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| The
Onondaga Nation School and the Tree of Peace
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The first Hoop Journey began on March
6, 1999 with a blessing ceremony in the Longhouse of the Onondaga
Nation near Syracuse New York. Now, on May 3, 2003, the Hoop
was back once again in Onondaga on Hoop Journey IV. Hoop Journey
I brought the first Wellbriety Day to over 30 Tribal colleges
in the US and Canada. Hoop Journey IV brings a message of
healing to men and children in communities east of the Mississippi
River.
What has happened in four years? Here
is what one participant said after watching the Hoop Journey
III video that morning: "When
this Hoop came the first time I thought, well, I guess I could
give it a try because nothing is working so far. So I put
some thought into that Hoop, and it helped. With my family,
I asked for strength to keep us well. I've prayed with that
Hoop before and I ask for strength for my family and we have
had some healing from those prayers. Creator gave us a lot
of healing and a lot of help. I'm glad to be with this Hoop
again."
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DRUM
The Thunder Lizard Singers sing an Honor Song as
members of the Men's Healing Circle carry the Sacred
Hoop to begin today's Wellbriety Day at the Onondaga
Grade School Auditorium. |
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A Good Feeling
Building
Today's Wellbriety Gathering was held at the
Onondaga Grade School Auditorium. You could get a feeling
for how this community and the people who work with and teach
the children in this community believe. The Children are Sacred.
Even the location of the school and the architecture embraced
the teachings of the People of the Longhouse. There is a mountain
that runs parallel with the main street on which the school
is located. Behind the school is an open field and the mountain
forms the backdrop for this place of lessons and teachings.
There are windows in the school that form circles.
Windows that form the Great Turtle and the Tree of Peace.
As you walk up the sidewalks to the school you see colorful
banners and strips of paper with words like Respect
Tradition Love written by the children in chalk or
fingerpaint. Words in the Onondaga language are posted all
over the inside of the building.
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| Clint
Shenandoah, Coordinator for today's gathering
and member of the Men's Healing Circle, shares
his life experiences and viewpoints on his
personal healing. |
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When you enter the school you get the instant
feeling that the children who attend this school feel safe
within these walls. Safe and loved and nurtured. Remember
the yarn exercise to demonstrate the outer circle of protection
that we did on other visits, as well as here in Onondaga?
Well, it is actively demonstrated within the walls of this
place of learning. The children here are sacred. The people
who work in this building, in this school, love their children
and know they are Sacred. It's a GOOD FEELING BUILDING.
Wellbriety Day
in Onondaga
We gathered inside the auditorium after a breakfast feast.
The Drum is called the Thunder Lizard
Singersa very highly respected group of Singers.
More than once we heard community members thank them for coming
and helping out. The Singers have beautiful voices, and talent,
but they have that extra something: they love to sing. For
the people. For healing. They really enjoyed it, and their
songs were gifts to all of us.
As the Thunder Lizard Singers began an Honor
Song, members of the Onondaga Men's Healing Circle carried
in the Sacred Hoop. About 75 Community Members followed the
Sacred Hoop as it circled the auditorium and was placed on
the stand in the middle of the Circle. After an opening prayer
and welcoming by Clint Shenandoah, the Coordinator for this
site on the Journey of the Sacred Hoop, Don Coyhis shared
with those gathered how special it was to be back in the community
on this, the Fourth Journey of the Sacred Hoop.
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| Hiawatha
Wampum Belt |
Many
people know that the inspiration for the American Constitution
came from the Haudenosaunee First Nations peoples in
what is now the New York state area. The Hiawatha Belt
is the first draft of the U.S. Constitution. This wampum
belt with the Tree of Peace in the center represents
the Five Nations Iroquois and their formation of the
Iroquois Constitution, which is the oldest, purest,
and most continuous form of democracy in the world.
The Five Nations Iroquois are Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga,
Cayuga, and Seneca.
