Manataka Smoke Signal News - December 2008

A Tewa Indian Legend

Long ago in the ancient home of the San Juan people, in a village whose ruins cam be seen across the river from present-day San Juan, lived two magically gifted young people. The youth was called Deer Hunter because even as a boy, he was the only one who never returned empty-handed from the hunt. The girl, whose name was White Corn Maiden, made the finest pottery, and embroidered clothing with the most beautiful designs, of any woman in the village. These two were the handsomest couple in the village, and it was no surprise to their parents that they always sought one anther's company. Seeing that were favored by the gods, the villagers assumed that they were destined to marry.

And in time they did, and contrary to their elders' expectations, they began to spend even more time with one another. White Corn Maiden began to ignore her pottery making and embroidery, while Deer Hunter gave up hunting, at a time when he could have saved many of his people from hunger. They even began to forget their religious obligations. At the request of a pair's worried parents, the tribal elders called a council. This young couple was ignoring all the traditions by which the tribe had lived and prospered, and the people feared that angry gods might bring famine, flood, sickness, or some other disaster upon the village.

READ MORE...

READ MORE...

Manataka receives dozens of letters each week. Space does not allow us to publish all letters but we make a concerted effort to print letters that are representative of a majority. Let us know if there is a topic you feel needs to be addressed.

Reminding Hunters to Respect

Hello Manataka,

I noticed that on your webpage about Deer Hide Tanning you had some notes about "A Better Way."
As a guy who has always loved animals, and felt compelled to be hunt, your words rang true with me...
Preservation, Appreciation, and Responsible Use.

My last girlfriend taught me much about Native American Values and Spirituality. So much of what I learned aligned with my own beliefs about life and nature. Her entire being sings with the Native American song. Through her I learned to play the five hole flute.

I hunt deer with a bow and have taken the time to know deer, their physiology, and how to take them
quickly with an arrow. So many of my friends think that I am cruel, while they eat their McDonald's hamburger. Not even taking the time to acknowledge the cow that died to make that sandwich. That to me is a greater insult.

When I kill a deer it always brings sadness, and just like you said, it is part of my ritual to get on my knee ( my hunting friends too ) and say a prayer of thanks; even though we all easily fit the "dumb hick Christian country boy" stereotype. . Your note on kneeling is what triggered this email. It always brings a tear to my eye to see what I have done, but that is part of it, the circle of life... that deer feeds me throughout the year...

Thank you for speaking out about preservation, appreciation and responsible use... it is the right way to live in harmony, and hopefully sustainability, with our animal cousins.

In this ever chaotic world, the Native American soul holds the lessons of the ancient ways. The lessons that bring the peace so many seek. When we are aligned with nature, we are aligned with ourselves... in the love and respect of nature, we love and respect ourselves.

I am grateful for Native Americans, and the voice that still speaks. My connection to the Native American people goes back further than our known ancestry, but is no less a connection to me than one brother to another. In our mutual love of nature I find profound respect for the original tribes of this nation. Thank you for your words reminding hunters to respect and appreciate their prey. ~Dan Keenan

Residential School Deaths

Dear Manataka,

A sad thing that many of us witnessed in our years in residential school, death of young people and burying of them. The tale of runaways that came from this is till felt today, even by yours truly. I have heard stories, but did not witnessed any deaths. The hush in the halls on some days was deafening quiet and tearful. I hope that this issue is looked into and resolved so that those who died are put to rest and those parents searches are over. ~Marie Barney, Lillooet, British Columbia

Robert Soto's Fight Over Eagle Feathers

Dear Friends of Manataka

The last time I wrote, our September 7, 2007 court case with the Department of Interior was postponed for a later date by the federal government. We, my lawyers and myself, continue to seek direction as to what to do next. There are several explanations but one thing they are hoping will happen eventually is that with time interest will die out and people will forget what happened. This is where I feel we must never let them forget what happened. It sort of reminds me of our history books and all the wrong the government has done to our people. The old "out of sight, out of mind" comes to remembrance here. That is what history has done about all the horrible things they did to us in the name of justice and fairness. We must never let them forget and we must unite together - not for my victory, but for the victory of all American Indian people, whether they are recognized by the government or not.

One statement that continues to bother me is one of the last things the federal agent that came to our pow wow said to the newspapers. He said, "Just because his parents are Indians does not make him an Indian." That is one of most idiotic statements I have ever heard. The man who came to our pow wow was Mexican American. How does he know he is Mexican American? Did the government issue him a card that declared him Mexican American? Was he born with a stamp somewhere on his body that says "Made in Mexico?" He knows he is Mexican American because more likely that is what his parents and relatives declared to him from the time he was born. So I know who I am because I not only carry the oral traditions that have been passed on to us from generation to generation, but we carry our genealogy which is backed up by academic citations that support who my family is as American Indians of the Lipan Apache tribe. Yet today, we have given the government the authority and the right to tell us who is and who is not Indian. I don't know about your tribe, but our tribe fought fourteen different campaigns with the United States and Mexico with the hopes that no man would tell us where to live or who we were as Lipan Apaches.

