Do you like the study of history and how it affected our Potawatomi people?
I do and I've always wanted to know the truth about the various personalities among our people. Sometimes history was kind to us and at times we got the rascals of society, and they affected us not so good.....
Here is a piece on Billy Caldwell, if you have ever read on the old Potawatomi of Chicago of the 1830's......quite the guy, and in the end hung out with the Potawatomi who left Chicago....I wonder about that though.....
Another one is Shabni, who was actually Odawa, married into the Potawatomi people.
Nin se Neaseno.
If you've lived on the outer Northwest Side of the city, around Cicero and Peterson, you know the name Billy Caldwell. There's Billy Caldwell Woods, Billy Caldwell's Reserve, Billy Caldwell Golf Course, Billy Caldwell Post of the American Legion. And of course, Caldwell Avenue.
The neighborhood is called Sauganash. That was Billy Caldwell's other name.
Billy Caldwell is a figure of legend, but was a real person. Untangling his story has kept historians busy for nearly two hundred years.
William Caldwell Jr. was born near Fort Niagara, in upper New York, in 1780. He was the natural son of a British army officer and a Mohawk princess. There's some evidence that Billy's first name was actually Thomas.
The boy didn't have much standing in the society of his time--he was both a bastard and a "half breed." Billy was raised by the Mohawks, then spent some time in his father's household. At 17 he moved out on his own.
Caldwell apprenticed himself into the fur trade. By 1803 he was chief clerk in the Forsythe-Kinzie firm's new post at the mouth of the Chicago River. About this time he married into the Potawatomi tribe. His in-laws called him "Sauganash," which translates as "Englishmen."
In 1812 the Potawatomi attacked the American garrison at Fort Dearborn. The story goes that Caldwell arrived on the scene during the battle and saved the lives of the Kinzie family. That was Billy's account of what had happened. Historians have been unable to verify it.
Caldwell fought on the British side in the War of 1812. Afterward he lived in Canada. When several business ventures failed, he moved back to Chicago.
In Chicago Caldwell worked in the Indian trade, as a merchant, and as an appraiser. He made friends among the settlement's leaders. Because of his tribal connections and his fluency in several languages, he smoothed relations between the Americans and the native peoples.
In 1828 the U.S. government recognized Caldwell's work by building for him Chicago's first frame house, near what is now Chicago and State. The next year he was appointed chief of the Potawatomi. And that needs some explaining.
The Potawatomi knew that the Americans were going to force them out of the area. They wanted to get the best deal possible. Even though Caldwell was Mohawk--and only on his mother's side--they thought he could help them in treaty negotiations. So they accepted him as chief.
In 1830 the Potawatomi started signing off their land. Caldwell became a hero among the American settlers. Chicago's first hotel was named The Sauganash in his honor. The U.S. government awarded him a 1600-acre tract of land northwest of the city, Billy Caldwell's Reserve. He lived there with his Potawatomi band for three years.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Bo zho ginwa....
Nemewgishek yawen ngom nijneshnabek....
Nweshmon bgeji mine mno wendem ode gishek.....
It's Sunday today my fellow natives....
Rest up and enjoy the day....
Bama pi mine wabek nge mbyegeyemen.....
Nin se Neaseno...
Nweshmon bgeji mine mno wendem ode gishek.....
It's Sunday today my fellow natives....
Rest up and enjoy the day....
Bama pi mine wabek nge mbyegeyemen.....
Nin se Neaseno...
Saturday, April 2, 2011
A Teaching from a lady from the North.....
I agree with this lady 100+ per cent.....
Read and enjoy folks.....
Nin se Neaseno.
Sweet Hair Teaching
The Sweetgrass/Hair teaching was meant to be a teaching just about Hair, and how important it is to think in a Sacred Way, as your physical Hair is a manifestation of your thoughts. As I started this writing I realized that it is impossible to separate the teachings of Sweetgrass from the Hair teaching. The reason being, all teachings are One teaching from the Great Spirit. All teachings are smaller circles of the Greater Teaching Circle.
This is a spiritual writing and is meant to be read a minimum of four times. This is only a partial teaching of the wisdom of Sweetgrass and the teachings about Hair. There are many more teachings that would compliment the ones written here.
Our Hair and the Hair of Our Mother, The Earth
Hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and an extension of ourselves. So pure and sacred are the thoughts of Our Mother, the Earth, that Her hair grows long and fragrant. The Sweet Grasses found growing around the World represent the hair of Our Mother, the Earth. These special grasses have long been collected by the Native Peoples of Earth to use as incense(to perceive by the senses) for physical and spiritual healing, celebrations, for sacred prayer and purification rites. Loving All Her Children, the Earth allows us to share in Her loving intent and Her perfect and purifying thoughts. On the Medicine Wheel Sweetgrass sits in the North position, the place of Water/Consciousness, the Place of the Minder of the Universe, and the Sol of Man.
As Native People walk the Sacred Path of the Creator God, Our Hair, the physical extension of our thoughts, allows for our direction along the Path of Life. All Peoples of Earth have cultural tales/tails(tails guide beings,example; without tails-Birds could not fly, Fish could not swim and Animals would be without balance) depicting the Power of Hair/Thought, telling of the strengths of Men and Women, using thoughts/hair to defeat evil. Should you maintain pure and perfect thoughts, evil sorcerers and witches cannot use your hair in their evil ceremonies to defeat you, for they need the weaknesses in your thoughts, to cause you harm. Believe in the Power of the Creator, not in the magic of Man.
In many countries around the World, Holy men and Holy women are recognized by the length and glory of their hair. The cutting of hair by oppressors has long represented the submission and defeat of a People, through humiliation. The Language and Sacredness of Hair is taught by All Tribal People of Earth. The way a People comb(the Alignment of thought), braid(the Oneness of thought), tie(the Securing of thought) and color(the Conviction in thought), their Hair is of great significance. Hair styles are important for they portray and announce participation in various events and the feelings expressed by People; the state of merriment or mourning, at a given time, or a stage of life; whether one is coming of age, marriageable or married, one's age and tribal status. Hair can depict the Tribal Spirits one follows given the geographical location of a People and the Spirits flowing through someone depending on their age as a Spirit and the spirits that one is calling on, in a given ceremony. Different styles signify the Tribe one belongs to and are worn to indicate times of peace or war. Hairstyles like seasons change for public, private and ceremonial occasions. Hair represents the pure thoughts and spiritual status of an Individual, showing the bonds and spiritual oneness of a Family and defines the cultural harmony and spiritual alignment of a Nation. Hair represents the Pure and Spiritual thoughts of All Tribal People.
