Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Leadership, Diversity, Harmony - Gateway to Success

The Dr. Fox statue of a Chinese worker sits outside the Auburn, California, Chamber of Commerce building as storm clouds and rain create a rainbow in the background.

Fox created the statue, according to the plaque, as "a tribute to the historical significance of the Chinese worker in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad through the Sierra Mountains of California."

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. Congress passed a joint Congressional Resolution in 1978 to commemorate Asian American Heritage Week during the first week of May. This date was chosen because two important anniversaries occurred during this time: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in America on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (by many Chinese laborers) on May 10, 1869. In 1990 Congress voted to expand it from a week to a month long celebration and in May 1992, the month of May was permanently designated as “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Who are the Americans of Asian or Pacific Islander descent? (APA's) There are 28 Asian and 19 Pacific Islander subgroups and they make up a population of almost 15 million residents.There are a total of 2.7 million Chinese , making Chinese the leading Asian group

There are so many people and courageous deeds that I could write about to honor this topic but my mind continues to dwell on the Chinese contribution in the 1800’s as the railroad tracks were laid, one by one, by thousands of workers and eventually completed. The United States was changed forever

Recently the Colfax Area Historical Society placed a monument along Highway 174 at Cape Horn, near Colfax, California to recognize the efforts of the Chinese in laying the tracks that linked the east and west coasts for the first time. With the California Gold Rush and the opening of the West came an increased interest in building a transcontinental railroad. To this end, the Central Pacific Railroad Company was established, and construction of the route East from Sacramento began in 1863. Labor and financial problems were persistent, resulting in only 50 miles of track being laid in the first two years. Although the company needed over 5,000 workers, it only had 600 on the payroll by 1864.

Chinese labor was suggested, as they had already helped build the California Central Railroad, and the San Jose Railway. The first Chinese were hired in 1865 at approximately $28 per month to do the very dangerous work of blasting and laying ties over the treacherous terrain of the high Sierras. They lived in simple housing and cooked their own meals, often consisting of fish, dried oysters and fruit, mushrooms and seaweed.

To conquer the many sheer embankments, the Chinese workers used techniques they had learned in China. Ropes from the top of cliffs in baskets lowered them down and while suspended, they chipped away at the granite and planted explosives that were used to blast tunnels. Many workers risked their lives and unknown numbers perished in the harsh winters and dangerous conditions.

By the summer of 1868, 4,000 workers, two thirds of which were Chinese, had built the transcontinental railroad over the Sierras and into the interior plains. The project was completed on May 10, 1869.

Without the efforts of the Chinese workers in the building of America's railroads, the development and progress as a nation would have been delayed by years. Their toil in severe weather, cruel working conditions and for meager wages cannot be under appreciated. Our sentiments and thanks go out to the entire Chinese-American community for its ancestors' contribution to the building of this country, the United States of America.

Once the railroad was completed Chinese immigrants found work in a variety of industries, from making shoes and sewing clothes to rolling cigars. Since language barriers and racial discrimination barred them from many established trades, however, they often created opportunities for themselves and launched new businesses. Many of the shops, restaurants, and laundries in the growing mining towns of California were operated by Chinese immigrants.

I have travelled by train, from west to east, across the United States on several occasions and I have always appreciated their existence. When one learns about the blood, sweat and tears that went into the construction I have an even greater appreciation for those who pioneered in those early days.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – I challenge you to turn to your history books and learn more about, and give honor to, this wonderful culture.

Lilac Festival, Rochester, New York

May 11 to May 20, 2012

The Rochester Lilac Festival takes place every May in Highland Park

In 1892 under direction of the new superintendent of parks Calvin C. Laney, horticulturist John Dunbar began the park's lilac collection with 20 varieties, some of which were descendants of native plants brought over by early settlers.

Overseeing the parks design was Frederick L Olmstead (of Central Park fame),

his goal was to give the park a random and natural feel.

The festival is celebrating 114 years of welcoming visitors to view the lilacs

Many varieties of tulips and other spring flowers are also

blooming

There are over 500 different varieties of lilacs on display

In the late 1800's people started gathering at the park when the lilacs would bloom and in 1898, Rochester held it's first official Lilac Festival for a crowd of around three thousand. Today over half of a million people visit the 1,200 specimens that make up about 500 different varieties of lilacs covering over 20 of the parks now 155 acres.

