In the Name of the Beloved I AM Presence, Beloved St Germain, Beloved Krishna and Portia, Beloved Jesus and Kuthumi and Beloved El Morya. Let my words be like an arrow of love, wisdom and power that penetrates the hearts and minds of torch bearers everywhere
On Abundance
I Am free from fear and doubt casting want and misery out knowing now that all supply ever comes from realms on high. I Am the hand of God's own fortune flooding forth treasures of light now receiving full abundance to receive every need of life. The issue of abundance is an issue of us realizing our own fortune, the fortune within us. This sounds cliché and you have heard it before. But each and every child of God has a fortune of wealth that can be accessed when we call the I AM Presence and direct that power in our lives.
How do we do it. First look at the two verses from El Morya's Violet flame decree. He writes I AM free from fear and doubt. Fear and faith cannot occupy the same space. We are not building our faith on blind belief but on spiritual principles and experiences that are experienced one victory and one success at a time.
We are slowly building up a MOMENTUM OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, LITTLE VICTORIES AND THEN BIGGER VICTORIES. When we meditate it must be a meditation and prayer that consumes and transmutes all states of mind that are not positive, inspiring, uplifting and directing us to our God nature.. I AM That I AM. So now we can also use our DECREES to help us in our daily attunement. The Bible says we have the power to decree a thing and make it so.
"I AM the law of forgiveness and consuming flame that annihilates all enharmonious action back to my first embodiment."
"I Am the fullfilment of all my needs and the requirements of every hour."
These are two decrees I love so much and I use them effectively everytime the negative energy or thoughts of lack and limitation try to invade, bambozzle or trick my conscious awareness.
Action
Now the inner work has been done. The decrees have been said. Write down what activities you need to do. Write down you goals. Read them in the morning and before bed. Keep them close, in your pocket, wallet or purse, and tell no one unless that person is directly involved in your completing them. For when we tell people often this will dissipate the energy of fulfillment. Visualize, Visualize and visualize yourself doing it. I cannot say enough about this portion. For over the years I have heard this litany, but until now it was not the soul of my being. It works. I never thought I could do web development. Now I have a my own company and a team of web developers to assist me. I have made almost $2000 without even advertizing since starting last summer.
See my site http://www.techknologysoft.com/
Last verse
I AM the Hand of God in Action gaining victory every day. My pure soul's great satisfaction is to walk the Middle Way. We must do the inner work and we must act. As Ayanla Vanzant says, and I paraphrase, "We must allow the challenges of life to move through us and not just happen to us" The Middle Way is the way of balance. We are in the world but not of it. We have families, jobs and livelihoods and we must allow time for play and exercise. So now you have the a Great Secret of the Law of Attraction from the path of the Ascended Masters. Next time I will visit the Spirit of Praise and Worship
Peace Atiba
Posted by The Revealing Way
Sunday, January 31, 2010
RESPONSE TO EVIL
“Tame the beast within you, and the beast within others will see its doom.” Gregory E. Woods
A Thought
photo: meteor-Earth passes through debris left by Halley's Comet
"What is to give light must endure burning." ~ VIKTOR FRANKL
A CHRISTIAN STORY
CHURCH FOLK & SNOW
“The snow sheep is a well adapted mountain dweller- extremely agile and nimble, and able to move quickly over steep uneven terrain.".....unhindered by the weather and on his way to church, I imagine.”
Vanessa Renee Williams, singer
“If I am following your train of thought you are poking at the shallowness of commitment the average Christian holds within them. In the wild these creatures do travel to places of meditation expressing deep reverence to the Spirit of Life. Unlike the average American who has the high advantages of life wild animals make their way in any weather where they need to go for nourishment and nurturing of body and spirit.” - Gregory E. Woods
MARILYN MONROE
Marilyn Monroe said, "Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." — Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn: Her Life in Her Own Words)
Coyote Helps Create Man – Navajo
In the beginning Great Grandfather Spirit had just finished creating the Earth and all the animals, and he felt pleased with his creations. After some time the animals fought each other over which of them would be leader of all the other animals.
Coyote was not into fighting. He asked Grandfather Spirit to make a man and a woman to rule over all the animals of the earth. Grandfather Spirit loved the idea and went to work on the man and woman right away. Grandfather Spirit was having a hard time coming up with an image to make man and woman in. Coyote came to him to see how the creations were coming. When he saw Grandfather Spirit having trouble with man and woman, Coyote with all his magic turned himself into a man. When the creator saw this, he thanked Coyote and went to work the man in the image Coyote showed him. Once he created man out of the Earth he then blew life into man and man came to life. Grandfather Spirit told man the he will make man a mate. Grandfather Spirit started making an image that looked exactly like the man.
Coyote said, “No, No, No!” Grandfather Man won't find a woman who looks like this attractive. Here is how a woman should look like."
Coyote transformed himself into an image of a woman. Grandfather Spirit studied this image and went to work on creating woman out of the earth. When done the woman looked just like the image of the woman that Coyote showed the Creator. Grandfather Spirit then blow life into the woman and man and creator said this was good. The Creator told Man and Woman that they are now the new leaders of the land and to treat the Earth and all who dwell on it like family because they all come from Mother Earth. Grandfather Spirit thanked Coyote for his help and to show his thanks he gave Coyote the more magical powers then any other animal. -From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories.
Coyote was not into fighting. He asked Grandfather Spirit to make a man and a woman to rule over all the animals of the earth. Grandfather Spirit loved the idea and went to work on the man and woman right away. Grandfather Spirit was having a hard time coming up with an image to make man and woman in. Coyote came to him to see how the creations were coming. When he saw Grandfather Spirit having trouble with man and woman, Coyote with all his magic turned himself into a man. When the creator saw this, he thanked Coyote and went to work the man in the image Coyote showed him. Once he created man out of the Earth he then blew life into man and man came to life. Grandfather Spirit told man the he will make man a mate. Grandfather Spirit started making an image that looked exactly like the man.
Coyote said, “No, No, No!” Grandfather Man won't find a woman who looks like this attractive. Here is how a woman should look like."
Coyote transformed himself into an image of a woman. Grandfather Spirit studied this image and went to work on creating woman out of the earth. When done the woman looked just like the image of the woman that Coyote showed the Creator. Grandfather Spirit then blow life into the woman and man and creator said this was good. The Creator told Man and Woman that they are now the new leaders of the land and to treat the Earth and all who dwell on it like family because they all come from Mother Earth. Grandfather Spirit thanked Coyote for his help and to show his thanks he gave Coyote the more magical powers then any other animal. -From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories.
COOKING
There are great distinctions between Palestinian women and American women. The similarities stop within the war torn sectors within the hearts of Palestinian women, and the perpetual moaning of their grief burying child after child after child. As Israel justifies their apartheid system over Palestine in the language of the Nazi Party, and the former South African government, and the spiritual teachings of the old American system of Neo-Slavery known better as the days of Jim Crow laws public opinion in the United States becomes more and more isolated from its truths, and settles more comfortably into the contradictions of Christianity practiced today and the luxury of playing with words, and their meanings.