Everyone is given Straight or Curly hair, depending on the Creator's discretion. Straight, flowing hair, teaches of one that can gracefully hold or let go of life. Thoughts can extend in a uniform manner, flowing directly from the source, like the movement of water flowing from the mountain top to the ocean, and then the water can rise up again to fall once more. For those with Curly hair, they will have the potential to understand the Spiral, Curve and Energy of Life. Their thoughts teach about the decrease and enlargement of life's movement. The winding, circular energy of movement and growth on the Earth. All thoughts in life tend to ebb and flow.
Native Children are taught from a young age how to groom and care for themselves, their immediate and extended family. They are taught that grooming one and other, unifies the bond of a family, caring for one and other strengthens the family ties, respecting one and other maintains family harmony and loving one and other defines a family's pride. They are taught to correct one and others appearance and habits, to strengthen one and other continually, causing them to be beautiful, strengthening in them the ideal that they are an extention of the Creator's thoughts of Love. They emanate from the thoughts of Perfection and strive to become(to pass from one state to another and to enhance) Perfection.
As Children are raised up, so too is the spiritual level of teaching raised, to elevate their Spirits. In youth and innocence(in-knowing-sense=freedom from guilt, sin or pain), Mankind is blessed with a bounty of beautiful hair. The more pure and sacred your thoughts, the longer, healthier, and vibrant, your hair. As Humans age and loose their innocence, falling off the Path of Light, harboring dark thoughts, losing the light of pure thought, Humans loose their hair and the shine(aureole) it once had.
Caring for hair is very important, for like the Sweet Grasses of our Mother, the Earth, our hair holds the purity of our intent. For our thought can purify the thoughts of others. Native Children are taught to wash and rinse hair, and are taught the proper use of the gifts of the Plant People; learning which bulbs, roots and herbs, will bring luster and light to ones hair. Maintaining the health of ones hair is important, as is maintaining all physical and spiritual health and wholeness.
They are also taught combing rites. Special combs were and in some places still are used for the Sweetgrass Rites and ornate combs were and still are made for Human hair. Careful consideration is given to the types of woods, bones, metals, jewels, and brush materials, as well as the symbols and (spirit)designs, for the best physical and spiritual purpose, of the task of combing Ones hair. The Porcupine shared itself by giving Native Women a Sacred Comb, which was made from the bone found on the underside of the Porcupine's tail. After taking the skin off, drying it and making a wooden handle, it was ready to use.
Combing is the act of separating and adjusting the hair so that it will lay or move in the best or most beautiful way. Native families, knowing that our hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts, also understand that our thoughts need to be corrected and adjusted by the Creator, so that we will move gracefully along the Beauty Way, the Sacred Path of Life.
When combing our hair each day, we are re-minded to keep our thoughts pure. The hair that falls out and gathers in our brushes and combs, is gathered up and kept in a special place or pouch, for the 28 days of the Moon/month. This hair is a recollection, a record of our past thoughts and deeds. At the time of the Full Moon, the time of illumination and completeness, the Hearts of the Families, the Women, gather in ceremony and offer the thoughts of their families, their bundled Hair, to the Spirits of Fire, Earth and Air. When our offerings of Hair are placed in fire, our thoughts are uplifted, sent through the smoke, moved by the power of the Moon, and prayerfully given to our Father, the Creator God or if buried, returned to Our Mother, the Earth and She relays our intent to through the Moon, to Our Father. In this way the Creator reads your families thoughts and sends His Spirits/Angels to guide you on the Sacred Path, correcting your Mind, Heart and Soul, strengthening the Body of Oneness, till the next Full Moon. Holding Sacred thoughts, choosing to walk a path of light, One that is pleasing to the Creator God, strengthens the individual Family, and the Greater Family of Universal Oneness, that every One is a part of.
Your hair teaches you that your thoughts are to flow in all directions but are to be uniformaly directed. Yellow, Red, Black and White the four colors of hair symbolizing the major directions of Earth, and the direction of those constant in the flow of thought/Spirit. Also, the four directions in between, Gold, Orange, Brown, Blue/Grey, Hair indicating those continual in thought/Spirit, flowing throughout the Universe. Your hair is just one way of indicating to others another conviction you carry throughout your lifetime. When the color of your hair changes, naturally, that means you have been Elevated, by God. You have more responsibility in and for Life.
You were given a sacred color of hair to wear and you were never to bleach(whiten) or dye your hair. Even the word dye/die when used for coloring states the death or dirivation of a God-given thought and purpose. Dying(destined for death) ones hair places your desires before the thoughts of God. Bleaching ones hair to change spiritual status, does not make one an Elder or Pre-dating Spirit, for you are born who you are, chosen, and elevated by God, not by Mankind. In Native ceremony when ochers and hennas were used on hair it was understood that it was for a Sacred purpose and Spirit(God) inspired, and the natural color would naturally return.
The act of cutting your hair is the cutting off of the flow of thought. You actually sever away past thoughts from future deeds. Cutting your hair usually occurs when one chooses to make a major change in ones life, putting past misdeeds behind them, and beginning a new life. In Native teachings many tribes cut their hair during the mourning process, which symbolizes the deep wound to ones sensibilities caused by the piercing hurt of a loved ones passing.
Other tribes, remembering that they are Spirits that live forever, cut their hair after a year of mourning. Symbolic of the severing of their ties, freeing the spirit of their loved ones, allowing them to enter the morning of the next world. Ready to start a new life, knowing they must respect and honour their loved one, they feast and urge their loved Ones' spirit on. Demonstrating their love for all life, they signal they too are ready to start a new day, a new morning. For in wisdom, they accept the greater cycle of life. They know the Body of their past Love, was given back to the Earth and the Spirit of their Loved One, needs to return to the Sol/Star their Spirits emanate from, to be re-aligned in the Body of Oneness, being reborn as their future and the re/newed Children of Earth.
Even the time of cutting your hair is important, for all things need to be in harmony with the natural rythym and flow of the Universe. Cutting old thoughts, harvesting full grown ideas, cutting all ties, is best on the Full Moon. For fresh starts, like the planting time, for new seeds of thought, or for the trimming, pruning and monthly maintainance, we cut our hair by the light of the New Moon, so it will grow thick and quick.
Young men are often seen with braids of sweetgrass for personal purification rites. In some Tribes, men weave Sweetgrass into their braids to unify their thoughts with their Mother, the Earth, strengthening their thoughts of Oneness. This demonstrates the way in which hair is used to extend and bind your thoughts with others. By attaching a lock of a loved ones hair, in your hair, or by carrying their hair on your person, One is able to carry the thoughts of their loved ones with them on their travels. It is so important to have your families spiritual support and protective thoughts(prayers) in life generally, that the hair of ones family and the hair of their protective spirits, was braided into a warriors battle dress for added strength and stamina. It is generally understood that you do not touch a person's hair without permission.
