Sacred ceremony opened to public view

Page 6

Editorial

Pipe ceremony photo upsets readers

Some people are upset that Windspeaker published a photograph of a pipe ceremony on our front page (see Ceremony to Save a River, Feb. 12 issue).

These people may say that we neglected to show the proper respect for the pipe, used in a ceremony of extreme reverence ? and even disrespect for the Elder conducting the sacred act.

Normally we'd agree ? except in this case.

Usually when a sacred ceremony is happening, whether it be a pipe ritual, sundance or special prayer, we would be respectful and not take pictures, let alone publish them.

But on the banks of the Oldman River last Feb. 6 an Elder encouraged onlookers to huddle close inside a tipi while he performed many sacred ceremonies never before observed by non-Native people. He permitted photographs to be taken.

What made this Elder pull back the veil of secrecy, revealing intimate details of our culture?

His concern and love for his land may have been the answer.

In his own words, he told onlookers at the riverbank ceremony: "I have a great concern about nature, the waters, the stones, the trees."

What frightens him is a dam project that threatens to change the face of the river valley that winds its way through his homeland.

As the Elder went through the actions of the ceremony to save the river, he spoke to the onlookers. "You are witnesses in this tipi . . . you must try and teach the people to see what we have left is special and must be preserved."

So you see, it was an action to convince some government officials that the dam project should be permanently halted.

Still, some people might say that even if one or two Elders go against the grain of tradition, that doesn't give us the right to comply with them.

That brings up the question: Are the masses, the Elders or the Native media the keepers of the culture?

From the media's point of view, our responsibility is to reflect the community back to the readers ? ideally, we become an information mirror.

And that means publishing stories about the people with the most orthodox views of our culture, those who frown upon any documentation of cultural rites. And publishing stories about the people with progressive attitudes about our culture, some who suggest that we even videotape sacred ceremonies.

The bottom line is that our culture is changing, little by little. Some say that the culture is alive because it's growing and adapting to the changing tides of modern day society.

It is not for the Native media to put value judgments on what is or isn't valid cultural practices.