www.singingfalls.com/seine

Well, I have received information about blogging. Basically you are not supposed to speak about yourself, your life, your wife, or pets ( I wonder if livestock falls in that category?). But for me nothing else is real so out the window goes appropriate blogging! What else is the consummate non-conformist to do?

This weekend was spent deeply entrenched in Native American culture. Once again, upon special invite, I attended the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians Pow Wow at the South Umpqua Falls. This is the known and ancient meeting grounds of the Umpqua Tribe. The Pow Wow is an annual event. As usual, it was a wonderful experience. I met many knew people and didn't have to be ashamed of being an old hermit.

In particular I find the significant focus on veterans and the Native American tradition to honor "warriors" of great interest. You can imagine an old recluse like my self lined up in the grand entry, standing with the veterans from various wars and eras of US history, being acknowledged and honored as a warrior. I find it extremely ironic that it is the Native Americans who honor so many Viet Nam vets. Many of them are Christian also. I can hardly fathom the cultural barriers they have had to hurdle to emerge with such a profound and in some ways defiant expression of their passionate beliefs. It flies in the face of reason. And that is good because it exposes the reality of a deficient logic base. The dimension of spirit and Spirit is very profoundly evident in these events. As an elder and a war veteran I have great sense of space and liberty at these events. I am ashamed that the the foundations of this nation are built on land that was deviously stolen from this people group. But then I know that humanity has been in the business of conquering for a long long time. I am mindful of the sacred writing with its sacred promise, "And they shall learn war no more". It is a sharp learning curve. But now my war is one 'in and of' spiritual realms. Otherwise, I make war no more.
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Another day of fish access analysis today. Up into the forest I go!