The Elders Speak: Crowshoe says now is the time to reveal our culture

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The world is changing and now is the time to reveal much of what was once considered secret.

So says Peigan Elder and spiritual leader Joe Crowshoe, who conducted the blessing of the Oldman River on the Peigan reserve last month. The respected gentleman allowed non-Native and non-band members to watch as he performed the sacred pipe ceremony and unfurled the holy waterpipes. He also allowed newspaper reporters to photograph and publish photographs of the ceremony.

However, he stresses that his decision was not made lightly, but only after deep meditation and consultation with others.

"The world is changing," he said in an interview in his Peigan home. "Now is the time for these things to be seen. It is important."

Crowshoe explains that as a young man growing up on the reserve nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains he was taught by the Elders, as well as Christian ministers, about God and the prophets.

"I found out that God, or the Great Spirit, sent prophets to all the people of the worldour prophet Napi, is like those other prophets."

Crowshoe sees all religions as one under the Great Spirit and that every religion is part of God's plan for the world.

"You must not criticize another religion or another way. The Crees have their own way and the Blackfoot have their own way. Even in other nations, we all have the same thing.

"It is given to us, these ceremonial ways. My teachers told me that people are going to say bad things, but just keep going on because you are doing the right thing."

Young men and women from many reserves visit the Crowshoe home to seek guidance which is gladly given.

"I was told to pass the teaching on to your people. To love all people. I don't care who they are, we have to draw people together in unity and share the peace. And this is also important for the whites."

Josephine Crowshoe agrees with her husband and says she has heard complaints from young Natives that white people are "taking their religion away".

"Our religion is like a book," she says. "We dropped it and left it and if a white man picks it up and says it is good and it will help him, let him use it. We should not complain because we left it."

Both Elders feel that nothing is lost to Native people or to Native religion if white people learn the Native way, but they emphasize there will always be some aspect of the religion kept secret.

"We are taught that the pipe is like the Bible. People can see it, it is not secret. We are also told by the old people-'Don't add, don't take out even if we don't understand why we should have to do something, because it was put there by the Creator thousands of years ago'."

More than anything, Crowshoe adds that a teacher must remember that he does not teach to elevate himself. Teaching must be a selfless act that does not glorify his person-only the Great Spirit.

"We do not take these special things, and say 'Look at me, see how much I know.' Our religion was never meant to do that," says Josephine.

As for a true definition of an Elder, Josephine says he or she must have pride and dignity, wisdom and knowledge, honesty and respect and the ability to lead their people.

Crowshoe is actively involved in his community and also counsels Native prisoners at the Bowden Institute. Last week he attended Lethbridge Native Awareness Days to give a presentation.

"Always willing to go if I am asked," he says.