Dave Gonzales-Pasqua Commentary on Protection of Ceremonies
I have read a majority of the comments on the issue around the protection of the ceremonies...and I support my Dakota, Lakota, Nakota relatives on this issue. I must say I am appalled but not surprised at the entitled, paternalistic views and comments that were made. How dare you !
While Indians were being massacred by the U.S. army and blacks were being enslaved, Whites established themselves as the sole rulers of Turtle Island and owners of the land. For decades they have doled out privileges to each other as if American Indians and people of color were not human beings. Now we say enough, and the people who took everyone else's rights are protesting about their rights being denied! They are crying "that our attempt to protect OUR ceremonies for our future generations is a violation of their freedom to practice any religion they want. It's quite an art to make the criminal look like the victim and victim like the criminal. But it's also something that has worked for the Anglos for hundreds of years.
Yes we know some of you have laid in front of bulldozers at grave sights, and if you were truly doing it from your heart you will continue to support us as allies and friends; or are you angry now because you were looking for a pay off all along? The pay off being our children's culture, their language, their identity, their sacred way of life! If not, if you are truly doing this with a good heart then hear our voices! Yes we know some of you have lived these ways with a good heart and have shown nothing but respect in our sacred ceremonies. And yes we know some of our own have not walked in a good way. None the less these ceremonies belong to us, we are saying "you are putting our future generations at risk if you continue to participate, steal, run ceremonies, and exploit our sacred way of life". If you are truly doing this from your heart then listen to what the people are saying that are being affected by your actions. If you truly want the sacred hoop to heal stop stealing from our children, I beg of you!
We are not interested in what you think. How can you tell us what to do with/and how our sacred ways should be conducted, or who should participate? You are a guest in our house, and now we say it is time for you to go home. We can visit and be friends, I just don't wish to share my home and the legacy from my ancestors with you any longer. Anglos have been protecting their interests for hundreds of years. How dare you get upset when we want to protect ours!
Yes we know that your churches open their doors to us and others. The fact that so many of you have made that comparison to our sacred ceremonies tells me you still don't have a clue about our sacred way of life nor our culture. I am sorry that your ancestors destroyed your culture, maybe you are trying to resolve the hunger in your spirit for an identity and a culture. Please stop trying to do it through mine.
Dave Gonzales-Pasqua Yaqui Nation
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