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Dallas, Texas.
Healing, and Native American Southern Hospitality
| Don
Coyhis shares the Story of the Sacred Hoop
and the Journey for Healing Native Women and
Children at the American Indian Center in
Euless, Texas, in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro
area on Tuesday, July 9. |
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Hot
!!! That word describes the July weather in Dallas, Texas,
and that word is also a fitting description of the welcome
and fellowship the White Bison Staff and the Journey of the
Sacred Hoop III received from the American Indian Center
located in Euless, Texas. From the wonderful food served
in the cafeteria of this Center, to the heart beat of the
Bear Claw Drum Group—this event was on fire.
Arriving
in the late afternoon of July 9th, we were greeted by the
Staff of the American Indian Center and by many of the 200
clients, counselors, family, and supporters of this facility
and other local organizations. In Indian Country there is
a tradition of hospitality and sharing of food and fellowship.
There is also a tradition of Southern Hospitality. When you
arrive at an American Indian Center located in the South,
well, you just have to sit back and enjoy.
| "From
the wonderful food served in the cafeteria of this center,
to the heart beat of the Bear Claw Drum Group—this
event was on
fire." |
After
a time of fellowship we all gathered in the main lobby of
the Center and it was standing room only as Don Coyhis of
White Bison shared the Story of the Sacred Hoop. Don followed
this with a brief overview of the activities and events leading
up to the first Journey of the Sacred Hoop. When the story
had evolved and arrived at the time frame of the Wiping of
the Tears Walk from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. in 2000,
Don then allowed the video documentary to begin playing at
precisely that point in time. Even with the overflow crowd,
there was rapt silence as all eyes were focused on the Walk
and the Wellbriety Movement, taking on life and meaning for
those watching the video. After Don stopped the video, there
were many with tears—sweet tears for the hope and healing,
and those tears of knowing and feeling the pain that
come into the homes and lives of those of us who are affected
by the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The evening closed
with an opportunity for a question and answer session with
Don and those present in the Center.
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| Alfred
Pino of Laguna Pueblo plays the flute as the participants
‘offer their prayers' during the closing
Hoop Ceremony. |
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Our
Day in Texas
On the morning of Wednesday, July 10th, the first activity
of the day was the Opening Prayer and the smudging of the
room and the Women who would Carry the Sacred Hoop
into the Center for the day's Gathering. As the Women circled
in front of the room, the people stood to show their respect
and the voices of the Bear Claw Drum Group filled our senses
and the room.
The
women who carried the Hoop that day in Texas were Christy
Blackbear, Bea Kay Clark, Owenah Sharp, and Paula Tonemah.
Members of the Bear Claw Drum included Darrell Blackbear
Sr., Sonny Blackbear, Ruben Arellano (Ketzalli), and Hamilton
Tongkeamha (Tonk-A-May).
Once
the Sacred Hoop had been placed on the stand, Don Coyhis spoke
about the purpose of this 3rd Journey, Healing Women and Children.
The people nodded with appreciation and exchanged smiles and
nods throughout the lobby area. Don then introduced
| "There
were many with tears—sweet tears for the hope and
healing, and those tears of knowing
and feeling the pain
that come into the homes and lives of those of us who
are affected by the abuse of alcohol and other drugs." |
Paula
Tonemah, Director of the American Indian Center, who spoke
to us about responsibility. Not always a popular word
in some circles or with some people, but Paula is one of those
strong Indian Women that we so often hear about from White
Bison and in the communities where the Sacred Hoop has traveled.
"The women, they have held our families and communities
together for a long, long time," she said in her presentation.
We've heard this many times. In Paula, and with many
other women who attended this event, we witnessed the strong
hearts and the powerful love of our women.
| Joe
Powell speaks to the gathering in Texas before a
banner announcing the upcoming Strengthening Our
Families Conference in Billings, Montana from September
26-29. |
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After
a break for lunch, we were honored to listen as Gary Satoe
shared with us about his sister who left this world much too
young because of alcohol abuse. Unfortunately, his story was
familiar to many of us. But he didn't just share his
pain. He carefully wove a lesson of forgiveness into
the life and death of his sister. We ‘got it' Gary!
Thank you for sharing.
Next
on the agenda was Joe Powell. Joe is a magnificent speaker
and has a gift for sharing. Everyone was able to identify
with his life in one way or another as he talked about his
childhood in Harlem, to the man that he is today. One of Joe's
daughters, Stephanie, slipped into the back of the room as
Joe was speaking, and when he introduced her, it was clear
to see the healing that had gone on between these two. Joe's
lesson was that no matter what has happened in the past, there
is always hope for all of us to have the kind of father and
daughter relationship we witnessed in their eyes as they smiled
at one another.
| Prayers
are offered into the Hoop during the Closing Ceremony. |
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Thank
You Texas!
The
closing ceremony included an opportunity to ‘offer prayers'
into the Sacred Hoop. This ceremony took a long time today.
Many people held the tobacco, or whatever Medicines they use
in their culture, tightly in their hands as they said their
prayers to their Higher Power. Some pray for their healing,
some for their family or community. We never know what most
prayers are. We only know that the Sacred Hoop grows stronger
with each prayer and each gathering. We only know that the
Wellbriety Movement grows and expands because of the Gifts
of the Sacred Hoop and the Prayers of the People.
| "The
women, they have held our families and communities together
for a long, long time" |
White
Bison would like to extend our appreciation to Paula Tonemah,
Director of the American Indian Center in Euless, Texas
for the opportunity to hold this gathering and for the planning
and efforts she made in order to have the Sacred Hoop and
thepeople
come together for this event. Paula was quick to recognize
the efforts of her Staff and Volunteers from the Center and
Community who assisted her in the coordination of this stop
on the 3rd Journey—Healing Women and Children.Thank
you Texas ! It was a joy to be with you in the Circle.
| Don
Coyhis honors Paula Tonemah, Texas coordinator for
the Hoop Journey Visit and Director of the American
Indian Center in Euless, Texas. The efforts of Paula
and her staff and volunteers allowed the Gifts of
the Hoop to be felt by many people on Hoop Journey
2002. |
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