an inconvenient meeting? you write the caption!

spirit bear ~ bear medicine

The Legend of the SPIRIT BEAR
Native Americans have always held a reverence for bears. Bears hold a spiritual significance. Human-like in their ability to walk upright, bears are considered a link between people and animals. Bears are strongly linked to healing. They forage for plants which implies a knowledge of herbal medicine. Numerous common names for herbs and plants reflect this: bearberry, bear's paw, bear tongue, bear clover. Finally, because they hibernate, bears experience the ultimate magical transformation; they "die" and are "reborn" each year. The SPIRIT BEAR fetish holds special power because the fetish is thought to contain a living power (the bear) which can help its owner. The SPIRIT BEAR fetish has healing power –the power of the bear.

mother earth is angered

mother earth is angered
her rage spreads like wildfire
her children are confused
she speaks and they don't listen
to the signs and the signals
they go on and on and on
until they quash the maker
until they kill them off
until they forthright faker
murder the ones who love
injustice rages
ignorance prevails
those in power flail
arms and legs and money
call me baby honey
evil underground assassins
making plans to control the masses
fire is burning
in the center of the earth
they hide they plot they plan

we are different
we are strong
we are always
never wrong

we are mother earth's children
she is full
she is angry
let's help her
let's love her
let's keep her
let's pray for her

until it's gone...

s.d.

support for rick and donna from curve lake

this is a must read. i was appalled to learn this....i know what it feels like to lose one's home; I lost my "home" earlier this year and also once before a few years ago...it is horrific, however, made me stronger.......they are lucky they have friends that care....my support, prayers and best wishes are with all of you...


patti s.d.

Support Donna Shilling and Rick's return to Curve Lake First Nation
Type: Common Interest - Politics
Description: Donna Shilling is a First Nations woman. Her mother was from Rama First Nation, and her father, Grant Taylor from Curve Lake. He fought in the War... for Freedom..... and to Protect peoples rights.
Donna met Rick, a non-native man, they fell in love and lived for a long time at Curve Lake First Nation in a common-law relationship.
After six years, Rick built a business on the reserve- owned a store and gas station on the reserve and hired many people who were members of Curve Lake.
He gave to his community. Donna gave to her community. They have many relatives living on the reserve.

Rick made a mistake. Charged and convicted of possession/purpose of Marijuana and a
device from a Traveling Salesman they have deemed a weapon...a Baton.

Then 5 days later they received a notice from Chief and Council to get out in 12 hours.
They had time only to pack a few things and leave with a Suitcase.

This was a conviction of a crime of non violence nature.
Curve Lake Chief and Council do not evict members of their community who are convicted of crimes of violence such as assault, murder, rape, or drunk driving.
Rick and Donna were evicted because Rick is a non native man.
Where in our Traditional Teachings are we taught to treat non-native people any differently than we do our own people?
Our ultimate Chief and Council is Creator and our Ancestors. Would they have come to the same conclusion or would they have attended court in support, testifying on Rick's behalf and then asking Rick and Donna how they could help? I suspect they would. At least MY Creator and Ancestors would.
Please join this Facebook group to show Rick and Donna that they have our support.
Miiigwetch
Contact Info Email: waabnongkwe@hotmail.com

Recent News
Picture of Donna courtesy of Peterborough Examiner.

loving trees

Here is an old and wonderful Teaching on The Tree Peoples....

Trees strongly root with the Earth, and the more rooted the tree, the higher
it can extend to Heaven. Trees stand very still, absorbing the Earth's
Energy and the Universal Force from the Heavens. Trees and all plants have
the ability to absorb the light frequencies and transform them into food; in
fact, they depend on light for most of their nourishment. Trees are the
largest and most spiritually advanced plants on earth. They are constantly
in meditation, and subtle energy is their natural language.

As your understanding of this language grows, you can begin to develop a
relationship with them. They can help you open your energy channels and
cultivate calm, presence, and vitality. There are certain methods to
approaching, interacting with, retreating from, and absorbing energy of a
tree. By following specific steps you create a ritual of silent communion
that both you and the tree can understand, and so increase the potential for
harmonious interaction.

from sue in ca.....thank u.....:)
photo is behind our home....s.d.

mother earth is still crying out

'Mini-Tsunami' Wipes Out Mexican Town
By EDUARDO VERDUGO,AP
Posted: 2007-11-06 15:04:45
Filed Under: Natural Disaster, World News
OSTUACAN, Mexico (Nov. 6) - Survivors saw relatives swept away by huge waves or buried by debris after a landslide hit a rain-swollen river, triggering what officials called a "mini-tsunami" that wiped a hamlet off the map and left at least 16 people missing.

Residents of San Juan Grijalva told The Associated Press on Monday they had been awakened by a rumbling roar and the sound of rocks rolling down from surrounding mountaintops on Sunday night, almost a week after massive flooding sent rivers over their banks in the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and neighboring Tabasco.


Photo Gallery: Another Disaster
Alfredo Estrella, AFP / Getty Images A helicopter pilot surveys the damage to San Juan Grijalva in the Mexican state of Chiapas Monday after a landslide. The area is already reeling from last week's floods.
1 of 7
En Español: AOL Latino Noticias

"It was a roar, like a helicopter was passing overhead," recounted farmer Domingo Sanchez, 21. "We didn't know what was happening, and then we went outside, and there were cracks opening the earth," he said, apparently recounting the initial collapse of a nearby hillside into the river. "We ran up the hill ... but soil kept coming down on us."

For the next several hours, Sanchez, his mother, his wife and a cousin fought for their lives in a valley where the only salvation lay in getting to higher ground.

