Natives had judicial system based on truth

Page 6

EDITORIAL

To swear on the bible is viewed as a gesture that you are telling the truth. However, one wonders why so much turmoil persists even though various individuals have gone through this noble symbolic ritual ranging from the ordinary citizen to the various cabinet ministers who at this point continue to display hypocrisy.

I, being a Native person, often wondered why actions of this nature continue day in and day out. To me this book (Bible) is usually black in colour and according some to some media experts black was usually depicted as being evil.

Let us examine the Native heritage. The Natives as least according to traditions - "to be able to attest on the pipe was considered the supreme authority in an effort to depict the truth." Since the pipe is used for ceremonial purposes, if ones uses the pipe, that individual is sacrificing a lot. If anything is falsified, tampered, modified or abused, whoever abuses the pipe automatically becomes vulnerable. If it is the right way - honesty - then he will be subjected to an easier role whatever the task may be.

On the other hand, (no pun intended of course) at present, Natives are usually forced to swear on the Bible. All the judicial experts, scholars you name it, have never stopped to think and ask the Natives why they are increasingly populating the various institutions.

Perhaps the so-called experts should take the time to be re-educated by the Natives so that they may become more fair in their judgments. Experts should stop to think that the Natives had a judicial system which worked for thousands of years based on telling the truth.