Tradition @ MindSay

I am an enrolled member of the Lummi Indian nation that is located in the Pacific Northwest, just off of Bellingham Bay in the beautiful Puget Sound.  For generations my family and ancestors have lived near the sound and followed the Salmon, Dungeness Crab, Halibit and other water creatures.  The traditions of the Native American have been constantly purged by the ruling social class of America and even though our history includes times when we were forbad to practice our spiritualism, we have survived and the Lummi people have found a strength that has for generations been attacked.  We are one of the many treaty indian tribes that have rights that were guarenteed to them by the United States government, and even though they tried to make farmers of us, we have survived and even today fish the waters of the Puget Sound and continue to raise our children with the beliefs and culture that have been passed down by our ancestors.

If you are interested in seeing some native artwork that is done by my thousands of relatives then  you would want to go to www.ebuynativeart.com, many of my cousins have been gifted with the ability to carve in the tradition of the Coastal Salish Indians, and pass on these gifts to other family members to keep our spirit alive.  I can recall when I met on of my cousins, Jewell James, he was standing next to a rather large log and looked at me with all seriousness and said "there is a bear in here!"  I was not sure what he was talking about but a couple of years later I was amazed to see a perfect carved black bear and two cubs that he had carved.  If anyone recalls the prayer pole that was taken across country to the park for the families affected by the tragedy of September 11, he and his group were the ones who carved the totem pole and delivered it complete with prayers and blessings for all of the families especially the children who lost parents in the tragedy that fateful day.

We as a nation also were affected by the tragedy of September 11, as our entire tribal council who were divided in half, were on their way to the World Trade Center and also to the Pentagon as the tragedy happened.  Thankfully to the Creator he held them in the palm of his hand and kept them safe.  It was several days before we actually heard from them to know that they were not included in the lists of missing, and our entire tribe gathered at the Community Building to comfort the families and wait on news as to their whereabouts.  We have always had a great faith in the Creator and find peace in being thankful for the gifts and miracles that we have all experienced.  Living on a Native American reservation is not an easy task, but for many generations we have continued to survive and raise our families on land the government says is ours.  At one time our reservation encompassed the entire region from the Bellingham Bay to the top of Mount Baker.  Our tribe owns one of the last natural rainforests in North American as the keepers of the Arleco Ancient Forest region.  We also have a salmon hatchery where each year we release thousands of baby salmon into the rivers as they make their way on their three year journey across the pacific ocean to the shores of China and then return to the waters of the Nooksack river to spawn. 

Even though the government of the United States would like to have conquered us a century ago that is not the way that things happened.  We are a free people and even though we have learned all of the bad from the Indian Agents the government sent in the 1800's, we are starting to find our way out of the quagmyer and push ahead to a future that someday will be plentiful with our traditional values and culture.  I am a recognized bead artist for my people and display my wears at traditional gatherings and Pow Wows in the midwest  where I live, my family may be thousand of miles away but I am able to keep in contact with them and share good and bad news with them.  I was adopted or stolen when I was an infant and was raised by a non-Native famliy and educated in public school.  After graduation in 1971, I enlisted in the US Army and served my country until 1976.  So I am not only an honorable Native American woman, I am also a honorable Veteran/warrior and also live with my husband in the midwest as a disabled veteran. 

My interests today include discovering my land and the remarkable miracles on it and enjoying the peace and quiet of rural country life.  We had a small garden last summer and I learned how to can. We are trying to find alternative forms of energy to use on our land and enjoy just being on our own.  It has not been easy to grow up as a Native American and believe me prejudice and racism are alive and well in America.  I have found that most people see others for the outward appearances instead of recognizing the inner more realistic person. 

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should've known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.   ;)

~ B

So I'm going to visit my grandparents for Christmas. It's an old tradition and I usually don't mind. I'll admit that I don't like getting up so early, the two hour long car ride, and the inevitable boredom, but it's pretty okay. But this year's going to be very, very awkward, and most likely sucky. You see, one of my cousins recently tried to kill herself with a bottle of aspirin. Because of that, a lot of the family has turned their backs on her. My grandmother wouldn't even say goodbye when she was packing up her stuff and moving into a friend's house. My uncle has forbidden his children to speak with her, and no one can figure out what my grandfather thinks since he can't speak against Grandma in her prescense and she refuses to leave him alone.

My aunt is bringing my cousin by so that we can see her. I do want to see her. Let her know that we haven't all abandoned her. But I'm worried how the others are going to act. My uncle's taking his kids somewhere else while she's there. But what about Grandma? That woman's a big bowl full of crazy. Oh well. We'll deal with when it comes. I just hope that she doesn't do or say anything stupid...but she probably will.

Happy Hanukkah!

Care for a ... spin?