My Time Well Wasted

The First Peoples in the Fourth World: Terms

Julian Burger explains (in The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples) that there is no universally agreed name for the peoples he describes as "first peoples":
" ...because their ancestors were the original inhabitants of the lands, since colonized by foreigners. Many territories continue to be so invaded. The book also calls them indigenous, a term widely accepted by the peoples themselves, and now adopted by the United Nations."
p.16
"'Fourth World' is a term used by the World Council of Indigenous Peoples to distinguish the way of life of indigenous peoples from those of the First (highly industrialized) , Second (Socialist bloc), and Third (developing) Worlds. The First, Second, and Third Worlds believe that 'the land belongs to the people'; the Fourth World believes that 'the people belong to the land."'
p.18

A Portrait of the First Peoples

NOTE: Texts and quotations by Julian Burger and the indigenous peoples are from The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples: A Future for the Indigenous World, by edited Julian Burger with campaigning groups and native peoples worldwide (London: Gaia Books Ltd., 1990). Some of what follows was written by representatives of indigenous peoples; some was provided by non-indigenous people.

First peoples see existence as a living blend of spirits, nature, and people. All are one, inseparable and interdependent -- a hohstic vision shared with mystics throughout the ages. The word for religion does not exist in many cultures, as it is so closely integrated into life itself. For many indigenous peoples spirits permeate matter -- they animate it. This led the early anthropologists to refer to such beliefs as "animist" (p. 64 ).

Myths that explain the origins of the world remind people of their place in the universe and of their connection with the past. Some are humorously ironic, others complex and esoteric. Some, notably Aboriginal Dreamtime, speak of the creation of the hills, rocks, hollows, and rivers formed by powerful ancestral spirits in the distant past. Others describe a dramatic split between the gods and humankind or the severance of the heavens and the Earth -- as in the sudden separation of the Sky Father and Earth Mother in Maori legend. Others tell the story of how the Earth was peopled, as in the sacred book of the Maya of Central America. Myths invest life with meaning. The rich symbolic associations found in the oral traditions of many indigenous cultures bring the sacred into everyday life through a pipe, a feather, a rattle, a color even -- and help individuals to keep in touch with both themselves and the spirit world (p. 66).

Indigenous peoples are strikingly diverse in their culture, religion, and social and economic organization. Yet, today as in the past, they are prey to stereotyping by the outside world. By some they are idealized as the embodiment of spiritual values; by others they are denigrated as an obstacle impeding economic progress. But they are neither: they are people who cherish their own distinct cultures, are "the victims of past and present-day colonialism, and are determined to survive. Some live according to their traditions, some receive welfare, others work in factories, offices, or the professions. As well as their diversity, there are some shared values and experiences among indigenous cultures...By understanding how they organize their societies, the wider society may learn to recognize that they are not at some primitive stage of development, but are thoughtful and skillful partners of the natural world, who can help all people to reflect on the way humanity treats the environment and our fellow creatures (p. 15).

Voices of Indigenous Peoples
Selections from The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples by Julian Burger with indigenous peoples.

Earth

"Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people."
A DUWAMISH CHIEF

"One has only to develop a relationship with a certain place, where the land knows you, and experience that the trees, the Earth, and Nature are extending their love and light to you to know there is so much we can receive from the Earth to fill our hearts and souls."
INTI MELASQUEZ, Inca

"The Earth is the foundation of Indigenous Peoples; it is the seat of spirituality, the fountain from which our cultures and languages flourish.
"The Earth is our historian, the keeper of events, and the bones of our forefathers. Earth provides us with food, medicine, shelter, and clothing. It is the source of our independence, it is our Mother. We do not dominate her; we must harmonize with her."
HAYDEN BURGESS, native Hawaiian ,

"Man is an aspect of nature, and nature itself is a manifestation of primordial religion. Even the word 'religion' makes an unnecessary separation, and there is no word for it in the Indian tongues. Nature is the 'Great Mysterious,' the 'religion before religion,' the profound intuitive apprehension of the true nature of existence attained by sages of all epochs, everywhere on Earth; the whole universe is sacred, man is the whole universe, and the religious ceremony is life itself, the common acts of every day."
PETER MAlTHIESSEN, Indian Country

"We Indian people are not supposed to say, 'This land is mine.' We only use it. It is the white man who buys land and puts a fence around it. Indians are not supposed to do that, because the land belongs to all Indians, it belongs to God, as you call it. The land is a part of our body, and we are apart of the land."
BUFFALO TIGER, Miccosukee

"When the last red man has vanished from the Earth, and the memory is only a shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, these shores and forests will still hold the spirits of my people, for they love this Earth as the newborn loves its mother's heartbeat."
SEALTH, A Duwamish Chief

"When Indians referred to animals as 'people' -- just a different sort of person from Man -- they were not being quaint. Nature to them was a community of such 'people' for whom they had a great deal of genuine regard and with whom they had a contractual relationship to protect one another's interests and to fulfill their mutual needs. Man and Nature, in short, were joined by compact -- not by ethical ties -- a compact predicated on mutual esteem. This was the essence of the traditional land relationship."
OJIBWAY MAGAZINE