Sweetgrass headbands(the things that keep your brains in)(joke) are worn for concentration, to purify thought. The aroma of Sweetgrass clears the mind. Sweetgrass necklaces or collars refer to the Spirit that is born head-first, and is used to call-in/coll-ar the Spirit of Wisdom you are descended from. Sweetgrass braids,like the braids on your head symbolize the serpents of wisdom, that keep you on the Sacred Path of Light. It is the double-headed serpent that warns you with a shake of its tail, should you step off the path of light, to get back on the sacred path or suffer the venomous bites of despair, depression or death, depending how far you wander.
Braids symbolize Oneness and Unity. The flowing strands of hair, individually weak but when joined together in Oneness, physically demonstrate the Strength of Oneness; "One Mind, One Heart and One Soul", the Song of the Uni-verse, and the Sacred thoughts you are to hold. There are times to wear the hair braided and times to let it flow free, different times to demonstrate your harmony with the flow of life and to demonstrate your thoughts of Oneness to others.
There are different teachings about the way to braid ones hair, and different teachings about the ways and rites of braiding Sweetgrass. One way is to gather 28 whole strands of Sweetgrass, one strand symbolizing each sacred day in one moon(month). Divide them in three equal piles, 9 strands each, each pile symbolizing the wandering spirits of the 3 tiers of Heaven (upper world, middle world, lower world), and with the one strand that is left, the strand that Symbolizes the Great Spirit, the Creator God(Father Sun), you tie all the loose strands together. Remembering as you braid the Sweetgrass, to keep your thoughts and intent pure and healthy, placing the prayers of love for life into your braid. It is the intent placed in the medicine that makes all healing possible. To end the braid, tie a knot with the grass. A Knot is symbolic of Union and a Bond. The Tie that binds. The knot in the Sweetgrass braid also binds all the "thoughts" of our Mother together, to teach us, once again of the strength of Unity or Oneness.
Know it is only the Creator's power that holds the Universe together and the wandering spirits are His Great Spirits that flow and protect Life all the way to the outer edges of the Universe and the 3 tiers of Heaven are the lower, middle and upper worlds or the Sea, Earth and Sky(Universe) where all the Great Spirits dwell. Keeping thoughts of Love and Respect for All Life in your Mind and Heart, allows one to share the Sacred Sweetgrass with others in a good way.
When working with the Sacred Medicines, our intent should be as pure as the intent of our selfless Mother, the Earth. She wants only the best for Her Children. So hold Sacred thoughts; thoughts of Oneness and Healing thoughts; thoughts of Empowerment and Love, when braiding and using Sweetgrass. Soon All Nations will be strong again.
Written by Owawasmokwe
From the North Country.
Read and enjoy folks.....
Nin se Neaseno.
Sweet Hair Teaching
The Sweetgrass/Hair teaching was meant to be a teaching just about Hair, and how important it is to think in a Sacred Way, as your physical Hair is a manifestation of your thoughts. As I started this writing I realized that it is impossible to separate the teachings of Sweetgrass from the Hair teaching. The reason being, all teachings are One teaching from the Great Spirit. All teachings are smaller circles of the Greater Teaching Circle.
This is a spiritual writing and is meant to be read a minimum of four times. This is only a partial teaching of the wisdom of Sweetgrass and the teachings about Hair. There are many more teachings that would compliment the ones written here.
Our Hair and the Hair of Our Mother, The Earth
Hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and an extension of ourselves. So pure and sacred are the thoughts of Our Mother, the Earth, that Her hair grows long and fragrant. The Sweet Grasses found growing around the World represent the hair of Our Mother, the Earth. These special grasses have long been collected by the Native Peoples of Earth to use as incense(to perceive by the senses) for physical and spiritual healing, celebrations, for sacred prayer and purification rites. Loving All Her Children, the Earth allows us to share in Her loving intent and Her perfect and purifying thoughts. On the Medicine Wheel Sweetgrass sits in the North position, the place of Water/Consciousness, the Place of the Minder of the Universe, and the Sol of Man.
As Native People walk the Sacred Path of the Creator God, Our Hair, the physical extension of our thoughts, allows for our direction along the Path of Life. All Peoples of Earth have cultural tales/tails(tails guide beings,example; without tails-Birds could not fly, Fish could not swim and Animals would be without balance) depicting the Power of Hair/Thought, telling of the strengths of Men and Women, using thoughts/hair to defeat evil. Should you maintain pure and perfect thoughts, evil sorcerers and witches cannot use your hair in their evil ceremonies to defeat you, for they need the weaknesses in your thoughts, to cause you harm. Believe in the Power of the Creator, not in the magic of Man.
In many countries around the World, Holy men and Holy women are recognized by the length and glory of their hair. The cutting of hair by oppressors has long represented the submission and defeat of a People, through humiliation. The Language and Sacredness of Hair is taught by All Tribal People of Earth. The way a People comb(the Alignment of thought), braid(the Oneness of thought), tie(the Securing of thought) and color(the Conviction in thought), their Hair is of great significance. Hair styles are important for they portray and announce participation in various events and the feelings expressed by People; the state of merriment or mourning, at a given time, or a stage of life; whether one is coming of age, marriageable or married, one's age and tribal status. Hair can depict the Tribal Spirits one follows given the geographical location of a People and the Spirits flowing through someone depending on their age as a Spirit and the spirits that one is calling on, in a given ceremony. Different styles signify the Tribe one belongs to and are worn to indicate times of peace or war. Hairstyles like seasons change for public, private and ceremonial occasions. Hair represents the pure thoughts and spiritual status of an Individual, showing the bonds and spiritual oneness of a Family and defines the cultural harmony and spiritual alignment of a Nation. Hair represents the Pure and Spiritual thoughts of All Tribal People.
Everyone is given Straight or Curly hair, depending on the Creator's discretion. Straight, flowing hair, teaches of one that can gracefully hold or let go of life. Thoughts can extend in a uniform manner, flowing directly from the source, like the movement of water flowing from the mountain top to the ocean, and then the water can rise up again to fall once more. For those with Curly hair, they will have the potential to understand the Spiral, Curve and Energy of Life. Their thoughts teach about the decrease and enlargement of life's movement. The winding, circular energy of movement and growth on the Earth. All thoughts in life tend to ebb and flow.
Native Children are taught from a young age how to groom and care for themselves, their immediate and extended family. They are taught that grooming one and other, unifies the bond of a family, caring for one and other strengthens the family ties, respecting one and other maintains family harmony and loving one and other defines a family's pride. They are taught to correct one and others appearance and habits, to strengthen one and other continually, causing them to be beautiful, strengthening in them the ideal that they are an extention of the Creator's thoughts of Love. They emanate from the thoughts of Perfection and strive to become(to pass from one state to another and to enhance) Perfection.
As Children are raised up, so too is the spiritual level of teaching raised, to elevate their Spirits. In youth and innocence(in-knowing-sense=freedom from guilt, sin or pain), Mankind is blessed with a bounty of beautiful hair. The more pure and sacred your thoughts, the longer, healthier, and vibrant, your hair. As Humans age and loose their innocence, falling off the Path of Light, harboring dark thoughts, losing the light of pure thought, Humans loose their hair and the shine(aureole) it once had.