Sanchez reached a hilltop just in time to look across the valley and see a landslide cover the home of his grandparents. He believes at least nine of his relatives were buried.

San Juan Grijalva, 45 miles southwest of Villahermosa, is near the border of heavily flooded Tabasco state and linked to the same river systems. The landslide was the latest damage caused by a week of flooding and heavy rains that has left 80 percent of Tabasco under water, destroying or damaging the homes of about half a million people. At least 20,000 people remain trapped on rooftops across the state.

David Sanchez, 22, a cousin of Domingo, described the events he saw from his house in a different part of the village that once was home to about 600 people.

David Sanchez described two distinct waves — the first of which swept his mother about 200 yards downstream before he could rescue her. "It was an irresistible wave," he said, describing the water pushed down from the initial impact of the landslide.

After climbing up a hillside to safety, in a moment of calm he and three friends briefly descended to rescue some possessions when the second wave — apparently the release of water briefly dammed up by the landslide — swept down the valley.

"It swept away everything, trees, houses, everything," David Sanchez said.

Chiapas state Gov. Juan Sabines, who visited the scene, described one of the waves as a "mini-tsunami" and noted "this village practically disappeared."

"A mountain fell into the river, blocking the River Grijalva ... and created a wave ... that has flattened the town," Sabines told Mexican radio.

Helicopters searched the surrounding hills to rescue residents who fled to higher ground.

Chiapas officials and the federal Interior Department said 16 were missing. No bodies were immediately found.

On Monday, in the Tabasco state capital of Villahermosa, officials readied huge pumps to suck water from the inundated streets while rescuers struggled to reach thousands still stranded days after one of the worst floods in Mexico's history.

President Bush shared his sympathy over the floods and suffering Monday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza said the U.S. had pledged $300,000 in emergency assistance to Tabasco and Chiapas.

"Americans know only too well the horrible impact of such natural disasters on the lives of individuals and communities, and we are anxious to join the international community in providing assistance to our neighbors," Garza said.

After Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. in 2005, Mexico sent a convoy of about 200 unarmed soldiers and medical personnel across the border with portable kitchens and water treatment equipment to aid recovery efforts.

Officials also saw some signs of hope as the Grijalva and Carrizal rivers, which had risen as much as six feet above normal levels, began to subside slightly Monday, as did storm tides in the Gulf of Mexico.

But tens of thousands of hungry and sick storm victims still awaited food and aid.

Associated Press writer Manuel de la Cruz contributed to this report from Candelaria, Mexico.


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-11-05 21:34:27

great spirit prayer

Great Spirit Prayer

"Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice we hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear us; we need your strength and wisdom.
Let us walk in beauty, and make our eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make our hands respect the things you have made and our ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make us wise so that we may understand the things you have taught us.
Help us to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards us.
Let us learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Help us seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.
Help us find compassion without empathy overwhelming us.
Help us to seek strength, not to be greater than our brother or sister, but to help us fight our greatest enemy ---
ourselves.
Make us always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset, our spirits may come to you without shame".

Miigweitch, Miigweitch, Miigweitch
Chi Miigwetich
Mitauyke Oyasin
AHO!

--author unknown


more........

Mitakuye oyasin!

We are all related!

It isn't too late. We still have time to recreate and change the value system of the present. We must! Survival will depend on it. Our Earth is our original mother. She is in deep labor now. There will be a new birth soon! The old value system will suffer and die. It cannot survive as our mother earth strains under the pressure put on her. She will not let man kill her.

The First Nation's Peoples had a value system. There were only four commandments from the Great Spirits:

1.Respect Mother Earth
2.Respect the Great Spirit
3.Respect our fellow man and woman
4.Respect for individual freedom

We must all stand together as a force of love. Be united NOW. There is only one way. Communication. Knowledge. Arm yourself with truth, love and perseverence. Extend your family. Join with others in giving. We are all related. People of the earth take back your heritage. I am not speaking of skin color or religion. Our heritage is this earth... Our heritage is also extended beyond this earth into the heavens where the spirit once lived before our birth into this world. You are bound to both.

THE TEN INDIAN COMMANDMENTS!

Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect!
Remain close to the Great Spirit
Show great respect for your fellow beings
Work together for the benefit of all mankind!
Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
Do what you know to be right
Look after the well-being of mind and body
Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good
Be truthful and honest at all times
Take full responsiblity for your actions.....

--author unknown

photo taken on sacred ground by kmc! :)thank u!

tree people

tree people's
winds calling
winter's coming
no time for stalling

pack up your nuts
bury your treasures
hopefully not
spring brings brand new
pleasures

time for reflection
time for big plans
time to give thanks
to creator's great hands

listen to message
listen to words
tree people know community
they call the great birds

are beautiful friends
so majestic and tall
love to be near you
fear not it's not fall

but winter's upon us
cold winds blow in now
we bundle we shiver
with wisdom do call

thank u for knowledge
thank u for advice
hold messages to heart
don't dare start

look forward to future
and all that it brings
boogie thru life
if ur dead ur not
here

with wisdom.

s.d.
*photos by patti~spiritdancer

shaman's dream

shamans dream
colorful waves
blue and green
purples and pinks

healing colours
what do I think?

he walks in beauty
he walks in truth
he walks his talk
and says fine sleuth

and heals with magic
and heals with friends
little bluebird
bear medicine
what have you
he mends

now healed and new
now fresh and all through
with hate, lies and stew
tomatoes will do

miigweitch
to
creator
for hearing
my prayer

I could not have got here
if you had been there
and now you are here
and now you are real
oh thank you oh thank u
for all those who steal

will have to face the music

someday.....

s.d.

art by: NMorrisseau Ontario, Canada