I am working for Creation. I refuse to be part of its destruction. My
people, the Wulustukyeg, believe that each generation has it within
their power to either preserve or destroy our Earth Mother. The present
generation has done a very bad job of preserving and passing on the
sacred trust of remembering, honouring, respecting and protecting our
Earth Mother. But do not allow this fact to deter you in living that
sacred trust.
In the beginning our homeland, Turtle Island (North America), was a
paradise on Earth and it remained so until 1492. This is when our
paradise on Earth began to be disrespected, denigrated, diminished and
destroyed. The primary destructive force that our European brothers
brought to our homeland and which continues its destructive process
today is what has come to be known as the competitive free market
economy. This is what I call the Petrie dish paradigm - the progress and
development paradigm. One that will eventually destroy Mother Earth and
everything that lives upon her - including the two leggeds.
The Petrie dish mentality is simply what happens when bacteria in a
Petrie dish are permitted to consume, pollute and foul the Petrie dish
environment to its logical and eventual self-destruction.
When one looks at what has been done in the past 500 years to our
Turtle Island and all of her resources, including human, in the name of
progress and development, then one cannot help but see the destructive
force of the so-called free market economy. This destructive force can
only take and take and devour - it cannot give back.
Like bacteria in a petrie dish, the so-called free market economy is
hardwired to self destruct. Once it has devoured everything in its path,
it will then turn on itself because that is all that it knows: to
devour, destroy, kill and make war. This only leaves death and
destruction in its wake. Since such a destructive paradigm is without
neither heart nor feelings it is neither responsible for nor accountable
to the Ancestors, the People, the Seventh Generation nor Mother Earth.
Co-operative paradigms
My people's paradigm, the one that preserved our paradise on Earth,
was one of respectful relationships with Great Creator, Mother Earth and
all of Creation. It is a paradigm of living in co-operation with all of
Creation and being accountable to the Seventh Generation, as opposed to
the bottom line.
(Photo: Jean-Paul LeBlanc)
Is the common ground that our people are searching for to be within
the paradigm of respect and co-operation or is it to be within the
paradigm of competition and destruction? If it's to be the paradigm of
co-operation then the break from the paradigm of competition must be
total and complete. As I see it, in order for one to break completely
from the paradigm that is destroying our Earth Mother and in turn human
kind, one must first recognize, acknowledge and accept that one is, in
actual fact, locked away within the prison/paradigm of their own making.
These are the words of the Ancestors: We can change things if we are
aware, if we pay attention to how we live and treat others. All we have
to do is show respect.
There are so many fearful, angry and selfish people today. It is
important that everybody gives up being so selfish. When we share the
things we have with others then everyone will be taken care of. You
cannot take care of yourself if you are taking from others. It will come
back on you. The more bad you give out the more you will get back. If
you give good, you get good back because it is all a circle.
There is enough money to make sure that no one is hungry and that no
one is without shelter. This too will be hard to achieve because of all
the greed. Greed is destroying what is sacred to us - our sacred Mother
Earth! She must become sacred to all human beings because it is she who
nurtures and sustains all of life.
Ceremonies
We are all Creator's people. We still have our ceremonies to honour
Creator. All peoples have their ceremonies. I tell everyone who asks,
that they can find their ceremonies if they use the "good
mind." Great Creator still speaks to all peoples on Earth. She will
speak to you. One has to listen. You can't hear from just reading or
watching television. You have to return to your circle. That may be hard
because your forefathers may have covered your circle with confusion.
Clear that away and there will be your ceremonies.
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(Photo: Native Youth Magazine)
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We still have our ceremonies to honour
Creator. |
Now is the time for everyone to honour Great Creator and honour
himself or herself by remembering their ceremonies. They must listen to
the good voice inside of themselves and join together in one voice by
using the "good mind".
We are still here
Now we must join with the indigenous peoples and all peoples around
the world in respect for all life. We can do this by showing that we are
stronger than all the forces that have tried to separate and remove us
from Mother Earth. Everybody needs to know that life is sacred; and that
we are staying put. We will not be angry but determined. We will not be
ruled by our hatred. Nothing will make us be filled with fear or hatred.
Politicians have no power over us. The corporations don't have power
over us. Not even the government, unless and until we choose to give
over our power to them. Now we all must join together and know how
strong we are. Great Creator promised that if we followed the original
instructions then she would take care of us. She has proved that by the
fact that people are still here. Also, our Earth Mother continues to fulfill
her responsibilities. So, we are still here and our children will be
following us. No one can stop the generations.
The important issue is how will we live?
Will we live in fear and do
as the authorities tell us and give us nothing in return? Or will we be
strong enough to unite for the good of everybody?
And for the Seventh
Generation?
I say we will!
We are now coming together with all our brothers and sisters all over
the world. You may not be seeing it yet but it is happening. None of us
are going to be victims anymore.
Great Creator made everything equal. Human beings are the same to
Creator as every other living thing.
Creator gave human beings the sacred responsibility to watch out for
the rest of Her creation. This makes us the guardians. But look at what
we've done. Instead of being the Guardians, some people have learned how
to destroy because of greed. The animals and fish and the birds don't do
that, they just go on with their duties.
So we've got to help change people's minds in order to get them to
protect the land so that the Seventh Generation will have some place to
live.
The Circle
Human beings don't know all things. Each one is given a different
ability. Some know some things and others know other things. No one
knows it all. That is why we need each other. When we come together we
can know more things. That's what participating in ceremonies is all
about. When we are together in the circle we are one. As one we can be
more in "the knowing". In the circle we get closer to Great
Creator and those different abilities unite for the good of us all. This
is when everything becomes possible.
The woman is like Mother Earth. She brings life. If you hurt her you
are going against Great Creator and cutting life down. You have to have
man and woman for children to come into the world.
The woman knows how to take care of the life of the children. Man
doesn't know as much. He doesn't pay attention to how to help them grow
and learn. The woman understands things that the man never learned. She
can make decisions on what is best for the welfare of everybody. Men are
prone to rush into things like war. The woman can think things out in a
slower more thoughtful manner because she is closer to Mother Earth.
We know that nothing is impossible with Creator. Great Creator gave
us Her abilities and she spread them around among us. This was so that
each one of us would use our ability for good.
Creator also wanted us to realize that we had come together in the
circle so that we could sense just how powerful She is. When we're in
that circle and living with it in our hearts great things happen every
day that cannot be easily explained. She gave us the circle so that we
can benefit from being one with Her and one with each other.
Seventh Generation
It is a privilege to walk upon our Earth Mother. We should walk in
such a way so as to never leave our footprints. That will protect Mother
Earth for generations to come. What will the Seventh Generation do when
they come to find that our Earth Mother will not provide for them
because of what we did? Maybe they wouldn't be able to live long enough
to clean up the mess we made just so they could have a place to live.
Think about how sad you would be if you knew your grandchildren suffered
because of what you did.
Are we to be the generation that allows that final and irrevocable
break in the sacred hoop of life; in the complete break with and from
the Ancestors (past) from the people (present) and the Seventh
Generation (the future)?
Or are we to be the generation that begins the
process of healing and mending the sacred hoop of life through our
return to the traditional teachings?
What I would like to share and pass on to the next generation:
- that
we are all related - that we are all one
- that we are all connected
- that the earth is our mother
- that we all need to honour her, respect
her, love her and protect her
- for this is what she does for each and
every one of us that we need to love one another or die
This is the way of the People. These are the teachings of the
Ancestors. This is our legacy to the Seventh Generation.
All My Relations
All we have
to do is show respect 
