The Wakan Circle

Being Indian Is-feeding anyone and everyone who comes to your door
hungry, with whatever you have.

Being Indian Is-having every third person you meet tell you about his
great grandmother who was a real Cherokee princess.

Being Indian Is-being broke all summer long because you try to make every
pow wow.

Being Indian Is-loving frybread and dry meat.

Being Indian Is-masking your emotions in times of stress.

Being Indian Is-respecting your elders who have earned it.

Being Indian Is-never giving up the struggle for survival.

Being Indian Is-trading your surplus commodities for something you are in
more need of.

Being Indian Is-being known for your great sense of humour and having the
ability to make jokes and laughter out of the worse situation.

Being Indian Is-not rioting in the streets but occupying godforsaken
places like Alcatraz, Mount ushmore, the New York-Canadian bridge,
etc.and Whiteclay, Nebraska!!! (And Gallatin/Owen Counties in KY & being
*content* with it)

Being Indian Is-owning land and not being able to rent, lease, sell or
even farm it yourself without BIA pproval.

Being Indian Is-feeling Red Eagle, Medicine Cloud, and Pretty Bear are
more beautiful names than Smith, Johnson, or Jones.

Being Indian Is-watching your daughter give away her only pair of
overshoes to somebody who needs them more than her.

Being Indian Is-having your all-Indian school team playing against 7 men
on the basketball court.

Being Indian Is-playing basketball at the outdoor courts on the rez til
3:00 am.

Being Indian Is-either borrowing or lending money to your skin brothers
and sisters at least once a week.

Being Indian Is-having people ask if they can touch your hair or take
your picture.

Being Indian Is-worrying about diabetes.

Being Indian Is-knowing why the rez car in "Smoke Signals" was funny! Why
of course its funny...i drive one of those..hehe (I had one ~ it went up
in flames)

Being Indian Is-having more cousins than trees have leaves.

Being Indian Is-cutting the mold off the commodity cheese so you can eat
it anyway.

Being Indian Is-having to explain *again* why you dont like the mascot.
(So don't explain more than once, more than likely, they will abuse your
words anyway)

Being Indian Is-cursing F.A.S.

Being Indian Is-fighting the likes of Slade Gordon

Being Indian Is-knowing the Reservation of Education.

Being Indian Is-eating salmon for the 6th meal in a row.

Being Indian Is-knowing too many people that have died of cirrhosis,
exposure, or "accident"

Being Indian Is-knowing history started before 1492.

Being Indian Is-laughing with your friends so much your facial muscles
hurt.

Being Indian Is-singing 49 songs using a garbage can for a drum.

Being Indian Is-road trips cross country . . . just because . . .

Being Indian is having the strength to move your family at any given
moment, for any given reason of another...and making it . .

Being Indian Is-reading about your ancestors and relations in an
anthropologist paper.

Being Indian Is-knowing someone in Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, San Fran,
Minneapolis or any other relocation center.

Being Indian Is-losing your job after the grant ends.

Being Indian is losing your job because you're different.

Being Indian Is-having a song come to you at the oddest times. Aho!

Being Indian Is-counting the number of brown people photographed in
magazine advertisements.

Being Indian Is-celebrating the whale hunt.

Being Indian Is-full of acronyms that affect your world (BIA, IHS, CSBG,
ANA, FEMA, CCDBG, JTPA, WIA, SYEP, JOM, NIEA, UNITY.......

Being Indian is grieving for your ancestors

Being Indian Is - PRIDE.

Being Indian Is - BEAUTIFUL

Being Indian Is - FOREVER.............AHO

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The Wakan Circle	[email protected]