The People and 500 years for 500 Nations.

 Many, many Moons ago a new people came to the shores of Turtle Island.  In the North The People could understand the speak of the new people as the languages were almost the same. The People of the North of Turtle Island thought the new people might be insane because they spoke backwards.  Their language was spoken in reverse and was hard to follow.  It took much time for the Elders to understand the new people's speak, but they eventually did and trade began.  

In the South The People feared the new people because the new people began telling The People that they were the Old Gods and should be respected as Such.  The People began resisting and there was war.  

On the middle shore The People at first did not understand what they were seeing.  Floating cities appeared on the horizon of the Big Water, and in these cities was a population of new people that did not know the ways of life on Turtle Island and had to be taught in order to survive.  These new people did have members of The People with them and were reunited with family long gone.  Then the Troubled Times began. 

On the opposite shores of Turtle Island a new people arrived that  was much like The People that lived on those shores.  These new people were seeking refuge and wished to be hidden.  Then arrived the hunters of men who were seeking a holy man from far away claiming he had murdered an Eastern Prince. 

On every shore of Turtle Island a new people arrived and on every shore chaos soon followed.  The People found it necessary to protect family and friends the long wars began. 

Every group of new people that came to Turtle Island and began trading, communicating, and learning from The People had a trait they all shared.  In time they all began claiming the land as their own.  They all said that, a "God" was giving it to them.  They all began taking what was The People's and not theirs.  Even The People Themselves became a claimed thing.  The People began to disappear. 

The beginning of this occupation began 500 years ago, and to this day the pains of The People are still felt world wide.  

The New Order on Turtle Island just celebrated it's Holiday of Thanksgiving, and should respect The People for the gift of the knowledge of survival without which there would be no celebration.   For 500 years the 500 nations have endured, now The People and the new people are ONE People.  The Sacred Wheel is of all races of man and Turtle Island is our beginning.  

For all races of man and woman that live on Turtle Island Celebrate the ending of Native American Month with respect, pride, and the Joy of being Human for there is light in the distance.  

Peace and Balance,

John

The Medicine Wheel

 

The sun rises early in the East.  Yellow and bright rising high.  Grandfather Yappa begins his walk toward the South in Search of his older Brother Okaga.  In the South high in the sky the sun Anpetu heats the desert Red and the lizards find shade. Okaga then walks his way West in search of his older Brother Io, who is unknown and holds all  the secrets of age.  Io wears a black cloak and always points to the West as he walks to the North in search of the Elder brother Wazi, he is called Waziyatta the sage of the North who stands barefoot in the snows of the North cloaked in a white buffalo blanket facing all before him.  Wazi walks again to the East to wake the youngest of the four Yappa.  And the cycle begins again.

In the Center is the unborn Spirit, Umi also called Yummini, the whirlwind.  Who spins and marvels at all his elder brother's accomplishments.  Umi the unborn spirit of man that lives in the rainbow Tipi looked over by the daughter of Skan skan, the great sky.  San Wi, Pte San Wi, the White Buffalo Calf Woman, who teaches us all we know about being human.  Who 27 generations ago came to Umi and taught man the 7 sacred rites, and gave Hollow Horn the first Chununpa, the sacred pipe. 

So I look into the Four faces and say: HO Wakan Tanka Tunkasila, HO Ina Mahka Kunsi ye, HO Topa Tate Tunkasila, Pte San We, Skan Skan, Inyan, Mia Umi Tani na Cisjila, Hear my Call...  Mitakuye Oyatsin Hetchetu yelo, HO...

Peace and Balance,

John

Happy Dead Bird Day

 

Tomorrow is the national Holiday that we give thanks to the Dead Bird.  The Dead Bird is a large indigenous creature that was grown and fostered on this continent many moons ago by rather large forces from the nether realms of Lunch Box.  Lunch Box is a secret plain where all holiday food is stored by the government until it can be released to the general public through the attribution and price fixing of the Walmart Giant.  Only those with the Top Ultra Magnetic Security Clearances have access to such knowledge. 

Lunch Box includes Large Dead Bird, Mashed and Smashed Potatoes, usually delegated to the space program, Yams, the code name of the other Potato, Corn, an ancient fuel source, a Frothy Adult Beverage, this keeps Uncle Lenny at Bay, and the pride of the day, Pumpkin Pie, just because topped with an adulterous amount of whipped cream.

Lunch Box has been used to monitor the Holiday in our neighbor Canada as a cultural exchange and a First Nations Power Up.  So far the First Nations have held back the urge to take over Canada, but have decided that the gig is pretty ok up there.  Then there's the rumor about the United States, shhhh.

Dead Bird Day began as Thanksgiving, but the name was unofficially changed by those that realize that being thankful for 500 years of occupation is a waste of time and energies, there is always that Canadian rumor.  You never know. 

So, until then when we can truly Say Happy Thanksgiving, I say to you, Have a Swell Dead Bird Day, and don't over indulge in Pumpkin Pie, the power can be explosive.

Peace and Balance,

John

Bull Hook Bottoms, Iktomi, and The Jump.

 

I grew up in the Great Northern Desert.  Or, Northern Montana if you will.  Havre is a small town on the Northern Highline of Montana directly south of an area that was once called the Bull's Hook.  It is a bend in the Milk River that travels south abit then north again before heading towards the Missouri river.  

Originally called Bull Hook Bottoms, Havre is home to the nations largest Buffalo Jump.  As the story goes, Iktomi the spider tried to trick a man into running at the lead Buffalo of a heard and provoke him into a rage.  Iktomi made up a story about the Buffalo to make the man angry and run at the herd.  Great Spirit was listening to the conversation and whispered into Buffalo's ear, "Sacrifice for man and feed his people, feed his family."  

Buffalo ran at the man and the herd followed, but instead of running over Man they ran around him and over the Jump sacrificing themselves for the tribe of Man.  Man's tribe had food for the winter and skins for their tipis.  They had bone for knives, and sinew for sewing.  Man had all he needed for his people.  It was good, HO.  

For his deceit, Iktomi was made to serve Man and his tribe by creating the Great Travois with which man uses to carry his belongings and give rest to his Elders.  The Travois is pulled behind Man's best Dog, Tashunka Wakan, the Horse.  Iktomi was again made the fool.  

Bull Hook Bottoms was renamed Havre after Le Havre France, by an eccentric wealthy entrepreneur sometime during the 1800's.   The time before either versions of the town is where the Assiniboine made their home, when the Jump was used, the Buffalo sacrificed, and Iktomi tried to lead Man astray only to serve Man in the Heyoka way.

Peace and Balance,

John