The more I have thought about this the more I have determined that the whole issue is control. Control over who we are and control of those things that are sacred to us. What would a Catholic do if tomorrow he was told he had to beg the United States government for their rosaries? What would the Jewish people do if tomorrow they realized they had to beg the United Stated government for their sacred scrolls in order to worship God? What would Evangelical Christians do if tomorrow they were told that the only cross they could wear around their neck or their Bible they read were those sanctioned by the United States government? Yet in order for us to use our sacred objects like our eagle feathers, whether in a religious service or at a powwow, is that we beg the government for them, who determines who can and who cannot use them. It is about time our people were set free to use that which is sacred to us without fear of the United States government sending agents from the Department of Interior to harass us and take away things like our Eagle feathers. They need to remember the countless of American Indians along with others who have given their lives in the armed forces up to date for the right to worship as we please.

In my last conversation with my lawyers, which was about three days ago, he advised me that we will wait until January to take our next step on this case. He said due to the election, no one is listening right now so we will wait until the election is over and things settle down in Washington. Until then, I would like you to write to the Department of Fish and Game and basically ask them to let our people go. To settle the issue once and for all and allow us to be free in the area of worship and the use of our sacred objects as eagle feathers.

The only way laws will change will be that we unite together and fight together as one to change the laws that have held us under fear and bondage from the very government we elect. God bless and thank you for your time. ~Robert Soto, Vice Chief, Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas

Robert,

We support your fight for the sacred symbols of American Indian life. We encourage our readers to write their congressional delegations, the Department of the Interior and the media. Let unite! ~Editor

Slams Robert Redford

Manataka,

Why is Robert Redford, the most beige of beige celebrities allowed a comment on your site, and about oil drilling? Really now, why did you feel the need to publish his opinion among so many with sincere deep seated thoughts? What's his expertise and experience, he's no more an authority on oIl than Al Gore is on global warming. Redford's pandering in the name of environmentalists is worse than you using him as a spokesman but not much. I'm surprised he didn't speak in old movie dialect with hand signals for emphasis, e.g., "We environmentalists are brother to the Redman, etc." What's next, Redford in beaded buckskin clothing shedding a tear over reservation roadsides littered with beer cans?~Vernon Clayson

Vernon,

We can see you are a deep thinking and feeling person and therefore your comment deserves our response. You may be thinking about Kevin Costner (Dances With Wolves) who has been assailed by the Indian community for his 'plastic' attitudes. We are not aware of any such claim of falseness made against Redford.

Mr. Redford is probably one of the foremost authorities on environmental issues in this country today. We do not always agree with his solutions, but we always agree with his motivation. His off-screen life has been dedicated to grass-roots efforts to save the environment for many decades. Very little of his work is noted by the media, but his experience and expertise is beyond question. For nearly 40 years, he has served as a board member on several large environmental organizations and is often called upon by the government, universities, and nonprofits to consult on major ecology issues. The huge volume of his written work, free speaking engagements, and other service to the environmental community (that also includes American Indians) has made a positive and remarkable impact. His personal (unpaid) lobbying efforts before Congress has been credited with delivering critical votes when needed the most.

What he is saying is far more important than his name -- and it has nothing to do with his ethnic background -- we are all humans fighting the same battle. We invite you to do some research on Mr. Redford's remarkable contribution to saving our Mother Earth. ~Editor

Good Words from A Pipe Maker

Manataka,

I am a traditional pipe maker. I not use any electrical tools to make a Sacred Pipe. Nor do I sell a Sacred Pipe to anyone... A Sacred Pipe is for ceremonial use only... You [should be] of Native American Indian decent and heritage. Your first must go to your Elders and ask them if you are ready for a Sacred Pipe. And then you ask them to write a letter on your behalf, explaining why you need a Sacred Pipe. Remember this, do not insult me with dishonesty, your letter must be true...your Elder will tell you what you need to bring when a Sacred Pipe is made for you. If you try to buy a Sacred Pipe from me either... I will turn you down. Walk in beauty and be blessed. ~Samuel Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf,

Manataka Elders agree with you. There is entirely too much pandering going on and respect must remain strong for the Sacred Pipe. ~Editor

Questions About Spirit Guides

Hello Manataka,
I was reading your website about spirit guides and was wondering if you could provide a little guidance.
About 20 years ago, when I was about 24 years old, I was walking in the woods in Maine, and a young Moose appeared and followed by my side through the woods. At the time, I did not understand. Instead, I was afraid, and I walked away from my spirit guide. Now I fear that this may have been a bad thing to do. Now, many years later, the moose has not reappeared. Right now my life is in need of guidance. Have I alienated my spirit guide through my ignorance? How can I restore contact? I do not know if you have time to respond to all the emails you get, but any input would be appreciated. ~Sue

Sue,

Your spirit guide never left you. Nor did you alienated your spirit guide.

You might try viewing your spirit guide in traditional religious terms -- as an angel of the Creator. A spirit guide is an angel. You know the Creator of All Things never leaves us -- the spirit is within us always.

Often in the confusion and hubbub of youth we often allow distractions of the material world to cloud our vision of the spirit world. As we grow older and the complexities of life become more demanding, the distractions become more pronounced and hence our visions and dreams appear to be lost.

Seek your spirit guide in the forest of your youth. Walk as a child in nature, giving thanks for the many blessings given to you over the years. Pour out your feelings in prayer. Do this often and do it now. It will not be long before your spirit guide(s) will begin to speak to you. Touch your inner-self and allow all the greatest and wonder to emerge. Revisit the Spirit Guide web pages and read slowly. There you will find one of many keys. ~Editor

Taxes and American Indians

Dear Manataka,

A Native American who is a legal resident of a federally recognized reservation/Indian land is taxed under laws that apply to tribal lands, not state laws. In general, Native Americans who relocate from a reservation/Indian land are then subject to taxes applicable to other citizens of the state. However, this is not true if the only reason for leaving the reservation is for military service. When a Native American who resides on Indian land/reservation leaves for the sole purpose of performing military duty, he or she does not lose the immunity from state taxes.

This law was not enforced and all Native Americans who served in the armed forces had their military pay taxed by their state until 2001... [Will elected officials] enact legislation to recover money that was illegally taken from these servicemen and women? ~A Bear Track

Read More About

Focus Formula™ and Bright Spark™

CONSUMER ALERTS

Consumer Victory of the Month:
Mandatory Pasture and Feed Requirements

for Organic Dairy Farms

After years of pressure from organic farmers, consumers, and advocacy groups, spearheaded by the OCA and the Cornucopia Institute, the USDA has finally decided to mandate pasture requirements for cattle on organic farms. The pasture requirements will be required for every day of the growing season (minimum 120 days) for dairy (and beef) cattle, with a minimum requirement that 30% of organic cattle feed come from pasture. It is our hope that these new requirements will put so-called "organic" factory farms, like those operated by Horizon and Aurora, out of business. Although the OCA applauds the USDA for finally proposing regulations that will put an end to intensive confinement dairy feedlots under the "USDA Organic" label, we strongly oppose a separate section of the proposed regulation that would allow non-organic heifers (young milk cows) from conventional farms to be brought onto organic dairy farms and then be considered "organic." The OCA will be mobilizing our national network to take action on this issue in the coming weeks. Learn more

Organic Bytes Readers Talk Back:
How Green is Your Cell Phone? Response from the OCA:

Thanks for sharing your concerns. You are correct, the electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones are likely problematic if the phone is used inappropriately. In Organic Bytes #141, we discuss this issue in detail and provide tips for reducing exposure. The most important health precaution is to keep cell phones away from children and for adults to get in the habit of using an ear piece or speaker phone and not putting the phone directly to your head. As for the coltan mining issue, the OCA has deep concerns about what is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 60% of coltan is mined. Because of its ability to hold high electric charges, coltan is used in cellular phones, computers, jet engines, missiles, ships, and weapons systems. Without coltan the digital age would not exist. Having said that, the electronic industry (and consumers) have done a horrible job recycling this precious substance. You can recycle your old phones here.

Hard Times and Home-Cooked Meals

As the financial crisis deepens, more Americans are cutting back on eating out and staying home to cook their own meals. According to the NPD Group, a market research company, restaurant meals now cost on average about three times what it takes to make a similar meal at home. While fast-food restaurants are maintaining a relatively steady customer flow, sit-down restaurants are seeing sales plummet. According to Edward E. Leamer, director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast, "There has been so much of a focus on Wall Street and the credit problem, but the real source of the problem in the fourth quarter is going to be consumer spending, and restaurants are one of the canaries in this coal mine." Learn more

Sustainability Tip of the Month:
Farm to School Programs Sweeping Nation--How to Start One in Your Community

The economic crisis is having a positive impact on the diets of children in thousands of schools across the U.S. School budgets may be shrinking, but family farmers are filling in the gap with low-cost locally-grown foods. It's getting prohibitively expensive for family farmers to ship their goods to customers thousands of miles away, so groups like the National Farm to School program, a national network of community-based food systems that assist farmers and improve student health, are connecting schools directly to local farms. More than 8,700 schools across the U.S. are actively participating in these programs, which can vary everywhere from simply stocking locally grown foods in the cafeterias to developing vegetable gardens on school property. Learn more about these programs and how to start a similar program in your own community here.