Caring for hair is very important, for like the Sweet Grasses of our Mother, the Earth, our hair holds the purity of our intent. For our thought can purify the thoughts of others. Native Children are taught to wash and rinse hair, and are taught the proper use of the gifts of the Plant People; learning which bulbs, roots and herbs, will bring luster and light to ones hair. Maintaining the health of ones hair is important, as is maintaining all physical and spiritual health and wholeness.
They are also taught combing rites. Special combs were and in some places still are used for the Sweetgrass Rites and ornate combs were and still are made for Human hair. Careful consideration is given to the types of woods, bones, metals, jewels, and brush materials, as well as the symbols and (spirit)designs, for the best physical and spiritual purpose, of the task of combing Ones hair. The Porcupine shared itself by giving Native Women a Sacred Comb, which was made from the bone found on the underside of the Porcupine's tail. After taking the skin off, drying it and making a wooden handle, it was ready to use.
Combing is the act of separating and adjusting the hair so that it will lay or move in the best or most beautiful way. Native families, knowing that our hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts, also understand that our thoughts need to be corrected and adjusted by the Creator, so that we will move gracefully along the Beauty Way, the Sacred Path of Life.
When combing our hair each day, we are re-minded to keep our thoughts pure. The hair that falls out and gathers in our brushes and combs, is gathered up and kept in a special place or pouch, for the 28 days of the Moon/month. This hair is a recollection, a record of our past thoughts and deeds. At the time of the Full Moon, the time of illumination and completeness, the Hearts of the Families, the Women, gather in ceremony and offer the thoughts of their families, their bundled Hair, to the Spirits of Fire, Earth and Air. When our offerings of Hair are placed in fire, our thoughts are uplifted, sent through the smoke, moved by the power of the Moon, and prayerfully given to our Father, the Creator God or if buried, returned to Our Mother, the Earth and She relays our intent to through the Moon, to Our Father. In this way the Creator reads your families thoughts and sends His Spirits/Angels to guide you on the Sacred Path, correcting your Mind, Heart and Soul, strengthening the Body of Oneness, till the next Full Moon. Holding Sacred thoughts, choosing to walk a path of light, One that is pleasing to the Creator God, strengthens the individual Family, and the Greater Family of Universal Oneness, that every One is a part of.
Your hair teaches you that your thoughts are to flow in all directions but are to be uniformaly directed. Yellow, Red, Black and White the four colors of hair symbolizing the major directions of Earth, and the direction of those constant in the flow of thought/Spirit. Also, the four directions in between, Gold, Orange, Brown, Blue/Grey, Hair indicating those continual in thought/Spirit, flowing throughout the Universe. Your hair is just one way of indicating to others another conviction you carry throughout your lifetime. When the color of your hair changes, naturally, that means you have been Elevated, by God. You have more responsibility in and for Life.
You were given a sacred color of hair to wear and you were never to bleach(whiten) or dye your hair. Even the word dye/die when used for coloring states the death or dirivation of a God-given thought and purpose. Dying(destined for death) ones hair places your desires before the thoughts of God. Bleaching ones hair to change spiritual status, does not make one an Elder or Pre-dating Spirit, for you are born who you are, chosen, and elevated by God, not by Mankind. In Native ceremony when ochers and hennas were used on hair it was understood that it was for a Sacred purpose and Spirit(God) inspired, and the natural color would naturally return.
The act of cutting your hair is the cutting off of the flow of thought. You actually sever away past thoughts from future deeds. Cutting your hair usually occurs when one chooses to make a major change in ones life, putting past misdeeds behind them, and beginning a new life. In Native teachings many tribes cut their hair during the mourning process, which symbolizes the deep wound to ones sensibilities caused by the piercing hurt of a loved ones passing.
Other tribes, remembering that they are Spirits that live forever, cut their hair after a year of mourning. Symbolic of the severing of their ties, freeing the spirit of their loved ones, allowing them to enter the morning of the next world. Ready to start a new life, knowing they must respect and honour their loved one, they feast and urge their loved Ones' spirit on. Demonstrating their love for all life, they signal they too are ready to start a new day, a new morning. For in wisdom, they accept the greater cycle of life. They know the Body of their past Love, was given back to the Earth and the Spirit of their Loved One, needs to return to the Sol/Star their Spirits emanate from, to be re-aligned in the Body of Oneness, being reborn as their future and the re/newed Children of Earth.
Even the time of cutting your hair is important, for all things need to be in harmony with the natural rythym and flow of the Universe. Cutting old thoughts, harvesting full grown ideas, cutting all ties, is best on the Full Moon. For fresh starts, like the planting time, for new seeds of thought, or for the trimming, pruning and monthly maintainance, we cut our hair by the light of the New Moon, so it will grow thick and quick.
Young men are often seen with braids of sweetgrass for personal purification rites. In some Tribes, men weave Sweetgrass into their braids to unify their thoughts with their Mother, the Earth, strengthening their thoughts of Oneness. This demonstrates the way in which hair is used to extend and bind your thoughts with others. By attaching a lock of a loved ones hair, in your hair, or by carrying their hair on your person, One is able to carry the thoughts of their loved ones with them on their travels. It is so important to have your families spiritual support and protective thoughts(prayers) in life generally, that the hair of ones family and the hair of their protective spirits, was braided into a warriors battle dress for added strength and stamina. It is generally understood that you do not touch a person's hair without permission.
Sweetgrass headbands(the things that keep your brains in)(joke) are worn for concentration, to purify thought. The aroma of Sweetgrass clears the mind. Sweetgrass necklaces or collars refer to the Spirit that is born head-first, and is used to call-in/coll-ar the Spirit of Wisdom you are descended from. Sweetgrass braids,like the braids on your head symbolize the serpents of wisdom, that keep you on the Sacred Path of Light. It is the double-headed serpent that warns you with a shake of its tail, should you step off the path of light, to get back on the sacred path or suffer the venomous bites of despair, depression or death, depending how far you wander.
Braids symbolize Oneness and Unity. The flowing strands of hair, individually weak but when joined together in Oneness, physically demonstrate the Strength of Oneness; "One Mind, One Heart and One Soul", the Song of the Uni-verse, and the Sacred thoughts you are to hold. There are times to wear the hair braided and times to let it flow free, different times to demonstrate your harmony with the flow of life and to demonstrate your thoughts of Oneness to others.
