The Lakota Sioux are a nation of Native Americans who roamed the northern plains in and around the Black Hills of South Dakota. They have a prophecy known as the White Buffalo Calf Woman.
According to the prophecy, two warriors were out hunting buffalo, approximately 2,000 years ago, when they spotted a white buffalo calf. As they approached the calf, it turned into a beautiful young Indian girl.
One of the warriors had bad thoughts in his mind. The Indian girl told him to step forward whereupon a black cloud came over his body. When the black cloud disappeared, the warrior with bad thought had no more flesh or blood on his bones.
The other warrior kneeled and prayed. The Indian girl told him to tell his people that she would bring them a sacred bundle in four days. So the warrior went back to his people and told the elders. Then all the Lakota people gathered in a circle and the warrior told them what the Indian girl had instructed him to say.
On the fourth day, a cloud came down from the sky and off stepped a white buffalo calf. As it reached the earth, it stood up and became a beautiful young woman, carrying a sacred bundle. The woman spent four days among the Lakota people, teaching them the seven sacred ceremonies.
1) The purification ceremony of the sweat lodge
2) The child naming ceremony
3) The healing ceremony
4) The making of relatives or adoption ceremony
5) The marriage ceremony
6) The vision quest
7) The sun dance ceremony
As long as the Lakota people performed these ceremonies, they would remain caretakers of the land. Then the beautiful woman left, the same way as she arrived, vowing to someday return for the sacred bundle. The sacred bundle, known as the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, has been passed down from generation to generation of Lakota and is kept in a sacred place on an Indian reservation in South Dakota.
The White Buffalo Calf Woman also made several prophecies upon her departure. One of these prophecies was that the birth of a white buffalo would be a sign that it would be near the time of her return. And upon her return, she would purify the world, bringing harmony, balance and spirituality back to the earth, and all the races of man would live in peace.
A white buffalo calf is projected to be a one in 10 million occurrence. These are about the same odds as finding the lost Ark of the Covenant within the city limits of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In August of 1994, a white buffalo was born in Janesville, Wisconsin. Although this event excited many Native American at the time, this particular buffalo was actually born red and later turned white.
On May 22, 2004, a white buffalo calf came into this world at the Spirit Mountain Ranch near Flagstaff, Arizona. This ranch has successfully bred three generations of white buffalo, As of May in 2008 their herd consists of 11 white buffalo.
In May 31, 2008, a white buffalo calf was born in Jamestown, North Dakota.
Plus, several other white buffalo have come into existence over the last decade.
Peace on earth seems like a hard nut to crack these days. Too many people are determined to force their way of life on others, through coercion and violence. Ultimately, those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Unfortunately, it creates a bloody mess for the rest of us caught in the middle.
You can’t change the world -- you can only change yourself.
Peace on earth starts with patience and grace, and treating others the way you want to be treated.
For the Lakota people, peace on earth starts with a white buffalo.
November of 2009 is American Indian Heritage Month. We honor out native brothers and sisters, and eagerly await the fulfillment of the White Buffalo prophecy.
Mi taku oyasin -- We are all related (Lakota proverb).
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Quote for the Day -- “It is not necessary for eagles to be crows.” Sitting Bull
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Bret Burquest is an award-winning columnist and author of four novels. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and the spirit of Black Elk. His blogs appear on several websites, including www.myspace.com/bret1111
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Showing posts with label Native Americans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Native Americans. Show all posts
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Golden Gophers and Flying Queens
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) issued an edict to colleges in 2006 that they were banned from the use of "hostile or abusive" American Indian nicknames, mascots and logos for their sports teams. Schools that fail to comply will be ineligible to participate in bowl games.
At least 18 schools are deemed to have hostile or abusive nicknames, including Illinois Fighting Illini, Florida State Seminoles, Utah Utes, Virginia Wahoos, Central Michigan Chippewas, Mississippi College Choctaws, North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Arkansas State Indians and Southeast Oklahoma State Savages.
Some schools have already changed their nicknames anticipating the new rule. St. John's (New York) went from Redmen to Red Storm, Marquette (Milwaukee) from Warriors to Golden Eagles and Stonehill College (Massachusetts) from Chieftains to Skyhawks.
I went to college at the University of Minnesota. We were the Golden Gophers, named after a small rodent that lives in a hole in the ground. In 2008, the University of Minnesota had tried to schedule a football game with the University of North Dakota, but it was rejected by Minnesota school officials because of the Fighting Sioux nickname that was considered offensive to Native Americans.
Even though the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribes in North Dakota are internally divided on this issue, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved to retire the "Fighting Sioux" nickname in May of 2009, with full compliance no later than August 1, 2010.
