A Discriminatory Past
We hold perceptions that we take as truths. Often when we look from the other side, there is an entirely different story. We may have this ideal that the land before our time was untouched, untamed. That pristine wilderness existed without the influence of the human hand. We think we know best, but often our minds change and the thoughts we initially took as truths reveal themselves as something else as time unfolds. The land formerly known as Turtle Island, and what our culture now calls the United States of America, was heavily influenced by the tribes native to these lands. They shaped valleys and bent branches to serve their interests. However, they went about this process with reverence and respect. They worked with the land, not off it. Seemingly untouched areas of beauty were carefully crafted places of ceremony and worship. We are a part of this land just as much as the land is a part of us.
The Miwuk Tribe lived in Yosemite Valley - or I should be writing Ahwahnee Valley, as it was originally known - for thousands of years. Yosemite staff forced out the last remaining from their ancestral homes in 1969. There’s really no doubt about it. We kicked them off the land - in the recent past. Even revered environmentalists of the time were involved. The campgrounds the world over were often former tribe villages. The paths we hike in our favorite parks were the roads of transportation to those people. They lost their paths while we simultaneously lost ours. We all have our blindspots. It’s how we move forward when they come to the forefront that matters.
Re-Education
We have much to learn from indigenous cultures around the world. Count me in as an active listener. They truly lived amongst the land and held it sacred. I believe in a return to these principles. Ready to reconnect? Go outside with your bare feet. Listen to the wind. Soak in the sun. Find yourself becoming more and more grounded. I’m starting there. I believe our future is bright. It’s a reunion of sorts with the land, with ourselves, and with each other.
A New Life
In order to find the light, I’ve had to go to some dark places. Events have happened that cannot be undone. On the other side, there is acceptance and appreciation for the lesson. Then life becomes more enjoyable and a whole lot more interesting. A cloud is lifted to reveal that which matters most.