There are different teachings about the way to braid ones hair, and different teachings about the ways and rites of braiding Sweetgrass. One way is to gather 28 whole strands of Sweetgrass, one strand symbolizing each sacred day in one moon(month). Divide them in three equal piles, 9 strands each, each pile symbolizing the wandering spirits of the 3 tiers of Heaven (upper world, middle world, lower world), and with the one strand that is left, the strand that Symbolizes the Great Spirit, the Creator God(Father Sun), you tie all the loose strands together. Remembering as you braid the Sweetgrass, to keep your thoughts and intent pure and healthy, placing the prayers of love for life into your braid. It is the intent placed in the medicine that makes all healing possible. To end the braid, tie a knot with the grass. A Knot is symbolic of Union and a Bond. The Tie that binds. The knot in the Sweetgrass braid also binds all the "thoughts" of our Mother together, to teach us, once again of the strength of Unity or Oneness.
Know it is only the Creator's power that holds the Universe together and the wandering spirits are His Great Spirits that flow and protect Life all the way to the outer edges of the Universe and the 3 tiers of Heaven are the lower, middle and upper worlds or the Sea, Earth and Sky(Universe) where all the Great Spirits dwell. Keeping thoughts of Love and Respect for All Life in your Mind and Heart, allows one to share the Sacred Sweetgrass with others in a good way.
When working with the Sacred Medicines, our intent should be as pure as the intent of our selfless Mother, the Earth. She wants only the best for Her Children. So hold Sacred thoughts; thoughts of Oneness and Healing thoughts; thoughts of Empowerment and Love, when braiding and using Sweetgrass. Soon All Nations will be strong again.
Written by Owawasmokwe
From the North Country.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Re: The U.S. Constitution.....
Some factoids about the US Constitution, ya know that piece of paper that is supposed to have certain guarantees for all of us, or is that just some of us?
I often wonder about it all and when I see stuff like this, it begins to reinforce my thoughts about justice in this country for all.....
For example, is it justice or Just Us?
Who wrote the Constitution?
Who was it written for?
Did they write it with the elite of their day in mind or all people?
Some of the more recent judgments/rulings handed down by State and US Supreme Court Justices are somewhat questionable, in my opinion, and often do not serve the people well at all.
Pay special attention to, We The People!
Who are We The People?
Again, who wrote it and who were they writing for....I know what history tells us, but I question if it was truly meant for all of us?
Anyway, give this a read and be informed....you can research this more if you wish.
If more of us questioned our legislators, instead of blindly following them, perhaps we wouldn't be in the international trouble we are always in.....
I served honorably twice and chose to get out, because I saw for myself what some of the policies did/were and how they were carried out.....I served in the Middle East a lot......no wonder they hate us!
Nin se Neaseno.
In today's excerpt - from the very first days of its publication, the United States Constitution has been criticized by many as difficult to understand and interpret. And the physical document itself suffered decades of neglect before it was finally enshrined:
"Three delegates refused to sign [the constitution upon its approval by the Constitutional Convention], but at the bottom of the fourth page appear the
signatures of the rest. What was written on parchment was then made public,
printed in newspapers and broadsheets, often with 'We the People' set off in extra-large type. Meanwhile, the secretary of the convention carried the original [from Philadelphia] to New York to present it to [the Continental] Congress, which met, at the time, at City Hall. Without either endorsing or opposing it, Congress agreed to forward the Constitution to the states for ratification. The original Constitution was simply filed away and, later, shuffled
from one place to another. When City Hall underwent renovations, the Constitution was transferred to the Department of State. The following year, it moved with Congress to Philadelphia and, in 1800, to Washington, where it was stored at the Treasury Department until it was shifted to the War Office. In 1814, three clerks stuffed it into a linen sack and carried it to a gristmill in Virginia, which was fortunate, because the British burned Washington down. In the eighteen-twenties, when someone asked James Madison where it was, he had no idea.
"In 1875, the Constitution found a home in a tin box in the bottom of a closet
in a new building that housed the Departments of State, War, and in 1894,
it was sealed between glass plates and locked in a safe in the basement. In 1921,
Herbert Putnam, a librarian, drove it across town in his Model T. In 1924, it
was put on display in the Library of Congress, for the first time ever. Before then, no one had thought of that. It spent the Second World War at Fort Knox. In 1952, it was driven in an armored tank under military guard to the National Archives, where it remains, in a shrine in the rotunda, alongside the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. ...
"If you haven't read the Constitution lately, do. Chances are you'll find that
it doesn't exactly explain itself. Consider Article III, Section 3: 'The Congress
shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of
Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of
the Person attainted.' This is simply put - hats off to the committee of style -
but what does it mean? A legal education helps. Lawyers won't stumble over 'attainder,' even if the rest of us will. Part of the problem might appear to be the
distance between our locution and theirs. 'Corruption of Blood'? The document's learnedness and the changing meaning of words isn't the whole problem, though, because the charge that the Constitution is too difficult for ordinary people to understand - not because of its vocabulary but because of the complexity of its ideas - was brought nearly the minute it was made public.
"Anti-Federalists charged that the Constitution was so difficult to read that it amounted to a conspiracy against the understanding of a plain man, that it was willfully incomprehensible. 'The constitution of a wise and free people, ought to be as evident to simple reason, as the letters of our alphabet,' an Anti-Federalist wrote. 'A constiution ought to be, like a beacon, held up to the public eye, so as to be understood by every man,' Patrick Henry argued. He believed that what was drafted in Philadelphia was 'of such an intricate
and complicated nature, that no man on this earth can know its real operation.'
Anti-Federalists had more complaints, too, which is why ratification - a process
wonderfully recounted by Pauline Maier in 'Ratification: The People Debate the
Constitution, 1787-1788' - was touch and go. Rhode Island, the only state to
hold a popular referendum on the Constitution, rejected it. Elsewhere, in state
ratifying conventions, the Constitution passed by the narrowest of margins:
eighty-nine to seventy-nine in Virginia, thirty to twenty-seven in New York, a
hundred and eighty-seven to a hundred and sixty-eight in Massachusetts."...
"[The Constitution has] forty-four hundred words and 'God' is not one of
them, as Benjamin Rush complained to John Adams, hoping for an emendation: 'Perhaps an acknowledgement might be made of his goodness or of his providence in the proposed amendments.' It was not."
Author: Jill LePore
Title: "The Commandments"
Publisher: The New Yorker
Date: January 17, 2011
Pages: 70-73
I often wonder about it all and when I see stuff like this, it begins to reinforce my thoughts about justice in this country for all.....
For example, is it justice or Just Us?
Who wrote the Constitution?
Who was it written for?
Did they write it with the elite of their day in mind or all people?
Some of the more recent judgments/rulings handed down by State and US Supreme Court Justices are somewhat questionable, in my opinion, and often do not serve the people well at all.
Pay special attention to, We The People!
Who are We The People?
Again, who wrote it and who were they writing for....I know what history tells us, but I question if it was truly meant for all of us?
Anyway, give this a read and be informed....you can research this more if you wish.
If more of us questioned our legislators, instead of blindly following them, perhaps we wouldn't be in the international trouble we are always in.....
I served honorably twice and chose to get out, because I saw for myself what some of the policies did/were and how they were carried out.....I served in the Middle East a lot......no wonder they hate us!