The
Tree of Peace is the symbol of the Great Law of Peace
known as the Iroquois Constitution. The Haudenosaunee
(People of the Long House), or Iroquois, influenced
our Founding Father's ideas of democratic thought and
helped forge the idea of Federalism. Ben Franklin and
Thomas Jefferson used the Great Law of Peace to help
write the Constitution of the United States of America.
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Don said, "The Wellbriety
Movement began here with the People of the Longhouse in 1999.
This was the first stop on the first Journey of the Sacred
Hoop and it's an honor for us to be back on your land again.
We realize that this is a time when there are traditional
planting ceremonies going on over at the Longhouse, and that
some of you are having to divide up your time today between
this gathering and the duties and responsibilities you have
to your people. We appreciate your being here."
Our day in Onondaga began with the entry of
the Hoop followed by Don's presentation of the White Bison
Wellbriety products, tools, resources and other learning inspirations.
He talked about the Healing Forest idea that all parts of
a community must be in the healing for it to be most effective.
And then in keeping with the Men's theme, he spoke about the
7 Philosophies for a Native American Man.
Viewing the Hoop Journey III video led to the
first of two talking circles that made up Onondaga Wellbriety
Day. Our lunch feast consisted of three different kinds of
lasagna and two delicious homemade soups. One was a delicious
mixture of meat, hominy and beans. The other was wild onion
soup with dumplings. There was plenty of fresh fruit for both
lunch and the breakfast meal. We offer many thank
you's! to the people who served everyone so graciously.
Good Words and
the Good Mind
The rest of the day was given to the talking circle of the
men's healing group and others in attendance. In this talking
circle ceremony we passed the microphone so that everyone's
words could contribute to the healing energy in the room.
Here is some of what was said...
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"I'm just a human being. I still
make mistakes. Probably always will. But thisbeing a part
of this Healing Circle with other men here in my community
and coming to events like this todaythis is the most important
thing I have ever done in my whole life. ... I'm proud of
who I am today. My son is here with me. I'm happy today."
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| Don
Coyhis facilitates the yarn exercise that demonstrates
the Traditional Roles of men as Protectors in our
Families and Communities. |
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"I'd like to thank Don Coyhis for
this event. And to everyone from the Healing Circle, I'd like
to say thank you. ...The Red Road is all I know today. It
's a spiritual journey. And I'm just grateful to be a part
of it all."
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"I'm a product of an inter-racial
relationship. Growing up I never had a culture. I was always
tornin between. Since I've been in recovery I'm finding
a Higher Power. And I'm finding it in the Native American
culture. I just want to say that I'm grateful to be here,
and your culture is so rich. And for the first time in my
life I feel like I'm a part of something."
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"I give all my thanks to the Creator.
...I want to tell you that today is the best day of my life.
This is the greatest day of my life. The best thing that happened
to me today was when I woke up. I just give thanks for another
day. I can't look too far ahead. I'm glad Don Coyhis is here
and I want to thank him for coming."
•
"Find healing wherever you
can, and be open to it."
Don ended the second talking circle
of the day with these words:
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| Members
of the Onondaga Men's Healing Circle shared
with us today about their own path to healing.
Tracy Thomas (standing) gave the closing comments
from the Men's Circle. |
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Don
Coyhis
"I heard this prayer once. God, Thank
you for what you've given me. God, Thank you for what you've
taken from me. And God, Thank you for what you've left me.
"Part of the journey of what is
left is Recovery, the Program, and getting sober and repairing
things with our children. With some of my children, my relationship
with them isn't what it could have been, but it's very, very
beautiful. It took a lot of work and a lot of healing and
a lot of talk.
"My hope now is with my grandchildren.
I want to hear them say one day, 'Because
Grandpa Says...' My whole life's goal is to have them
say, 'Grandpa Says.' I always
said 'Grandpa Says' because
of how my Grandpa was with me. To this day I still think of
what he would say. When I get confused I just think, 'What
would Grandpa Say?' I knew what he would say. He was
real clear on what was right and what was wrong. He wasn't
wishy washy. My goal is to hear my Grandchildren say, 'Grandpa
Says...'"
Thank you Onondaga Nation for a
good day and the Good Mind!
Vette Middleton
Richard Simonelli
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