This Festival is known worldwide and people travel from many states and countries to view.

The official activities come to a close this weekend, but don't be dismayed, if you haven't visited yet. You can still visit the park after that date, the lilacs have been there for over 100 years and they are not going anywhere. Just try to visit before the blooms finish.

When I visit and take in the sweet aroma of the lilacs I feel renewed energy and increased wonder at the amazing gifts that we are given by Mother Nature.

If you do stop by take some time and drive along the banks of Lake Ontario it is a beautiful scenic ride.

*****

photos by peacesojourner

Women's History Month - Peace Pilgrim

Peace Pilgrim

(July 18, 1908 – July 7, 1981)

Mildred Lisette Norman, was a U.S. pacifist, vegetarian, and peace activist. In 1952, she became the first woman to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one season. Starting on January 1, 1953. In Pasadena, California, she adopted the name "Peace Pilgrim" and walked across the United States for 28 years.

A transcript of a 1964 conversation with Peace Pilgrim from a broadcast on KPFK radio in Los Angeles, California, was published as "Steps Toward Inner Peace". She stopped counting miles in that year, having walked more than 40,000 km (25,000 miles) for peace.

Mildred Norman was born on a poultry farm in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, in 1908, the oldest of three children. Her mother, Josephine Marie Ranch, was a tailor, and her father, Ernest Norman, a carpenter. Although poor, the family were well-thought-of in a community of German immigrants, whose relatives originally settled the area after escaping Germany in 1855.

In 1933 she eloped with Stanley Ryder and moved to Philadelphia in 1939. They divorced in 1946.

Her pilgrimage spanned almost three decades beginning January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California. The Korean War was in progress. She continued walking for 28 years, spanning the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and beyond. Peace Pilgrim was a frequent speaker at churches, universities, and local and national radio and television.

Expressing her ideas about peace, she referred to herself only as "Peace Pilgrim." Peace Pilgrim's only possessions were the clothes on her back and the few items she carried in the pockets of her blue tunic which read "Peace Pilgrim" on the front and "25,000 Miles on foot for peace" on the back.

She had no organizational backing, carried no money, and would not even ask for food or shelter. When she began her pilgrimage she had taken a vow to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food."

Peace Pilgrim was a strict vegetarian and did not use fur, feathers, leather or bone. Peace Pilgrim was an early advocate for tolerance for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. She did not believe in discrimination against any human being.

She was awarded the ‘Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award’ -1992

“In order for the world to become peaceful, people must become more peaceful. Among mature people war would not be a problem - it would be impossible. In their immaturity people want, at the same time, peace and the things which make war. However, people can mature just as children grow up. Yes, our institutions and our leaders reflect our immaturity, but as we mature we will elect better leaders and set up better institutions. It always comes back to the thing so many of us wish to avoid: working to improve ourselves.”-Peace Pilgrim

On July 7, 1981, while being driven to a speaking engagement near Knox, Indiana, Peace Pilgrim was killed in an automobile accident. At the time of her death, she was crossing the United States for the seventh time.

After her death, she was cremated, and her ashes were interred in a family plot near Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.

*****

Friends of Peace Pilgrim

Friends of Peace Pilgrim is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to making information about the life and message of Peace Pilgrim available freely to all who ask. Since 1983 they have published and distributed over 400,000 copies of the book, Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words, and over one and a half million copies of the booklet, Steps Toward Inner Peace. Books and booklets have been sent to over 100 countries. The book has been translated into twelve languages and the booklet into over 20 languages.

*****

I have been an admirer of this woman for many years. I keep a copy of her life and quotations on my coffee table for quick reference. Her only possessions were a comb, a toothbrush, a small notebook and a pencil, all of which she kept in the pockets of the tunic which she wore at all times. I often look around my home and imagine how liberating that would be to reduce my possessions to just basic needs. I have tried to down-size and I do lead a relatively simple lifestyle but I admire Peace Pilgrim for being so dedicated to the peace effort as to spend her every waking moment as an advocate for peace. I never met her but I have read accounts of people who were inspired just by being in her presence.

She led a quiet, gentle lifestyle, while having the courage to stand up for her convictions. My kind of person!

peacesojourner

Women's History Month - Eleanor Roosevelt

Women's History Month

Eleanor Roosevelt

ANNA ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
- 1884 - 1963

A shy, awkward child, starved for recognition and love, Eleanor Roosevelt grew into a woman with great sensitivity to the underprivileged of all creeds, races, and nations. Her constant work to improve their lot made her one of the most loved women of her generation.

