First of all let me say that this was a wonderful and well written article.
In one sentence you wrote:
"I wonder if this vacancy in spiritual beliefs led to the influx of fundamentalist religions that gripped my great grandfather's generation."
The inability of the medicine men to cure the diseases brough by the white man was a shock to the Native American healers, however, they also knew they were dealing with something they had never encountered before. They still placed their trust in the Great Spirit.
In another sentence you wrote:
"I wonder, too, if some of the rules of their religion (no shaving, no cutting hair for women, no dancing, etc) had any bearing either from keeping some Native customs or completely rejecting them"
I do not believe that these rules and others have any bearing on their choices in-so-far as Native Culture is concerned. You must remember that missionaries were in many cases fanatic. As a Doctor of Divinity myself, most of these beliefs came from the Old Testament, and many were changed by their church leaders to fit their own ideals and needs. Unfortunately theology practiced by these would be ministers
is searching in a dark cellar at midnight for a black cat that isn't there. Home grown Theologians can persuade themselves of anything.
You now talk about merry old Emgland.
" I still am amazed how such a little country as England managed to have such an inflated sense of themselves to think they had a God given right to rule the world."
What you say here has a lot more meaning than you realize. My degree is in history (Roman) but I have always been fascinated by British history. Believe it or not, Britain was for centuries the most hostile nation on earth, equal to Rome in many ways. Perhaps that's because of their Viking roots. I will not say more about my English friends.
In this sentence you bring home the bacon:
"I mourn the loss of all the wisdom beaten out of children in the Indian schools, and its no wonder that the grown up children and grandchildren have not been taught."
From the time the Roman Catholic Church started converting "Heathens" in New Spain, and on a continual basis, the teachings of the Native Americans declined. As you mentioned with the Scots, the same thing applied to the NA in church schools. God forbid they talk or bring up the subject of their native beliefs. What blasphemy! Christianity is a wondrful religion, however, the way it was forced on the Native Americans (and others) was (is) wrong.
True Christians will find that Native Americans believe a lot like they do, minus Christ and the Old Testament. They just put it indefferent terms and identify with spirituality verses doctrine.
Sorry to have rambled on so much, but you essay got me started.
oldwarrior
What a beautiful but chilling tale!
My big question would natutally be, why didn't the teacher inspire the students to appreciate this incredible interview more?
Were I teaching the class, I certainly would have.
This part...
"I sat there. Stunned. Totally, completely, stunned. I felt as if a huge, threatening cloud had moved overhead and blocked out the sun.
Had no one 'gotten it?' Not even Laura? The teacher came over and said that this was typical. It was too long ago and people forgot. Towers falling and best friends in Baghdad were more interesting. And in time, I wondered, would that story, too, be lost?"
...is even more frightening.
Are all Americans doomed to lose their cultural inheritance the same as the Native Americans are losing theirs?
What about the old quote, "Those who fail to learn from history - are doomed to repeat it?
I stand with you in awe of this interview and the apathetic response from students and teacher!
oldwarrior
This was not only well written it was informative and gives an insite into your personal beliefs. This one sentence - One even bestowed upon me the great honor of becoming his firstborn’s godmother. - Is wonderful.
Native Americans do not bestow such honor unless they truly mean it and the person oon whom it is bestowed is fully accepted as a member of the family. It means they are putting their trust into you to not only learn NAI beliefs, but to teach their children beliefs from your heart,
The heart is more important than the teaching, because we make mistakes in teaching but the heart tells all.
Very well done, and welcome to the NAI class. We will all learn a lot from our class experience. As the old saying goes "Docendo Discimus" (We learn through teaching). This is one of my personal mottos and I think it does apply to all of us.
oldwarrior
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