Much has been written about native beliefs and the way we native people worship. It has kept many an anthropologist, sociologist, social-psychologist, and many of the other Ologists busy for some time studying and probing our native psyches and collective awarenesses, trying to find out who we are, what we were, and whether or not they could ever accept us, and incorporate us into their melting pot of America. Many other cultural groups have been studied with the same scrutiny and expediency and have been accepted, to varying degrees; the Irish, Italians, Polish, Jews, Scottish, Germans, Russians, and the Blacks have been grudgingly accepted into various parts of Corporate America only through their sheer tenacity and confrontive personalities, but are still viewed as unacceptable in White social circles. For example, salt and pepper relationships, as they are often called, are still frowned upon, and the black who uses his/her political or economic clout to gain access into White mainstream organizations or social clubs, is only grudgingly accepted. The Native American has not tried to climb the social ladders or achieve any social prominence, even if they attain any degree of status in the entertainment industry, which has grudgingly admitted them in as actors and actresses. At one time, they were only included as extras, stuntmen, and technical advisors, and even then, some White expert had the final say over what they might advance. In short, most Native Americans do not seem to be too concerned about being accepted into White America, and generally have no interest in joining….
The subject of our religious beliefs have been a matter of study for some time now and folks who have made the efforts to explore the tenets of our religious ideals and ways, are still in doubt as to what we are, who we truly are, and who we worship. Linguists have added to the studies and even though many have learned various languages among us, they too, are still in limbo, as to what our languages encompass and who we address. From the early Jesuits and other religious leaders who sought to understand us through our languages, much data has been accumulated and translated, in an attempt to incorporate us into their religious scheme of things, to evangelize, and convert us. All of these efforts have not met with much success, as we still have scores of Native People who insist upon worshipping in their own way, and following their own teachings, and since the 1950’s, there has been a resurgence of Native People finding their own religious roots
I want to share some things with you this afternoon about my language. We have no word for culture, nor do we have a word for tradition, or traditional, or for that matter, Indian. In fact, many of the words we take for granted, which the linguists and others have told us mean, don’t really mean that at all. If we took the time to examine many of the definitions of various words from the Potawatomi tongue and saw what they mean in the literal context, we would be surprised. Our language is sacred, it is what we were given to bless God and man, as well as all of creation. It is what our Creator gave us to speak with Him/Her. Even the words we utter, which supposedly refer to our concept of God, do not refer to a Him, but could mean Her.
The linguists, bless their souls, mean well, but have taken over just like the early religious leaders of their time did, the Jesuits and others who came to convert us, and now mean to tell us what our words and language mean. These people, with all their military might, couldn’t conquer us, could not break us, nor could they defeat that Neshnabé spirit of us, that kept searching for its own, and eventually found its way through the various ceremonies our elders and spiritual people kept alive for us. We had prophecies told us in that magical, mystical language of ours, that was meant for this time and day, which foretold of the rise of the Native People once again. Though many of them searched our ways and language, they neglected to ascribe truth, wisdom, understanding and prudence to what they discovered about our language. Our language contained it all, if only they had been receptive to what they saw and sometimes heard, through the various elders who faithfully told them what they could.
We don’t need linguists, priests, rabbis, ministers, senators, congressmen, social workers, judges, lawyers, their teachers, or anyone else to tell us what our language contains for us. We need to return to our own ways and we need to recognize the wisdom of our elders, stop giving it lip service, but really respect them for who they are, what they are, and what they know, about our language and all it has to say to us today.
Iw énajmoyan ngom……kyét nam épich mno wéndem édazgenjénéyan ode neshnabé zhechkéwen mine ode neshnabé méndokaswenen mine i neshnabé zheshmowen.
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I love a people who have always made me welcome to the best they had.
I love a people who are honest without laws, who have no jails and no poorhouses.
I love a people who keep the commandments without ever having read them or heard them preached from the pulpit.
I love a people who never swear, who never take the name of God in vain.
I love a people who love their neighbors as they love themselves.
I love a people who worship god without a bible, for I believe that God loves them also.
I love a people whose religion is all the same, and who are free from religious animosities.
I love a people who have never raised a hand against me, or stolen my property, where there was no law to punish for either.
I love a people who have never fought a battle with white men, except on their own ground.
I love and don’t fear mankind where God has made and left them, for there they are children.
I love a people who live and keep what is their own without locks and keys.
I love a people who do the best they can.
And oh, how I love a people who don’t live for the love of money!
Geroge Catlin (1796-1872)
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