Americans like to sit with the detachment video games afford and play with the meanings of words like torture, and seriously think those discussions will lessen or alleviate the physical pain of torture, and by re-defining it removes the moral responsibility for our actions. When President Bush insured his soldiers would not suffer their presence in any international court for crimes committed during war that supported an American paradigm that justifies itself with war. Our culture has deadened the sacredness of lives, gender, and children to a depth of indifference to the outcomes of our beliefs. It is frightening seeing, and understanding this within the wombs of women who condone Israeli's treatment of Palestine's women, and American men already baffled by the complexities of their women. Failing to see the wisdom of listening to Mothers the meaning of Palestine's women who are willing to strap bombs, pregnant or not, to their bodies escapes us to our shame and discredit. Is there a difference between Palestine's women and American women? -Gregory E. Woods, January 07, 2009
Saturday, January 30, 2010
WHO ARE YOU ALIVE?
“Identity is unique, and unable to be anymore than how we define ourselves, and see ourselves in the world.” –Gregory E. Woods
Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010
Robert Roy Britt
Editorial Director
SPACE.com Robert Roy Britt
editorial Director http://www.space.com/ Fri Jan 29, 7:45 am ET
Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon. This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.
But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works: The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles (50,000 km) closer than the other.
So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year. continue. . .
The moon has relationship with the Indians Americans learn to not see. Our ancestors still dance in the cold nights of this moon. Because Americans cannot hear the dances continue along the circles of original intent to balance the Earth, and her life forms." -Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of the Sacred Medicine Wheel
Editorial Director
SPACE.com Robert Roy Britt
editorial Director http://www.space.com/ Fri Jan 29, 7:45 am ET
But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works: The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles (50,000 km) closer than the other.
So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year. continue. . .
"It is 2010 and America writes, thinks, and acts as if the hundreds of sovereign nations within the United States do not exist, and speak in past tense about Indians this and Indians that. Walking home last night the moon called me in a loud distinctive voice. I looked up as I came out of the subway into the face of a large moon waving clouds from her face as she focused her attention on me. I smiled thinking of the number of times I have sat in the forest, alone, in front of a fire comforted by our relationship and the many secrets she has shared with me all the years of my life. The moon teaches from the darkness when she isn’t visible to the eye, and as a young man trying to learn how she set time she taught my spirit guiding my body through the dark forest teeming with wildlife through the veils layering the dark with revelations, and enticing stories that pulled me beyond my fears into the darkest places to sit still, alone.
The moon has relationship with the Indians Americans learn to not see. Our ancestors still dance in the cold nights of this moon. Because Americans cannot hear the dances continue along the circles of original intent to balance the Earth, and her life forms." -Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of the Sacred Medicine Wheel
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Adventures of Old Man ~ Blackfoot
As Old Man was traveling along, he saw a rock, and said, "Now I shall give you this robe." So he took off his robe and put it over the rock. Now Old Man was traveling with his little brother the Fox, and as they went on it began to look like rain, so Old Man sent his little brother back to get the robe. But when Fox came to the rock, and said that Old Man sent him for the robe because it was going to rain, the Rock said, "No, he gave it to me." Then Fox returned, and reported to Old Man. This made Old Man very mad. He hurried back to the rock, and jerked off the robe, saying, "You have been here many years without a robe, and now you will not give it back to me when I need it." Then Old Man went on. Presently he heard thunder. After a time Fox looked back and saw the rock rolling after them. Then they began to run. They ran as fast as they could. Presently Old Man saw some buffalo-bulls, and called on them for help. The bulls tried to stop the rock, but they were crushed. Then Old Man saw some bears, and called to them for help, but the bears could not stop the rock. Then Old Man saw some night-hawks, and called out to them for help. Then the night-hawks flew down, and each time they came near the rock they discharged their flatus, causing pieces to fly off. Finally the rock was broken to pieces, and from the inside came a bear and a bull [buffalo]. Now old Man came to a river where he saw some young night-hawks in a nest. "Oh, yes!" said he, "it was your father and mother who spoiled all my fun. They broke to pieces the rock that was chasing me. Now I shall tear your mouths." So he widened their mouths. When the old birds came back, the young ones told them what Old Man had said. So they pursued him. When they overtook him, they circled around and defecated over him.
As Old Man ran to escape them, he met a man with leggings made of calf-skin. Old Man called out to him for help. Now those leggings were medicine, and the owner caused them to make a fire, which frightened the night-hawks away. Then the two men sat down. Old Man said," Stranger, give me your leggings." "Well," said the man, "I will give them to you in winter. You will not need them in summer." Old Man insisted, and finally the man said he would give them to him after a while. "Well," said Old Man, "I am going over to the lodges you see yonder."
Now when Old Man came to the lodges, he said to the people, "Let us have a game." (This is a game in which the players move in a row. The leader carries a stick one end of which is on fire, and he strikes the stick, causing the sparks to fly around.) Now in this game Old Man led, and carried the stick. The people who were playing were deer and elk people. Then Old Man suggested that they play another game, "Wherever the leader goes." [In this game the players all follow the leader.] They played this until night. Finally they came to a very high bank. Now Old Man played a trick. He said, "Wait!" and crept down at another place; then, running up to the foot of the cliff, called out, "You have not heard me for a while because I have been laughing. I found a nice soft place when I jumped down." So all the animals jumped down and were killed. There were some females among them about to become mothers, who begged Old Man to be allowed to go. At last he granted their request.
Then Old Man dried the meat and kept it. After it was all eaten up, he traveled on again. Finally he came to a place where some squirrels were playing at a game. The squirrels would be covered up by one of them with hot ashes. Old Man asked them to let him play, but they declined. At length they agreed. Finally Old Man requested that he be allowed to cover them all up at once. Now there was one female squirrel who was about to become a mother, and she begged so pitifully of Old Man to let her go, that he consented. As he did so he said, "I will do this that there may be more squirrels in the world." Then he covered all the squirrels with the ashes, and when they became too hot, they called out to be uncovered; but Old Man paid no attention to this. So they died. Then Old Man brought some red willows and made a scaffold upon which to put his meat. Hence, the red willow is greasy to this day. When he had put all the squirrels out on the scaffold, he began to eat. Finally he could eat no more, but there were still many squirrels left. Now he went to sleep, and said to his anus, "If any one comes along, you make a noise and wake me up." So, whenever a bird or an insect came along, the anus made a noise, waking Old Man. This made him tired. Finally he was so sound asleep that he did not waken when the noise was made. Then a lynx came. He soon found the squirrels, and began to eat them.
Now when Old Man awoke, he was hungry, but found his meat gone. Then he was very angry. So he followed the tracks of the lynx, and soon found him sleeping on a flat stone. He caught the lynx, and tried to tear him in two by pulling on his front and hind legs, but did not succeed. Then he banged his nose on the rock, so that the lynx has a flat nose even to this day. Then he pulled out a bunch of hair from the pubes, and put it on the nose of the lynx for whiskers. Now Old Man was mad at his anus for all this. So he took a stick from the fire and rubbed it. This wood smells bad to this day.
