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| Photo by John Towner |
Spring Greetings and blessings. I know we’ve been underway in our 2023 spring season. However, Mother Earth and her nature ensemble have kept us here in California in seasonal suspense. We are slowly being introduced to a new season in far north coastal California country. However, Spring Equinox came and went without too much notice as our days have been a continuum of winter with a few clouds parting enabling us to catch some moments with our grand relative the sun. We are still waiting for more.
Many cultures across the globe observe vernal equinox as a major eventful day. Ancient celebrations in the east, in particular Nowruz in Iran, have been a practise for 3000 years, perhaps stemming from Babylonian traditions. In India is the Vishnu spring festivals. In the far east, such as Japan, Shubun is the spring celebration. Also, is the Korean Cherry blossom festival. Maslenitsa is a major observance that is associated with Easter in Russia and the Ukraine, even with snow presence there are always festivities. Christians observe Easter to herald in Spring, and the emergence of blooms activates an awareness of the season’s change, i.e. tulip festivals in Norway and Canada and Lavender festivals in France. All this excitement is the honoring of an actual new year on the planet alongside all our relatives (plant, animal, mineral, and human).
For my indigenous ancestral relatives, we awaited the wild strawberries on the hills in north central California. Actually, the timing of the strawberry emergence was typically late April, early May. Thus true spring for my ancestors was about a month after the logistical Equinox. I was told the hills would glisten with carpets of red berries. Today, we either grow them in our own gardens or purchase them at the market. However, before my community celebrants could eat them, we held the annual strawberry ceremonies and festival. During the ceremony, we were each given a strawberry towards the end of the ceremony and then the festivities and feasting began. The strawberry represented the emergence of a new life and the promise of a new life within all of us. So no matter what was of loss or unhappiness in the past that we traversed through the winter, we started over with a new chance in life in the spring. For my ancestors, this is the power of the East, the energy of spring. A new beginning and birth to a new life of beauty and joyfulness.
When I speak of energy, that energy is the Life Force residing in and upon Mother Earth. Without that mysterious (my ancestors so honored with deep respect "the Divine") gift of Mother Earth we would have no ability to live. I understand scientists are scrambling to find other planets to sustain us human once we finish using up our Earth's resources and gifts. What I do not understand is why do we humans not take care of the perfect place that beautifully and naturally offers everything we need to survive as well as thrive? Or as my ancestors called Hinaak Towis Hennak, To live a good life. We all could live a very good life here with no lack for anyone "if" we could hold this Divine mystery sacred.
The spirit of the mother, and her divine right as a woman to bring forth and support life is a great mystery. My ancestors held the highest position in our community for the women. Our women's bodies are sacred. Yes, there are scientific methods for growing test-tube babies. However, the fetus can not emerge into the world as a human being without living within the miraculous nurturing womb to be given the blessings of a human being. No one can replace our women and the gifts they bestow upon humanity. These gifts are not just a body to incubate our offspring. There is an ability to nurture, love, care and to even sacrifice the ego for the wellbeing of others. I also believe that the spirit of the women's nurturing body and its connection to the life force of the planet as well as the emerging spirit of the child with its first breath, all are in sync to produce life together. Yes, we all have choice and we can go against such attributes. Nonetheless, I am so very grateful that many women have chosen to support the sacred aspects of their gender. I am also grateful that celebrating our mothers continues to take place in our exoteric colonial secularized society unbeknowest of its deepest profound mystery.
From an Indigenous perspective, I advocate that our mothers, and the women of our race are to be cherished and loved. We do not understand the mystery of our lives coming into this world. Yes, we may have on an esoteric consciousness to chose to come into this world on a certain day, and time and year to certain parents and place. However, no matter how powerful we may think we are, we are not the sole participants in creating our experience on our planet Earth. There are the mysteries of others and their journey and their willingness to come together with the force of life that comes into alignment with the life force of all involved. I find it an amazing journey, mystery and wondrous realization that we are here, now on this amazingly beautiful and magnificent planet that we can call home.
On Mother's Day I pray we acknowledge our beautiful home on Mother Earth. Do a blessing, be with her, and most importantly learn to honor each other, and our blessedness of being a part of humanity as we know it.
My indigenous Eldes have told many stories that align with prophesy. One is that our Mother Earth will be here a long time, long after we all are gone. However, human beings have not been here on Mother Earth as long as our other brothers and sisters in the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms. There have been other types of races, perhaps similar to humans. But they did not last long as well because they did not honor and care first for the planet, or each other but rather foremost themselves. How do we learn to change from our egocentric selves?
Come back to Earth, the Great mystery and the blessed honor of the mother.
Muyye Weyya
Diveena
PS: My first powwow I attended in my California homelands brought in by outside Native Americans. (California Indigenous peoples did not do powwows or publically danced). However, things change and if it is fun, why not? We did not eat fried bread either. However, at that first powwow, fried bread was sold in concessions with strawberries and whipped cream. We easily included fried bread in that context. Try it sometime.
