Elders urge a return to nature

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This year's Ecumenical Conference, July 27 to 30, at the Morley Reserve west of Calgary, was considered a "planning vehicle" to begin the momentum of a massive return to spirituality.

The conference had been cancelled for the past three years, so attendance was expected to be low this year, according to organizer Chief John Snow of the Good Stoney band. But, as the cars rolled into the Stoney Indian Park on the second day of the four-day event, attendance swelled. Large crowds gathered under the arbour to listen to elders, priests and members of the audience speak of the Creator and offer teachings which could be directed toward living a better life.

On the first day of the conference a sacred fire was lit and a pipe ceremony was led by Albert Lightning, an elder from Hobbema. Chief John Snow offered remarks, indicating that it is time for all Native people to return to the spirituality of their forefathers and pass it on to others.

"In this time when there is so much trouble in the world and destroying of mother earth, Indian people have a role to play. We can teach others about living in harmony with Mother Nature," Chief Snow said. "I invite anyone to come up here and share teachings and spiritual experiences."

Jermone Four Star, of Montana, told the audience that it is especially important for young people to attend such spiritual gatherings.

"The young people have to know the Indian traditions that were given to them long before the white man came to this country." Four Star went on to explain that "grandfathers" is the Native term for the christian word "angels".

"Some might think that these spirits have abandoned us ? what with all the bad things that have been going on in the Indian world. But, these spirits have always been with us. It is we who have forgotten about them."

According to Albert Lightning, spirituality is the only thing that can save Native people. "We have to get back to our Native culture. Don't put off preparing for tomorrow, do it now."

The elder went on to describe a dream he'd had which illustrated the importance of doing the right versus the wrong thing in life. He cited abortion as one of the worst things a woman could do because it involves killing a gift of the Creator.

Reverend Adam Cuthand, an organizer of the ecumenical conference, who has a diocese in Saskatchewan, told the audience that a movement should be started to get people back to spirituality.

"The penitentiaries are often 50 percent filled up with Native people. In some cases, in the female prisons, they are 100 percent filled with Natives. And it's getting worse.

"The time has come to go back to our own Indian people and Elders for teaching. We have lost something and we must get it back," Rev. Cuthand said.

He urged people to study their languages and have respect for nature. Approaching spirituality in a wholistic way, he added that Natives would feel better about themselves if they nourished themselves more naturally. "The food you're eating ? some of it is dead. Much of the food we eat, like dehydrated potatoes, is irradiated and has chemicals in it. Why not go back and plant your own gardens?"

Chief Snow asked people from the audience to approach the podium and speak of their spiritual experiences.

Glen Douglas, a representative of Similkameen Indian Administration in Keremeos, B.C. , greeted the audience "with a good heart, good mind, good thoughts and good health.

"I greet you this way because I was excited to come here. This is my first time at this ecumenical conference and it won't be my last.

Douglas described his experiences in the armed forces and expressed thankfulness to the Creator for allowing him to live through the wars he'd fought.

"After the third war, I turned to drink and got on the black path. But, I recovered and it was the teachings of my elders that got me through. I had good teachings."

Douglas asked all present to share the knowledge that they learned at the conference wih others and to remain open to the elders' teachings.

"The mind is like a parachute. It must be open to work," Douglas said. He pointed out that many people's minds are closed "and we have lost our ways. There is much pollution of the earth as well as of our minds ? with drugs, alcohol and television.

He also hoped that people would not be deceived by what people say, but asked them to watch what they do, instead. "Watch a person, watch what he does ? this will tell the truth about him more than anything."

Finally, Douglas stressed that people should listen well during the next four days of the conference and take the knowledge home to others. "We have to take a thimble full of seed (knowledge) and start planting. We have to have dreams and visions to help us through. These things caused me to come through. "I know not what my future holds. But I know that my future is in the hands of the Creator," Douglas concluded.

Throughout the entire conference there was much talk of the Creator and nature. Sacred ceremonies, sweats and discussions regarding the four rules of Native life: respect, caring sharing and love, were held.

As Reverend Cuthand put it "an educated man without spirituality is a dangerous man." It is through conferences such as the one held at Stoney Indian Park that this missing component will be provided to Native people, he concluded.

All organizers of the 15th annual conference at Morley agreed that the tradition of the spiritual gatherings should continue. Chief Snow hopes that, from this point, the conference will again grow to the point where "we have people coming from all over the continent and other lands."