Then Old Man started out but the bum was painful and he went up on a hill that the wind might fan it. There was no wind, so he rolled buffalo- chips down the hill in order to produce wind. At last the wind began to blow very hard, and he was carried along, bouncing up and down. He caught hold of bushes and trees, but none of them were strong enough to hold him. At last he caught hold of the birch. This did not break, but held him bouncing up and down. When the wind went down. Old Man was very angry. He scolded the birch for being so strong. Then he took out his knife and slashed the bark. [The cause of the markings on the bark.]
Now the man who promised the leggings to Old Man came with them. He said, "You must not use them every day. Do not put them on unless you want to set things on fire. Wear them on the ice, and when you are hungry, dance and sing, and up will come food. But you must not do these things often." Old Man paid no attention to what was said, took the leggings, put them on, and began to dance, and when he did so they took fire; so he took them off as quickly as he could, and gave them back to their owner.
At this time the women and the men were not married, and Old Man came to a place where the women were going to pick out husbands. Old Man stood among the men, but no one picked him out. This took place in a buffalo-drive. When Old Man found that he had not been chosen, he was very angry. He began to tear down the cliff; then he turned into a pine-tree, and has been there ever since.
Anthropological Papers American Museum of Natural History, Vol. II, 1908
Submitted by Wolf Walker. From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories.
HEALING from the perspsective of Boricuan Born Minerva
"Our body consist of many parts, we hear, we think, we make decisions and for that your mind needs to be learning something new every day. Healing is a process that we go through every day. Every day one goes through different circumstances and experiences that might make us change our mind. So as long as your heart is opened every day to take and accept changes, every day you are healing yourself." - Minerva
an AMERICAN PILE OF SHIT
And the people said, “Change is good!”
Then he said, “We are going to tax the rich fat-cats,”…
And the people said “Sock it to them, and redistribute their wealth.”
And the people said, “Show me the money!”
And then he said, “Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody”
And Joe the plumber said, are you kidding me?”
And Joe’s personal records were hacked and publicized.
And one lone reporter asked, “Isn’t that Marxist policy?”
And she was banished from the kingdom!
Then someone asked, “With no foreign relations experience, how will you deal with radical terrorists?”
And the Pied Piper said, “Simple. I’ll sit down and talk with them and show them how nice we really are and they’ll forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!”
Then the Pied Piper said, “I’ll give 95% of you lower taxes.”
And one, lone voice said, “But 40% of us don’t pay ANY taxes.”
So the Pied Piper said, “Then I’ll give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!”
And the people said, “Show me the money!”
Then the Pied Piper said, “I’ll tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!”
And the people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed.
And he said, “I’ll mandate employer- funded health care for EVERY worker and raise the minimum wage.”
And the people said, “Gim’me some of that!”
Then he said, “I’ll penalize employers who ship jobs overseas.”
And the people said, “Where’s my rebate check?”
Then the Pied Piper actually said, “I’ll bankrupt the coal industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!”
And the people said, “Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don’t care for that part about higher electric rates.” So the Pied Piper said, “Not to worry. If your rebate isn’t enough to cover your expenses, we’ll bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!” Then he said, “Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let’s grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual signs and guaranteed housing.”
And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and went out of business and the economy slowed even further. Then the Pied Piper said, “I am the Messiah and I’m here to save you! We’ll just print more money so everyone will have enough!” But our foreign trading partners said, “Wait a minute. Your dollar isn’t worth what it was. You’ll have to pay more.”
And the people said, “Wait a minute. That’s not fair!”
And the world said, “Neither are these other, idiotic programs you’ve embraced. You’ve become a Socialist state and a second-rate power. Now you’ll play by our rules!”
And the people said, “What have we done?”
But it was too late.
If you think this is a fairy tale, open your eyes and ears. It’s happening RIGHT NOW! -Author unknown
photo by Apparition Photography
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
WISDOM KEEPERS: between friends
Gregory, This note to you is long in coming, but took time to cook in my head. I found this story for you:
"A native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said 'I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one.' The grandson asked him, 'Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?' The grandfather answered: 'The one I feed." Native American Story
I think I like this quote because it speaks to what I want to say. You are a wonderful teacher. I know this. I know this, because with your help I fed apart of myself that I
didn't even know was hungry. Thank you. You have my sincerest wish for harmony and truth with your group work and with your inner work. My best to your wife and family. Yours, Adele
Adele, I have been learning a great deal about doing ceremony with my white relatives. This is new for me. I am wide-eyed with questions, like a child. It is an ever evolving story. Thank you for working and sharing with me, Adele. You are good teacher for this 'Indio negro'. I have been learning new things about myself, my fears, and my prejudices from this Circle. Soon I will learn how to articulate these insights on paper and in person with others in a larger forum. ~Flaco (October 6, 2004)
"A native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said 'I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one.' The grandson asked him, 'Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?' The grandfather answered: 'The one I feed." Native American Story
I think I like this quote because it speaks to what I want to say. You are a wonderful teacher. I know this. I know this, because with your help I fed apart of myself that I
didn't even know was hungry. Thank you. You have my sincerest wish for harmony and truth with your group work and with your inner work. My best to your wife and family. Yours, Adele
Adele, I have been learning a great deal about doing ceremony with my white relatives. This is new for me. I am wide-eyed with questions, like a child. It is an ever evolving story. Thank you for working and sharing with me, Adele. You are good teacher for this 'Indio negro'. I have been learning new things about myself, my fears, and my prejudices from this Circle. Soon I will learn how to articulate these insights on paper and in person with others in a larger forum. ~Flaco (October 6, 2004)
a CREATION STORY
How the First Stories Came Out of the Earth
"A man returning from hunting found a curious hole in the ground. He looked into it and somebody spoke to him. The hunter asked who it was. But the thing did not tell him, only said it was a grandfather (grandfather was how many tribes once addressed a Lenape): "If anyone wishes to hear stories, let them come here and roll in a little tobacco or a bead, and I will tell them a story." So the people came. And that is the beginning of the stories which we do not know are true or not. This grandfather told them never to tell stories after it begins to get warm in the spring. "If you do," he said, "the snakes, bugs, and all kinds of little creatures will get after you." -From the Archives of Blue Panther
"A man returning from hunting found a curious hole in the ground. He looked into it and somebody spoke to him. The hunter asked who it was. But the thing did not tell him, only said it was a grandfather (grandfather was how many tribes once addressed a Lenape): "If anyone wishes to hear stories, let them come here and roll in a little tobacco or a bead, and I will tell them a story." So the people came. And that is the beginning of the stories which we do not know are true or not. This grandfather told them never to tell stories after it begins to get warm in the spring. "If you do," he said, "the snakes, bugs, and all kinds of little creatures will get after you." -From the Archives of Blue Panther
CHURCH
"It is difficult for a child to see himself or herself as an adult. It is hard for an adolescence to envision old age. It is even more difficult to understand someone out growing the church if they have never made the ascension from belief to knowing."
~ Gregory E. Woods, (December 3, 2003)
~ Gregory E. Woods, (December 3, 2003)
CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
There is a light within sorcery. Its testimony is throughout the Bible. But the darkness of sorcery is conjured within children abandoned. Abandoned children can, and too often enter into a relationship with an Untrue Mind in the East of this Wheel, and sadly follow the dark sun’s journey South, West, and North into Greed, Envy, and Spiritual Materialism. That is bad enough but if things go too far an abandoned child can fall between Greed and Envy becoming Dark Sorcerers.
