In the Spirit of All of Our Ancestors  by Debra White Plume

            Several hundred Indigenous Peoples from many nations marched together through the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 20, 2005.  A delegation from Owe Aku (Bring Back the Way) gathered with the S.A.G.E. Council of New Mexico to participate in the “March to Pay Homage to the Petroglyphs”.   The acronym stands for “Sacred Alliances for Grassroots Equality” and was formed by the Pueblo and neighboring tribes in 1996 to begin their fight to protect the Petroglyph National Monument from two major highway construction projects. There are over 25,000 Petroglyphs in the area, documenting the area as a prayer site.

            According to one of the Pueblo Governors, “The Petroglyphs are our history written down by our ancestors, telling us our past, they are also a Transcontinental Map that tells where you are and how to get to where you want to go.”  Another Pueblo Governor advised the crowd that the destruction of the Petroglyphs are only the beginning of the destruction to come (to other Indigenous Sacred Sites).

            At the Petroglyphs, many respected elders, spiritual leaders, and environmentalists spoke.  Chief Oren Lyons of the Onadoga Nation said “The time of the ant is very short.  The time of the mountain is very long.  The time for humans is somewhere in between.  Our Medicine People tell us to watch two things. One, watch the children; the other, watch the wind.  Our children are being neglected and abused.  The wind is coming stronger, the wind is accelerating.  These two occurrences tell us that Mother Earth is speaking up.  The wind is coming with the rain, the insects are traveling, moving around.  We need to plant, enough for seven years.  As Indian people we are the people who give thanks to Mother Earth.  Peace Maker also tells us to enjoy life, to enjoy every day of life.  We have to make sure our children know who they are.”

            Winona LaDuke, Anishanabe activist, said all over Indian Country Sacred Sites are being destroyed, some so golf courses can be built. “We have enough golf courses, we need more sacred sites.”  She shared stories of efforts to protect sacred sites around her home area.

            In a circle, we all stood around a sacred fire that burned in the center, the pungent odor of desert sage sweetening the air.  A Pueblo Healer told the people, “There are little shrines, and small volcano cones up on that hill over there, and sacred Petroglyphs, and a map; this song is for them”, and he sang a song.  Around the circle, little Pueblo children began to cry.  The tiny, quiet sound of their cries stayed with many of us for days, until we could inikaga at home.

            Around us stood suburban condos’ on three sides, literally a stones’ throw away.  On the other side, a Wal-Mart was being built. It was eerie to see this encroachment on a Sacred Site, and shocking, to realize this could happen to Mato Paha (Bear Butte) if the desecration continues unopposed.  If it is not the bar “Sacred Ground” planned by Jay Allen, it is the amphitheater, or the proposed road.  It will always be something, if we do not demand permanent protection of Mato Paha and our Human Right to access our Sacred Sites.

            The Oceti Sakowin will have to rise up again, to stand up for Mato Paha, one of the most sacred sites of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Ponca, Osage, Otoe, and many other Indigenous Peoples; indeed Mato Paha is part of the most ancient mountains on Earth, as well as the site of the only natural lake in the He Sapa (Black Hills). Some time ago, on the Longest Walk, a very old (100 years old) Japanese monk, Fuji San, told us he believes that no Peoples have suffered longer than nor harder than the Indians in North America, no where in the world, yet we have hung on to our spiritual ways. He said he believes that the spiritual center of the world is in North America, with our people. 

Debra White Plume, writing from the banks of Wounded Knee Creek, can be reached at lakota1@gwtc.net, or 605-455-2155 regarding this story or the Intertribal Coalition to Defend Bear Butte, or visit the website www.bringbacktheway.com for more information.