Building a Tee Pee

Having gone to my first Gathering of Nations Pow-wow, I was blown away.

Native Americans come from all over the world to sing, dance, and pretty much come together to show and share and teach their traditional values with their youth.

They are rich in ceremony, and family.

Inside this stadium folks brought hundreds of years of tradition into my life.

The drumming massaged my heart,

the dancing seduced my eyes,

and the regalia of their traditional dress calmed my creative soul.

I was moved to tears watching the hundreds of clans, tribes, and nations,

flow to the center of the floor for their closing ceremony.

They moved and danced in unison as huge eagle soaring through my heart.

The colors of the feathers spilled over like a rainbow.

I am lucky to be able to see such a display of beauty and love.

Most of all I loved watching, as the mother's carried their babies up and down the steps,
to keep them happy,
and father's helping the older children dress,
sister's braiding each other's hair,
brother's putting makeup on one another.
To me this is where the community is seen coming together.

These people are not wealthy by any means, their average income is by American standards,
poverty level.

I have never been apart of any festival where such love compassion and pride was so obvious.

The wealth I witnessed can not be found or measured by in any high tech company,
nor in any banking institution.

The Native American's traditions from past centuries have survived and flourished,
despite the efforts of the white man to annihilate.

This always gives me pause.

I know in my heart, I would never have, if I lived that long ago,
part taken in the violence and destruction of such beautiful people.

When I hear the history of the blood that was spilled, it sickens me.

I apologize for all those who came before me in hate and destruction.

I pray and meditate to promote healing for all those who suffered under the hands of tyranny.

In honor of these people I will build a tee pee, one of love and beauty,
tradition and compassion,
not to be tangible,
but to be shared by all who dwell in love and forgiveness.

Come into my tee pee, be at peace and feel the love of our community,
Janice