– Gregory E. Woods, (Alowan Chanteh Inyan Wichasha)
Keeper of the Sacred Medicine Wheels 2010
mother & son - Army Spc. Alexis Hutchinson 2
FREEDOM
Yolanda Martinez on her 2009 birthday
“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” Henry Ellison
nov. 09, 2009
ZSA ZSA GABOR
Zsa Zsa Gabor was the very first woman famous for being famous. She appeared in movies, and talk shows. In my youth she mystified us with her intangible qualities. You were looking at something but could neither touch it, name it, tame it, or imitate it. She had an accident in the early part of this century that partially paralyzed her and a stroke hit her later, but all most of us remember is the waves of sensation she overwhelmed our senses with throughout her life. She had so many husbands. In the face of conservative thinking she defied a norm, and enchanted America on the Johnny Carson show with glitter and gab and people who, dared not before, but found themselves re-examining their marriages against the glamour of Zsa Zsa Gabor and tried to match her, at least in their dreams.
She is in her 90's now, and it is difficult to see her old. All that is conjured up by her voice is beauty, glamour, and daring. What is recalled is beauty and a concept of power that helped women redefine themselves, and compelled men to re-examine their game, their work ethic, and wonder if they could measure up to the women of their dreams.
-Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
SWEATLODGE CEREMONY 2006
This sweat lodge ceremony changed me and kept me the same.
The Mouse that took the Sweat Lodge down
Heart Song Stone Man, Mother Duck, Bruce and Beaver Woman arrived to greet Lakota Hazie in the mountains one day. Lakota Hazie had come to share her medicine and teach them how to build a sweat lodge for these times. While they dug holes, removed rocks and cut saplings Hawk and Vulture came to visit. Spider and Ant people came to share in the laughter with their insights; their input. Beaver Woman built the Fire Circle. Edward, the Priest came from the city and built a Turtle altar and the Medicine Wheel Lakota Hazie built the lodge upon drew powers to the site.
People came to sweat. In the months to follow the lodge cover stayed on after all of the ceremonies. The lodge was taking on a life force. As the season changed into fall Bear visited the Lodge three times ripping the covering. The short story he told us we did not understand. On the fourth visit he tore it down.
When Heart Song Stone Man cleared the cloths and broken wood mice scattered in many directions and chewed acorns and mummified mouse limbs fell to the ground. Some mice ran back to their homes in the blankets others tried to bury themselves as others ran into the woods All were driven out and away from the circle. When the circle had been cleared Mouse walked into the Circle with a story of his relationship with Bear and Heart Song Stone Man’s inability to hear their story. When Mouse finished his story Heart Song Stone Man realized the Bear was teaching through story and sign the importance of removing the covering between sweats and not providing false hope of a home for Mouse and his people.
It was the Mouse people. Bear could not find the mice in the folds of blankets. Neither his songs, or stories or strength could get the Keepers of the Lodge to remove the coverings! The taunting songs of the mice were ignored by the Keepers so Bear tore the lodge down.
Heart Song Stone Man left a gift with Mouse and was given the vision of the next lodge and never left the covering on after a sweat again.
~ Gregory E. Woods
Keeper of Stories Keeper of Sacred Medicine Wheels
path to sweatlodge @ Wolf Run
GRANDFATHER TEACHING
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later the farmer finally looked down the well.
He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off! The donkey later came back and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.
MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON: When you do something wrong and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.
He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off! The donkey later came back and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.
MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON: When you do something wrong and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.
Monday, January 25, 2010
How Raven Helped The Ancient People – Tulalip
Long ago, near the beginning of the world, Gray Eagle was the guardian of the sun and moon and stars, of fresh water, and of fire. Gray Eagle hated people so much that he kept these things hidden. People lived in darkness, without fire and without fresh water. Gray Eagle had a beautiful daughter, and Raven fell in love with her. At that time Raven was a handsome young man. He changed himself into a snow-white bird, and as a snow-white bird he pleased Gray Eagle's daughter. She invited him to her father's lodge.
When Raven saw the sun and the moon and the stars and fresh water hanging on the sides of Eagle's lodge, he knew what he should do. He watched for his chance to seize them when no one was looking. He stole all of them, and a brand of fire also, and flew out of the lodge through the smoke hole.
As soon a Raven got outside, he hung the sun up in the sky. It made so much light that he was able to fly far out to an island in the middle of the ocean. When the sun set, he fastened the moon up in the sky and hung the stars around in different places. By this new light he kept on flying, carrying with him the fresh water and the brand of fire he had stolen.
He flew back over the land. When he had reached the right place, he dropped all the water he had stolen. It fell to the ground and there became the source of all the fresh-water streams and lakes in the world. Then Raven flew on, holding the brand of fire in his bill. The smoke from the fire blew back over his white feathers and made them black. When his bill began to burn, he had to drop the firebrand. It struck rocks and went into the rocks. That is why, if you strike two stones together, fire will drop out.
Raven's feathers never became white again after they were blackened by the smoke from the firebrand. That is why Raven is now a black bird. - From the Archives of Blue Panther Keeper of Stories
AMERICAN INDIAN CODE OF ETHICS
1. Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray Often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak. 2. Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.
3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.
4. Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.
5. Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.
6. Respect all things that are placed upon this earth - whether it be people plant or animal.
7. Honor other people's thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal expression.
8. Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.
9. All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.
10. Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.
11. Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your worldly family.
12. Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life's lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.
13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.
14. Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this universe.
15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self, and Physical self all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.
16. Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.
17. Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the personal property of others especially sacred and religious objects. This is forbidden.
18. Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.
19. Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.
20. Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.
3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.
4. Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.
5. Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.
6. Respect all things that are placed upon this earth - whether it be people plant or animal.
7. Honor other people's thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal expression.
8. Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.
9. All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.
10. Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.
11. Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your worldly family.
12. Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life's lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.
13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.
14. Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this universe.
15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self, and Physical self all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.
16. Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.
17. Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the personal property of others especially sacred and religious objects. This is forbidden.
18. Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.
19. Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.
20. Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.
ASHLEY JUDD'S MARRIAGE
"I have a deeper respect for Ashley Judd after reading this. It is the deepest thing in life we can do: building and maintaining relationships. After all is said and lived, and we have died people only talk about how we made them feel, and how we loved." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
Jan 25 2010. Posted by Adam
“It was a suggestion from a friend who does it with his wife. Sometimes it’s [she mimics gritting her teeth in annoyance and spits out], ‘I really appreciate…’ But that’s the point of the exercise — even when one is cross, to get some gratitude on board.
“We’ve been together 10 and a half years. We have our eighth anniversary in three weeks.”
(read more...)
ASHLEY JUDD, actress
MARINA SIRTIS
photo: Marina Sirtis actress STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION
"Elegance moves along lines sensed rather than seen; perceived preferably over worship, and within it dwells a puzzling shifting movement above simple ignorant minds who so ache to attain the quality." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
powers within
African-Puerto Rican firestorm ~ Minerva
“Knowledge is power. Self-Knowledge is formidable.”
–Adruma Victoria
–Adruma Victoria
African slaves in America
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” - C. Jung
OBATALA
"Obstacles are the things that you see when you take your sights off of your objective."