Nin se Neaseno.
In today's excerpt - from the very first days of its publication, the United States Constitution has been criticized by many as difficult to understand and interpret. And the physical document itself suffered decades of neglect before it was finally enshrined:
"Three delegates refused to sign [the constitution upon its approval by the Constitutional Convention], but at the bottom of the fourth page appear the
signatures of the rest. What was written on parchment was then made public,
printed in newspapers and broadsheets, often with 'We the People' set off in extra-large type. Meanwhile, the secretary of the convention carried the original [from Philadelphia] to New York to present it to [the Continental] Congress, which met, at the time, at City Hall. Without either endorsing or opposing it, Congress agreed to forward the Constitution to the states for ratification. The original Constitution was simply filed away and, later, shuffled
from one place to another. When City Hall underwent renovations, the Constitution was transferred to the Department of State. The following year, it moved with Congress to Philadelphia and, in 1800, to Washington, where it was stored at the Treasury Department until it was shifted to the War Office. In 1814, three clerks stuffed it into a linen sack and carried it to a gristmill in Virginia, which was fortunate, because the British burned Washington down. In the eighteen-twenties, when someone asked James Madison where it was, he had no idea.
"In 1875, the Constitution found a home in a tin box in the bottom of a closet
in a new building that housed the Departments of State, War, and in 1894,
it was sealed between glass plates and locked in a safe in the basement. In 1921,
Herbert Putnam, a librarian, drove it across town in his Model T. In 1924, it
was put on display in the Library of Congress, for the first time ever. Before then, no one had thought of that. It spent the Second World War at Fort Knox. In 1952, it was driven in an armored tank under military guard to the National Archives, where it remains, in a shrine in the rotunda, alongside the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. ...
"If you haven't read the Constitution lately, do. Chances are you'll find that
it doesn't exactly explain itself. Consider Article III, Section 3: 'The Congress
shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of
Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of
the Person attainted.' This is simply put - hats off to the committee of style -
but what does it mean? A legal education helps. Lawyers won't stumble over 'attainder,' even if the rest of us will. Part of the problem might appear to be the
distance between our locution and theirs. 'Corruption of Blood'? The document's learnedness and the changing meaning of words isn't the whole problem, though, because the charge that the Constitution is too difficult for ordinary people to understand - not because of its vocabulary but because of the complexity of its ideas - was brought nearly the minute it was made public.
"Anti-Federalists charged that the Constitution was so difficult to read that it amounted to a conspiracy against the understanding of a plain man, that it was willfully incomprehensible. 'The constitution of a wise and free people, ought to be as evident to simple reason, as the letters of our alphabet,' an Anti-Federalist wrote. 'A constiution ought to be, like a beacon, held up to the public eye, so as to be understood by every man,' Patrick Henry argued. He believed that what was drafted in Philadelphia was 'of such an intricate
and complicated nature, that no man on this earth can know its real operation.'
Anti-Federalists had more complaints, too, which is why ratification - a process
wonderfully recounted by Pauline Maier in 'Ratification: The People Debate the
Constitution, 1787-1788' - was touch and go. Rhode Island, the only state to
hold a popular referendum on the Constitution, rejected it. Elsewhere, in state
ratifying conventions, the Constitution passed by the narrowest of margins:
eighty-nine to seventy-nine in Virginia, thirty to twenty-seven in New York, a
hundred and eighty-seven to a hundred and sixty-eight in Massachusetts."...
"[The Constitution has] forty-four hundred words and 'God' is not one of
them, as Benjamin Rush complained to John Adams, hoping for an emendation: 'Perhaps an acknowledgement might be made of his goodness or of his providence in the proposed amendments.' It was not."
Author: Jill LePore
Title: "The Commandments"
Publisher: The New Yorker
Date: January 17, 2011
Pages: 70-73
Thursday, March 31, 2011
An Amzing Fact......
This is really quite amazing for me to read this article.....
Here's why....
My folks used to tell me to always speak to my children while still in the womb of their mother....my mother is 92, going on 93, May 29, and she still believes unborn babies can tell what their language is and they can also identify their parents, just by the sound of their voices.
I find this article amazing because these old people and their parents understood these concepts about the unborn and advised them to speak to them, and they passed it down to us.....our elders were amazing people, because they already knew something these modern day scientists are just now discovering....
My little girl of seven years now, started speaking this Potawatomi language at a young age because I followed what I was told to do by my parents; I spoke to her while she was in her mom's womb, a lot.
I believe that is why she learned what she knows today....I am speaking
of why she knows how to pronounce even the difficult words, and has our accent and rhythm of our language down so pat....
Amazing, is all I can say.....that these people have stumbled upon yet another fact our elders already knew....
Enjoy this article folks.....and the fact your forefathers were some pretty incredible people.....
THE ARTCLE........
While still in the womb, babies already start to learn language by hearing the rhythm of the language, says Bardutz.
Photograph by: Thinkstock, canada.com
Children start to learn language even before they’re born, neurolinguist Holly Bardutz is teaching students in her language acquisition class at the University of Regina.
While still in the womb, babies already start to learn language by hearing the rhythm of the language, says Bardutz.
To recreate what it’s like in the womb, and what a baby might hear, Bardutz asked her students to spend class time in the university’s pool, with their ears under water, listening to people above ground speaking in various languages, including Urdu (which is spoken in India), Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French and Korean.
“What we’re looking for is the rhythm of the language,” Bardutz explained.
Not only does the rhythm vary depending on the language, but also depending on whether the language is being spoken, sung or read.
“And reading from a textbook is different than reading a Dr. Seuss (book), which has more rhythm,” she pointed out.
An unborn child’s hearing is fully developed by 36 weeks, Bardutz said. A full-term baby is born at 40 weeks.
“So usually the last three or four weeks while they’re in the uterus, they have fully developed hearing,” she said.
“And the uterus is a watery substance, so that’s why we’re coming to the pool,” Bardutz explained.
“When babies are born — even at four hours old — right at birth, they can already identify their own language,” she said. “They can tell if what they’re hearing is English or Chinese. They don’t know the language, but they can recognize their own language.”
The only languages in which newborn babies can’t hear a difference in rhythms are Dutch and English, Bardutz pointed out. “Because it’s exactly the same rhythm.”
At least, that’s what the class textbook says, she said. Much to Bardutz’s delight, her third-year linguistics class willingly participated in testing that theory.
Seven of the 18 students in the class hooked their legs onto the side of the pool and put their ears under water so they could listen to people above the surface speak in different languages.
Ishrat Naqvi, a retired physics professor, spoke in Urdu, which he described as the official language of Pakistan. Urdu was the first language Naqvi learned.
Iris Mi and Callie Li, both business administration students at the U of R, conversed in Chinese for the linguistics students.
