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| California Redwoods |
One of the most referred to words that describe the Indigenous is transformation. Why? Because the original people were participants and observers of the Earth. And, the Earth within the not-so-distant past held a strong presence to all living beings. I say not-so-distant, because the United States has been existent for only a mere 243 years in comparison to the thousands of years that the Indigenous lifeway was prominent not only on Turtle Island (north and south America) but in all the indigenous regions that have been colonized by the dominant forces of "civilized" Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. To be more honest about the colonial aggression, the finger is pointed at an elite minority of national rulers who use propaganda and subliminal tactics (on every communicative level) on their own people to manipulate their ideologies. Thus a brainwashed prejudice populace thrives on competition (Darwinian influence) accelerated with hate methodologies so that they can feel or believe they are the best and therefore have the right to conquer and dominate all others. (Totally against all spiritual ethics).
I must offer some context here. For this discourse, I reference my Indigeneity to my North American Indigenous Ancestors of California. My maternal grandmother was a Tamlko (Coast Miwok/Pomo) aboriginal woman from California and my maternal grandfather was an aboriginal man of the Shasta/Modoc peoples of California. Many of my ancestors have more than 243 years of turbulent history, some began in the 1500s. Hundreds of years before "California" there were no distractions and influences that contribute to mental health problems such as stress i.e., employment, property, taxes, education, and religion. I know it sounds strange or even unimaginable (unless you reference John Lennon's "imagine") Like how could there be such existence without the former?
Well, there was. There was a structure and lifeway that focused on the Earth and its Spiritual force and the spiritual force that each living being exuded and responded to. This presence I term 'unuuni 'unu (Great Mother) in my ancestral Tamal Machachaw (Coast Miwok ancestral language). It was even observed stronger then because the changes in the land were only brought about by the Earth and her need for change. The energy was strong and the flow and its presence were unmistakable. People were more spiritually inclined as well as metaphysically adept. There were no dams, no harnessed electricity to manipulate the natural current and pulse of the Earth. There were no organizations that held false power over the people. Instead, there was a Spiritual energetic force that defined itself individually to each person as it was each person's responsibility to find their connection to it and thus their lifeway.
When people are participants and observers of the Earth's changes and seasons they are very adaptable and understand the reality that all things change. There is no mindset that the environment must be made to be controlled in order to suit the needs and comforts of the ones desired to settle in the region. People flowed with the energetic changes expressed by the elements and the seasons of the Earth. When the season changed to shorten the days and lengthen the nights then people changed as well. They did not invent tools to make them continue to do what they were doing before the change. They transformed their lifestyle to the demands of the spirit of the season.
As I write this, the season is called the fall season. Perhaps because one of the main features of the season is the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees. If you have trees in your region you will start to observe the fall's spirit. That is another topic as there are fewer and fewer trees on the planet and less to teach us the ways of the seasons.
One of the main downsides of the fall for most contemporary folk is accepting that the summer and the fun and easy times have come to an end. Now is the time is to go back to school and put our noses to the grindstone and be occupied mostly indoors for the most part of the season.
However, for many of my ancestors, it was harvest time that lasted through to the winter. There were many opportunities to continue to participate out of doors. The added aspect of fuller participation is upfront education through life experience. During the fall time, we are given another aspect of growing a relationship with the Earth as well as with those we live with and love. As the leaves fall down to the Earth we return to those we are close to. We stop growing and pushing forward in our lives because the body does not have the vibrancy it once experienced in the last season
We do not have to live in the past to understand this phenomenon. We must change and transform our ways in order to be with the flow of life. If not we get sick.
In fact, this is a time when my ancestors looked at death in the eye more frequently. Perhaps the weaker and older ones who were suffering chose to leave the Earth at this time. Just in the participation of the earth, children would observe death reflected in nature. Questions were brought to the family and Elders to discuss mortality. Nothing was hidden in such a world. And who but those we trust conveyed the mysteries of the world to allow us to accept our lifeways in it with love and understanding.
