Something to think about before you decide to be an Indian for Halloween.This is from Noel Altaha,she made this video and also wrote his article and asked use to post before Halloween.Please share,Thank you! My name is Noel Altaha I am 25 years old and a proud member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern AZ. I am also a proud member of this world, a proud parent/guardian of my sister Araya, 13, and a proud Alumna of Fort Lewis College. I am a survivor, an activist, a Native/Indigenous scholar, but most important I am reaching out as one person who wants to send a message of respect, a message about compassion. The vehicle I am using is the upcoming holiday and why anyone should give a damn is because of this, we need more people to wake up, we need more people to start respecting themselves, each other, the planet, the future, we need compassion and self-compassion. The Apaches have always been a warrior like people, but this also meant the ability to have love and compassion for one another and their enemies. There is a mourning ceremony in the Apache culture that entails processing the loss and allowing the grieving process to occur so once it is settled the individual and their social context can heal and continue their journey. This process was taken away and removed through the boarding school experiment, through the Indian Relocation Act, through the IHS sterilization of Indian women and countless other intentional acts. The first Holocaust happened on this continent. I am not here to blame or make anyone feel guilty or defensive, I am here to say lets mourn the loss and process the pain so our future can have a chance at being whole again, at being healed and healthy. At the end of the day, we are human and every human needs and wants and deserves love, acceptance, acknowledgement. I am doing this for myself, for my ancestors, for my sister who deserves a brighter future. I hope this platform will reach others who want to see a collective healing that goes beyond man-made borders, beyond languages, and broken treaties and white lies. I am boldly asking for the seed to be planted in your spirits and to nourish that seed. I am asking for a respectful dialogue to happen because ignorance is lethal and we cannot afford to be ignorant in the age of limitless information. Please take the time to read the article, watch the video and let the compassion seep in your psyche and your spirit. Ashoog Thank you for being you. Noel Altaha White Mountain Apache Tribe, Eagle clan Tugain born of the White Water people.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 03:47:20 +0000
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