She was born in New York City on October 11, 1884, daughter of lovely Anna Hall and Elliott Roosevelt, younger brother of Theodore. Eleanor was eight when her mother died in 1892, the children went to live with Grandmother Hall; her adored father died only two years later. Attending a distinguished school in England gave her, at 15, her first chance to develop self-confidence among other girls.

Six feet tall, slender, graceful of figure but apprehensive at the thought of being a wallflower, she returned for a debut that she dreaded. In her circle of friends was a distant cousin, handsome young Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She was 19 when they became engaged in 1903 and they were married in 1905. Within eleven years Eleanor bore six children; one son died in infancy.

Franklin served in the NY state Senate from 1910 to 1913 and Eleanor started her long career as political helpmate. When he was stricken with poliomyelitis in 1921, she tended him devotedly. From his successful campaign for governor in 1928 to the day of his death, she dedicated her life to his purposes. She became eyes and ears for him, a trusted and tireless reporter.

FDR and Mrs. Roosevelt came to the White House in 1933, and she understood social conditions better than any of her predecessors. She transformed the role of First Lady accordingly. She broke precedent to hold press conferences, travel to all parts of the country, give lectures and radio broadcasts, and express her opinions candidly in a daily syndicated newspaper column, "My Day."

In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused permission for African American contralto, Marian Anderson to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall. With the aid of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Ms. Anderson performed a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, 1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. ER as usual stood up for civil rights and in protest wrote a letter of resignation. (see above)

Another example of her willingness to make change was during WWII, when due to racial discrimination, African American servicemen were not allowed to learn to fly until 1941, when African American college graduates were selected for what the Army called "an experiment" they were assigned to an airfield adjacent to Alabama's Tuskegee Institute. The experiment involved training black pilots and ground support members. The squadron, quickly dubbed the Tuskegee Airmen, was activated on March 22, 1941.
However, no-one would fly with an African American pilot. When Eleanor Roosevelt visited Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1941, she insisted on taking a ride in an airplane with a black pilot at the controls. ER's pilot was Charles Anderson. She then insisted that her flight with Anderson be photographed. Eleanor used this photograph as part of her campaign to convince FDR to activate the participation of the Tuskegee Airmen in North Africa and in the European Theater.
In June 1943, the Tuskegee Airmen entered into combat over North Africa. When the war ended, the Tuskegee Airmen returned home with one hundred and fifty Distinguished Flying Crosses, its success would contribute to the eventual integration of the United States military.

Eleanor was First Lady for 12 years. An outspoken advocate of social justice, she became a moral force during the Roosevelt administration, using her position as First Lady to promote social causes. As a nationally syndicated columnist, popular lecturer, author, party leader, and social activist, ER assured her friends that "my voice will not be silent. ER dedicated her unstinting energy to "winning the peace."

FDR died in 1945 and within a year she began her service as American spokesperson in the United Nations. She became the champion of human rights — dignity, security, respect for all people; and diplomatic justice between nations. Eleanor Roosevelt’s life was dedicated to the eradication of poverty, racism, war and despair.

*****

I have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt, especially her willingness to stand up for others. I am also encouraged to know that a letter written in protest could still be talked about 73 years later. It takes courage to make change in the world and Eleanor Roosevelt is an excellent example of that.

peacesojourner

The History of the Christmas Tree

What does the decorated evergreen tree have to do with the birth of Jesus? The answer is ‘very little’. There are cedar trees in Lebanon but this is not even close to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.

Centuries before the birth of Jesus the ancient pagans, Druids, Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews celebrated the Winter Solstice, (Dec. 21st), the day of the year that the Sun begins its ascent in the sky, thereby ushering a fertile time of planting and bountiful harvests. The evergreen tree represented eternal life and the promise of replenishment during the cold winter months. Apples and other fruit were hung upon the tree to represent the plentiful food to come. Candles were lit to symbolize the warmth and brightness of the sun. While the Christmas tree is generally associated with Christ, it predates the history of Jesus by many centuries.

Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District in Germany. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition. This Christmas tree tradition most likely came to the United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or with German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio.

