Matriarchs and Mother Earth

I read an article titled "Indigenous matriarchs stand together in dark times" that brought up some precious memories from nearly 30 years ago. I was hosting a public access television show called One World, only 18 of 120+ made it to the digital kingdom. Our interview led to participation in the Phoenix Indian School Preservation Coalition. It was an experience of a lifetime I felt honored to serve.

I've been enthralled by indigenous ways since childhood, lead by an ancient one known as Zephyr whom I encountered as a teen during my exploration of Carlos Castaneda's books. It was definitely a 'separate reality.' Native understanding and ways, the intelligence shared by nature we so often obliterate in our quest for dominance, are rising up again for review. This time even science is acknowledging its intrinsic patterns and wisdom. 

I've been fortunate to have worked with a Native coalition in the early 90s, 18 of 21 tribes in Arizona were represented, in order to preserve (and in some ways restore) their cultural heritage in a public showing. What had once been a center of 'Westernizing' Indian youth (built in 1890) was no becoming a landmark city park, the result of land swaps between the BIA and the Collier Corporation with the City of Phoenix as the beneficiary.

Sitting in the meetings and listening to the stories from the tribes, examples of moving toward a central theme of their culture and nature, was an education that was priceless. I was invited to participate after an interview with an activist, Jean Chaudhuri, who became the co-chair of the Phoenix Indian School Preservation Coalition. Unfortunately, she passed before the site was opened to the public.

Although the tape was old and the transfer to digital rather substandard (not to mention the novice interviewer), Jean invites me to sing along with her in the beginning of our conversation. The interview is also an artifact, a remnant of a great life of service, and a reminder of the deep synchronicities Native life and understanding brings to us if we are open to them. 

Peace and harmony with life are the core of indigenous ways, the foundation that modern civilization has forgotten and/or is ignorant of in this rapid-paced free-for-all lifestyle in the 21st Century. Perhaps we can slow down a bit, embrace the coexistence with honor and respect, to instill Grandmothers' wisdom in a new generation. 

Oftentimes we seek to impose models and patterns on what we believe to be significant understanding based on our current thinking. Native wisdom includes the natural cycles and rhythms of Mother Earth and, it is quite likely, we have the same fractals within us that are emergent in the face of the challenge in sustainability of life here. They are intrinsic to the internal, perhaps even genetically significant.

By genetically significant, I mean the nature of our human evolution toward a greater understanding of self and others. We've been down the patriarchal path for millennia, which turned dominion into dominance instead of stewardship. In the 'new age of enlightenment,' for lack of a better, our understanding turns to the internal journey of emotional connection with the world around us and the true stewardship of our home.

It is such an atrocity, a slap in the face to common sense and good decision-making in service to the people of America and the world. The litany of ridiculous actions is further outlined in this article from the Environmental Integrity Project that exposes the facade of 'leadership' in America today.

Our system is broken. How do we really fix it when money and power are at the root? Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary? We've been coaxed and cajoled into becoming a consumer-driven capitalist society ruled by corporate regimes that have no interest in conservation and/or protection of our environment or the health of Earth's citizenry. We can change, but the current actions of Americans, and out population in general, indicate we are unwilling to be uncomfortable.

People who stand up are being ignored. Our next round of selections for affecting change is more critical for life on earth than most of us are willing to admit, even with the obvious signs. Social media seems more of a distraction than a means to engage the movement necessary for change. Perhaps there are benefactors in the balcony who need to be on the stage instead. I truly believe we are capable of great things in short order, but we all need to act in concert. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Perhaps Planetary Citizens is next.