While colleges scramble to adhere to political correctness regarding American Indians, it probably won't end with college sports. As a concerned citizen who wishes to offend everyone equally, I have a couple of suggestions for pro football teams with American Indian mascots that will not offend the object of the nickname.
Washington Redskins -- Washington Wishy-Washies
Kansas City Chiefs -- Kansas City Canker Sores
However, if we are to be politically correct with the American Indian, we must also be politically correct with nicknames that potentially demean other members of the human race, such as Notre Dame Fighting Irish (not too many Irish on the team) and Purdue Boilermakers (obviously offensive to makers of boilers).
Others include Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oklahoma Cowboys, Callifornia-Santa Barbara Gauchos, Mississippi Rebels, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, Union College Dutchmen, Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, Wilmington College Quakers, Earlham College Hustlin' Quakers, Cleveland State Vikings, Bethany College Swedes and Lyon College Scots.
Thus, I have a list of suggestions for pro football that will eliminate the human race from being the object of political incorrectness.
Minnesota Vikings – Minnesota Mosquitoes
Houston Texans – Houston Houseplants
Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh Potbellies
Dallas Cowboys – Dallas Dipsticks
Oakland Raiders – Oakland Oxymorons
Tennessee Titans – Tennessee Tenderfoots
Cleveland Browns – Cleveland Clodhoppers
Green Bay Packers – Green Bay Packages
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa Bay Buck Passers
New York Giants – New York Gnats
New Orleans Saints – New Orleans Sissies
New England Patriots – New England Pansies
At least it's not quite as bad as Illinois College Blue Boys, Columbia College Claim Jumpers, California-Long Beach Dirtbags, California-Santa Cruz Banana Slugs and Wayland Baptist Flying Queens.
Perhaps being a Golden Gopher isn't so bad after all. I'd rather be a rodent than a Flying Queen.
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Quote for the Day – "Football combines the two worst things about America – violence punctuated by committee meetings." George Will
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Bret Burquest is an award-winning columnist and author of four novels. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and where rodents run free. His blogs appear on several websites, including www.myspace.com/bret1111
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At least 18 schools are deemed to have hostile or abusive nicknames, including Illinois Fighting Illini, Florida State Seminoles, Utah Utes, Virginia Wahoos, Central Michigan Chippewas, Mississippi College Choctaws, North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Arkansas State Indians and Southeast Oklahoma State Savages.
Some schools have already changed their nicknames anticipating the new rule. St. John's (New York) went from Redmen to Red Storm, Marquette (Milwaukee) from Warriors to Golden Eagles and Stonehill College (Massachusetts) from Chieftains to Skyhawks.
I went to college at the University of Minnesota. We were the Golden Gophers, named after a small rodent that lives in a hole in the ground. In 2008, the University of Minnesota had tried to schedule a football game with the University of North Dakota, but it was rejected by Minnesota school officials because of the Fighting Sioux nickname that was considered offensive to Native Americans.
Even though the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribes in North Dakota are internally divided on this issue, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved to retire the "Fighting Sioux" nickname in May of 2009, with full compliance no later than August 1, 2010.
While colleges scramble to adhere to political correctness regarding American Indians, it probably won't end with college sports. As a concerned citizen who wishes to offend everyone equally, I have a couple of suggestions for pro football teams with American Indian mascots that will not offend the object of the nickname.
Washington Redskins -- Washington Wishy-Washies
Kansas City Chiefs -- Kansas City Canker Sores
However, if we are to be politically correct with the American Indian, we must also be politically correct with nicknames that potentially demean other members of the human race, such as Notre Dame Fighting Irish (not too many Irish on the team) and Purdue Boilermakers (obviously offensive to makers of boilers).
Others include Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oklahoma Cowboys, Callifornia-Santa Barbara Gauchos, Mississippi Rebels, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, Union College Dutchmen, Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, Wilmington College Quakers, Earlham College Hustlin' Quakers, Cleveland State Vikings, Bethany College Swedes and Lyon College Scots.
Thus, I have a list of suggestions for pro football that will eliminate the human race from being the object of political incorrectness.
Minnesota Vikings – Minnesota Mosquitoes
Houston Texans – Houston Houseplants
Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh Potbellies
Dallas Cowboys – Dallas Dipsticks
Oakland Raiders – Oakland Oxymorons
Tennessee Titans – Tennessee Tenderfoots
Cleveland Browns – Cleveland Clodhoppers
Green Bay Packers – Green Bay Packages
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa Bay Buck Passers
New York Giants – New York Gnats
New Orleans Saints – New Orleans Sissies
New England Patriots – New England Pansies
At least it's not quite as bad as Illinois College Blue Boys, Columbia College Claim Jumpers, California-Long Beach Dirtbags, California-Santa Cruz Banana Slugs and Wayland Baptist Flying Queens.
