Oren Lyons the Faithkeeper
Oren Lyons the Faithkeeper
Because of my interest in learning as much about
Haudenosaunee culture as I can, I watched this video twice, and plan to use the
resources talked about in the film. Oren Lyons talks about the greater way
forward, or the way that leads to most habitable, sustainable way of life
forward to the 7th generation. I agree and feel that developing this
mind-set in the majority of America’s population can seem like a formidable task,
and yet we have a groundswell of people who are beginning to look at this as
the only option if we are to sustain life on the planet. Another way, I feel to
bridge the gap so to speak, with white American culture and Indigenous cultures
(like the Haudenosaunee) is to exchange knowledge and discussion, and events,
and food, and any other single thing that can provide a benefit to each other.
I’m not talking about assimilation or cultural mis-appropriation of cultural aspects – there’s certainly enough of
that and we don’t need anymore. But I’m referring more to an active, engaging
acknowledgement and sharing of cultural events. The great thing is in New York,
these events are publicized and accessible to the public.
As Faithkeeper of the Haudenosaunee, and Onondaga Chief, Oren Lyons has an immense responsibility in preserving and interpreting Native culture in
contemporary America.
During his talk he makes
significant points, such as “the most
real things…you can’t see”. This aligns very much with the concept of
storytelling and oral distribution of cultural knowledge. Vine DeLoria also
talks about the profound relevance oral knowledge has in the preservation of
cultural knowledge, ceremony, and ritual (M1 Overview). Think about it. Can you
get the full impact of what someone is saying in an email as compared to talking
with them on the phone? And beyond that can you get a stronger impact of what
they are saying in person, as opposed to talking on the phone? I am beginning
to see how important the spoken word is, and the presence of the “spirit of the
story” during its telling.
References
Haudenosaunee Confederacy:
Oswe:GE Grand River. http://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/
M1 Overview: Early
Encounters. Words and Place. Interview with Vine DeLoria Jr. 2017.
Oren Lyons the Faithkeeper. Published
by Films on Demand. Empire State College. 2017.
Excellent first blog, great images (I love visuals) and local tribal history. Remember to respond to two peers. Nn
ReplyDeleteI agree the spoken word is extremely important. Like you said, how many times are text messages misinterpreted, or even tone is misconstrued over the phone. The spoken word isn't just about the words, it's the body language as well. My husband and I were just explaining to our daughter the other day, that listening to a song on the radio isn't the same as seeing the artist perform it live. Everything they do, the sound levels for different instruments, the lights, the backgrounds, the movements, they all add to the story the artist is trying to tell.
ReplyDeleteHi Colleen. Very apt analogy - with music and listening to song. Yes, each performance is an entity unto itself, and like we frequently hear concert-goers or other event-goers say "You just had to be there!" We are so busy with our daily lives that I think we tend to gloss over what someone is saying. We "don't have time" to really listen and engage. Social media, while providing a global voice, tends to be very spiritually depleting, in my opinion.
DeleteMusic and Song
DeleteThe cultural storytelling and passing of history through teachings of tribe members is exemplary of how elders communicated with the next generation. The song and music which is traditional teaches by demonstration the next generation of how to be. When a younger generation learns how to be, and how to celebrate their tradition, they identify with their heritage. Most of the holidays that are celebrated in the United States combine the different cultures, many of them are militant. The attire, dress, and dance which is portrayed at a POW-WOW is full dress with feathers, headdress, etc. Cultural meets which are put together in current day are open to the public and a festival of heritage. They are similar to an arts and crafts festival, with music, dance and the like. These cultural gatherings are eventful and family friendly. There is food, native American cultural items sold or displayed and opportunity to hear first hand the story of an American Indians story of their culture. Best of all, there is not cover charge - just enough to buy food and some items made by the tribes who attend.
Source:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=native+american+festival&view=detail&mid=FC8A788147D1AD453132FC8A788147D1AD453132&FORM=VIRE