- Elaneet Barclay-Jones CLP, Yogini
Sunday, January 24, 2010
BEING INDIAN part 1
BEING INDIAN IS...trying to search for tradition and truths of life when alcoholism and drugs poison the path to the answers.
BEING INDIAN IS...trying to talk to elders about the "old ways" and having them want to talk more about the rising price of cigarettes.
BEING INDIAN IS...going to school when you're young and having the teacher skip over the Indian chapter in the history book.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing others forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
BEING INDIAN IS...having others make jokes about your heritage and culture.
BEING INDIAN IS...living in two worlds.
BEING INDIAN IS...knowing the word, "Indian", is not your true name.
BEING INDIAN IS...being called "Chief" or "Tonto" by patronizing non-Indians.
BEING INDIAN IS...being human, with human thoughts and feelings like your non-Indian brothers and sisters.
BEING INDIAN IS...being constantly on the alert for the government's tactics that will annihilate you and your tribe.
BEING INDIAN IS...holding onto a piece of paper treaty that was signed, but never honored.
BEING INDIAN IS...being told of the ten commandments, but see the white man subscribe to them only when convenient and in his favor.
BEING INDIAN IS...having non-Indians look at a barefoot Indian child that laughs, thinking he or she is poor.
BEING INDIAN IS...knowing alcohol doesn't make you Indian, just drunk.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing elders die and the language & customs with them.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing Mother Earth destroyed by those who don't know Her.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing history books tell you Columbus discovered America.
BEING INDIAN IS...hearing others think all Indians wear war bonnets.
BEING INDIAN IS...having the government treat you like a prisoner of war.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing the government spend billions of dollars abroad,but fail to honor the Indian treaties.
BEING INDIAN IS...sad,
BEING INDIAN IS...hard,
BEING INDIAN IS...crying,
BEING INDIAN IS...laughing,
BEING INDIAN IS...forever!
Copyright 2001 - The NDN Rights Project - All Rights Reserved. For information on linking and usage contact director@ndnrights.org
BEING INDIAN IS...trying to talk to elders about the "old ways" and having them want to talk more about the rising price of cigarettes.
BEING INDIAN IS...going to school when you're young and having the teacher skip over the Indian chapter in the history book.
Native American elder Angaangaq in Berlin with Oona 2009
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing others forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
BEING INDIAN IS...having others make jokes about your heritage and culture.
BEING INDIAN IS...living in two worlds.
BEING INDIAN IS...knowing the word, "Indian", is not your true name.
BEING INDIAN IS...being called "Chief" or "Tonto" by patronizing non-Indians.
BEING INDIAN IS...being human, with human thoughts and feelings like your non-Indian brothers and sisters.
BEING INDIAN IS...being constantly on the alert for the government's tactics that will annihilate you and your tribe.
photo of the Unified Confederation of Taino Nation flag
BEING INDIAN IS...holding onto a piece of paper treaty that was signed, but never honored.
BEING INDIAN IS...being told of the ten commandments, but see the white man subscribe to them only when convenient and in his favor.
BEING INDIAN IS...having non-Indians look at a barefoot Indian child that laughs, thinking he or she is poor.
BEING INDIAN IS...knowing alcohol doesn't make you Indian, just drunk.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing elders die and the language & customs with them.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing Mother Earth destroyed by those who don't know Her.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing history books tell you Columbus discovered America.
BEING INDIAN IS...hearing others think all Indians wear war bonnets.
BEING INDIAN IS...having the government treat you like a prisoner of war.
BEING INDIAN IS...seeing the government spend billions of dollars abroad,but fail to honor the Indian treaties.
BEING INDIAN IS...sad,
BEING INDIAN IS...hard,
BEING INDIAN IS...crying,
BEING INDIAN IS...laughing,
BEING INDIAN IS...forever!
Copyright 2001 - The NDN Rights Project - All Rights Reserved. For information on linking and usage contact director@ndnrights.org
Maturity
Tracy Jo Hamilton
“There is a deep maturity to the beauty in your face, and the set of your eyes is an inward reflection upon outside experiences that shape life, form thought, and feel the ways the soul tugs from one sensational direction towards another one.” - Gregory E. Woods
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A CEREMONIAL APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE IN CANADA
”I want to share a beautiful ceremony of the beauty and power of the Circle.
A baby was born at our hospital a short while ago...but her life would be short...the internal organs were not fully developed. Our indigenous worker asked the mother what she needed. She needed her family and her medicine man from a community up North. Local motels gave them shelter at no cost and our Native Community Group made meals while the family was gathered. Prayers were made in Circle in the Worship Centre while each family member held the child. The physician rearranged day of appointments to be there. Food was set out for the Ancestors. The baby passed over while the mother held her in the Circle.
Uncle has visited the hospital several times and given his blessings to our indigenous committee.
The family said they had never been treated with such kindness in a hospital. He had touched the lives of many people who made this ceremony possible. Yes, the night can blossom...in this intimate assembly.
Migwetch, Niawen, thank you my family.... for teaching me the beauty and power of the Circle in which we all belong.” -Marlene
A baby was born at our hospital a short while ago...but her life would be short...the internal organs were not fully developed. Our indigenous worker asked the mother what she needed. She needed her family and her medicine man from a community up North. Local motels gave them shelter at no cost and our Native Community Group made meals while the family was gathered. Prayers were made in Circle in the Worship Centre while each family member held the child. The physician rearranged day of appointments to be there. Food was set out for the Ancestors. The baby passed over while the mother held her in the Circle.
Uncle has visited the hospital several times and given his blessings to our indigenous committee.
The family said they had never been treated with such kindness in a hospital. He had touched the lives of many people who made this ceremony possible. Yes, the night can blossom...in this intimate assembly.
Migwetch, Niawen, thank you my family.... for teaching me the beauty and power of the Circle in which we all belong.” -Marlene
"...this is a comforting story in an era of disregard for the sanctity of life, caring for the soul, and the facilitation of the soul-transition of loved ones to their deaths. I dread visiting hospitals in the States. I was recently in the VA hospital in Washington DC. They treat veterns like shit. There is no kind way to say it. Maybe it is different in other parts of the States. I know that the introduction of indigenous approaches to healing or transitioning from life to death are rejected not only by the Medical world, for the most part, but the larger population shuns these approaches. Why this is is connected to a carefully placed misconception into public knowledge that extolls the virtues of drugs, and attaches the fears of Witchcraft to the natural healing capacity of the body, its mind, and the spirit of living by the power of one's words."
2009
Friday, January 22, 2010
HAITI, FRANCE & AMERICA
This was sent to me from Abena Disroe.
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES is in the process of conceiving how best to deliver a major conference on the theme Rethinking And Rebuilding Haiti. I am very keen to provide an input into this exercise because for too long there has been a popular perception that somehow the Haitian nation-building project, launched on January 1, 1804, has failed on account of mismanagement, ineptitude, corruption. Buried beneath the rubble of imperial propaganda, out of both Western Europe and the United States, is the evidence which shows that Haiti's independence was defeated by an aggressive North-Atlantic alliance that could not imagine their world inhabited by a free regime of Africans as representatives of the newly emerging democracy.