Keith Murch, who finished a linguistics degree last year and is currently studying education, participated both in and out of the pool.
“First of all, you have to be comfortable with being back in the womb,” he said.
Once he got comfortable in the pool, tuned out any distracting mechanical noises and concentrated on the rhythm of the voices, “it was a very interesting experience,” Murch said. “That was fascinating stuff!”
Sonja Van Eijk volunteered to shift back and forth between speaking Dutch and English.
“It’s really quite amazing,” she said, referring to the two languages having the same rhythm.
Intrigued by what the students were hearing underwater, Van Eijk said: “I would really like to experience that myself. I think this evening I’m going to go take a dip in my bathtub.
“My husband is a linguist, so he speaks many languages. And we’re going to do the tests ourselves. I’m curious now. I really want to know if that’s true that you can’t hear the difference (between Dutch and English),” she added.
Many of the students in her class are working toward degrees in linguistics or psychology.
“A lot of them want to be speech pathologists,” Bardutz said. “They’re very interested in how kids learn language.”
People trying to revitalize their native languages shouldn’t wait to start until kids are in kindergarten, Bardutz emphasized.
“They’ve missed the critical time. The kids need to hear the language starting at before birth,” she said. “The earlier the better.”
NIn se Neaseno.
Here's why....
My folks used to tell me to always speak to my children while still in the womb of their mother....my mother is 92, going on 93, May 29, and she still believes unborn babies can tell what their language is and they can also identify their parents, just by the sound of their voices.
I find this article amazing because these old people and their parents understood these concepts about the unborn and advised them to speak to them, and they passed it down to us.....our elders were amazing people, because they already knew something these modern day scientists are just now discovering....
My little girl of seven years now, started speaking this Potawatomi language at a young age because I followed what I was told to do by my parents; I spoke to her while she was in her mom's womb, a lot.
I believe that is why she learned what she knows today....I am speaking
of why she knows how to pronounce even the difficult words, and has our accent and rhythm of our language down so pat....
Amazing, is all I can say.....that these people have stumbled upon yet another fact our elders already knew....
Enjoy this article folks.....and the fact your forefathers were some pretty incredible people.....
THE ARTCLE........
While still in the womb, babies already start to learn language by hearing the rhythm of the language, says Bardutz.
Photograph by: Thinkstock, canada.com
Children start to learn language even before they’re born, neurolinguist Holly Bardutz is teaching students in her language acquisition class at the University of Regina.
While still in the womb, babies already start to learn language by hearing the rhythm of the language, says Bardutz.
To recreate what it’s like in the womb, and what a baby might hear, Bardutz asked her students to spend class time in the university’s pool, with their ears under water, listening to people above ground speaking in various languages, including Urdu (which is spoken in India), Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French and Korean.
“What we’re looking for is the rhythm of the language,” Bardutz explained.
Not only does the rhythm vary depending on the language, but also depending on whether the language is being spoken, sung or read.
“And reading from a textbook is different than reading a Dr. Seuss (book), which has more rhythm,” she pointed out.
An unborn child’s hearing is fully developed by 36 weeks, Bardutz said. A full-term baby is born at 40 weeks.
“So usually the last three or four weeks while they’re in the uterus, they have fully developed hearing,” she said.
“And the uterus is a watery substance, so that’s why we’re coming to the pool,” Bardutz explained.
“When babies are born — even at four hours old — right at birth, they can already identify their own language,” she said. “They can tell if what they’re hearing is English or Chinese. They don’t know the language, but they can recognize their own language.”
The only languages in which newborn babies can’t hear a difference in rhythms are Dutch and English, Bardutz pointed out. “Because it’s exactly the same rhythm.”
At least, that’s what the class textbook says, she said. Much to Bardutz’s delight, her third-year linguistics class willingly participated in testing that theory.
Seven of the 18 students in the class hooked their legs onto the side of the pool and put their ears under water so they could listen to people above the surface speak in different languages.
Ishrat Naqvi, a retired physics professor, spoke in Urdu, which he described as the official language of Pakistan. Urdu was the first language Naqvi learned.
Iris Mi and Callie Li, both business administration students at the U of R, conversed in Chinese for the linguistics students.
Keith Murch, who finished a linguistics degree last year and is currently studying education, participated both in and out of the pool.
“First of all, you have to be comfortable with being back in the womb,” he said.
Once he got comfortable in the pool, tuned out any distracting mechanical noises and concentrated on the rhythm of the voices, “it was a very interesting experience,” Murch said. “That was fascinating stuff!”
Sonja Van Eijk volunteered to shift back and forth between speaking Dutch and English.
“It’s really quite amazing,” she said, referring to the two languages having the same rhythm.
Intrigued by what the students were hearing underwater, Van Eijk said: “I would really like to experience that myself. I think this evening I’m going to go take a dip in my bathtub.
“My husband is a linguist, so he speaks many languages. And we’re going to do the tests ourselves. I’m curious now. I really want to know if that’s true that you can’t hear the difference (between Dutch and English),” she added.
Many of the students in her class are working toward degrees in linguistics or psychology.
“A lot of them want to be speech pathologists,” Bardutz said. “They’re very interested in how kids learn language.”
People trying to revitalize their native languages shouldn’t wait to start until kids are in kindergarten, Bardutz emphasized.
“They’ve missed the critical time. The kids need to hear the language starting at before birth,” she said. “The earlier the better.”
NIn se Neaseno.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A Creation Story......
Here is one of several creation stories existing among our people. There were many I heard growing up and the old people used to say, "The truth is hidden within our stories and it is up to the individual to find the truth".
The same seems to be true with some of our European brothers who were told stories of their origins also. The point being, that often great truth was shrouded in mystery and was passed down to future generations, by story tellers, to the children of men at one time.....now it appears we've gotten too modern and civilized to understand the mysteries contained in our own stories.
Ahau, enjoy and share.....
Nin se Neaseno.
A Potawatomi Creation Story….
Im se ngotdek gi yajmowat gi kekyajek egi zhechket o menedo ga zhe tot
ode bmadzewen mine gode bemadzejek egi bgednot ode bemadzet shote
nokmeskignan wa je dneswat.
Once, long ago, during the early times of creation it is said the Spirit of all
Life, the First Worker, came to make life as it now exists upon this Earth.
There was no daylight or light, nor life as we know it today, only darkness
and water everywhere. It was said among the old ones, Nakendemwajek,
(those who knew or wise ones) that there were three other ages before the
one in which we now find ourselves living in. The other ages or
dispensations of time were found to be lacking in love, respect for all life,
and other forms of humility, honor and the like. That is why the Originator
of all Life came to allow them to pass from this life or experience. Water
was allowed to rise up out of the deep wells of the Earth and swallow up
the disobedient children of men that once existed. From these stories we
know that we garner much truth, knowledge, and understanding about the
ages past from these spirits of men who once lived on this Earth. The
Seers/Holy People who have developed relationships with these beings can
access this knowledge as we need it and as we gain insight into this
unknown/untapped source.