However, the custom spread slowly. The Puritans banned Christmas in New England. Some Fundamentalist Christian groups oppose Christmas trees and even the celebration of Christmas for their members. This includes the Jehovah's Witnesses. Part of the opposition is because the custom of decorated trees originated in Paganism. They also oppose trees because of a literal interpretation of the quotation from Jeremiah 10:2-4:

"Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathens are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." (KJV).

The Christmas tree market was born in 1851 when Catskill farmer Mark Carr hauled two ox sleds of evergreens into New York City and sold them all. By 1900, one in five American families had a Christmas tree, and 20 years later, the custom was nearly universal.

Christmas tree farms sprang up during the depression. Nurserymen couldn't sell their evergreens for landscaping, so they cut them for Christmas trees. Cultivated trees were preferred because they have a more symmetrical shape then wild ones.

Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The tree is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest.

Today, the Christmas tree has become accepted by most Christians, by people of other faiths, and for those who do not follow an organized religion. It has become a popular late-December tradition and part of our present-day culture.

I enjoy the Christmas tree and have many fond memories of decorating the tree with my family when I was a child, and when my own children were growing up. But it is important to remember that the tree and the decorations have more to do with enjoying the celebration of the changing seasons and absolutely has nothing to do with the purpose of the Christmas season, which is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, to blend the two occasions an angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.

That seems to be a creative way to make a peaceful solution to this dilemma -

don't you agree?

peacesojourner

Full Moon on Dec 10, 2011 - The Long Night Moon

Credit & Copyright: John Harms

What an exciting day this is! Early this morning we were able to view an eclipse of the moon, tonight is a full moon.

Full moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.

There were some variations in the moon names, but in general the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England on west to Lake Superior. European settlers followed their own customs and created some of their own names.

December’s names of The Long Night Moon, Snow Moon or Full Cold Moon are self explanatory because this is the month when the winter cold begins to fasten its grip

During this Season of Light, collectively, we will find ourselves more receptive to the concept of Peace on Earth, good will towards Humanity. The typical hustle and bustle of past Holiday Season’s may not be as intense during this coming season.

The best way to understand life is to see the Big Picture. We need to find meaning for our life's experience, and we do that through the lens of our core beliefs and values, and through our myths and stories.

This time of year between Thanksgiving and Winter Solstice (and associated religious holidays) has always been a time of preparation and expectation. Christians call it Advent, (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming"); it is the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

But you don't have to be Christian to use this time as a preparation for a new birth. We all sense that this time is a preparation for the return of the Light of the World. December 21st, Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year is also the re-birth of the Light in the Northern Hemisphere, has always been a sacred season.

At this time Mother Earth, the Moon and the Sun are in a direct line with each other, which causes a gravitational pull. Mother Earth is made up of over two thirds water, and the waves of the ocean overflow on the beaches.

Like Mother, like child. Our bodies are also composed of a high percentage of water, over fifty percent. You just might very well feel this tug on the water in your body. If you live close to the seashore, take a walk and watch the high tide engulfing the shore. Drink more water today to replenish yourself.

One of the secrets of the Moon is rejuvenation, revitalization, to begin anew. If life knocks you down, it doesn't have to be forever. When you see that moon, know it's time to pick yourself back up, begin anew. Maybe you'll want to read inspirational quotes, listen to music that uplifts you. Take a walk and look at the wonders of nature. There is no set way; the day is yours to create; just keep in mind that you want to fill yourself up with inspiration.

According to folklore, a December full moon is known as the Long Night Moon. Nights are getting longer for most of the month, which gives the moon more time to illuminate the darkened sky.

This is a wonderful time to bring people together to share new ideas and to learn more about each other. Go outside this evening and look up – the full moon will be there, even if she is hiding behind passing clouds.

*****

"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator" (Mahatma Gandhi)

*****

peacesojourner

Native American Indian Heritage Month

Three Native American women who have inspired many around the world.

Buffy Sainte-Marie - 1941 - was a graduating college senior in 1962 and hit the ground running in the early Sixties, after the beatniks and before the hippies. All alone she toured North America's colleges, reservations and concert halls. By age 24, Buffy Sainte-Marie had appeared all over Europe, Canada, Australia and Asia, receiving honors, medals and awards, which continue to this day. Her song ‘Until It's Time for You to Go’ was recorded by Elvis and Barbra and Cher, and her ‘Universal Soldier’ became the anthem of the peace movement. For her very first album she was voted Billboard's Best New Artist.