The evidence is striking, especially in the context of France. The Haitians fought for their freedom and won, as did the Americans fifty years earlier. The Americans declared their independence and crafted an extraordinary constitution that set out a clear message about the value of humanity and the right to freedom, justice, and liberty. In the midst of this brilliant discourse, they chose to retain slavery as the basis of the new nation state. The founding fathers therefore could not see beyond race, as the free state was built on a slavery foundation. The water was poisoned in the well; the Americans went back to the battlefield a century later to resolve the fact that slavery and freedom could not comfortably co-exist in the same place. The French, also, declared "freedom, fraternity and equality" as the new philosophies of their national transformation and gave the modern world a tremendous progressive boost by so doing.
They abolished slavery, but Napoleon Bonaparte could not imagine the republic without slavery and targeted the Haitians for a new, more intense regime of slavery. The British agreed, as did the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese. All were linked in communion over the 500 000 Blacks in Haiti, the most populous and prosperous Caribbean colony. As the jewel of the Caribbean, they all wanted to get their hands on it. With a massive slave base, the English, French and Dutch salivated over owning it - and the people.
The people won a ten-year war, the bloodiest in modern history, and declared their independence. Every other country in the Americas was based on slavery. Haiti was freedom, and proceeded to place in its 1805 Independence Constitution that any person of African descent who arrived on its shores would be declared free, and a citizen of the republic. For the first time since slavery had commenced, Blacks were the subjects of mass freedom and citizenship in a nation.
The French refused to recognize Haiti's independence and declared it an illegal pariah state. The Americans, whom the Haitians looked to in solidarity as their mentor in independence, refused to recognize them, and offered solidarity instead to the French. The British, who were negotiating with the French to obtain the ownership title to Haiti, also moved in solidarity, as did every other nation-state the Western world.
Haiti was isolated at birth - ostracized and denied access to world trade, finance, and institutional development. It was the most vicious example of national strangulation recorded in modern history. The Cubans, at least, have had Russia, China, and Vietnam. The Haitians were alone from inception. The crumbling began. Then came 1825; the moment of full truth. The republic is celebrating its 21st anniversary. There is national euphoria in the streets of Port-au-Prince. The economy is bankrupt; the political leadership isolated. The cabinet took the decision that the state of affairs could not continue.
The country had to find a way to be inserted back into the world economy. The French government was invited to a summit. Officials arrived and told the Haitian government that they were willing to recognize the country as a sovereign nation but it would have to pay compensation and reparation in exchange. The Haitians, with backs to the wall, agreed to pay the French. The French government sent a team of accountants and actuaries into Haiti in order to place a value on all lands, all physical assets, the 500 000 citizens were who formerly enslaved, animals, and all other commercial properties and services. The sums amounted to 150 million gold francs. Haiti was told to pay this reparation to France in return for national recognition. The Haitian government agreed; payments began immediately. Members of the Cabinet were also valued because they had been enslaved people before independence. Thus began the systematic destruction of the Republic of Haiti. The French government bled the nation and rendered it a failed state. It was a merciless exploitation that was designed and guaranteed to collapse the Haitian economy and society. Haiti was forced to pay this sum until 1922 when the last installment was made. During the long 19th century, the payment to France amounted to up to 70 per cent of the country's foreign exchange earnings. Jamaica today pays up to 70 per cent in order to service its international and domestic debt. Haiti was crushed by this debt payment. It descended into financial and social chaos.
The republic did not stand a chance. France was enriched and it took pleasure from the fact that having been defeated by Haitians on the battlefield, it had won on the field of finance. In the years when the coffee crops failed, or the sugar yield was down, the Haitian government borrowed on the French money market at double the going interest rate in order to repay the French government.
When the Americans invaded the country in the early 20th century, one of the reasons offered was to assist the French in collecting its reparations. The collapse of the Haitian nation resides at the feet of France and America, especially. These two nations betrayed, failed, and destroyed the dream that was Haiti; crushed to dust in an effort to destroy the flower of freedom and the seed of justice. Haiti did not fail. It was destroyed by two of the most powerful nations on earth, both of which continue to have a primary interest in its current condition. The sudden quake has come in the aftermath of summers of hate. In many ways the quake has been less destructive than the hate.Human life was snuffed out by the quake, while the hate has been a long and inhumane suffocation - a crime against humanity.
During the 2001 UN Conference on Race in Durban, South Africa, strong representation was made to the French government to repay the 150 million francs. The value of this amount was estimated by financial actuaries as US$21 billion. This sum of capital could rebuild Haiti and place it in a position to re-engage the modern world. It was illegally extracted from the Haitian people and should be repaid. It is stolen wealth. In so doing, France could discharge its moral obligation to the Haitian people. For a nation that prides itself in the celebration of modern diplomacy, France, in order to exist with the moral authority of this diplomacy in this post-modern world, should do the just and legal thing. Such an act at the outset of this century would open the door for a sophisticated interface of past and present, and set the Haitian nation free at last.
Sir Hilary Beckles is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Cave Hill Campus, University of West Indies
THE HATE AND THE QUAKE
BY SIR HILARY BECKLES
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES is in the process of conceiving how best to deliver a major conference on the theme Rethinking And Rebuilding Haiti. I am very keen to provide an input into this exercise because for too long there has been a popular perception that somehow the Haitian nation-building project, launched on January 1, 1804, has failed on account of mismanagement, ineptitude, corruption. Buried beneath the rubble of imperial propaganda, out of both Western Europe and the United States, is the evidence which shows that Haiti's independence was defeated by an aggressive North-Atlantic alliance that could not imagine their world inhabited by a free regime of Africans as representatives of the newly emerging democracy.
The evidence is striking, especially in the context of France. The Haitians fought for their freedom and won, as did the Americans fifty years earlier. The Americans declared their independence and crafted an extraordinary constitution that set out a clear message about the value of humanity and the right to freedom, justice, and liberty. In the midst of this brilliant discourse, they chose to retain slavery as the basis of the new nation state. The founding fathers therefore could not see beyond race, as the free state was built on a slavery foundation. The water was poisoned in the well; the Americans went back to the battlefield a century later to resolve the fact that slavery and freedom could not comfortably co-exist in the same place. The French, also, declared "freedom, fraternity and equality" as the new philosophies of their national transformation and gave the modern world a tremendous progressive boost by so doing.
They abolished slavery, but Napoleon Bonaparte could not imagine the republic without slavery and targeted the Haitians for a new, more intense regime of slavery. The British agreed, as did the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese. All were linked in communion over the 500 000 Blacks in Haiti, the most populous and prosperous Caribbean colony. As the jewel of the Caribbean, they all wanted to get their hands on it. With a massive slave base, the English, French and Dutch salivated over owning it - and the people.
The people won a ten-year war, the bloodiest in modern history, and declared their independence. Every other country in the Americas was based on slavery. Haiti was freedom, and proceeded to place in its 1805 Independence Constitution that any person of African descent who arrived on its shores would be declared free, and a citizen of the republic. For the first time since slavery had commenced, Blacks were the subjects of mass freedom and citizenship in a nation.
