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Often times I am asked, "Where did the
ancestors get their knowledge?" Well, this knowledge came in
various ways. For example, our ancestors took the time to observe
their surroundings. They observed for days, months, years, and
generations - however long it took, they were patient.
Unfortunately, that is not our strongest virtue today: everything
is rush, rush, rush. The other thing the ancestors had going for
them was their sense of total connection. They knew that they were
part of a larger entity... and through this connection they had
the ability to connect with 'spirit', whether it was through a
fast, the sweatlodge, or other ceremonies. Through these portals,
information flowed freely to the ancestors. With this, they did
not doubt or question the spirits... and with trust came
protection, and our ancestors were given the means of survival
since the dawn of our nation.
We try very hard to place only accurate
information on this site, as I am personally so tired of
information that is so beyond what is true. Unfortunately, being
around traditions and spirituality for many, many years, I have
seen and heard a lot of things, to the point where I feel ashamed
to think that people are being so misled merely to feed the ego of
another. I honour and respect our culture so much that it really
hurts knowing that there are people out there, including some of
our own people, who are using the culture for their own personal
gain - to be on a pedestal, as they say.
In my teachings I often tell that we need to
totally give ourselves with humbleness to the spirits, to the
Ancestors, and above all to our nation and future generations.
Once this commitment is made, then and only then will the spirits
pass on that knowledge. As Mi'kmaw people, and particularly as
Mi'kmaw women, those who truly wish to follow in the ancestors'
footsteps need to take a stand and reclaim our roles in our
nation. That role is based on the foundation of a matriarchal
society, within which our ancestors survived for millennia. I also
truly believe that only once we individually reclaim our roles and
responsibilities, then and only then will the spirits of our
ancestors give the knowledge we require, and bring back the
teachings that have been lost.
All my relations...
Muin'iskw
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