Respect and the Land

A Native American Perspective

Written by Gloria Hazell

Recently I had the honor to be a guest at a gathering of Dakota elders. As I listened to these revered elders speak I saw how much of an impact certain changes of the land had had on them. For instance one lady was saying how she loved to make choke-cherry pudding. “It tasted real good!” she exclaimed. Now she cannot get the cherries any more. The trees are no longer there or they do not bear fruit.

This is not the first time I had heard this statement. A few years ago, during the preparations for a Sundance in Pipestone, the women went out to collect choke-cherries for a ceremonial dish. They came back empty-handed, there were none to be found. Sage, the plant that is used all over America by Native people in ceremony was also scarce.

At that Sundance I saw that the People were worried. Nature was playing tricks on them, they could no longer get their sacred plants. These instances sound shallow in their depth of concern for those in the white world, but for the Native People they strike the very heart of their Spirituality.

Spirituality and Religion are not the same thing, yet often they are thought to be the same. Spirituality is a way of life that is lived every moment of every day. Religion just seems to be used when one thinks about it, often only on Sundays in many cases. Yet Religion at one time was based on Spirituality, just the word Spirit conjures up images of God. Yet, if this is so why was it that American Indians were called ‘Savages’ and ‘Heathens’ by the early immigrants? All Native People spoke with Spirit continually, normally praying in very subtle, quiet ways. Only in big celebrations like the Sundance did any type of display present itself. They did not need large ornate buildings to pray, mostly they did it where-ever they were. The modest construction of Nature was their Church. Of course when the settlers came and stayed the places the Native People did think of as power spots for Spirit were destroyed forever. Only a few of those places still remain, and they are now endangered by tourism.

Things have altered in the Americas since the European barrage. It happened slightly during the first few decades; so imperceptible to most of the People that they didn’t realise it was developing. The old ones; those who used Spirituality every moment of their lives thought that their way would never end. They couldn’t imagine any other existence. However, there was another way of life, a non-spiritual, greedy, materialistic lifestyle that showed no set of values for anything but power.

The American Indian could not fight this alien actuality, all they could do was watch and hope that their own ways would somehow survive the onslaught of new rules which had been imposed on them. Gradually the proud Native American way of life disappeared; the closeness to the earth ended. But did it?

Somewhere deep inside the Reservations there were, and still are, people continuing their ancient ways. These people preserve the old traditions so that they can be passed along to the next generation. The only difference between these small groups is the type of terrain, place of worship and language. Yet the differences do not matter. What is important is that these people are holding on to a way of life for future generations. They are the caretakers of Spirituality, and the Earth, and their whole way of life transcends the word of the five senses. They look to a higher power, something the Dakota people called ‘Wakan’; the mystery in all things. Is that so different to the Christian God? He surely is a Mystery.

After the luncheon with the elders I asked questions, and I was told that they believe the spraying that is done from planes is causing the change in Nature. The chemicals used are blown in the wind and can carry a long way. They drop on to an area that has never been sprayed and they damage the foliage, and trees, causing a lack of growth. This action, and many more where the land is abused, is, according to these Native elders, a form of taking without asking or giving in return. There is no relationship between the earth and the human who sprays. A traditional Native person would never take anything from the Mother Earth, without first praying and asking if they could use the gift. They would then leave an offering, usually tobacco, for the Spirit of the one so used. Animal, vegetable or mineral it didn’t make any difference, a gift would be left to say thank you. Native people have always known that everything on this earth is connected. The Siouxan speaking Cultures have a phrase, ‘Mitakuye Oyasin’ which when broken down into the English language means, ‘Everything on Mother Earth is a part of my heart, we are all connected, therefore all are my relations.’ This phrase is used in ceremonies and has been adopted by many Native People across America. It is often used in the context of ‘Amen’,

The old people realized that all things had a reason to be here on this earth, they saw how everything was relevant to the well being of all else. They knew that if something was taken from one place then something in another place would be out of balance. Nature would not be in order and the world they lived in would suffer. So they were very careful with the things they took, nothing was taken for the fun of it, and everything was used. They believe when something is not physically given in exchange the user gets complacent and begins to take everything for granted. Surely it is better to be aware of our decadence in using the resources of our world and start to do something about it now, rather than be ignorant of the destruction we are causing and continue to cultivate the folly. When a gift is given in the old ways, and a prayer is said in a humble way it awakens the awareness that we are using something which is often not a renewable source. It will probably not be there for our children and grandchildren to use if we are not careful, sensitive and discerning about our needs and uses.

As well as the earth being altered the waters are also being polluted by the same breakdown of chemicals which seep into the underground channels and end up in streams, rivers, and ponds. Animals use those water systems for survival, they are taking in these poisons, and it is causing them to have reproduction problems. Deformities, as we have seen in recent years in frogs are abundant. The fish, smaller mammals and amphibians will be impacted first, and gradually the larger animals will be touched too. It is a fearful thought.

The American Indian people know that these small environmental signs are but mere stepping stones to impending disaster which will change the world as we today know it. The dominant race, of power hungry, disrespectful people did change the world of the Native People, for them there was no stopping it. That same dominant society continued like an express train along the tracks of destruction, until it arrived in these times. Here awaiting that train should be people who have the ability and power to stop the devastation of our world. That means all of us, from all races, joining together to halt the environmental collapse, and restore the balance the Old People knew we had to have.

Perhaps we should now seek out those people who are the holders of the traditional customs and learn a complete new way of life. We must all show respect to the earth for she is our survival; she is our sustenance. Poison her and she dies along with everything living on her. That of course means us.

Mitakuye Oyasin. (Lakota spelling)

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