"We
came to remember we are all one."
by Sandra Cosentino
Emotions
flowed as native Siberians walked ancient sacred lands of the Hopi
and Navajo peoples in an historic coming together November 4 and
5, 2001in northern Arizona. The prayers, songs and depth of spirituality
of the Hopi and Navajo traditional peoples they visited touched
a deep chord for the five Siberian visitors and all of us who were
present.
"The
return of our lands and right to co-govern and connect political
work with ceremony and prayers is important to us," said Lydumila
Ignatenko, an Eskimo from Kamchatka, at the opening of an evening
circle with a Hopi medicine man and traditional leader.
Our
Hopi friend, listening deeply and radiating heartfelt welcome spoke
of the importance of the land: "Shrines are important. We're here
to protect and preserve this land for our children and their children.
Where you are born, you always go back, that is your umbilical,
it is always imprinted. We send our messages from the center of
Mother Earth to infinity. Our natural foods grown from the land
sustain us." He spoke of how since time immemorial Hopis have maintained
their sovereign status given to them by the highest leader who is
always there for everyone.
Milan
Kynyraa from Tuva culture in southern Siberia spoke of his concern
with the degradation of his culture: "We came here to remember we
are all one. We have lost our spirituality; our children don't feel
it it inside--this is dangerous. The changes in lifestyle are consuming
more from nature. I have studied my own culture and realize the
importance of ritual and ceremony. The main purpose of my visit
here is to see how North Americans preserve their rituals so I can
try to restore that in my home lands."
The
Hopi medicine man responded with confidence as he voiced a universal
wisdom that is true for all of us: "Someone with a good heart, with
no anger can persevere and will succeed in fulfilling what needs
to be done. Have kindness from the heart and faith. Always pray
when you start the day. Rest when the sun goes down. One or two
can succeed for their people. We all carry the seeds within us.
We each came in with different things to fulfill. When we preserve
our culture we move to a different place; it is important for children
to know their purpose. Knowledgeable people sit on their knowledge,
but sometimes they take off the mask and become their true self."
He
was encouraging each of us, of all cultures, to express our true
heart. This is our gift to the world that changes everything around
us. Each one of us left that evening inspired by the heart-level
exchange.
Siberian visitors in Hopi Home (Hopi hostess
standing in center)
Canyon
de Chelly is a place where the Holy Ones welcome people to be nurtured
in the womb of Mother Earth. As the Siberians walked the trails
and visited remote hogans, they felt a genetic kinship with the
Navajo peoples who are of nomadic ancestry from the time when a
land bridge existed between Siberia and Alaska. Tears flowed as
they received prayers and songs from a Navajo medicine man and traditional
leaders.
In
May, 2001, Sacred Earth Network (SEN), a non-profit organization
based in Amhurst, Massachusetts, and representatives of 15 indigenous
peoples from Siberia and the Russian Far East founded "Light of
the Ancient Lands" devoted to the rebirth of their indigenous culture,
including its spirituality and traditional use of natural resources.
At the request of their Siberian indigenous partners SEN obtained
grant funding for the Siberian-Native American Indigenous Peoples
Exchange a visit in the U.S.
Sandra Cosentino, Crossing Worlds Journeys, arranged the Hopi and
Navajo portion of the SEN U.S. visit.
SEN
has been involved for many years with Northern Eurasia with environmental
and legal protections of the indigenous lands and cultures. "We
feel more strongly than ever that indigenous wisdom and experience
is vital to he creation of global sustainable human culture--that
we of the modern western culture has a lot to learn from traditional
peoples. Given their profound commonalities, there is an urgent
need for Eurasian native groups to connect directly with their counterparts
in North American for mutual benefit."
For more information:
see the Sacred Earth Network website
written
Nov. 13, 2001
updated Mar. 3, 2008