The Nakendemwajek (old ones) said this creative source took some of the
celestial dust, the terrestrial dust, and from His own Shkemot (bag) he took
some of his own dust, fused all into the shape of a man with both sexes
within, then blew life into it with his Holy breath of action. It became the
species man and he was lowered to this Earth where he took over the duties
as Caretaker of all living things then existing.
He was called upon to name all living things as the natural things were new
then, without name and purpose. Mamogosnan gave the original
instructions to each living thing including man and woman and their
purpose on this Earth. Gye (Mother Earth) was considered to be the first
woman and the Wgema Negos (Chief Star Nation) was said to be the first
Father. Nibagizes (night sun or Grandmother Moon) and Nigangizes
(Grandfather Sun) were the first elders, thus the first part of creation for
this last dispensation.
The Seven Star Nation Sisters and the Seven Brothers met and conceived
a great nation which came to be known as the Seven Stone Fireplace of the
Neshnabek. Original Man was the Father of all living things as he gave
purpose and names to the rest of creation according to the instructions given
him by the Creative Force (Mamogosnan). Note: Name means; essence of
character, purpose designation. Original Man was the father of Life by
inspiration, not by act. He was to personify the Creative Force as the
original people had no knowledge of that personage or entity then. The
Teachings of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and prudence were all
to come through Original Man/Woman.
Today, we still can see that Original Spark of Spiritual Energy as we gaze
toward the heavens early in the morning and witness the Morning Star as he
heralds Grandfather rising to greet the Earth and all of Life on this great
altar. The Old People have told us the Morning Star is the plume feather
adorning Grandfather Sun’s head as he rises with each new day to comfort
and warm the Earth with his creative/pro-creative energy. This is why one
can still witness some of the Neshnabek greeting the Sun with their prayer
ties and flags along with their food offerings and requests for a good life.
Some of them still remember this old story of creation and all that it entails.
Some of them still remember who they are, what they are, where they came
from, and where they are going again.
Ahau, Iw enajmoyan.
I ye i enajmoyan odo pi egi kendemwat gi Neshanabek mno wi pi.
Iw shna ekendemyek ode yatsokan wa je widmoyek gi penojek nangodgen.
Neaseno desh ne kas.
The same seems to be true with some of our European brothers who were told stories of their origins also. The point being, that often great truth was shrouded in mystery and was passed down to future generations, by story tellers, to the children of men at one time.....now it appears we've gotten too modern and civilized to understand the mysteries contained in our own stories.
Ahau, enjoy and share.....
Nin se Neaseno.
A Potawatomi Creation Story….
Im se ngotdek gi yajmowat gi kekyajek egi zhechket o menedo ga zhe tot
ode bmadzewen mine gode bemadzejek egi bgednot ode bemadzet shote
nokmeskignan wa je dneswat.
Once, long ago, during the early times of creation it is said the Spirit of all
Life, the First Worker, came to make life as it now exists upon this Earth.
There was no daylight or light, nor life as we know it today, only darkness
and water everywhere. It was said among the old ones, Nakendemwajek,
(those who knew or wise ones) that there were three other ages before the
one in which we now find ourselves living in. The other ages or
dispensations of time were found to be lacking in love, respect for all life,
and other forms of humility, honor and the like. That is why the Originator
of all Life came to allow them to pass from this life or experience. Water
was allowed to rise up out of the deep wells of the Earth and swallow up
the disobedient children of men that once existed. From these stories we
know that we garner much truth, knowledge, and understanding about the
ages past from these spirits of men who once lived on this Earth. The
Seers/Holy People who have developed relationships with these beings can
access this knowledge as we need it and as we gain insight into this
unknown/untapped source.
The Nakendemwajek (old ones) said this creative source took some of the
celestial dust, the terrestrial dust, and from His own Shkemot (bag) he took
some of his own dust, fused all into the shape of a man with both sexes
within, then blew life into it with his Holy breath of action. It became the
species man and he was lowered to this Earth where he took over the duties
as Caretaker of all living things then existing.
He was called upon to name all living things as the natural things were new
then, without name and purpose. Mamogosnan gave the original
instructions to each living thing including man and woman and their
purpose on this Earth. Gye (Mother Earth) was considered to be the first
woman and the Wgema Negos (Chief Star Nation) was said to be the first
Father. Nibagizes (night sun or Grandmother Moon) and Nigangizes
(Grandfather Sun) were the first elders, thus the first part of creation for
this last dispensation.
The Seven Star Nation Sisters and the Seven Brothers met and conceived
a great nation which came to be known as the Seven Stone Fireplace of the
Neshnabek. Original Man was the Father of all living things as he gave
purpose and names to the rest of creation according to the instructions given
him by the Creative Force (Mamogosnan). Note: Name means; essence of
character, purpose designation. Original Man was the father of Life by
inspiration, not by act. He was to personify the Creative Force as the
original people had no knowledge of that personage or entity then. The
Teachings of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and prudence were all
to come through Original Man/Woman.
Today, we still can see that Original Spark of Spiritual Energy as we gaze
toward the heavens early in the morning and witness the Morning Star as he
heralds Grandfather rising to greet the Earth and all of Life on this great
altar. The Old People have told us the Morning Star is the plume feather
adorning Grandfather Sun’s head as he rises with each new day to comfort
and warm the Earth with his creative/pro-creative energy. This is why one
can still witness some of the Neshnabek greeting the Sun with their prayer
ties and flags along with their food offerings and requests for a good life.
Some of them still remember this old story of creation and all that it entails.
Some of them still remember who they are, what they are, where they came
from, and where they are going again.
Ahau, Iw enajmoyan.
I ye i enajmoyan odo pi egi kendemwat gi Neshanabek mno wi pi.
Iw shna ekendemyek ode yatsokan wa je widmoyek gi penojek nangodgen.
Neaseno desh ne kas.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Just an old Folk Song......
Folks, here is an old folk song that many singers have sung over the years....
An American folk song often categorized as children's music. It is a derivation of a Negro spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes".
See if you can guess what the modern day title of this song is.....
It is all in Potawatomi.....
Have fun with this song....
Nin se Neaseno.
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat.
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat.
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat.
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat.
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat.
An American folk song often categorized as children's music. It is a derivation of a Negro spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes".
See if you can guess what the modern day title of this song is.....
It is all in Potawatomi.....
Have fun with this song....
Nin se Neaseno.
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek,
Wi-byé-wagi i azhbek’ek wa-je-byat.
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen,
Wi-zgabyénan négdoshayen wa-je-byat.
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen,
Jayék gwi-o-nkwéshkwamen wa-je-byat.
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé,
Gwi-nsamen o mskwe-nabésé wa-je-byat.
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék,
Jayék gwi-yemen wézhashkemdék wa-je-byat.
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