Red Road Spring Message
In a few more weeks, we will see the lovely crocuses poking their heads out of the prairie grasslands; to once again, reflect the joy and beauty of spring. The MIRACLE and the continued RENEWAL of life!! Our winter counts for the last two years will be pandemic scored…as was smallpox over a hundred years ago. Yet LIFE persists, clings on, no matter what…I love how Hyemeyohsts Storm described death and life…though he was highly criticized…he did utter some beautiful truths…such as:
A million painted leaves sleep under the white robe of winter. They sleep in remembrance, mirroring all that was seen when they danced in the trees. Each reflection holds within it the summer place and touches rainbow medicines as the leaves came to earth for rest. The moccasins of the People move through these singing leaves, even while winter protects them, changing what was into spring again. And so it was.
Last week, we had our first formal ‘Wiping of the Tears’ where our Dakota drummers came west to share those sacred songs that help relieve the saddened spirit. Since we were still under Covid 19 restrictions, we had to social distance…hence; our seating was far apart…however; it was so much more endearing than the year before. We could share in prayer, ceremony, drumming, singing, dancing, food and give-away albeit at a distance. The ceremony was held at River Cree where it was warm, safe and accessible for our Elderlies.
As many are aware, at our Transformative Reconciliation Gatherings, we are working on an Indigenous law bundle for Turtle Island (amongst other objectives), that encapsulates the overarching ethical principles of our Indigenous natural law. That is; our values, ethics, principles, traditions, ceremonies, world views, visions, dreams, and conduct that pronounces who we are as Indigenous people; where we come from…what we hold sacred. So that; we might walk in a sacred manner, a sacred way, a principled approach; within a balanced mindset so as to embrace the beauty of life.
For our Lacohtah, Wiping of the Tears, came from Curtis Kills Ree and Birgil Kills Straight, Lakota Sioux Elders, who had a vision in 1986, that our people could not move forward; as their tears had not been wiped. The ceremony and horseback ride was practiced for 4 years (as is requisite for new visions that become ceremony) for our people. The first formal Wiping of the Tears came in 1990, at a place called Wounded Knee in South Dakota.
When our sacred pipe came to the people…7 ceremonies were prophesized by Pte San Winyan to be revealed to us…through vision and dream…that came to those that had shared the sacred pipe. When the vision was acted out, and turned out to be healing; it then became one of the 7 sacred ceremonies of the sacred pipe.
One of our natural laws that developed with ceremony is that we were to rest 4 days after the ceremony. Wiping of the Tears is tied to the Law of Condolences of the Haudenosaunee. A required act when people have experienced great loss. No decisions were to be made by a person at this time as their mindset is unbalanced by grief.
Unfortunately, compounded grief is a norm in our Indigenous society; especially after Covid 19. Generally, we do not get the 4 days after losing a loved one or going through great trauma, to heal before life or loved ones are demanding something else from us. Hence; we live in an unbalanced society that generally has poor decision-making ability, because we have not had the requisite time to heal. All people require this, so we can again walk with Creator…walk in a sacred manner and embrace the beauty of everyday life!
In the New Year message, I spoke of VISION; and ways to keep your vision(s) as guidepost(s) in your life. Living Hope, our partner, has assisted in recognizing that these ceremonies and collective images, are imperative to healing the collective suicide ideation prevalent in our young Indigenous and non-Indigenous people today. They have supported Red Road in activating ceremonial resilience, and been a large part of our Transformative Reconciliation Gathering, youth objective, to reinstate the youth memorial horseback ride. This will be manifesting on September 25, 2022 this year. Hence; we cannot root all the pain and past trauma in our lives; however, we can engage spirit in those teachings and understandings that help us be re-creative and enthused about life and our Indigenous lifeways.
Moon Gatherings (at the Telus World of Science), Triple P and Positive Indian Parenting, Cultural Creeations with Tamlyn, Stoney Language Classes with Lyndon, Cree Language Classes with Rita, Kiwani Owapi celebration, Indigenous Court, Recovery Sharing Circle, friends of Bill W and Friends of Lois W; exercise with our counselors and Elders, some field trips, children’s programs….lots coming up…
Our calendar is posted on website and facebook. Join us where and when you can. AND YES, we are not perfect… We STILL have all kinds of tech issues…our landline phones are generally good tho’ the message is not always up to date… AND please, use the 780-471-3221 number (used to be an option…now it is the only number); our website is STILL an ongoing construct…though it is getting easier to navigate!!! www.redroadjourney.ca
“True silence is more than just not talking. It’s responding to that deep inner yearning I carry to feel myself alive, to exist beyond my thinking, to live beyond worry and frustration. True silence is calm being. True silence is appreciating the moment for the moment. Every breath a connection to my life force, my essence. It is the grandest music I have ever heard. ”
Mitakuye Oyasin
Red Road
7 sacred values of Lakota Sioux: Love, Courage, Honesty, Generosity, Chastity, Silence, Respect