"Our roots are deep in the lands where we live. We have a great love for our country, for our birthplace is here. The soil is rich from the bones of thousands of our generations. Each of us was created in these lands and it is our duty to take great care of them, because from these lands will spring the future generations of our peoples. We walk about with great respect, for the Earth is a very Sacred Place."
Sioux, Navaho, and Iroquois Declaration, 1978

Economy, Wealth, and a Way of Life

The economic life of indigenous people is based not on competition but on cooperation, for survival is only possible when the community works together. Most small-scale indigenous societies have elaborate systems for sharing food, possessions, and ritualizing conflict..Indigenous forms of economy cannot, of course, satisfy the needs of a burgeoning world population now nearing 6 billion. But the knowledge and, especially, the values of the peoples practicing them are vital. The scientific community has recently begun research into indigenous skills in resource management. But it is, above all, wisdom that is needed in Western culture -- we all need to learn respect for the Earth, conservation of resources, equitable distribution of wealth, harmony, balance and modest cooperation. In 1928 Gandhi wrote:

"An Innu hunter's prestige comes not from the wealth he accumulates but from what he gives away. When a hunter kills caribou or other game he shares with everyone else in the camp."
DANIEL ASHINI, Innu

War and Peace, Life and Death
"Was it an awful war?" "It was a terrible war." "Were many people killed?" "One man was killed." "What did you do?" "We decided that those of us who had done the killing should never meet again because we were not fit to meet one another." SAN
describing a war to Laurens van der Post

In Papua New Guinea hostilities between groups are part of the cycle of events encompassing long periods of peace and enmity. War is just one aspect of cultural life. The idea of annihilating the other group is absent; indeed, the Tsembaga and Mae Enga are known as the peoples who marry their enemies. War is a means by which the individual and the group find their identity, and is largely ceremonial...Even on the point of war there is always a ritual means of stepping back from open confrontation. Anger can be channelled into a "nothing fight," a competition of insults and shouting. Or else it may lead to a real fight, with blows exchanged and sometimes even serious casualties. After a war a lengthy process of peacemaking begins. Gifts, ceremonies, and marriages establish links and obligations between the parties.
p.62

Partners toward a Sustainable Future
Maurice Strong
General Secretary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992

As we awaken our consciousness that humankind and the rest of nature are inseparably linked, we will need to look to the world's more than 250 million indigenous peoples. They are the guardians of the extensive and fragile ecosystems that are vital to the well-being of the planet. Indigenous peoples have evolved over many centuries a judicious balance between their needs and those of nature. The notion of sustainability, now recognized as the framework for our future development, is an integral part of most indigenous cultures. In the last decades, indigenous peoples have suffered from the consequences of some of the most destructive aspects of our development. They have been separated from their traditional lands and ways of life, deprived of their means of livelihood, and forced to fit into societies in which they feel like aliens. They have protested and resisted. Their call is for control over their own lives, the space to live, and the freedom to live their own ways. And it is a call not merely to save their own territories, but the Earth itself. While no one would suggest that the remainder of the more than 5 billion people on our planet would live at the level of indigenous societies, it is equally clear that we cannot pursue our present course of development. Nor can we rely on technology to provide an easy answer. What modern civilization has gained in knowledge, it has perhaps lost in sagacity. The indigenous peoples of the world retain our collective evolutionary experience and insights which have slipped our grasp. Yet these hold critical lessons for our future. Indigenous peoples are thus indispensable parrners as we try to make a successful transition to a more secure and sustainable future on our precious planet.
-- excerpted from the foreword to The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples by Julian Burger

Ancient Prophecies for Modern Times
Bette Stockbouer
A freelance writer whose philosophical background is Esoteric Christianity
NOTE: This article surveys native cultures whose representatives are stepping forward to tell the world about their traditions, particularly their ancient prophecies, so that mankind may choose correctly at this important point in world civilization.
"We live in a time of the fulfillment of prophecy. "
WILLARU HUARTA

Although Western history has depicted native cultures as primitive and sometimes barbaric, in our own day a much richer picture is emerging. French author Pierre Honore minutely examined the original journals of the conquerors. There he found records of what they encountered in the New World -- huge cities with urban populations well versed in the arts and sciences, following finely ordered systems of law. Archeological excavations of modern times have verified these accounts, unearthing sophisticated cities and pyramids that rival those of Egypt.

Most importantly the native peoples themselves are stepping forward, revealing traditions and sacred knowledge they took underground five hundred years ago when the conquerors came. They speak now because they understand the import of the present times. Their sacred sciences tell them the world is at a turning point, that its choices today will determine the future course of civilization. Their prophecies have instructed them to travel out into the world and tell us of the dangers we face. These voices are important for us to hear because they speak from hearts that have tried to remain true to their sacred teachings -- to live in the way of brotherhood and simplicity, establishing harmony with one another and with all living things.