She disappeared suddenly from the mainstream American airwaves during the Lyndon Johnson years. Unknown to her, her name was included on White House stationery as among those whose music was too controversial, and radio airplay disappeared. Invited on to television talk shows on the basis of her success with Until It's Time for You to Go, she was told that Native issues and the peace movement had become unfashionable and to limit her comments to celebrity chat. This continued during the next presidential administration of Richard Nixon.

In Indian country and abroad her fame grew. Denied an adult television audience in the U.S., in 1975 she joined the cast of Sesame Street for five years. She continued to appear at countless grassroots concerts, AIM (American Indian Movement) events and other activist benefits in Canada and the U.S. She made 18 albums of her music, three of her own television specials, scored movies, garnered international acclaim, helped to found Canada's Music of Aboriginal Canada JUNO category, raised a son, earned a Ph.D. in Fine Arts, taught Digital Music as adjunct professor at several colleges, and won an Academy Award Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for the song Up Where We Belong.

2009 marked the release of her eighteenth album Running for the Drum, which won Buffy her third Juno Award. Packaged in tandem with the bio-documentary DVD Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life, the two disks together give audiences a glimpse into the life and work of this unique, always current artist.

Wilma Pearl Mankiller November 18, 1945 - April 6, 2010 (age 64) was the first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She served as the Principal Chief for ten years from 1985 to 1995.

As the powerful, visionary first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Wilma Mankiller is responsible for 139,000 people and a $69 million budget.

Ms. Mankiller spent her formative years in San Francisco, where she learned about the women's movement and organizing. When she returned to her native Oklahoma, she used her skills to help the Cherokee Nation, starting community self-help programs and teaching people ways out of poverty. In 1983 she ran for deputy chief of the Nation, and in 1985 Ms. Mankiller became Principal Chief. She brought about important strides for the Cherokees, including improved health care, education, utilities management and tribal government. Her future plans called for attracting higher-paying industry to the area, improving adult literacy, supporting women returning to school and more. Wilma Mankiller also lived in the larger world, and was active in civil rights matters, lobbying the federal government and supporting women's activities and issues. She said: "We've had daunting problems in many critical areas, but I believe in the old Cherokee injunction to 'be of a good mind.' Today it's called positive thinking."

Maria Tallchief in Swan Lake. (credit: Martha Swope)

Maria TallChief 1925- Born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief to an Osage Nation father, she became a well-known ballerina. In 1947 Maria began dancing with the New York City Ballet until her retirement in 1965. Soon after she founded the Chicago City Ballet and remained it's artistic director for many years.

Since 1997 she has been an adviser in the Chicago dance schools and continues to astound future dancers with her always-ahead-of-her-skill abilities and will be featured in a PBS special from 2007-2010.

Native American Indian Heritage Month History

Ben Nighthorse Campbell 1933-

The only American Indian in Congress, Republican senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell is also a Northern Cheyenne chief. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado in 1987 and served in the U.S. Senate from 1992-2004. Campbell was a leader in policy dealing with natural resources and public lands and initiated legislation to found the National Museum of the American Indian within the Smithsonian Institution. He declined running for a third term in the Senate, citing health and personal reasons. A three-time U.S. judo champion, Campbell was captain of the U.S. Olympic judo team in 1964. He is also a rancher, horse trainer, and jewelry designer.

Sacajawea 1788-1812

Sacajawea is most well know for accompanying Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their Corps of Discovery of the Western United States in 1806. She was born in a Shoshone tribe as Agaidika, or "Salmon Eater" in 1788. In February of 1805, just after meeting Lewis and Clark, Lewis assisted in the birth of her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Her face now appears in the dollar coin.

Pontiac 1720-1769

Known in his Ottawa tongue as Obwandiyag, Chief Pontiac is most well known for his defense of the Great Lakes Region of the US from the British Troop invasion and occupation. In 1763, Pontiac and 300 of his followers attempted to take Fort Detroit by surprise. Eventually the revolt rose to 900 plus Natives and they eventually took the Fort at The Battle of Bloody Run. Though historically a prominent figure, many are still unsure as to his real importance and to whether or not he was a mere follower rather than a leader. Increasingly ostracized, in 1769 he was assassinated by a Peoria Indian in Illinois.

