Chief Arvol Looking Horse on Eagle Butte Meeting
PROTECTING TRADITIONS: Meeting Mar 8-9 Eagle Butte
To: National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
11/12/02
From: Arvol Looking Horse
Re: Protection of our Sacred Ceremonies
Mitakuye Oyasin,
I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White
Buffalo Calf Pipe, request the NCAI to address the issue of the protection
our sacred ceremonies and to recognize our Traditional Spiritual Leadership
with these responsibilities.
As you are aware the US Government had outlawed our ceremonial ways till
the Freedom of Religion Act in 1978. Since that time, we have struggled to
regain our strength as a People with an identity. We have proven that we
are the original caretakers of this sacred land that our ancestors had laid
their lives down for our ways to survive. There have been countless losses,
in lives, land, medicines, animal nations, good water, our Sacred Sites
that our ancestors used, food, pride, many songs, languages and
cultural/traditional knowledge in securing these important needs. To secure
the survival of our future generations, at this time we have to truly make
a last desperate stand to protect the sacred ceremonies that will assist us
in regaining the many losses that identify us as Soverign Nations.
Since twelve years of age, when I became the next Keeper of the sacred
bundle, I have since witnessed the many changes that have desecrated the
values of these sacred ways. As the strength of our ceremonies returned to
our people for health in mind, body and spirit, there also came along
another type of strength in the name of money, power and greed. These
negative influences have distorted and destroyed these ceremonies as well.
This has brought us to a very dangerous moment in our history. We are now
witnessing abuses diluting these sacred ways by unauthorized persons
performing our sacred rites. There have been demands of payment for
participation, along with recent accounts in molestation, indecent mockery
in our ceremonial practices, ending in death that was never been heard of
before in our ceremonial history. If we do not recognize the significant
Traditional Spiritual Leaders of the existing ceremonies in question and
their responsibility to have a voice protecting these sacred rites, we will
surely only exist as People in the ?Melting Pot? theory. This will leave
our future generations with no connection to the identity of their
ancestors or Indigenous knowledge to survive as Nations in their own right.
At this time, I would like to add my voice to the support of Bernard Red
Cherries?, Northern Cheyenne Arrow Priest and Elk Society Headsman, to
recognize the resolution that addresses protection and preservation of our
way of life. Recently we have met in traditional government council
discussions, to address these important issues. At this time we bring forth
this important issue to be resolved with your support.
In the Sacred Hoop of Life, where there no ending and no beginning!
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A meeting is scheduled for March 8th and 9th at the Cultural Center in
Eagle Butte, SD.
This meeting is the third of four meetings scheduled with the Cheyenne,
Arapahoe and Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Nations to discuss the protection of
our ceremonies. We have already met previously in Lame deer, Montana and
Ethiti, Wyoming in November 2002. The participants were Spiritual Leaders
and Bundle Keepers of these Plains Tribal Nations. It was decided in order
to come to a sound decision with this issue; we should have two more
meetings for further discussion. One in South Dakota, which would be held
in Eagle Butte and the next in Oklahoma, sponsored by the Southern Cheyenne
Nation.
This important issue concerns the abuse and exploitation of our Plains
Tribal Spiritual ceremonies that is taking place here in the Americas and
Internationally. Bernard Red Cherries, a Cheyenne Arrow Priest and Elk
Society Headsman, initiated these meetings for discussion on how to proceed
in protecting the ceremonies early last year. I submitted a support
statement on November 12th to the NCAI to support the resolution that he
presented. The NCAI committee acknowledged the need for important steps to
be taken to avoid the possibility of the US Government interference with
our Sacred Ceremonies, by passing this Resolution. The reason for this
decision is based on the recent accounts of deaths and molestation
occurring Nationally and Internationally in the misuse of our Ceremonies.
It was decided that the Plains Tribal Spiritual Leaders would be the
decision makers for the measures that will be taken. Preparation of a
purification ceremony with guidance from Wakan Tanka, will be the protocol
to address this important issue. A discussion of the revival of our
Traditional Societies will take place to carry out the decisions. Part of
the agenda will allow an open floor discussion from attendees to give a 3-5
minute viewpoint of the issues.
This meeting will be conducted in the most Peaceful manner. We all know the
many stories of the violations that have been done to our ceremonies. We
will address the protocols that need to met in order to conduct our
ceremonies in the most respectful manner. This meeting is not to discuss
the stories and judgments on possible violations. We seek to find solutions
to maintain the integrity of our ceremonies. We need to move beyond the
judgments and gossip to provide our future generations with a positive
healthy understanding of our Traditions.
In the Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no ending and no beginning!
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
home : mission statement : contact : site map : search : store : links
DLN coalition : DLN issues : DLN nation : related issues Any reprints are under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law : See http://www.dlncoalition.org/fair_use.htm.
|
