Think about what it means to honor our culture. What does it mean that something is sacred? What does it mean to be a traditional person?
Anyone can look around and see there has been a decline in traditional values. Read any history book, any article, watch any movie on Native Americans - all have something in common, that Native Americans have ‘spirit’. There is a discussion of honesty, of how the experiences and beliefs in Native American society helped build character. In contemporary sources, many, many Native American sites mention honesty. Although there is great diversity among tribes, it is safe to say that honesty is highly respected among all tribes. Among my own ancestors, the Spirit Lake Dakota, I find it interesting that while it was honorable to steal from an enemy, I could not even find a word that meant stealing from another tribal member. It appears it was so rare that there was no need for a term for it. Historically, we Native American were very ethical people. Ethics and morality were interwoven through all aspect of our ancestors' daily lives. The specifics differed from tribe to tribe but they all had ceremonies to help built character. The Pipe Ceremony. The Purification Ceremony, The Vision Quest, The Naming Ceremony, Smudging. They had many sacred objects, sacred symbols, and sacred land.
This is what our project stresses .... if we are proud of our Indian roots and traditions, we should act like Indians.
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