritage may be, or may not be, granted.
Native people are the only group in the United States with such pedigree requirements.
For more information on the Federal Requirements for Indian Identification, please refer to Native Truth Columns 17-19, "When isn't and American Indian and American Indian?" at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/native_truth/message/17
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