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The Way Of The Spirit

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"Part" Indian?
Half-breed quarter breed one sixteen.... what do fractions really mean?
Could you imagine having to carry a card to 'prove' you are
white? Or imagine that, in order to truly be acknowledged
as an African American, you had to be an 'enrolled member'!
This having to carry a white and/or blue CDIB (Certificate of
Degree of Indian Blood) card is, in my understanding, the very
definition of institutionalized racism. Good people frequently
share with me that they are 'part Indian', or 'only a precentage
Indian'. This is a sad testament to the legacy of their beautiful
Indian ancestors. You see, the U.S. government is responsible
for the invention of the 'Indian blood quantum' lie. It turns out
that this is quite a convenient way to 'kill Indians on paper'.
And what saddens me, is that most of our Tribal governments
have bought into the 'blood quantum' system which so divides
and separates us from who we are and has deeply damaged
the integrity of our ancient cultures. We are people, not
fractions. To those of you reading this who are of Indian
ancestry, I offer you some interesting thoughts...............
In Lakota tradition, we have a ceremony called Hunkapi, or,
the Making of Relatives. In this ceremony, a person who is
not Lakota is brought in. After the ceremony is complete it
was fully understood that this person was 100% completely
Lakota. This was, and still is, the power of this ancient rite.
Somehow, many of us have forgotten the truth and wisdom
of this ceremony. Many Indians today think the 'amount' of
Indian blood is what matters, when according to our own
sacred rites, it is clear that it is not only blood, but Spirit
which defines the essence of a human being.................
So.... to those of you with distant Indian ancestry who do
not quite know how to define it.... you need not identify
yourself as 'part-Indian'. Know that you are 'of Indian
ancestry', or that you are 'descended from the (insert
tribe name here)'. You are 100% descendant of all your
ancestors. Learn all you can, become who you are.
You are beautiful! You are Indian..............................
"Federal Recognition"
We were here 100,000 years before you, and you don't 'recognize' us?
This is something that has always been a pet peeve of mine.
The United States is just a baby - not even 250 years old yet.
The Indian Nations of this Turtle Continent are nearly all into
the many thousands of years old. Yet, for political reasons,
an Indian Nation which was in existence 9,000 years before
there was a 'USA' has to be 'Federally Recognized' by the
USA to be considered a legitimate Indian Nation. I find this
ridiculous. It seems to me, that the ancient Indian Nations
of this land oughta be trying to decide if they 'recognize' the
USA as a legitimate nation! It just doesn't make any sense
in my mind that an Indian Nation which PRE-dates the USA
has to 'prove' its legitimacy and beg the U.S. to 'recognize'
it as a real nation. Of course, I am fully aware that there
are certain Treaty and political interests that play into this,
but the concept of a 50,000 year old Indian nation begging
a 250 year old baby nation to 'recognize' it peeeeeeves me!
By John Two-Hawks
History Books & Museums
BEWARE OF U.S. HISTORY BOOKS
Lies, half-truths, distortions and propaganda.... That's what makes up a
great majority of the content on American Indians in ALL the U.S. History
books I have had the misfortune of reading. These modern books continue
to perpetuate the infamous 'Bering Strait Myth' as well as the 'Thanksgiving
Myth'. Also, in the U.S. History book, the Trail of Tears - the brutal forced
removal of a peace loving people - looks more like a planned family vacation
than the torturous 2,000 mile forced walk that it was. Over 4,000 Cherokee
Indian children, women, and men died on that horrible trail, and why? All
because Andrew Jackson, the liar, thief and bigot who gets to have his
criminal face honored on the 20 dollar bill, decided that even though the
U.S. Supreme Court decided for the Cherokee Nation and said they had a
legal right to their homeland, that he would snub the law. Thus came the
'Indian Removal Act' (Can you imagine a 'White Removal Act'?!), which
was an illegal political maneuver that succeeded in kicking Indians out.
This is the real Cherokee Trail of Tears, and it was no family picnic.......
So students and teachers, be very wary of what you read about American
Indian people in your U.S. History book. The United States propaganda
machine is alive and well....... and it is time to stop buying into it.
It is very important for people and nations to learn and remember their
history. I am a strong advocate for the importance of teaching history
to our young people. It is my passion for history that fuels the fire of
my disdain for 'twisted' and politically tainted 'history'. History should
always be about truth, regardless of how difficult it may be to look at.
When it comes to the true history of American Indian people, the U.S.
History book of America's classrooms fails miserably. I strongly
encourage U.S. History teachers to diligently seek American Indian
sources for your classrooms in your thoughtful efforts to teach true
American Indian history. It is painfully obvious that the Indian
history in most, if not all, U.S. History books is gathered and written
by non-Indian sources, as there is a clearly evident lack of knowledge
of true Indian culture, traditions and history. Not to mention that the
chapters on Indian history are thoroughly marinated in American
political propaganda. America needs new U.S. History books!!!!
Written by John Two-Hawks
Even Museums can get it wrong
Museums are wonderful places of learning. I love them. There
are beautiful reconstructed scenes of history, fabulous displays
of ancient items, and loads of other great creative audio/visual
learning experiences. Even so, I still have some peeves with
some museums.... One peeve is obvious - when information at
a museum perpetuates lies, misconceptions or propaganda
about American Indian people. Even well meaning curators
and museums can display and present misinformation about the
ancient culture of Indigenous people if they are not thoroughly
schooled in true American Indian teachings. Another peeve I
have with some museums is the proud display of any item from
an Indian person's grave. I have seen everything from sacred
burial items to photos of unearthed human skeletons on display
at museums. There is no other way to say it, this is just wrong.
And lastly, when an American Indian item in a museum belongs
to a family who has asked for it, it should be promptly returned.
For example, the late John Lame Deer once complained that a
gun that belonged to his grandfather, Lame Deer, was on display
at a museum in Washington D.C., and that his family wanted it
back. That gun is still on display at this museum today. As I
said, museums are wonderful places to go and learn. But even
museums are not immune from mistakes when it comes to the
true culture, tradition and history of American Indian people.
It is my hope that museum curators and historians continue to
strive to increase their knowledge of true Indigenous culture,
and that they will not be afraid to update inappropriate content
in their museums. After all, this is what museums are about,
the continuing search for truth, knowledge and wisdom.......
Written by John Two-Hawks

• 12 July 2008
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