Sitting Bull 1831-1890

Sitting Bull (Sioux: Tatanka Iyotake first named Slon-he, or, literally, slow), was a Hunkpapa Lakota medicine man and holy man. He is famous in both American and Native American history mostly for his major victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn against Custer, where his premonition of defeating them became reality. Even today, his name is synonymous with Native American culture, and he is considered to be one of the most famous Native Americans ever.

Black Hawk 1767-1838

Though not a traditional tribe chief, even after inheriting a very important medicine bundle, Black Hawk would become more well known as a War Chief. In his tribe's (Sauk's) tongue, his name, Makataimeshekiakiak, means, "Be a large black hawk". During the War of 1812 Black Hawk, so name-shortened by the English, became a fierce and powerful opponent. First fighting on the side of the British, Black Hawk eventually led a band of Sauk and Fox against settlers in Illinois and Wisconsin, eventually dying in Iowa. His legend is kept alive by many claiming to be directly related, like Jim Thorpe. This is, however, myth.

Hiawatha 1550-1600

Hiawatha who lived (depending on the version of the story) in the 1400s, or 1500s, he was variously a leader of the Onondaga and Mohawk nations of Native Americans. Hiawatha was a follower of The Great Peacemaker, a prophet and spiritual leader who was credited as the founder of the Iroquois confederacy, (referred to as Haudenosaunee by the people). If The Great Peacemaker was the man of ideas, Hiawatha was the politician who actually put the plan into practice. Hiawatha was a skilled and charismatic orator, and was instrumental in persuading the Iroquois peoples, the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, and Mohawks, a group of Native North Americans who shared similar languages, to accept The Great Peacemaker's vision and band together to become the Five Nations of the Iroquois confederacy. (Later, in 1721, the Tuscarora nation joined the Iroquois confederacy, and they became the Six Nations).

(Information for this article taken from Weekly Reader News)

Native American Indian Heritage Month -Thanksgiving

Squanto 1581-1622

Assisting the Pilgrims during their first, harsh winter, the Patuxet, Tasquantum (Squanto) befriended the group in order to see them safely through to spring. In 1608, alas, Squanto and several others were kidnapped by Georgie Weymouth and taken aboard ship to England. Though eventually earning a living and learning the English language, Squanto made his return home in 1613 aboard John Smith's ship only to find his tribe completely wiped out by the plague.

Squanto had shown the Pilgrims how to fish, hunt, gather, and farm.

Thanks to Squanto, and a lot of hard work, the Pilgrims had a bountiful harvest. To celebrate the successful harvest, the Pilgrims' governor, William Bradford, invited the Native Americans to a traditional festival called "Harvest Home". "The First Thanksgiving," as we now call it, lasted for three days.

Welcome to the garden of The Three Sisters:

“In late spring we plant corn and beans and squash. They're not just plants- we call them the three sisters. We plant them together, three kinds of seeds in one hole. They want to be together with each other, just as we Indians want to be together with each other. So long as the three sisters are with us we know we will never starve. The Creator sends them to us each year. We celebrate them now. We thank Him for the gift He gives us today and every day.”

- Chief Louis Farmer (Onondaga)

THE THREE SISTERS: The first sister is corn, she grows tall and strong and helps the second sister, bean, by allowing her vines to climb up her stalk. In return, bean gives corn the nutrients she needs to grow. Squash is the third sister and she grows low to the ground, throughout the cornfield. Her large leaves help to keep the weeds under control and the soil moist.

The tribe's very survival depended on a reliable food supply, which is why they developed something called "companion planting”.

It was pure agricultural brilliance, and the reason these three humble plants play such a large part in so many Native American myths and legends. They believed that since they were so magical when grown together, that they should also be eaten together. They also believed that since they protected each other while growing, that they would protect whoever ate them together.

The term “Three Sisters” originated with the Haudenosaunee. (People of the Long House). In the Haudenosaunee story of Creation, the Three Sisters grew on Turtle Island and were considered the life sustainers.

CORN: Native Americans first domesticated Corn over 6,000 years ago, in that part of North America today called Mexico. Corn exists today, not just as a plant, but also as a symbol. It stands for Haudenosaunee identities. It stands for life. And it stands for spirit.

BEANS: Beans were as highly regarded as corn by Native Americans. Many varieties and colors of beans were cultivated and they were prepared in a number of ways. They were soaked, flattened, fried into cakes, used in salads, stews and soups and ground into flour.

