Comments on: USA: Native American Heritage Day http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/11/27/usa-native-american-heritage-day/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:52:02 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Daniel Straight Arrow Lessard http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/11/27/usa-native-american-heritage-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1762418 Daniel Straight Arrow Lessard Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:37:54 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=108590#comment-1762418 My Culture and Spirituality as a Native American was unknown to me. It was kept a secret for two generations. Somehow secrets do slip through the cracks. My Grandmother on my father's side told my aunt at her death bed that her Great, Great Grandmother was a Native American. Before I found out about the secret, I moved from a 60 foot by 60 foot lot that had a small home and detached garage to a ten acre parcel in the midsts of the forest deep. That's when I felt different. I felt closer to nature. In the next town, others as well as I were in the grasp of knowing, believing and becoming one of the Great Spirit's children. That was 25 years ago. I'm more than knee deep into my culture, I'm covered with pride of what I have become and how the knowledge I shared with others transformed their lives as well. I will remind everyone who the The First Family is and they never lived in the White House. I received my native name \Straight Arrow\ from two Ojibwa sisters who lived in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I had my name legally changed from Daniel Robert to Daniel Straight Arrow. I didn't have to, but since a newly formed government weeded its way across Turtle Island, I wanted to let them know who I was no matter what legal or non-legal document I signed. That someday in the future they would know I existed. I do perform my \Nahnoo Naneh\ Beaver Medicine Ripple Ceremony to the public. I create a ripple where ever I go to instill the simple saying that has been passed on from one Native American generation to the next. \We are all brothers and sisters. We are all related and we are family\. I know when it is time for me to meet the Creator and my ancestors that I did make a difference while I walked many paths on Mother Earth. Straight Arrow My Culture and Spirituality as a Native American was unknown to me. It was kept a secret for two generations. Somehow secrets do slip through the cracks. My Grandmother on my father’s side told my aunt at her death bed that her Great, Great Grandmother was a Native American. Before I found out about the secret, I moved from a 60 foot by 60 foot lot that had a small home and detached garage to a ten acre parcel in the midsts of the forest deep.

That’s when I felt different. I felt closer to nature. In the next town, others as well as I were in the grasp of knowing, believing and becoming one of the Great Spirit’s children. That was 25 years ago. I’m more than knee deep into my culture, I’m covered with pride of what I have become and how the knowledge I shared with others transformed their lives as well. I will remind everyone who the The First Family is and they never lived in the White House.

I received my native name \Straight Arrow\ from two Ojibwa sisters who lived in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I had my name legally changed from Daniel Robert to Daniel Straight Arrow. I didn’t have to, but since a newly formed government weeded its way across Turtle Island, I wanted to let them know who I was no matter what legal or non-legal document I signed. That someday in the future they would know I existed.

I do perform my \Nahnoo Naneh\ Beaver Medicine Ripple Ceremony to the public. I create a ripple where ever I go to instill the simple saying that has been passed on from one Native American generation to the next. \We are all brothers and sisters. We are all related and we are family\.

I know when it is time for me to meet the Creator and my ancestors that I did make a difference while I walked many paths on Mother Earth.

Straight Arrow

]]> By: Lynn Sweeting http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/11/27/usa-native-american-heritage-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1616728 Lynn Sweeting Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:54:37 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=108590#comment-1616728 Now for the governments of the Caribbean to acknowledge the Indians of the Caribbean, all those who died and all who are still here today. Now for the governments of the Caribbean to acknowledge the Indians of the Caribbean, all those who died and all who are still here today.

]]> By: Debra Rincon Lopez http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/11/27/usa-native-american-heritage-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1602879 Debra Rincon Lopez Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:09:55 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=108590#comment-1602879 I am happy that they are finally going to acknowledge us Native American's after all we that we have been through all these years! It's long past due if you ask me. Thanks for you site posting this story about the Celebration also. I am happy that they are finally going to acknowledge us Native American’s after all we that we have been through all these years! It’s long past due if you ask me. Thanks for you site posting this story about the Celebration also.

]]> By: Sonam Ongmo http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/11/27/usa-native-american-heritage-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1602859 Sonam Ongmo Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:41:33 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=108590#comment-1602859 Wow! this is truly a day to be celebrated. Finally an American president, after 100's of years, is acting like he should. Hurrah for the Native Americans!! I rejoice on this occasion. Wow! this is truly a day to be celebrated. Finally an American president, after 100′s of years, is acting like he should. Hurrah for the Native Americans!! I rejoice on this occasion.

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