Teachings of the Season

2007

For the Children

by Art Napoleon

Society has tried so hard to make life easier but they actually made the world faster and smaller. All natural things that were once free are now commodities and once diverse cultures are becoming homogenized. Depleted forests and waters now give way to unethical, unrestrained and profit driven corporations. Global warming and water wars are now undeniable realities that must be outright depressing if not scary to the youth of the world. With bureaucracies losing touch with basic humanity and common sense the magic and innocence of the world has been choked almost lifeless. At the risk of sounding nostalgic, I’d like for my children and other youth to know about simple things like second hand clothes, hand-made moccasins and leftover bannock sandwiches. Here are my wishes for them:

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated and by feeling proud of an accomplishment.

I hope you learn honesty by being cheated and by telling the truth. I hope you learn to make your own bed, wash your own dishes, chop wood and haul water from a stream.

It would be good if at least once you could see a baby animal being born or a moose get turned into food and clothing.

I hope you learn to make a fire, enjoy books, sleep on the ground and spend time with the poor or marginalized to appreciate what you have. I hope you discover the beauty of traditional cultures and if you can’t speak our language or live in our territory, at least remain open-minded and always keep these things in your heart.

May you always know the taste of wild fish and berries, the feel of writing with pen and paper and the smell of a mountain breeze. May you skin your knee falling from a horse, cut your hand skinning a deer or feel the cold of an outhouse seat at least once.

I hope you make time to go fishing with your moshom, bead with your kohkom or picking berries with your auntie. I sure hope there will always be private quiet places in nature where you could be alone and learn to listen.

If you get a black eye, I hope it’s for fighting for justice or something you believe in. May you learn to read between the lines, recognize lies and propaganda form your own opinions without being too attached to them and be responsible for all your actions. For all the times you thought you knew it all and the times you refused friendly guidance, may you realize there is always much to learn.

When you’re hanging out with your middle class friends I hope you don’t avoid Elders just because they might be uncool or out of fashion.

May you feel sorrow and compassion at funerals and joy during feasts and round-dances.

I hope that someone you respect confronts you when you lie, cheat or steal and that others praise you when you make your first fry bread or help an elder to fill out a form they can’t read.

These things I wish for you…some tough times and disappointment balanced with health, peace, growth and happiness. May you experience beauty, love and truth and live life to the fullest.

Despite my failings as a parent or uncle these wishes are sealed with sweet grass smoke and a prayer of the deepest love and faith that you will find your path and walk it to the best of your ability. I believe in you.

These thoughts originally formed the basis for a song of the same title on the Outta the Woods CD in 1996. This writing has since been updated.