We now realize that one of the reasons we were lead to come to ‘Turtle Island’ was so that we could learn from the First Nations, who were given to be the original stewards of this piece of God’s real estate (Acts 17;26)
Last Friday we had the privilege of attending a ceremony where two young girls took the step into womanhood. This involved a time of preparation including fasting and prayer and instruction by the older women. It is said to be the most important of the 7 traditional Dakota ceremonies because everyone is ‘set in their place’ e.g. the men as the guardians outside the tepee where the girls come aside for three days.
There is not a corresponding ceremony for the boys, however I recalled the book Initiation by Jeffrey Prather that had a profound influence on my spiritual life a few years ago when I first read it while in Ireland.
I pulled it off the shelf again to review all the underlined parts and my margin notes.
Therein was a section where the Apache Medicine Man who trained the young Prather, echoed from their tradition what I had just been learning in my Dakota family…..
On Sunday morning we had a Kyle family birthday celebration and as we sat around the table honoring one of the mothers, I felt I should read the above quotation. Then Asher (6) raised his hand.
‘Yes Asher’ I said inviting his comment.
“ But what about the sperm?’ He asked earnestly.
After the uproarious laughter died down we continued our family education with several wise inputs offered in answer to his great question😀
This ancient wisdom is so relevant in today’s ‘world’ which would force us to accept that a man can have a baby!
Another profound quote I came across was this piece of conversation between Jeffrey and his Apache teacher……
‘How timely!’ I thought……..in the light of what is now coming to light!…….as articulated for example here by Tucker Carlson…….
After the ceremony some new friends from the Reservation spent a few days with us at The Big Green House. Sounding them out about the last few years in conversation one said of ‘the jab’ They offered us a big pay increase if we would take it, but I said,’The government have been lying to us and trying to wipe us out for 500 years, so why should weI trust them now?!’
When I later relayed this to our friend Bill, He said,’ Yes. Now we’re discovering we’ve all been living on the Reservation’!’
Wakan Tanka means the Great Spirit. John writes about the Spirit that has been given to believers. “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”(1 John 2:27 ESV)
As Tucker Carlson points out, deception is ripe everywhere with shifting characters all the time. How are we to know who and what is true (even Tucker?) and what is manipulative propaganda?
John advises we abide in him and stay close to the one who walked in humility and openness and we will move beyond mere opinions to true discernment as we seek to hear His teaching, no matter through whom whatever vessel it may come.
One more lesson we learned in the school of Wakan Tanka is illustrated below……
The girls are taught that moving from childhood to adulthood means that you moves from being a ‘taker’ to being a ‘giver’. Therefore for months before the ceremony they and their mothers spend time and money making gifts for ‘The Give Away’ to honor those who attend who have had a helpful influence in the lives of the girls.
Hilary and I were so blessed to receive this spread from our ‘adopted daughter’ Raine and her daughter, Mni who is pictured above with another of our granddaughters, Saachi, who grew up, together with Mni, in The Big Green House. They are enjoying their traditional feast of wild rice, buffalo, fruit……and fry bread (shucks you can’t get everything healthy😀)