Well...it was a bit back then, when Wallace was still in his "robe" that he was explaining about his family's belief of heaven & hell.
So he was saying how when he was a child back out there on the Rosebud...back in the 20's they had it hard, and that the wasicu who dressed in black (priests) would tell the people how's if they didn't do what they were being told to do, how they'd be going to hell. But if they did what them wasicu directed and lived in the prescribed manner, why then they'd be going to heaven.
And then Grandpa would laugh his laugh..."huh huh huh" and say: "But they didn't know they didn't scare us, because we don't believe in no heaven or hell. We believe in Tunkashila."
So yeah he was a pretty cool Elder. He liked to call his self a "Dumb Indian", because he had no formal education. But, I'll tell you this, he was by far the most informed Being I have Ever met. It was because he listened to those Spirits all the time.
All I ever had to do was "think" at him, and he'd answer me; in a dream, in my head, or sometimes with actual words....he'd just start talking away to me.
I didn't get to learn as much as I might have, but I learned what I needed/was willing to at the time.
And I could talk to him about most anything, he was a Real Person, not someone to be "Worshiped" or even to be put up on a pedestal. Sure, to be respected...no doubt about that, but so many people forgot that he was like us too....and you could just sit & shoot the breeze! He could be really funny...had a great sense of humor!
I miss him in the physical sense, but I still hear him and know he's still with me...heck, he even sits in the back of my truck and sometimes goes to ceremony with me!
So it's like that!
Mi Takuye Oyacin
So he was saying how when he was a child back out there on the Rosebud...back in the 20's they had it hard, and that the wasicu who dressed in black (priests) would tell the people how's if they didn't do what they were being told to do, how they'd be going to hell. But if they did what them wasicu directed and lived in the prescribed manner, why then they'd be going to heaven.
And then Grandpa would laugh his laugh..."huh huh huh" and say: "But they didn't know they didn't scare us, because we don't believe in no heaven or hell. We believe in Tunkashila."
So yeah he was a pretty cool Elder. He liked to call his self a "Dumb Indian", because he had no formal education. But, I'll tell you this, he was by far the most informed Being I have Ever met. It was because he listened to those Spirits all the time.
All I ever had to do was "think" at him, and he'd answer me; in a dream, in my head, or sometimes with actual words....he'd just start talking away to me.
I didn't get to learn as much as I might have, but I learned what I needed/was willing to at the time.
And I could talk to him about most anything, he was a Real Person, not someone to be "Worshiped" or even to be put up on a pedestal. Sure, to be respected...no doubt about that, but so many people forgot that he was like us too....and you could just sit & shoot the breeze! He could be really funny...had a great sense of humor!
I miss him in the physical sense, but I still hear him and know he's still with me...heck, he even sits in the back of my truck and sometimes goes to ceremony with me!
So it's like that!
Mi Takuye Oyacin
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment