May 9, 1999
This week was, shall we say, different. 2 major events and 2 major lessons - the same lessons I have been trying to learn for a while but I think this time I might have it.
I was fortunate enough to have gone on a field trip - yes they even do that in college some places - to a place called Madeline Island. On the northern edge of the state of Wisconsin an island that sits just off the coast in Lake Superiour. As early as the birth of "Christ" it was home to the Ojibwe Indians, then in about the year 1650 the whites came and from then on the Indians have been trying to get them out. It is now a big tourist mecca and "historic" site. It is also filled with the spirits of those who cannot rest because of the things that have happened there. Indian burial grounds have been unearthed since the coming of whites for trinkets and such. Indians don't like to go there, the first time I went I stayed for 15 minutes and then left again. This time I stayed for a couple of hours.
The biggest part of the trip that I felt was meaningful was talking with an Ojibwe woman about the things I was hearing and feeling. She had not been there in many years and her grandmother came from one of the families that left the island many years ago in wooden canoes. History.
The museum was filled with artifacts and things from the burial grounds, I couldn't stay there long. The next stop was on the largest beach of the island. There I not only heard but saw the spirits. They were singing and dancing and my mood changed drastically. I heard that they were hopeful that the legends were coming true. That the young boy who was to find the last of the sacred scrolls was in the here and now. The Ojibwe woman was happy then too, she heard what I did and we talked about it at length.
I wanted to stay at that point but we had a schedual to keep.
Things will come in their time and no matter what we do we must be patient.
The other thing that happened this week was that Sherman Alexie came to the school. He is one of, if not the most prolific Indian writer today. I was able to talk with him about life, love and the pursuit of being Indian. He is a very honest man - beyond a fault, very proud and very intellegent. Reminds me of me.
He had so many views on things and so many ideas of how things are that I can't fit them here, but he did have one idea that sticks with me. That we are all a part of the problem and we can all be part of the solution.
And of that he said in particular that you may not do what others want or what others think you should, but no matter what they may think of you later you must do for yourself what you feel the Creator asks of you to do. And above all else admit your mistakes and learn from them.
The man has several books of poetry out, 3 novels, many short stories, does speaking engagements throughout the world, drives a 1988 Dodge Sundance and a 1968 Plymouth, is an Indian but is an artist first. He gives copies of his books to various reservations, volunteers his time again and again, has a house on the reservation, lives just a bit above me on the social scale and believes that if we were meant to kill our brother - regardless of the color of his skin or the beliefs he has or the things he says, we would have died out a long time ago. We have a choice to put down the gun and walk away. And he really doesn't like the way white people think. Whites are the smallest group of people on a world scale. Yet they think they are the greatest. "Wake up, your not."
Reminds me of me.
I am predjudice and I am angry. But as an individual I accept everyone as they are. Sometimes I just need to hear the same thing from someone else to remind me that I fit the same catagory that I dislike sometimes.
Life isn't easy, we just need to do the best we can. That means listening and not simply fighting because someone is different. And be honest damn it!!