Saturday, January 12, 2013

Elder's Meditation of the Day January 12

Elder's Meditation of the Day January 12

"The first thing that we want you to understand is that spirit has no color or race to it. It doesn't matter whether your skin is white, black, red, brown - whatever. No one out there is any better than you, and you are no better than anyone else out there."
--John Peters (Slow Turtle), WAMPANOAG 

We are all created to be of equal worth. We may be different sizes, different heights, different ages, different colors, we may have different beliefs and be of different cultures. In the unseen world, we are all spirit formed into different shapes and colors but we are all worthy. For example, you can have water, you can have steam, or you can have ice. Which of these is not made up of H2O?

My Creator, today, let me see equal worthiness in all people.

Cavalry Remounts

The Training of Cavalry Remount Horses, by Capt. L. E. Nolan

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Message from Chief Dean Sayers, Batchewana First Nation - January 10, 2013


  • A Message from Chief Dean Sayers, Batchewana First Nation - January 10, 2013

    Indigenous Chief's Meeting With Prime Minister of Canada and Governor General scheduled for tomorrow - January 11, 2013

    Thank you to the hunger strikers Chief Spence, Raymond Robinson, Emil sock, the leadership, the Idle No More movement and everyone's work which all contributes to a new page in our People's journey towards justice.

    The Indigenous Chiefs have been meeting here in Ottawa since Tuesday working on a unified approach to bring to the table when we meet the Prime Minister and the Governor General on Friday. We as the leadership, have varying expectations and our deliberations were a difficult task. Our challenge was to summarize and focus in on key areas we wanted to take to Friday's meeting along with measurable outcomes/expectations.

    To complicate matters even more, the Prime Minister's office was taking complete control of the meeting including venue, who can attend, how long he stays, the agenda, etc. We tried to accommodate his expectations but by 3 pm today we rejected his assertion of control over the meeting by consensus by all the Indigenous Chiefs across Canada who are in attendance.

    We remembered that it was Chief Spence's invitation to the Prime Minister and the Governor General to meet with the Indigenous leadership (Chiefs) that prompted this. The Prime Minister accepted that invitation. We decreed that it needs to be and will be our agenda and all logistics will be under our control. He's accepted an invitation to come to our home. Chief's Spence's wishes need to be honoured as do ours.

    By consensus, We the Indigenous Chief's from across Canada asked a delegation of women to make their way on our behalf to the Prime Minister's office to inform him that we will be waiting for him and the Governor General here at the Delta Hotel in Ottawa Canada for a 9 am start to do business as per his acceptance of our invitation to meet. We will be putting forward our agenda items including, Treaty implementation, resource revenue sharing, commitment to resolve our matters at most senior level (Prime Minister) not the Indian Affairs Minister, transformed fiscal relationship, National Public Commission of Inquiry on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, including special focus on murdered and missing women (estimate 2000 now), First Nation School in every First Nation, no more imposed legislation repeal bills C 38 and 45 and reform comprehensive claims process.

    All Chiefs, representatives of the Elders, Women, Youth and Idle No more will be here with us.

    As un-extinguished North American Indigenous Nations, we are not taking a back seat. We are taking control of our destiny. Prime Minister Harper will feel the effects if he or the Governor general decide to not show up for this meeting tomorrow.

    The Chief's, Elders, Spiritual leaders here ask that rallies take place around the world in support of what is happening here in Ottawa. We also ask for prayers in what ever form of prayer you practice.

    Please spread this message.

    Formal press releases will be issued by the Assembly of First Nations, the Chief's of Ontario as well as Batchewana First Nation.

Idle No More spreading beyond Canada's borders - Canada - CBC News

Idle No More spreading beyond Canada's borders - Canada - CBC News:

'via Blog this'

January 10 - Daily Feast


January 10 - Daily Feast
Know that you are not the only one to ever feel humiliation and pain. There is nothing new under the sun. Many have been through this valley and they understand what you are having to bear. Never lose faith because you asked and did not receive. We can ask amiss, but more than likely we are edged out by a subtle something we do not recognize as danger. As remote as it seems, this experience will pass. This time and place and reason cannot be stolen when the space is filled with praise, because praise is giving.
~ We always give the Great Spirit something. I think that is good. ~
BLACKFOOT - CROW CHIEF
-------Halona Akichita Yazzie
January 10 - Daily Feast
Know that you are not the only one to ever feel humiliation and pain. There is nothing new under the sun. Many have been through this valley and they understand what you are having to bear. Never lose faith because you asked and did not receive. We can ask amiss, but more than likely we are edged out by a subtle something we do not recognize as danger. As remote as it seems, this experience will pass. This time and place and reason cannot be stolen when the space is filled with praise, because praise is giving. 
~ We always give the Great Spirit something. I think that is good. ~ 
BLACKFOOT - CROW CHIEF
-------Halona Akichita Yazzie


‎"Once we walked the earth and our bodies were strong. Once we started each day with deep breaths and grateful thanks for all around us.
Once we used the medicines, prayers, and ceremonies that cured any sickness we had ... now it's different.
We climb an unknown mountain searching for fresh air.
We walk among an earth disrespected.
We look for plants to heal our weakened bodies, the plants are polluted and dying as we are.
We use what is left of our ceremonies to try to catch out breath. We are suffocated.
Our Creator breathed life into us ... he has a message: "For that which was taken from us will be returned sevenfold."
Our sacred breath - it's time to take it back."
…, Jicarrila Apache
-------Halona Akichita Yazzie
"Once we walked the earth and our bodies were strong. Once we started each day with deep breaths and grateful thanks for all around us. 
Once we used the medicines, prayers, and ceremonies that cured any sickness we had ... now it's different. 
We climb an unknown mountain searching for fresh air. 
We walk among an earth disrespected. 
We look for plants to heal our weakened bodies, the plants are polluted and dying as we are. 
We use what is left of our ceremonies to try to catch out breath. We are suffocated. 
Our Creator breathed life into us ... he has a message: "For that which was taken from us will be returned sevenfold." 
Our sacred breath - it's time to take it back." 
…, Jicarrila Apache
-------Halona Akichita Yazzie

From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians


From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians
The white people, who are trying to make us over into their image, they want us to be what they call "assimilated," bringing the Indians into the mainstream and destroying our own way of life and our own cultural patterns. They believe we should be contented like those whose concept of happiness is materialistic and greedy, which is very different from our way.
We want freedom from the white man rather than to be integrated. We don't want any part of the establishment, we want to be free to raise our children in our religion, in our ways, to be able to hunt and fish and live in peace. We don't want power, we don't want to be congressmen, or bankers....we want to be ourselves. We want to have our heritage, because we are the owners of this land and because we belong here.
The white man says, there is freedom and justice for all. We have had "freedom and justice," and that is why we have been almost exterminated. We shall not forget this." …From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians
-------Halona Akichita Yazzie