The first Saturday of this month of December Maryland University hosted a Pow Wow. I should point out the Pow Wow was organized by a Native woman/educator, Dottie Chicquelo. Dottie made this one special with an unadvertised feature. Small, private and special ceremonies were occurring during the festivities. Chief of which was the honoring of the veterans which was publicly announced, but privately performed.
I brought my father for this specific purpose, and my sons, and daughter-in-law came. My first born son is quite a man. My son, Lemuel, is a veteran having served in the Middle East. My father, a former Army officer, and I have the distinction of training Lemuel's warrior spirit in ways he is becoming more aware of as he lives through his thirties.
The honoring of the Native soldiers we did this day was profound and simply laid out first in the opening of the Pow Wow, and later in the afternoon in private ceremony, which I don't like to and won't talk about in any specific detail. It is not proper to speak of certain things in public. It is dishonoring and not appropriate. This is our way. What I can say is that these honorings of our warriors dwarfs the feeble attempts of making a soldier without the balance of the mother's wisdom and nurturing influence of presence and powers unacquainted with the American approach to soldiering. Penny Gamble-Williams led this circle with her prayers, and presence, and the powers of a Grandmother in sacred service. I assisted present with my gifts.
May Creator continue to keep present in our minds the need for and the practice of training our children's warrior spirits when we see them, and may our traditions of balancing our chiefs, our healers, and warriors, and parents be more prevalent as the 21st century carries on.
These are my words. - Gregory E. Woods, African/Muskogee/Absaroka 12.22.13
Honor another soldier
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