A word from our Sachem...
Greetings Everyone, my name is Reverend Sachem Healer Joy Maxine 'Hawkeye' Graves, and I would like to take a few moments of your time if I may, to tell you a little bit about myself as well as what I'm doing as far as my involvement with the Oklevueha Native American Church goes.
Now, I know right off the bat, many of you are looking at the photograph of me and are thinking to yourselves "She doesn't Look Native American", and by that I KNOW that you're meaning that I don't "Look Indian"... well let me ask you this... who Says that a "Native American" is or has to be an "Indian"? I mean think about this: in the middle east, "Indian" means and or refers to someone who was born in the Country of INDIA - not anything to do with we "westerners" born upon what's referred to as "The America's"!
I will say it to you all as I say it when personally confronted with people displaying this type of aptitude: "If you were to travel say, to Italy, or to Austrailia for random examples... you would need a passport (supposing you travel legally, lol) - so I ask you this: "To what Country would your passport reflect you as being a native born person to?" Me personally, mine would say "The United States of AMERICA"... Meaning technically by definition, that I AM a "Native American", and believe me, if I were to travel to anyof a great many countries across mother globe - I would be cursed as well as condemned for being a "Damned American" because that's what Most the globes citizens call us!!!
Now, having said that in the best possible way I can think of to do to Hopefully get you contimplating that very basic of factual realities... in answer to the question YOU took it to be, the answer again is YES, I am what you'd refer to as being "Indian", though, like with most of us these days running about Turtle Island ( aka "The America's")... the "Boat Blood" has seemed to dominate my appearance - lol... likely because the boat blood has apparently been allowed to dominate my DNA pool, perventile wise.
Technically speaking, I am 1/8th Narragansett from my father's grandmother, and I am 1/16th Cherokee, and 1/16th Blackfoot through the lineage of my mother, meaning that I total 1/4 "Indian" bloodlines... the rest being obviously "Boat blood". Fortunately for me though, as most tribal elders including the sachems of my Narragansett people both present and past - "Even if only a DROP - am I not of that tribe?!" Of Course I am - it doesn't matter if I get counted as property on any "Roll", or get issued any "Tribal Identification card" - my tribe knows me and of the bloodlines I descend, and it's acceptable enough to them, so who gives a Shit of what anyone else, including any form of "Government" think or care to say about it - I am an AMERICAN and I know and have great Honor for my and ALL First Nations bloodlines across the board Period, and they me so if YOU don't like it - Piss Off because it is what it is and I am exactly how creator mixed me to be!
I was taught to be "Proud to be an American", first and foremost. The order of that, was first, to honor First Nations wisdom and teachings, meaning in simple terms "The Indian Way" of living life and doing things while I'm living the life Kautantowit (Great Creator) destined for me. I spent much of my childhood on various "reservation lands" across the Southwest, and too, my family have been devoted financial supporters to the "Lakota Indian School" for over a half a mellenia as well.
And second, it meant that my family was and is to remain a militia based family, meaning that we are to stand in the defense of this land Turtle Island that We call our "Nation" and to stand for all my fellow human beings within and upon it, Especially so for the weak, ill, elderly, disabled and others who are unable to stand up on their own To defend it or even possibly themselves. My allegience is to this land, not to ANY form of "Government" and damned sure not a Tyrannous one! My responsibility, my dutues and my obligations lye with my people, the people of my land, and also too, my duties, obligations and responsibilities extend to All my fellow Human Beings across Mother Earth, and even more importantly that even that - To Mother Earth herself as well.
I know and I clearly understand, that if I can accomplish and stay focused on this, that I WILL bring honor and glory to All my relations, those here upon Mother World no matter how far they may be spread, to the descending relations that are and likely Will continue to flourish, and also to my ancestors passed who have been blessed up and moved beyond our realms into betterness and unification with Kautantowit (Great Creator)... and if I succeed at this, then I too will one day have hopefully earned the Honor and will have proven myself worthy enough to join with them in eternal glory and bliss as well... and nothing nor no-one will EVER prove more important then that, nor can anyone deprive me of it except for myself IF I let me, which I DO NOT intend on doing - I want to rejoin my ancestors!
That having been said, I am likely among the most "Unique" pastors, reverends or ministers you likely will ever meet - I am open, honest, a realist, and quite frankly I don't see the reason nor have the Time to "pussy-foot" around so to speak and try to candy-coat nor pretend shit for anyone in the world's sake... I wasn't put here for you nor for that, so if that's what your seeking, best you move on along now because here and in this "Church", "Religion", "Ministry", "Faith", or whatever the hell LABEL you're gonna conclude and try to put, all you're gonna be getting is truth, facts, and reality straight up and direct and blantently to the point.
What this means, in lamens terms, is that you May Possibly hear me use a "curse word" here and there, or too, you may hear me express my PERSONAL FEELINGS when I'm talking about issues in whtever the setting, and it's Highly Likely also that I'm lible to share an OPINION of my own on things that - who knows... you Might just choose NOT to Agree with me on (God Forbid I Know, but it's Possible... so I'm forwarning and preparing you now, just so that should it happen, you're not in Complete shock of dismay)(wink-n-grin).
My reasons for being this way, are simple... First, all the medical idiots, I mean "Experts" Say that I'm already on "borrowed time" just by breathing here so to me I'm killing time and have nothing to lose, Second, I'm this way by choice because frankly between me and you the world NEEDS more people to be like me and to tell you straight up and forward how shit REALLY is instead of making up lies and stalling around with Bullshit, and Third, because I KNOW and believe more than anything else in and beyond this world, that the Almighty Creator made me just exactly how He wanted, Expected and intended for me to be. You see, HE brought you here and put ME before You, not the other way around ok let's be clear - so Obviously HE decided that YOU needed someone who thinks, feels and see's things, more the way I do than how you and those around you do.
I do you, nor myself, Great Creator nor anyone else ANY service at all if I strive to be like anyone else that I'm not, so if you're looking for someone whose gonna tell you that all is ok and peechy freakin' keen in your life and upon this world when CLEARLY it's not, then I say to you - the Native American Church, and Especially ESPECIALLY so the Kautantowit's Mecautea is NOT the right "church box" for you to be trying to climb in and getting to know - this Is and I am the reflection Of the "Kautantowit's Mecautea", which Means that this church "branch" here IS "Great Creator's Warrior Soldiers who fight off evil and the enemy" Period - end of the damned story like it or not! Warrior soldiers, as any veteran can confirm Do NOT have the Luxery of blowing smoke up your ass to sweetly ice your cake - we're Realists, we HAVE to be realists or else shit has no chance in Hell of ever getting Properly done, period plain and simple.
And I will close this on the note of how my gather taught me... you may not appreciate it a I do, but hey, to each his own, and that is to say this: "There are two types of people who make up this world's societies - the civillian, and the soldier... both are to be viewed and treated as equil within the world by one another, BUT, When (not If - When) the SHIT goes down and is needing to be dealt with and fixed, One of them WILL turn to the Other with the hope and expectation of it getting done... and that's who we are little girl - We are the SOLDIERS!" These are the words I personally strive to live not only By, but Up To, every moment of every day in my life and will do so until I breathe no more... else I have no honor.
A'ho!
My Father, in Between Wars