Fran Dancing Feather

“Brother Wind came along and blew all the tee pees away and all the villagers had to run for cover.” said Jimmy C. Laughter broke the stunned disappointment. The children had carefully gathered materials from the earth to construct a scale replica of an ancient Indian settlement. They wrapped sticks in thin bark to make little tee pees, built tiny fire rings out of pebbles, planted miniature trees made from sage limbs and creatively used rocks, sand and other items from the surrounding wilderness to make their village. They had worked all day and the results were impressive. The object of the project was to illustrate how our ancestors had only the products of the natural world, with which to build their homes. As we the parents, gathered to inspect our kids’ final project, an afternoon breeze had begun to stir. We gathered around the table-size village to examine the work as the kids described each replica of native culture. The breeze turned to powerful gusts and the carefully designed project was swept away in an instant, accompanied by the mournful cries of our kids. As elders often do, they made the best of a bad situation. They asked the children to gather in a circle and told stories about how hard the ancestors had worked to build homes and maintain harmony in the villages that were inhabited by our extended families and Tribes. The stories were interwoven with the powerful forces of nature that often altered the lifestyle of the people, causing them to move entire settlements to higher or safer ground. The old ones had lived in harmony and acceptance of all things natural, even disaster. After a while it seemed the whole day had been planned around the stories of the elders, even the destruction by Brother Wind. Read the rest of this entry »

As the fog lifts, we can see the world more clearly. The colors of the sacred earth come to life in stages as the misty morning gives way to the light of a brighter day and a sustaining future filled with hope and renewal. The ways of the earth remind us that our soul cycles just like the seasons of time. When we first enter recovery, the future is dimmed by the fog of unknowing. We are told to put one foot in front of the other and stay focused on today. We learn to walk in the moment and live just one day at a time. Entering recovery is a solemn commitment. It requires courage. Read the rest of this entry »

Many indigenous peoples around the world believe that we can help each other heal from any affliction of the body, mind or spirit by using prayers, natural medicines from the earth and other components of ceremony. These beliefs for many of us, are older than any of us can remember. The skills of healing ceremonies have been carefully guarded and passed from one generation to another throughout the ages for thousands of years. The words and actions of various rituals have been held sacred and very private for most Tribal members and extended families. It is insulting, dangerous and disrespectful when these rituals are copied and corrupted by others who attempt to steal them for profit and recognition. Just last year, a non-native man from our area was arrested for attempting to imitate a Native American ritual that was performed outside Tribal or even Inter-tribal protocol without consulting local Tribal elders. As the result the innocent attendees were charged nine thousand dollars apiece and instructed to trust his leadership without question. Three of them died! The fake “spiritual guru” was jailed and the native community spoke out harshly against his actions in the media. This was a great tragedy and a valuable lesson for everyone. Ancient Tribal culture is not a game or a fantasy. It is to be practiced only under the direction of the Tribal elders being represented. Read the rest of this entry »

The droning sound of powerful jet engines changes to more of a whine as the plane makes it’s final descent over a land of hundreds of deep water lakes and pristine wilderness areas into the airport of a city divided by one of the largest rivers in the country. We will travel by car across a thousand miles of Indian reservations from here into a small native community in Canada. The entire journey is one of great purpose that will nurture me throughout time, in ways I could never imagine. I have no idea of the events that lay ahead or why I would be taken through such a powerful rights-of passage in just a few short days. The driver who would pick me up at the airport knew but I did not. The younger native man is tall with short hair and he meets me at the luggage claim area, carrying a cardboard sign with my name painted on it. I laugh to see my name appear this way and the grin on my new friend’s face. I had wondered why I was asked to make this long trip ahead by land, in a car, instead of flying directly into Canada. I had been asked to serve the people in a particular way and I was concerned but had surrendered to a new adventure. Now it is in the hands of my Creator. Read the rest of this entry »

Before European contact the people lived in harmony with the seasons of the year. The four seasons of the earth each present unique degrees of difficulty. In today’s modern world ,we have lost the awareness and necessity of honoring the cycles of nature. Little effort is needed to move with the heartbeat of Creation. Read the rest of this entry »