The French refused to recognize Haiti's independence and declared it an illegal pariah state. The Americans, whom the Haitians looked to in solidarity as their mentor in independence, refused to recognize them, and offered solidarity instead to the French. The British, who were negotiating with the French to obtain the ownership title to Haiti, also moved in solidarity, as did every other nation-state the Western world.
Haiti was isolated at birth - ostracized and denied access to world trade, finance, and institutional development. It was the most vicious example of national strangulation recorded in modern history. The Cubans, at least, have had Russia, China, and Vietnam. The Haitians were alone from inception. The crumbling began. Then came 1825; the moment of full truth. The republic is celebrating its 21st anniversary. There is national euphoria in the streets of Port-au-Prince. The economy is bankrupt; the political leadership isolated. The cabinet took the decision that the state of affairs could not continue.
The country had to find a way to be inserted back into the world economy. The French government was invited to a summit. Officials arrived and told the Haitian government that they were willing to recognize the country as a sovereign nation but it would have to pay compensation and reparation in exchange. The Haitians, with backs to the wall, agreed to pay the French. The French government sent a team of accountants and actuaries into Haiti in order to place a value on all lands, all physical assets, the 500 000 citizens were who formerly enslaved, animals, and all other commercial properties and services. The sums amounted to 150 million gold francs. Haiti was told to pay this reparation to France in return for national recognition. The Haitian government agreed; payments began immediately. Members of the Cabinet were also valued because they had been enslaved people before independence. Thus began the systematic destruction of the Republic of Haiti. The French government bled the nation and rendered it a failed state. It was a merciless exploitation that was designed and guaranteed to collapse the Haitian economy and society. Haiti was forced to pay this sum until 1922 when the last installment was made. During the long 19th century, the payment to France amounted to up to 70 per cent of the country's foreign exchange earnings. Jamaica today pays up to 70 per cent in order to service its international and domestic debt. Haiti was crushed by this debt payment. It descended into financial and social chaos.
The republic did not stand a chance. France was enriched and it took pleasure from the fact that having been defeated by Haitians on the battlefield, it had won on the field of finance. In the years when the coffee crops failed, or the sugar yield was down, the Haitian government borrowed on the French money market at double the going interest rate in order to repay the French government.
When the Americans invaded the country in the early 20th century, one of the reasons offered was to assist the French in collecting its reparations. The collapse of the Haitian nation resides at the feet of France and America, especially. These two nations betrayed, failed, and destroyed the dream that was Haiti; crushed to dust in an effort to destroy the flower of freedom and the seed of justice. Haiti did not fail. It was destroyed by two of the most powerful nations on earth, both of which continue to have a primary interest in its current condition. The sudden quake has come in the aftermath of summers of hate. In many ways the quake has been less destructive than the hate.Human life was snuffed out by the quake, while the hate has been a long and inhumane suffocation - a crime against humanity.
During the 2001 UN Conference on Race in Durban, South Africa, strong representation was made to the French government to repay the 150 million francs. The value of this amount was estimated by financial actuaries as US$21 billion. This sum of capital could rebuild Haiti and place it in a position to re-engage the modern world. It was illegally extracted from the Haitian people and should be repaid. It is stolen wealth. In so doing, France could discharge its moral obligation to the Haitian people. For a nation that prides itself in the celebration of modern diplomacy, France, in order to exist with the moral authority of this diplomacy in this post-modern world, should do the just and legal thing. Such an act at the outset of this century would open the door for a sophisticated interface of past and present, and set the Haitian nation free at last.
Sir Hilary Beckles is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Cave Hill Campus, University of West Indies
HOW COYOTE STOLE FIRE: a Shasta story
Long ago, when man was newly come into the world, there were days when he was the happiest creature of all. Those were the days when spring brushed across the willow tails, or when his children ripened with the blueberries in the sun of summer, or when the goldenrod bloomed in the autumn haze.
But always the mists of autumn evenings grew more chill, and the sun's strokes grew shorter. Then man saw winter moving near, and he became fearful and unhappy. He was afraid for his children, and for the grandfathers and grandmothers who carried in their heads the sacred tales of the tribe. Many of these, young and old, would die in the long, ice-bitter months of winter. Coyote, like the rest of the People, had no need for fire. So he seldom concerned himself with it, until one spring day when he was passing a human village. There the women were singing a song of mourning for the babies and the old ones who had died in the winter. Their voices moaned like the west wind through a buffalo skull, prickling the hairs on Coyote's neck.
"Feel how the sun is now warm on our backs," one of the men was saying.
"Feel how it warms the earth and makes these stones hot to the touch. If only we could have had a small piece of the sun in our teepees during the winter."
Coyote, overhearing this, felt sorry for the men and women. He also felt that there was something he could do to help them. He knew of a faraway mountaintop where the three Fire Beings lived. These Beings kept fire to themselves; guarding it carefully for fear that man might somehow acquire it and become as strong as they. Coyote saw that he could do a good turn for man at the expense of these selfish Fire Beings. So Coyote went to the mountain of the Fire Beings and crept to its top, to watch the way that the Beings guarded their fire. As he came near, the Beings leaped to their feet and gazed searchingly round their camp. Their eyes glinted like bloodstones, and their hands were clawed like the talons of the great black vulture.
"What's that? What's that I hear?" hissed one of the Beings.
"A thief, skulking in the bushes!" screeched another. The third looked more closely, and saw Coyote. But he had gone to the mountaintop on all fours, so the Being thought she saw only an ordinary coyote slinking among the trees.
"It is no one, it is nothing!" she cried, and the other two looked where she pointed and also saw only a Grey coyote. They sat down again by their fire and paid Coyote no more attention. So he watched all day and night as the Fire Beings guarded their fire. He saw how they fed it pine cones and dry branches from the sycamore trees. He saw how they stamped furiously on runaway rivulets of flame that sometimes nibbled outwards on edges of dry grass. He saw also how, at night, the Beings took turns to sit by the fire. Two would sleep while one was on guard; and at certain times the Being by the fire would get up and go into their teepee, and another would come out to sit by the fire.
Coyote saw that the Beings were always jealously watchful of their fire except during one part of the day. That was in the earliest morning, when the first winds of dawn arose on the mountains. Then the Being by the fire would hurry, shivering, into the teepee calling, "Sister, sister, go out and watch the fire." But the next Being would always be slow to go out for her turn, her head spinning with sleep and the thin dreams of dawn. Coyote, seeing all this, went down the mountain and spoke to some of his friends among the People. He told them of hairless man, fearing the cold and death of winter. And he told them of the Fire Beings, and the warmth and brightness of the flame. They all agreed that man should have fire, and they all promised to help Coyote's undertaking.
Then Coyote sped again to the mountaintop. Again the Fire Beings leaped up when he came close, and one cried out, "What's that? A thief, a thief!" But again the others looked closely, and saw only a Grey coyote hunting among the bushes. So they sat down again and paid him no more attention. Coyote waited through the day, and watched as night fell and two of the Beings went off to the teepee to sleep. He watched as they changed over at certain times all the night long, until at last the dawn winds rose. Then the Being on guard called, "Sister, sister, get up and watch the fire."
