The Unity Pow-wow
I spoke later to one of the men responsible for organizing the event and he shared with me his amazement as he had never seen such numbers attend a Sunrise Ceremony. He said it gave him hope that their message was being heard, I told him it should be proof that it is. I saw it, with my own eyes and reveled in the beauty of it. As children, elders and all the ages in between joined together in dance; to celebrate life, to celebrate love, to celebrate family. I saw there in the crowd what it is to be Unity.
The people of the First Nations believe the Earth is our Mother; she nurtures us, shelters us and protects us. They believe we are ALL her children, humans, animals, all life shelter within her loving embrace, one giant family. They teach us to respect our Mother, to respect our brothers and sisters. They say that when we sing in a united voice, Grand Father Spirit listens. They say that when we dance in one unified flow of rhythm, our Mother Earth grows stronger. They say that when we do these things we are using the gifts we were blessed with, the power that resides within us all to connect with our world and be the change we wish to see in it.
They say we owe it to our Mother to give back the blessings we have received through her. They say it has ever been their place to nurture and protect our Mother even as She has nurtured and protected us. They say they will continue to battle in defense of Her, for the future of the children we have borrowed this land from. Though their weapons now are education, patience, understanding and compassion it is not a battle they will ever walk away from. It is their place, their purpose, the very core of who they are.
We may now choose to join them, support them, walk, sing and dance with them. They say that when we have chosen to do this we will have won.
They say…. And I believe…
They called it Unity, and it was.
