Wounded Knee mass burial. One thing I like about the New Seminole, an invention by my father-in-law Busimanalotome Osceola, we are not bogged down by traditions. We are open to all things and people and fluid with our interpretations of Native lore, adapting whatever is out there to suit our style, from rock in our music around the old campfire to the use of state of the art tech in communications and war. So, when I hear the airwaves and digital pipelines spilling out one story after the other about the marches against climate crisis around the world-- and we love you Greta and wish all your followers success-- I think back to the time our Paiute brothers up north whipped out their spirit dance to herald in a new era where it was prophesied the White Man would vacate the premises and the earth would be saved for its indigenous people. This idea of marathon dancing for change-- as an act to prove your worthiness to God-- caught on with other tribes. Unfortunately dancing around in a circle didn't change a damn thing and in fact scared Uncle Sam enough to attack the Lakota, killing 153, mostly unarmed women and children.
The Wounded Knee massacre always comes to mind when I think about a nonviolent approach to power, something Busimanilotome thought was a waste of time. Yes, I know it worked for Gandhi and even Martin Luther King, but in this New World Order where truths are lies and lies truth, and people are now more prone to revel in their bigotry (like the Arizona Border Patrol agent who referred to migrants as "disgusting subhuman shit unworthy of being kindling for a fire"), I suspect it will take something more to change the world in time to keep it from collapsing in on itself and taking all living things with it.
The Wounded Knee massacre always comes to mind when I think about a nonviolent approach to power, something Busimanilotome thought was a waste of time. Yes, I know it worked for Gandhi and even Martin Luther King, but in this New World Order where truths are lies and lies truth, and people are now more prone to revel in their bigotry (like the Arizona Border Patrol agent who referred to migrants as "disgusting subhuman shit unworthy of being kindling for a fire"), I suspect it will take something more to change the world in time to keep it from collapsing in on itself and taking all living things with it.
Starchild from "2001: A Space Odyssey" My vision then is influenced by Stanley Kubrick and not a smoke lodge or hallucinogen to jumpstart a vision quest. Instead of seeing a starchild floating through space back to earth to save us all, I see a StarChief, Christ-like on a cross, floating above the earth. But, try as hard as I can-- because I want to believe the world will be a better place for my little girl Haalie-- I don't see Him (or Her behind the helmet visor) getting here in time.
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