And the Being whose turn it was climbed slow and sleepy from her bed, saying, "Yes, yes, I am coming. Do not shout so. "But before she could come out of the teepee, Coyote lunged from the bushes, snatched up a glowing portion of fire, and sprang away down the mountainside.
Screaming, the Fire Beings flew after him. Swift as Coyote ran, they caught up with him, and one of them reached out a clutching hand. Her fingers touched only the tip of the tail, but the touch was enough to turn the hairs white, and coyote tail-tips are white still. Coyote shouted, and flung the fire away from him. But the others of the People had gathered at the mountain's foot, in case they were needed. Squirrel saw the fire falling, and caught it, putting it on her back and fleeing away through the treetops.The fire scorched her back so painfully that her tail curled up and back, as squirrels' tails still do today.
The Fire Beings then pursued Squirrel, who threw the fire to Chipmunk. Chattering with fear, Chipmunk stood still as if rooted until the Beings were almost upon her. Then, as she turned to run, one Being clawed at her, tearing down the length of her back and leaving three stripes that are to be seen on chipmunks' backs even today. Chipmunk threw the fire to Frog, and the Beings turned towards him. One of the Beings grasped his tail, but Frog gave a mighty leap and tore himself free, leaving his tail behind in the Being's hand---which is why frogs have had no tails ever since. As the Beings came after him again, Frog flung the fire on to Wood. And Wood swallowed it.
The Fire Beings gathered round, but they did not know how to get the fire out of Wood. They promised it gifts, sang to it and shouted at it. They twisted it and struck it and tore it with their knives. But Wood did not give up the fire. In the end, defeated, the Beings went back to their mountaintop and left the People alone.
But Coyote knew how to get fire out of Wood. And he went to the village of men and showed them how. He showed them the trick of rubbing two dry sticks together, and the trick of spinning a sharpened stick in a hole made in another piece of wood. So man was from then on warm and safe through the
killing cold of winter.
Natives in California
From the Archives of Blue Panther
Keeper of Stories
But always the mists of autumn evenings grew more chill, and the sun's strokes grew shorter. Then man saw winter moving near, and he became fearful and unhappy. He was afraid for his children, and for the grandfathers and grandmothers who carried in their heads the sacred tales of the tribe. Many of these, young and old, would die in the long, ice-bitter months of winter. Coyote, like the rest of the People, had no need for fire. So he seldom concerned himself with it, until one spring day when he was passing a human village. There the women were singing a song of mourning for the babies and the old ones who had died in the winter. Their voices moaned like the west wind through a buffalo skull, prickling the hairs on Coyote's neck.
"Feel how the sun is now warm on our backs," one of the men was saying.
"Feel how it warms the earth and makes these stones hot to the touch. If only we could have had a small piece of the sun in our teepees during the winter."
Coyote, overhearing this, felt sorry for the men and women. He also felt that there was something he could do to help them. He knew of a faraway mountaintop where the three Fire Beings lived. These Beings kept fire to themselves; guarding it carefully for fear that man might somehow acquire it and become as strong as they. Coyote saw that he could do a good turn for man at the expense of these selfish Fire Beings. So Coyote went to the mountain of the Fire Beings and crept to its top, to watch the way that the Beings guarded their fire. As he came near, the Beings leaped to their feet and gazed searchingly round their camp. Their eyes glinted like bloodstones, and their hands were clawed like the talons of the great black vulture.
"What's that? What's that I hear?" hissed one of the Beings.
"A thief, skulking in the bushes!" screeched another. The third looked more closely, and saw Coyote. But he had gone to the mountaintop on all fours, so the Being thought she saw only an ordinary coyote slinking among the trees.
"It is no one, it is nothing!" she cried, and the other two looked where she pointed and also saw only a Grey coyote. They sat down again by their fire and paid Coyote no more attention. So he watched all day and night as the Fire Beings guarded their fire. He saw how they fed it pine cones and dry branches from the sycamore trees. He saw how they stamped furiously on runaway rivulets of flame that sometimes nibbled outwards on edges of dry grass. He saw also how, at night, the Beings took turns to sit by the fire. Two would sleep while one was on guard; and at certain times the Being by the fire would get up and go into their teepee, and another would come out to sit by the fire.
Coyote saw that the Beings were always jealously watchful of their fire except during one part of the day. That was in the earliest morning, when the first winds of dawn arose on the mountains. Then the Being by the fire would hurry, shivering, into the teepee calling, "Sister, sister, go out and watch the fire." But the next Being would always be slow to go out for her turn, her head spinning with sleep and the thin dreams of dawn. Coyote, seeing all this, went down the mountain and spoke to some of his friends among the People. He told them of hairless man, fearing the cold and death of winter. And he told them of the Fire Beings, and the warmth and brightness of the flame. They all agreed that man should have fire, and they all promised to help Coyote's undertaking.
Then Coyote sped again to the mountaintop. Again the Fire Beings leaped up when he came close, and one cried out, "What's that? A thief, a thief!" But again the others looked closely, and saw only a Grey coyote hunting among the bushes. So they sat down again and paid him no more attention. Coyote waited through the day, and watched as night fell and two of the Beings went off to the teepee to sleep. He watched as they changed over at certain times all the night long, until at last the dawn winds rose. Then the Being on guard called, "Sister, sister, get up and watch the fire."
And the Being whose turn it was climbed slow and sleepy from her bed, saying, "Yes, yes, I am coming. Do not shout so. "But before she could come out of the teepee, Coyote lunged from the bushes, snatched up a glowing portion of fire, and sprang away down the mountainside.
Screaming, the Fire Beings flew after him. Swift as Coyote ran, they caught up with him, and one of them reached out a clutching hand. Her fingers touched only the tip of the tail, but the touch was enough to turn the hairs white, and coyote tail-tips are white still. Coyote shouted, and flung the fire away from him. But the others of the People had gathered at the mountain's foot, in case they were needed. Squirrel saw the fire falling, and caught it, putting it on her back and fleeing away through the treetops.The fire scorched her back so painfully that her tail curled up and back, as squirrels' tails still do today.
The Fire Beings then pursued Squirrel, who threw the fire to Chipmunk. Chattering with fear, Chipmunk stood still as if rooted until the Beings were almost upon her. Then, as she turned to run, one Being clawed at her, tearing down the length of her back and leaving three stripes that are to be seen on chipmunks' backs even today. Chipmunk threw the fire to Frog, and the Beings turned towards him. One of the Beings grasped his tail, but Frog gave a mighty leap and tore himself free, leaving his tail behind in the Being's hand---which is why frogs have had no tails ever since. As the Beings came after him again, Frog flung the fire on to Wood. And Wood swallowed it.
The Fire Beings gathered round, but they did not know how to get the fire out of Wood. They promised it gifts, sang to it and shouted at it. They twisted it and struck it and tore it with their knives. But Wood did not give up the fire. In the end, defeated, the Beings went back to their mountaintop and left the People alone.
But Coyote knew how to get fire out of Wood. And he went to the village of men and showed them how. He showed them the trick of rubbing two dry sticks together, and the trick of spinning a sharpened stick in a hole made in another piece of wood. So man was from then on warm and safe through the
killing cold of winter.
Natives in California
From the Archives of Blue Panther
Keeper of Stories