{"id":435,"date":"2013-02-14T08:16:51","date_gmt":"2013-02-14T14:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=435"},"modified":"2013-02-21T07:52:14","modified_gmt":"2013-02-21T13:52:14","slug":"another-reflection-off-the-rez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/02\/14\/another-reflection-off-the-rez\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Reflection off the Rez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before I begin, I must advise you as the reader, that this will appear in a news letter for Wartburg Seminary.<\/p>\n

Although to keep it within the 500 word limit, it was edited somewhat. \u00a0Below you will find the article in its entirety. \u00a0I have also included the\u00a0footnotes\u00a0for this post, where it will not be included in the article to. \u00a0So, now to the reflection……<\/p>\n

The Indians, Native Americans or American Indians often refer to the reservation as \u201cThe Rez\u201d.\u00a0 Even the term of who they are as a people are and how they should be referred to can be tricky.\u00a0 One term that I have heard and I think fits the best is, First Peoples.\u00a0 Even if you believe that they as a whole had in fact migrated to what we now call the North American continent across the area called the Bering Strait, they were here \u201cFirst\u201d before those who came from the east thousands of years later to claim the land as their own.<\/p>\n

To be on the Rez was a great time for reflection as to what the Holy Spirit was actively doing today with the First Peoples, myself and others.\u00a0 There seems to be a trend in Christianity to become more spiritual and some have been drawn to seek out First Peoples and their spirituality.\u00a0 Some of the people on the Rez are Christian having been converted by missionaries in the 1800\u2019s and early 1900\u2019s.\u00a0 Others have refused to convert, some have re-connected to their ancient beliefs and others have found a way to incorporate the traditions of their religious heritage into Christianity.\u00a0 Each and every time I saw this incorporation it never detracted from the core of our common Christian faith.\u00a0 In fact, it only enhanced it and allowed me to become more immersed in my worship of God.<\/p>\n

During my time on the Rez this January, I was provided with an opportunity to<\/p>\n

\"Suicide<\/a>

Suicide runs rampant among the Lakota<\/p><\/div>\n

learn about life on the Rez from the perspectives of those who live there.\u00a0 I would also add that I learned about work there as well but the unemployment rate can reach upwards of 80%.[1]\u00a0 It is an understatement to say that life there is difficult.\u00a0 In 2010 the suicide rate for teens was 150% higher than the national average.[2] \u00a0The infant mortality being 300% higher than the national average.[3]<\/p>\n

What are the factors that make this Sovereign Nation of the Lakota the way they are today?\u00a0 That could take far more time and space than I have here.\u00a0 However, consider this:\u00a0 up until about 1975, American Indians were often forcibly, at the age of five, taken away from their homes to live at Christian Boarding Schools.[4]\u00a0 While there they were not allowed to dress in their native attire, speak their native language and the list goes on.\u00a0 The United States Government forcibly tried to remove the First Peoples culture by trying to \u201cKill the Indian\u2026Save the Man\u201d.[5]\u00a0 Many children faced mental, physical and sexual abuse.[6]\u00a0 Some have called this an attempt at genocide.<\/p>\n

For all that was done in the past to them the First Peoples, at least in Pine Ridge, \"_MG_7631-edited\"<\/a>have been attempting to recover their stolen culture.\u00a0 There is hope among them. \u00a0How does this continue? \u00a0Through your awareness, action and because God has not and will not give up on God\u2019s people.\u00a0 Even the non-Christians of the Lakota believe in a creator.\u00a0 Christians believe the God as the Creator.\u00a0 There is the starting point for understanding, rebuilding, appreciating each other\u2019s culture and walking hand in hand with God the Creator in the rebuilding of the First People\u2019s nations.<\/p>\n

For further reflections and links to information about the Lakota and the First People\u2019s, please see my January posts on my blog.<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n
\n
\n

[1] \u201cObama\u2019s Indian Problem | World News | The Guardian,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk\/global\/2010\/jan\/11\/native-americans-reservations-poverty-obama<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[2] \u201cPine Ridge Statistics,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.4aihf.org\/id40.html<\/a>.
\nMoved to:\u00a0http:\/\/www.4aihf.org\/id26.html<\/a><\/p>\n

[3] \u201cPine Ridge Statistics,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.4aihf.org\/id40.html<\/a>.
\nMoved to:\u00a0http:\/\/www.4aihf.org\/id26.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0[4] \u201cSoul Wound: The Legacy of Native American Schools | Amnesty International USA,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.amnestyusa.org\/node\/87342<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0[5] \u201cAmerican Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many\u202f: NPR,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=16516865<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0[6] \u201cSoul Wound: The Legacy of Native American Schools | Amnesty International USA,\u201d accessed February 9, 2013, http:\/\/www.amnestyusa.org\/node\/87342<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before I begin, I must advise you as the reader, that this will appear in a news letter for Wartburg Seminary. Although to keep it within the 500 word limit, it was edited somewhat. \u00a0Below you will find the article in its entirety. \u00a0I have also included the\u00a0footnotes\u00a0for this post, where it will not be … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[29,11,13,12,26,4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-435","6":"format-standard","7":"category-community","8":"category-death","9":"category-family","10":"category-lossandgrief","11":"category-seminary","12":"category-spirit"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-71","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":391,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/10\/the-happenings-on-the-rez-j-term\/","url_meta":{"origin":435,"position":0},"title":"The happenings on the Rez J term","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Let me start with the easy stuff. 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(Reservation). \u00a0The group and I were given an audio history of the Lakota Indians,\u00a0accompanied\u00a0by photographs on the wall of the cultural center. \u00a0While listening to the history, feelings began to stir inside of me. \u00a0I found myself ashamed of my government, angry,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Community"","block_context":{"text":"Community","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Picture1.jpg?fit=853%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Picture1.jpg?fit=853%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Picture1.jpg?fit=853%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Picture1.jpg?fit=853%2C480&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":397,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/11\/the-final-from-the-rez\/","url_meta":{"origin":435,"position":2},"title":"The final from the Rez","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We are to leave on Saturday from the retreat at Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota. \u00a0It has been full of emotions and learning. \u00a0Yesterday I developed a head cold. \u00a0I was still able to put some more time into the house we have been working on. \u00a0We also did some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "communication"","block_context":{"text":"communication","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/communication\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Housing-Project-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/15\/reflections-off-the-rez\/","url_meta":{"origin":435,"position":3},"title":"Reflections off the Rez","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It has now been three days since leaving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of the Lakota Indians. \u00a0The last evening I would have to say held the most meaning to me. \u00a0We were given the opportunity for reflection by Howard. \u00a0I really enjoyed listening to him speak about his experiences\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spirit"","block_context":{"text":"Spirit","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/spirit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Howard Blue Bird0001","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Howard-Blue-Bird0001-213x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":359,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/06\/more-thoughts-from-the-rez\/","url_meta":{"origin":435,"position":4},"title":"More Thoughts from the Rez","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"As I get to talk to people out here, the more and more I like their overall quiet ways. A lot can be said without words. Communication without words takes some effort at first but slowly can become natural. 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