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Wellbriety Day in Tucson
Children,
dance, good words, and ceremony celebrate the many sides of
Wellbriety
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| Don
Coyhis shares the purpose of White Bison and the
Story of the Sacred Hoop with the people who gathered
at the Radisson Hotel City Center in Tucson on the
evening of June 29th. |
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One
hundred people welcomed The Journey of the Sacred Hoop III
to the Radisson Hotel City Center in Tucson on the evening
of June 29th. Putting a New Face on Recovery and Healing
Native Women and Children—several local organizations
collaborated to participate and offer assistance and support
to the community and the Wellbriety Movement in support of
this year's theme.
The
visit to Tucson began on Saturday evening with an opening
prayer by Jim Funmaker. Then Rosemary Tona-Aguirre welcomed
all the people to the event and introduced Don Coyhis of White
Bison, Inc. After sharing about White Bison and the Vision
of Wellbriety, Don gave a brief overview of the first Hoop
Journey in 1999 and then let the documentary video Healing
of a Nation pick up the story from the point of the second
Journey in 2000—The Wiping of the Tears Walk.
| "Heads
turned to watch the quick steps of the Dancers, arriving
in the Traditional Clothing of their Ancestors. The
Danza Azteca-Chichimeca Grupo Coatlicue soon joined
the Hoop Carriers and the Color Guard of Veterans from
the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in leading the procession for entrance
of the Sacred Hoop." |
Screening the video led naturally into a question and answer
session with audience members. Don said, "We want
to give you a copy of the video you have just watched. There
is one condition though. In order to get a free copy of this
video you must promise that you will show it to at least five
people, even if you watch it yourself five times." Laughter
filled the auditorium just as it had when Don stated these
conditions on previous Visits. The White Bison product table
was swamped with participants accepting the offer once again.
Everyone was looking for a copy of the video to share and
pass along. The first evening of Tucson's visit came to a
close with announcements by Barbara Chana.
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| The
Pascua Yaqui Tribe Color Guard and members of the
Danza Azteca-Chichimeca Grupo Coatlicue lead the
procession from the Tucson Convention Center to
the Radisson Hotel City Center Ballroom on the morning
of June 30th. They were followed by the Sacred Hoop
Carriers and conference attendees. |
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Bright
and Early
Next morning, Sunday, June 30th, many of the two hundred people
registered and attending this event gathered on a small grassy
hill under a shade tree, just outside the Tucson Convention
Center Music Hall. As four people who were asked to Carry
the Sacred Hoop of 100 Eagle Feathers were being smudged,
the sound of "shell shakers" drifted in from the
nearby parking area. Heads turned to watch the quick steps
of the Dancers, arriving in the Traditional Clothing of their
Ancestors. The Danza Azteca-Chichimeca Grupo Coatlicue
soon joined the Hoop Carriers and the Color Guard of Veterans
from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in leading the procession for
entrance of the Sacred Hoop.
Flags
carried by the Veterans waved in the wind. The feathers of
the Sacred Hoop and the headdresses of the Dancers caught
the morning sunlight. Sounds from the Drum and the shakers
strapped to the ankles of the Dancers drowned out the every
day noise of the city. Wide-eyed children enjoyed the view
from the shoulders of their Dads. Women in brightly colored
tier skirts and folks in jeans and dress slacks joined together
to follow the procession to the Radisson Hotel City Center.
| "For
the thirty full minutes of dancing, drumming, gourd shaking
and applause from the audience, the sleeping baby never
stirred. Their baby was completely content and secure
to be in the center of that circle made sacred by the
sacrifices of the young people dancing before us this
day. Surely, these were young people with old Spirits."
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Those
who waited inside the main ballroom of the Radisson stood
as the procession entered and circled the entire area before
posting the flags and setting the Sacred Hoop on the stand
near the stage. When the Drum stopped, the Hoop Carriers shook
hands with Don Coyhis and everyone quietly made their way
to their seats. After an opening prayer by Rupert Eucinas,
the people listened intently as Don shared with them about
the Gifts of the Sacred Hoop and the 7,000-mile Journey
that we were now on. During a short break after Don's
talk, we were gifted with a few songs from Hummingbird,
a local Drum Group. The Drum Keeper was Victor B. Robles and
his voice was made sweeter by the voices of the women whom
he said he felt honored to sing with that morning: JoAnn Preston,
Bonnie Robles, and Faith Soto.
