Sunday, December 5, 2010

a personal opinion on Elder’s wisdom

In years past, elders would pass down their wisdom by orally telling stories with moral or ethical values. The problem with passing along stories containing wisdom orally is that often core elements of the wisdom stories are changed or omitted. I believe that human’s ability to read and write was the greatest invention that was ever made. After writing was invented elders could then pass along their wisdom in a written form eliminating any possibility of core elements of the wisdom not being passed down to future generations.


Writing enabled stories containing the wisdom of elders from many ancient civilizations from across the world to be handed down to modern man. Until the latter days of the 19th century and on into the early years of the 20th century American Indian wisdom stories were mostly dismissed as having little or no value. Dr Charles Eastman a Sioux was instrumental in getting many American Indian stories published into printed form. After Dr Eastman was able to get articles pertaining to American Indian history and wisdom stories published many white Americans began to read the stories and a new awareness of the American Indian took place. William F Cody (Buffalo Bill) embellished many of the historical facts and stories containing wisdom and took them worldwide bringing a new awareness of the American Indian to the different countries worldwide..

When my father and mother were young, children of American Indian heritage could only attend elementary school until the sixth grade. In order for my parents to attend school beyond the sixth grade their parents would have been required to complete documentation stating they gave up custody of them to foundation school authorities. .When I came along in the 1940's children of American Indian heritage could then attend elementary school until the eighth grade. In 1952 Retired General Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president and he working with congress passed a law enabling all US persons be allowed to attend school through grade twelve. As a result of Eisenhower being elected president and congress enacting a law giving every American the opportunity to attend free school to grade twelve I was the first member of my family to attend school past the eighth grade.

I was the first member of my family to graduate from high school to go to college and to obtain a college degree. Since the 1950's thousands of American Indians have attended school to the twelfth grade and some beyond with many obtaining various degrees. Today there are many well educated American Indians and those born in the 1950's are now elders and the worldwide Internet is available to them.. I believe now is the time forecast in many ancient worldwide prophesies when the elders of the many nations of the world pass down the life lessons they have learned to their children.When elders pass down the wisdom of their life lessons in a written format it prevents the main theme of the words of wisdom from being misinterpreted.

Elders can no longer use the excuse "I am uneducated and don't have the ability to write down what I have learned."

There are many people who are in their thirty's and forty's who believe they are elders and write articles of what they call elders wisdom but that is not accurate. A person does not become and elder until they have lived at least fifty years and due to our ever increasing life span some who will not become an elder until they reach at least sixty. I have noticed that wisdom is not dependent upon age. I have met many young folks in their early adult years who display and use more wisdom then some folks I have met who are in their later years. I believe it is wonderful and a truly great blessing when young adults share words of wisdom the Creator has revealed to them but they should never pass them along as wisdom from an elder. Young adults will find they will become elders soon enough without rushing to become an elder before their time.

Running Fox Moss

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