Brought to you by ORGANIC BYTES, from Organic Consumers Assoc. http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Purple GMO Tomato Inferior to Nature's Offerings
In what appears to be an attempt at softening the public`s attitude toward genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), British scientists have engineered a purple tomato, rich in antioxidants, by splicing certain genes from the snapdragon flower...

Doctors Dishing out Antidepressants for PMS "Quick Fix"
(NaturalNews) Large numbers of women are being inappropriately treated with antidepressants when they actually have premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a British nonprofit has warned. "[PMS] can make you feel depressed or even suicidal" said Jackie Howe,...

Undeniable Proof the FDA Allows Pet Food to Break the Law
The FDA website, on a page regarding pet foods, proudly cites the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). With reading just a few of the FD&C Act laws, and a little reading on the FDA website, there is absolute proof that the FDA ignores...

A Great Trick For Healing Wounds

Insulin, a hormone generally known for regulating blood sugar levels, can also speed up the healing process when it is applied directly to the skin.

Rats treated with topical insulin healed wounds faster. The same result was found in follow-up studies on human skin cells in culture. Insulin stimulates human keratinocytes, which are cells that regenerate the epidermis after wounding. It also caused microvascular endothelial cells, which restore blood flow, to migrate into the wounded tissue.

The insulin causes these effects by switching on cellular signaling proteins called kinases and a protein called SREBP.

These results may help explain why diabetes, a disease caused by impaired production or utilization of insulin, is connected to poor healing.

FUNNY BONES

No offense intended for any individuals or tribes.

Chief Red Shirt Pulled Over

An Oklahoma State Policeman pulled Chief Red Shirt over to the curb, asking, "Why are you driving on the highway when you are supposed to be in air?"

Chief Red Shirt replied, "My pilot license expired yesterday. Now you want to give me a ticket for not wearing my seat belt?"

Chief Forget-me Not

An Australian travel writer touring Canada was checking out of the Spokane Hilton, and as he paid his bill said to the manager, asked, "By the way, what's with the Indian chief sitting in the lobby? He's been there ever since I arrived."

"Oh that's 'Big Chief Forget-me Not'," said the manager. "The hotel is built on an Indian reservation, and part of the agreement is to allow the chief free use of the premises for the rest of his life. He is known as 'Big Chief Forget-me Not' because of his phenomenal memory. He is 92 and can remember the slightest detail of his life."

The travel writer took this in, and as he was waiting for his cab decided to put the chief's memory to the test.

"'ello, mate!" said the Aussie, receiving only a slight nod in return. "What did you have for breakfast on your 21st birthday?"

"Eggs," was the chief's instant reply, without even looking up, and indeed the Aussie was impressed.

He went off on his travel writing itinerary, right across to the east coast and back, telling others of Big Chief Forget-me Not's great memory. (One local noted to him that 'How' was a more appropriate greeting for an Indian chief than ''ello mate.') On his return to the Spokane Hilton six months later, he was surprised to see 'Big Chief Forget-me Not' still sitting in the lobby, fully occupied with whittling away on a stick.

"How?" said the Aussie.

"Scrambled," said the Chief.

What weighs 21 pounds, contains 2,560 pages, and lists thousands of names and numbers? It's not the New York City telephone directory, but here's a hint: Its listings run from Addax to Zebra.

Contents:
Legends of Old:		Deer Hunter and White Corn Maiden
Feature Story:		Christmas Between Adobe and Kiva
Letters to the Editor:		Hunters Respect, Eagle Feathers
Organic Consumers:		Cell Phones, School and Home Meals
Elder's Meditations:		Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Lakota
Health:		A Great Trick For Healing Wounds
Plant Medicine:		Burdock - food, Drink and medicine
Fluoride:		When Joint pain is not Arthritis
Animal Rights and Wrongs:	A	A View to a Kill: How Safari Club Int'l Works to Weaken ESA Protections
Endangered Sacred Sites:		Footprints in the Ash


Rock and Country	Contemporary	Flute Music	Rap - Indian Style
Specialty Songs	Traditional	Storytellers	Pow Wow
Lots More CD'S - Fast Delivery - Great Prices!

READ MORE...

Burdock

Arctium lappa, A. minus