SQUASH: Squash was also very important because it is very nourishing and can be cooked and eaten in a variety of ways. The winter squash such as acorn or butternut were often baked whole and flavored with maple syrup or honey. Squash is also important to the Iroquois ceremonially. Rattles used by the Medicine Societies were sometimes crafted from the gourds.

Why not try an authentic "succotash," which is the name that has survived to this day to describe the simple, yet magical combination of the "three sisters."

(Information for this article taken from Weekly Reader News)

*****

THREE SISTER SOUP

6 cups of liquid. (Water, homemade chicken broth, or vegetable broth)

2 cups of fresh corn off the cob

1 cup of fresh green/yellow beans

1 cup of fresh peas

1 cup of light yellow pinto beans

1-½ cups of butternut/buttercup squash (or pumpkin)

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Simmer all the veggies for about an hour and a half. (The simmering for that amount of time blends the flavor to an incredible flavor).

The blend of spices/herbs is your taste. I like a southwestern blend…. chilies, cumin, etc. Or a nice mild flavor blend of parsley, basil, savory, and oregano is wonderful. Place in blender and puree.

Serve with biscuits, bannock or scones.

November is Native American Indian Heritage Month

November is Native American Indian Heritage Month

Many Native Americans celebrate their culture every day. This month, you can too! It is no coincidence that Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Month coincide. We often think of the first Thanksgiving as being the harvest feast shared by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people in the autumn of 1621.

But many Native Americans regularly celebrated successful growing seasons with a big feast long before European settlers moved in. It is important to honor the history, contributions, and sacrifices of the Native Americans who lived on this land long before the settlers claimed it as their own.

A Month to Honor and Remember - In 1914, Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation from Montana, thought a day should be set aside to honor American Indians. He traveled more than 4,000 miles on horseback, dressed in traditional garb, getting endorsements from 24 governors to establish such a day. In 1915, the Congress of the American Indian Association approved a day to be celebrated in May.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush proclaimed November as the first official National American Indian Heritage Month. Since then, the month has also been called Native American Heritage Month and National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Native American or American Indian?

It is difficult to use one name for such a large and diverse group of people. Tom Arviso Jr., the publisher and editor of The Navajo Times, the largest Native American–owned weekly newspaper, has explained, "I... would rather be known as... a member of the Navajo tribe, instead of... a Native American or American Indian. This gives an authentic description of my heritage, rather than lumping me into a whole race of people."

Loriene Roy, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, agrees. "It is always better to ask the individual what they would like to be called," she says. "With over 500 federally recognized tribes, there isn't one term that everyone will agree on." Roy is a professor of library and information science at the University of Texas. She believes it's valuable to celebrate the people who inhabited this land first. "It is important to remind children of the stories and people of the past," she says, "and that those stories and people are still living today."

Ancient Wanderers

No one is quite sure where the first Americans came from. Thousands of years ago, a land bridge linked what is now Russia and Alaska. The traditional theory is that some 10,500 years ago, people from Asia migrated to the Western hemisphere by way of that connection. Over time, the people moved south and populated North and South America.

Another theory is based on fossils, which date back more than 12,000 years, that have been found in Chile. The evidence suggests that boats might have brought people from Japan, Australia, or other areas in the Pacific Ocean. Those people would have migrated north. Perhaps both theories are true.

Native Americans Today

When the first European settlers arrived, there were approximately 2 million native people living in what is now the continental United States. Today, according to the U.S. Census, there are 4.5 million people, or 1.5 percent of the U.S. population, who identify themselves as American Indians or Alaska Natives. That number is growing and is expected to reach 8.6 million by 2050. More than 560 federally recognized tribes exist in the United States. Of those, the largest are the Cherokee, the Navajo, and the Chippewa.

Today, between one-third and one-half of all U.S. Native Americans live on reservations. A reservation is an area of land managed by a tribe, but owned by the U.S. government. Native Americans may face many challenges in today's society. Issues include poor health, unemployment, and poverty, as well as a high dropout rate among high school students. As both American citizens and tribe members, Native Americans often straddle two cultures. They struggle to connect with their heritage, identity, and ancestral lands. Some are trying to revive their original languages, which are dying out.

Despite the difficulties, many Native Americans have achieved success and made important contributions to the country—in the arts, politics, sports, literature, medicine, education, the military, business, and other areas.

I will write more about some of them later - to be continued............

(Information for this article taken from Weekly Reader News)