cherokee
Early in my travels I met a very old Irishman who I soon dubbed my personal leprechaun. He helped guide me into my family history and may indeed be a distant branch of it himself. He fancies himself a medicine man. You would love him, as he is a horse whisperer as well.
Now I'm used to people exagerating their backgrounds, abilities, and accomplishments, but Johnnie was a very interesting guy. On our first day together knocking on parish doors and driving around the hills outside of town, he hollered at me to stop the car. He asked me what I saw in the rearview mirror. I told him we just passed a farmhouse with big white pillars at the front gate. "Go there", he instructed. We backed up and went to the farmhouse where he introduced me to a man he had not seen in FORTY years! Back in the 60's you see, Johnnie was THE man to see about a horse. Of course, Galway Races and all that, having someone who knows animals is very important and Mr. Kelly had several race horses on his working farm. Johnnie, it was told to me, was responsible multiple times for caring and curing ailing animals when a vet had failed. Natural medicine, herbal remedies, call it what you will, those were Johnnies tools.
On a later visit he and I visited the relation of a friend of mine and of course, sitting at the table to talk to the old woman, Johnnie reminded her of the last time they had met. Her granddaughter was 6 months old, in a stroller, and not feeling well. Johnnie looked at her and diagnosed that she had some type of serious intestinal deficiency and that she needed professional care. Of course the girls parents (the old womans son and daugher-in-law) respected his opinion and took her to a doctor. When we were at the house, the whole family was there, including the now 6 year old daughter. Who will be on a special diet her entire life, because of some type of intestinal deficiency!!!
I had no way to repay him for his help in guiding me around my past and when I asked what I could do (to draw this circle to a close) he asked that in my travels around the USA, I kept an eye out at old book stores for any old books on holistic medicine, natural cures, etc. I started stopping at Indian reservation tourist stores out west and picking up the occasional (usually new) books of compiliations of tribal medicinal cures. Again, human experience is human experience I guess, but I was amazed to see the similarity in the cures used by native american Indians and those in books shown to me by an 80 year old Irishman.
(ps, I tell the story in past tense, but Johnnie, to my knowledge of 2 months ago, is alive and well!)
I've noticed those same similarities between the Celts and Indians too, as well as many other of those 'mystical' cultures I mentioned. And, not to say that it is not so in some instances, but I've noticed as I've learned more about many of these cultures and religious practices, that many of the cultures that Christianity has deemed 'idolatrous' are not idol worshipers at all. The totem aspect of many Indian cultures is not the 'worship' of animals as most of Christianity assumes. They merely view animals (and creation in general) as being expressive of the divinity that gives all things life and substance, and that as such, much can be learned from these unique expressions.
BTW...was that YOU on MySpace?! (If not, some driver named Bruce likely thinks I'm coming onto him or something! LOL!)
http://bbmyls2go.mindsay.com/jezz_fest.mws
yes, that's moi at moispace! I post videos there, too!
Even today many people with Celtic and Norse Ancestory will migrate towards the NA Indian cultures if they don't know their family background because they feel the connection of nature, ways, ethics, and morals. A lot of the Celtic and Norse Gods have different names but are similar to many NA Indians tribes Spirits and Creation Stories. More so than any other culture. Indian culture is a close second to the Celtic and Norse. And African a close third.
If more poeple would shut their mouths and open their eyes and hearts to the similarities between these cultures and stop worrying how it goes against their preseptions, they would realize the human races are connected by much more than the human body but by Essence of Spirit!
I have run across people with whom I seem to have an instant "gel" factor. There is something so comforting about that.
The reminder that we are not alone, even if we feel like it, and the humbling reminder that we are not perhaps as unique as we think we are. <grin> Chippewa. Somewhere, I am Chippewa. But mostly, I just look like a blond Spaniard or an extract of German nobility. The practices of my ancestors steep back into strange ways, too.
I wonder what the world would have been like if the arrogance of any invading people had been tempered with humility.
"I wonder what the world would have been like if the arrogance of any invading people had been tempered with humility."
I think we might have come a lot farther in a lot less time, and with a lot less pain and loss. But then, pain does seem to serve a noble purpose as well, so who can say? (I'm really wandering around this morning in those thoughts, huh?!)
Yes, I have. Interesting concept.
Often when telling a story and referring to what I'm thinking, instead of saying, 'So I said to myself...' I say , "So I says to Ethel, I says...."
Keeps it interesting....
(Did you ever see Oh Brother Where Art Thou? If you didn't you MUST...it is absolutely HILARIOUS!!!!)
15/40
I posted the pictures for those who didn't want to reflect. I don't blame you...I feel sort of like that right now myself! LOL!
Heeheehee.