Ǫ da gaho dḛ:s
Mother Earth
Today, I looked outside to see the love that is given and nurtured by E tinoha ongwesidage’dra gwe’ (Mother Earth). It is late fall, and the trees, shrubs, grasses, rocks, medicines, fences, and buildings are all covered with frost. As E’dehka gakwa se dwa ja (Our Eldest Brother the Sun) shines light on these frosted beings, they begin to sparkle with a new energy. A ceremony of love is being extended to those elements... The sun’s warmth enlivens them to open their arms to receive the love emitted in this sacred dance of intimacy, and in that moment, it feels like a shawl is being draped around the shoulders of our precious Mother Earth. In this embrace, she feels appreciated and acknowledged for her many ways of gifting and receiving – reciprocity!
Book Circle Responses
Teaching Them to Dance: Reclaiming Indigenous Parenting
Lianne C. Leddy
Haudenosaunee Women in between the Generations
Kitty Lynn Lickers
In between the Lines of Your Apology
Awnjibenayseekwe (Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell)
"The earth always engages us in her cycles, her rhythms, her songs. We sound with her as she moves her waters without and within each of us, within her seasons and our own. She is the daughter of Nokomis, the moon, and Mishomis, the sun. We are her children. From our ancestors to the present, with the dream we have for the time ahead, for those yet to come, we are history, we are new, we are on our way. "
A Prayer: Shkaakamigokwe
Awnjibenayseekwe (Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell)
Ḛsḛhsgwaowhaneh
An Invitation to Expand the (Earth) Teaching
“You need to expand the teaching or story beyond what you hear and see; it is about clarity, questioning, and seeking answers.” – G. N. Jacobs
At the conclusion of each circle in the book, you (the reader) are asked to “expand the teaching” in relation to your own experiences, stories, and knowledge. Is there a part of Gae Ho Hwako N. Jacobs’ teaching that resonates with you or perhaps something from one of the responses? Here is offered some additional guidance for your reflection in relation to “Mother Earth”.
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Following the teaching of Gae Ho Hwako on E tinoha ongwesidage’dra gwe’ (Mother Earth), you can now reflect more fully on what the words of this circle suggest to you about the kind of world we live in and potential implications for how you live and work. Here are some guiding questions:
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What is the current nature of your relationship with the Earth, from the planet to your local lands/waters? How would you begin to describe that relation, those relations?
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In your experience thus far, how have you been educated (in home, at school) about the human relation/place on Earth, and/or about our human responsibilities to all our relations?
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What could you learn about the nature of truth, healing and/or ecological justice through fostering a connection with our Earthly relations?