However, today with all of our peoples under the dominance of colonization we seek to shelter our children from all the uncomfortable aspects of life. We want them to be completely safe and comfortable. We induce so many distractions to deter loved ones from experiencing some of the facts of life. I know even in our Native communities our younger parents shelter their children and adamantly demand that anything negative from the past is not given attention at our gatherings even at our GONA* events where most children attend. They feel that they will find out about traumas and losses that our communities suffered sooner or later. The most desired choice of exposure is later, and usually by someone else. Wouldn't it be most beneficial for the child to hear about death, tragedy, and grief from someone they trust? Even though it will be painful no matter how it is delivered they have the support through that transformational knowledge? They would at least be in an environment that is familiar and one that supposedly makes them feel cared about? Instead of someone that has no connection to the culture or family telling the stories from an outside perspective? Wouldn't that child be confused and angry that they were not told such things about their own histories or family from someone they trusted? This applies to all of us who have loss and trauma in our histories and families. We all have issues, and instead of confronting them most of us keep dark and difficult concerns buried, or locked up and hidden away until the spirit of that history decides to rise up to be heard to heal. *GONA (Gathering Of Native Americans). A Program subsidized and funded by the Federal Government Program SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration).
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| " Cosmic Connection" graphic rendition of Medicine Wheel. D Marcus |
And, the final ingredient to this scenario is that no matter what avenue one goes towards to seek answers to the darker mysteries of life such as death, birth, trauma, loss, and grief the spiritual ingredient, which is a fact of life is left out, unless one is exposed to it through Elders and family who live by spiritual ethics. To transform, and transgress beyond the trauma to wellness, one must have a strong lifeway attached to the spiritual and many times it is cultural so support and love are found along the way.
As a young child in the 50s, propaganda from the media-induced the ideology of convenience and pleasure. Every story had a happy ending. Hence I grew up wanting and believing only in happy endings and as we all know, endings are not very happy until years down the road when we may come to realize that the ending was indeed very necessary to grow and live a more fulfilled life.
As an indigenous researcher, my journey has shown me that in order to grow and have a fulfilled life brought about through transformation one must have a very strong support system with a link to a recognized and existing spiritual lifeway. Then any transgression is a willingness to walk through a fire walking process, (a metaphor used for warriors). This is not just for battlefield warriors, though some of us have gone through or come from battlefields.
A very powerful concept from an Indigenous perspective is "acceptance" in change. Therefore, the idea of death and renewal is celebrated in many indigenous cultures. I believe the beauty displayed by the vibrant gold, reds, russets, and rich earth siennas and forest greens incite the richness of transformation as well as the diversity of Indigenous peoples who can learn to live together and come together.
In Our Ancient Lands Podcast, Indigenous Pasifika Refections I interview Ruby Faagau regarding concerns and issues pertaining to Pacific Islander communities within the United States. Ruby touches on some of this blog's topics and others that deal with immigration laws and reference for support. Many of our relatives and ancestors have come to this land and had to adjust "change" their own identities. My husband Marcus's family immigrated from Poland during the 1st world war and chose a different spelling for their last name thus a loss of past connections. My Californian Indigenous ancestors were given European and/or Mexican names to transform into the existing dominant community.
In addition, Our Ancient Lands will be featuring in the upcoming months during this season, Barbara Burnside a Navajo warrior woman, who facilitates prayer walks for wellness. She offers insights from an Indigenous perspective as a living example in order to live a good Indigenous life. Stay tuned.
In the support work I service, the most powerful change in transformation I have found is having the strength to see that what was once something fulfilling much like a medicine, has now become a poison and no longer beneficial to our present lives. When an individual can willingly let go of the coveted and used-to adornment (which can be people, place, objects or occupations), they are completely free to transform into what the Creators have had planned for them all along. Another term in contemporary lingo is to "reinvent oneself".
Some of us are forced to change by circumstances that were truly residuals caused by the advent of ignoring the pulse of our lifeforce connected to the reality of the Earth. When we can take the initiative with the consciousness of the pulse of change on our own, we can truly experience the beauty of transformation. No psychoanalysis or medical physician can offer such healing. Psychology and western medicine is a new science in the Western colonial environment. Indigenous healing has been practiced since the dawn of humanity.
Today we can still observe the Indigenous cultures transformative beauty within art and music expression. Materials that can not be resourced today or would be detrimental to the sustainability of their existence and the planet, are replaced by new contemporary materials to continue to bring forth the legacy of the aboriginal presence on the earth.
To hear more about this topic and conversation stay tuned to listen to my conversation with Scott Frazier with more of our conversational musing at Our Ancient Lands podcast in the upcoming months during this seasonal series.
If you are interested in an Indigenous approach and perspective on support through trauma, loss, grief and addiction concerns contact us at our website www.lutea.org to be on our mailing list or follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lutea.org/.
If you are interested in our future Fire Talk events in Crescent City CA while visiting the Redwoods add your contact information to our mailing list and subscribe on our website: www.lutea.orgwww.lutea.org or visit at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lutea.org/
Blessings during our seasons of change and transformation. May we understand more of our environmental relatives' teachings and learn to accept our place with them on Mother Earth.
