|
 This is
the time of earth renewal and the people are giving honor and respect to the Great Holy Being, Ii-tsi-pah-tah-pii-op
(the Source of Life). It all started in April and May for those of us who are called Plains Indians.
When it first began to thunder and lightning we were called upon to open our sacred bundles of holy objects. We
were instructed by ancient teachings that it was time to honor all life and call it awake after a long winter's
sleep. With the hide and bones of birds and animals, plants and other things representing life in the world, there
is among those to be honored the female spirit. The one that is the sacred vessel of being that brought us into
the life of this world where we humans live. Among other things we thanked the female spirit for she carried human
beings into this earthy life.
The first holy bundle that we open with a smudge, prayer, drumming and singing is the Beaver Bundle. It is the
first bundle opened when the mother beaver brings her small children out into the world for the first time. The
little ones were born in the earth lodge of mud and tree branches. It is as it has been told, we come from the
earth and we appear on our earth from the depths of the water. We humans who are born out of the same water appear
on this earth from the womb of our mother. This is the symbolism of our holy ceremonies. We give honor and respect
to the earth mother and our earthly mothers and all that lives here.
We pray and celebrate to honor these gifts from the Great Holy Being, who is also the Grandmother Spirit. Our non-Indian
relatives talk only of the male spirit being God. We know that is not true.
The Creator, Maker of All Things, gave woman the power of the pipe. We pray with the pipe so we might worship in
the proper way. The pipe, this female gift, is our assurance of a long, happy and healthy life. If it were not
for women, our ceremonial life, as we know it today, would not exist. We know this because the male and the female
must be together because, for example, they give the spark to make life given by the Power of All Things.
Women have always been important and have had a prominent role in the life of our people. The spirit and the power
of the female is prayed for and to, in order that their power will help us, and thereby save us, our world, and
our universe.
All Indian nations always held women in high honor and respect. It is a mystery how stories of Indian women being
the slaves, so-to-speak, of our society ever got started and why these false stories persist.
It is important to my people that we have women to whom we can point as examples of respect and honor for our daughters
to model their lives after. This is crucial to us because without a respected, loving, caring, honest and trustworthy
mother, we could not have our Okan, the holy lodge of our Sacred Sleep where we seek spiritual guidance for the
rest of our life. At this time of year this is what is happening. We are holding these ceremonies and the female
spirit is our focus. Only a woman can make the vow to serve as the sponsor of this ceremony, what is known as the
Sun Dance.
It is time the false stories end that say Indian men do not hold their women in high esteem. Men must give honor
and respect to women. Boys must honor and respect their sisters.
Women must respect themselves. The women must keep in mind they have a valued place in our nations' society. The
name "woman" must be held sacred.
Long Standing Bear Chief, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, is a writer, educator and lecturer. Now living in Xuupinish
(Sahaptin for Toppenish), he can be reached at pikanii@hotmail.com or by calling 865-5704.
Visit his website at:
Blackfoot Nation
http://www.blackfoot.org
The Smithsonian has put together a book list of books about Native American
Women:
Native American Women
http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmai/women.htm
|