Perhaps being a Golden Gopher isn't so bad after all. I'd rather be a rodent than a Flying Queen.
___________
Quote for the Day – "Football combines the two worst things about America – violence punctuated by committee meetings." George Will
___________
Bret Burquest is an award-winning columnist and author of four novels. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and where rodents run free. His blogs appear on several websites, including www.myspace.com/bret1111
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Sunday, August 2, 2009
Junk and Luxury
One of the fastest ways to fail in life is to work so hard your manager will think you're after his job.
In 1976, one year before our semi-blissful marriage of five years and two days, my ex-wife and I went on a sailing adventure in the West Indies. We paid good money to be deckhands on a 248-foot, four-mast schooner; island-hopping the Leeward Islands of St. Martins, St. Barts, St Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis for two weeks.
After a few days, we hooked up with a couple from Philadelphia and a couple from Alaska.
One day the six of us were wandering the neighborhood back streets of a town on Nevis. Some of the locals were sitting on the front porches of their modest houses, playing dominoes or watching the tourists pass by.
The couple from Philadelphia (liberals) mentioned how poor everyone seemed and suggested there should be an influx of government money to help everyone out. The couple from Alaska (conservatives) wondered why no one seemed to be working very hard and suggested an influx of private industry to kick-start the economy.
My ex-wife was too busy looking for a shop where she could buy some more useless junk to notice anything.
However, I noticed and wondered if I was the only sane person in the group. Everyone I saw along the street appeared to be perfectly content in their existence. You could see the happiness in the twinkle in their eyes. It was beyond my comprehension why anyone would want to barge in and spoil a perfectly desirable way of life.
Apparently, there's a big difference between liberals and conservatives and relatively sane human beings.
Once upon a time in America, the Europeans had not yet arrived to spoil a perfectly desirable way of life.
There were indigenous folks (Native Americans) scattered throughout the continent, doing just fine until the white man arrived on the eastern shore, stuck a flag in the ground and declared it to be a "discovery."
Some of the indigenous folks had permanent settlements while others were hunter-gatherer nomads.
A hunter-gatherer society consisted of small bands of nomadic people who lived in an area where it was too harsh to allow permanent settlements. They survived by foraging for edible plants and wild animals. Basically, they wandered from one food source to another. Everything they owned, they carried on their backs.
One of the major areas of concentration of hunter-gatherer nomads was the Great Basin Desert area of the southwest (Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, etc.). These societies were part of the Shoshonean bands of Indians (Hopi, Piute, Mono, Comanche, Kawai, Panamint, Chemehuevi and others).
In an article titled THE ART OF NOTHING, Thomas J. Elpel declares, "Hunter-gatherer societies succeeded in working only one or two hours per day, yet in our efforts to reproduce their lifestyle we end up working all day."
Elpel is the director of Hollowtop Outdoor Primitive School in Montana and author of many books on survival.
According to Elpel, the hunter-gatherers "had a lot of time on their hands because they produced almost no material culture." They basically sat around all day doing nothing. This helped conserve energy, an economical imperative so they wouldn't be forced to harvest more food each day to feed themselves.
They also produced no unnecessary material goods, including artwork. Whenever they were forced to move on, they needed to do so with a minimal of effort. They didn't want to be dragging junk or luxury items with them.
In our materialistic culture where the objective always seems to be growth, we love junk and luxury. Often they're the same thing. We work 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, just to stay even. In fact, we're less than even since our national debt is in the multiple trillions and rising. But we're too busy "getting ahead" to notice.
So, you can be a go-getter and spin your wheels in pursuit of junk and luxury; or you can be a do-nothing and observe the folly of the go-getters as they work harder and harder while getting deeper and deeper in debt.
Work is something you do because it's necessary for survival. Work you do beyond that is called a burden.
Instead of continually clamoring for jobs, jobs, jobs, we should make quality of life our common objective. This would include a shorter work-week, less government control, less monetary insanity, less military adventurism, etc.
The corporate world wants everyone working at full capacity to maximize profits. The government wants everyone working at full capacity to maximize tax revenues. Financial institutions want everyone in debt to perpetuate their credit schemes to expand their control of the monetary system. The military-industrial complex wants a world of bloody conflict to justify their costly existence.
A shorter work-week and a less stressful way of life for the masses goes against the greedy ambitions of those who control the puppet strings. Sooner or later, the puppets are going to figure it out.