Strong
Presentations in Tucson
Miss Pascua Yaqui, Francisca Gonzales, welcomed us to Tucson.
We were moved by the words of Dr. Colchado, the Guest Speaker.
We learned much from Rebecca Edmonds as she talked of her
own, and other women's experiences with domestic violence.
Ms. Edmonds theme was Women as over comers. When Rodolfo
Benitez, a young man with an engaging smile and plenty of
charisma, spoke about "Single Parenting—a Father's
Perspective," we all wanted to just go up and give
him a hug. Our need was met when Barbara Chana suggested that
all the children in the audience come up front and circle
around Rodolfo to reach out and touch him as a blessing. The
last speaker for the morning's events was Judy Singer.
Ms. Singer shared Her Personal Journey. While it was
uniquely her journey, there was not a person in the audience
that could not identify with some part of her struggle to
heal and to be on the path to Wellbriety where she is today.
It was a full morning of ceremony and inspiring words.
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| The
Tucson Coordinator, Julian Mendez, pictured with
Don Coyhis of White Bison.Julian and the volunteers
who served with him did an outstanding job with
planning the Tucson events. |
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So
Many Sides to Wellbriety!
During a filling lunch arranged by Coordinator Julian Mendez,
an Early Intervention Counselor with the Pascua Yaqui Behavioral
Health Services, we were once again inspired by the Dances
of the Young People offered by the Danza Azteca-Chichimeca
Gurpo Coatlicue. We watched as they prepared to dance. They
prayed with their Medicine. They put their babies and children
in the center of the circle right next to the Drum and the
Medicines. "We want our children to grow up in the
culture and traditions of our People," one of the
members of the Dance Group told us. And it was obvious to
everyone that was exactly what they were doing, because for
the thirty full minutes of dancing, drumming, gourd shaking
and applause from the audience, the sleeping baby never stirred.
Their baby was completely content and secure to be in the
center of that circle made sacred by the sacrifices of the
young people dancing before us this day. Surely, these were
young people with old Spirits.
| "There
were rooms scattered around the main hall where there
were Talking Circles, Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, and
plenty of information on local treatment, prevention,
and support organizations. The many tables that lined
the foyer just outside the ballroom were packed with information
and with caring people." |
Dr.
Soaring Hawk spoke about the rich history of the people in
this area and in what is now Mexico and South America during
an afternoon presentation. There were rooms scattered around
the main hall where there were Talking Circles, Acupuncture,
Massage Therapy, and plenty of information on local treatment,
prevention, and support organizations. The many tables that
lined the foyer just outside the ballroom were packed with
information and with caring people.
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| Participants
offer tobacco prayers into the Sacred Hoop during
the Closing Ceremony in Tucson. Many children came
to the Hoop Journey Visit and lent their good presence
to the Gathering. |
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We
met a few old friends from previous journeys during our time
here at the Tucson Event and we made many new friends as the
two-day Gathering came to a close. We were honored that so
many people brought their Children with them. The prayers
offered into the Sacred Hoop during the Closing Ceremony will
make this Journey stronger. The prayers of the little ones
are just a real blessing to all the Women and Children who
will be at the future Gatherings as this Journey continues
across the United States.
A
Heartfelt Thanks
Thank you to all of the Volunteers who assisted Julian
Mendez in the planning and coordination of this wonderful
Wellbriety Event in Tucson, Arizona. We realize all the
hard work and dedicated effort that people give in order to
make this event such a success. From the Introductions done
by the "Mistresses of Ceremony," to the folks behind
the registration desk—THANK YOU!
We
also want to thank the Veterans of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Color Guard:
Commander Alex G. Alvarez
Medesto Martinez
Armando Romero
Carlos Carranza
Thank
you Tucson for hosting a wonderful Hoop Journey Visit!
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