Endless, mindless growth is a cancer. Happiness comes from being satisfied with what you have, not with yearning for more, more, more.
___________
Quote for the Day -- "Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that." George Carlin
___________
Bret Burquest is a former award-winning columnist and author of four novels. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and possesses some junk but no luxury. His blogs appear on several websites, including www.myspace.com/bret1111
___________
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In 1976, one year before our semi-blissful marriage of five years and two days, my ex-wife and I went on a sailing adventure in the West Indies. We paid good money to be deckhands on a 248-foot, four-mast schooner; island-hopping the Leeward Islands of St. Martins, St. Barts, St Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis for two weeks.
After a few days, we hooked up with a couple from Philadelphia and a couple from Alaska.
One day the six of us were wandering the neighborhood back streets of a town on Nevis. Some of the locals were sitting on the front porches of their modest houses, playing dominoes or watching the tourists pass by.
The couple from Philadelphia (liberals) mentioned how poor everyone seemed and suggested there should be an influx of government money to help everyone out. The couple from Alaska (conservatives) wondered why no one seemed to be working very hard and suggested an influx of private industry to kick-start the economy.
My ex-wife was too busy looking for a shop where she could buy some more useless junk to notice anything.
However, I noticed and wondered if I was the only sane person in the group. Everyone I saw along the street appeared to be perfectly content in their existence. You could see the happiness in the twinkle in their eyes. It was beyond my comprehension why anyone would want to barge in and spoil a perfectly desirable way of life.
Apparently, there's a big difference between liberals and conservatives and relatively sane human beings.
Once upon a time in America, the Europeans had not yet arrived to spoil a perfectly desirable way of life.
There were indigenous folks (Native Americans) scattered throughout the continent, doing just fine until the white man arrived on the eastern shore, stuck a flag in the ground and declared it to be a "discovery."
Some of the indigenous folks had permanent settlements while others were hunter-gatherer nomads.
A hunter-gatherer society consisted of small bands of nomadic people who lived in an area where it was too harsh to allow permanent settlements. They survived by foraging for edible plants and wild animals. Basically, they wandered from one food source to another. Everything they owned, they carried on their backs.
One of the major areas of concentration of hunter-gatherer nomads was the Great Basin Desert area of the southwest (Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, etc.). These societies were part of the Shoshonean bands of Indians (Hopi, Piute, Mono, Comanche, Kawai, Panamint, Chemehuevi and others).
In an article titled THE ART OF NOTHING, Thomas J. Elpel declares, "Hunter-gatherer societies succeeded in working only one or two hours per day, yet in our efforts to reproduce their lifestyle we end up working all day."
Elpel is the director of Hollowtop Outdoor Primitive School in Montana and author of many books on survival.
According to Elpel, the hunter-gatherers "had a lot of time on their hands because they produced almost no material culture." They basically sat around all day doing nothing. This helped conserve energy, an economical imperative so they wouldn't be forced to harvest more food each day to feed themselves.
They also produced no unnecessary material goods, including artwork. Whenever they were forced to move on, they needed to do so with a minimal of effort. They didn't want to be dragging junk or luxury items with them.
In our materialistic culture where the objective always seems to be growth, we love junk and luxury. Often they're the same thing. We work 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, just to stay even. In fact, we're less than even since our national debt is in the multiple trillions and rising. But we're too busy "getting ahead" to notice.
So, you can be a go-getter and spin your wheels in pursuit of junk and luxury; or you can be a do-nothing and observe the folly of the go-getters as they work harder and harder while getting deeper and deeper in debt.
Work is something you do because it's necessary for survival. Work you do beyond that is called a burden.
Instead of continually clamoring for jobs, jobs, jobs, we should make quality of life our common objective. This would include a shorter work-week, less government control, less monetary insanity, less military adventurism, etc.
The corporate world wants everyone working at full capacity to maximize profits. The government wants everyone working at full capacity to maximize tax revenues. Financial institutions want everyone in debt to perpetuate their credit schemes to expand their control of the monetary system. The military-industrial complex wants a world of bloody conflict to justify their costly existence.
A shorter work-week and a less stressful way of life for the masses goes against the greedy ambitions of those who control the puppet strings. Sooner or later, the puppets are going to figure it out.
Endless, mindless growth is a cancer. Happiness comes from being satisfied with what you have, not with yearning for more, more, more.
___________
Quote for the Day -- "Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that." George Carlin
___________
Bret Burquest is a former award-winning columnist and author of four novels. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and possesses some junk but no luxury. His blogs appear on several websites, including www.myspace.com/bret1111
___________
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