This is what they say:
. We are entering a time of purification and can expect to witness chaos and destruction in all the kingdoms of nature.
. It is a time for the reuniting of the races. Barriers of religion and nationality will begin to fall as all people realize their essential unity.
. We must heal the damage done to Mother Earth, the source of life, and recognize that all living things are endowed with spirit.
. In the coming times we will see the return of one or more Great Teachers who will guide us into the future.

In his book "The Return of the Pahana", Robert Boissiere discusses the widely held belief among native peoples in the imminent return of a savior figure, and claims that it in no way differs from the Christian belief in a second coming. In the legendary history of many tribes there is a story of a teacher similar to Jesus who taught the spiritual mysteries and an ethical way of life. When he left, they say, he promised to return at a time when the Earth would be in great turmoil, to guide humanity into the future. He is best known by the names of Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan.

North America

Thomas Banyacya has traveled the world for almost fifty years speaking about the prophecies of his tribe, the Hopi. For centuries the Hopi have lived in one of the harshest environments of the US -- perched on a desert mesa in Arizona. Their ancestors chose such a place to settle because they knew it would keep their people close to the creator. They continually reaffirm their reliance on God by an annual series of rituals asking the spirits to supply their every need.

In 1948 a group of Hopi elders accepted the task of warning the world of the events that the Hopi prophecies foretold. The prophecies themselves instructed them to approach the UN. It took forty-four years of effort, but in 1992 they were finally permitted to address the General Assembly. This beginning led to another gathering at the UN in 1993, called the "Cry of the Earth Conference," when leaders from seven nations released their prophecies.

Hopi prophecies speak of the return of Pahana, their True White Brother, who left them in ancient Arial promising to return. They wear their hair in bangs to form a window, they say, by which to see their Elder Brother when He returns. It is also an identifying mark for the Elder Brother to recognize them.

Black Elk and Crazy Horse were leaders of the Lakota Sioux in the late 1800s, a period which saw in the U.S. the decimation of many native groups. Each had a vision of the future. Black Elk saw that his people would be plagued by famine and sickness and war. They would lose heart and the sacred hoop of his nation would be broken. But he saw a vision of his own nation being reunited after seven generations and becoming part of the greater hoop of all the nations of the earth. Then he saw the daybreak star rising in the east, and heard a voice that said: "It shall be a relative to them, and who shall see it shall see much more, for from there comes Wisdom; and those who do not see it shall be dark." Black Elk thought this meant that a great Prophet from the East would bring a message to his people.

Crazy Horse's vision foretold the darkness that descended on his people. He saw the coming of automobiles and airplanes and the tragic world wars of the modern era. He saw his people gradually awakening after the last war and beginning to dance again under the Sacred Tree. Then amazingly he saw that dancing along with his people were representatives of all races who had become brothers. Thus he foresaw that the world would be made whole again, not just by his own nation but by all peoples working together.

Among the Lakota, the Crow, the Chippewa, and other Native American tribes, the White Buffalo is one of the most sacred symbols. It represents purity, sacrifice, and a sign that prophecy is being fulfilled. The messiah honored by the Lakota Sioux is the White Buffalo Calf Woman who brought the Sacred Pipe and established the foundation of their ritual and social life. When she left, she turned into a white buffalo, and promised some day to return. In 1994 a white buffalo calf was born in Wisconsin; in 1996 another was born in South Dakota. For the native peoples these births have been a sign to "mend the hoop" of the nations, to establish brotherhood within the family of man, and return to a spiritual way of life.

Jake Swamp of the Mohawk nation tells of the Peacemaker, Deganawida, who unified the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Peacemaker foresaw the turmoil and destruction that would destroy the lives and culture of the Confederacy tribes. But he also saw a time beyond when there would come a great Prophet who would be a World Uniter. He would come in the same spirit as other prophets before Him, but would renew the spirit of man in a way more worldwide and all-embracing than ever before in history. In 1969 the elders of Dhyani Ywahoo's Tsalagi/Cherokee group decided to release teachings that have been kept in secret since the conquest. Through books, lectures, and workshops, Dhyani Ywahoo is disseminating that knowledge. She claims that her own Ywahoo lineage was founded by a legendary prophet called the Pale One who rekindled the sacred fires throughout the Americas. She says: "The Pale One is a cyclically incarnating being. He comes when the people have forgotten their sacred ways, bringing reminders of the Law, recalling all to right relationship. He is expected soon again, and he may be alive even now. It is good."

Australia and New Zealand

Among the Australian Aboriginals it is believed that each tribe has a responsibility to take care of one part of the environment. They believe that underground minerals are a vital part of the earth's energy grid and are greatly concerned about the excessive mining in modern Arial, particularly of uranium. In 1975 the elders met in Canberra, drawing together over 350 Aboriginal people. They gave a warning of cataclysms to come and told the people to go out and teach their knowledge to the world, to prepare it for a future time when we would go back to our beginnings-when all cultures will exist as one.

The Waitaha nation claims the most ancient lineage in New Zealand. When the nation was broken up by warriors from the Pacific, the elders concealed one thousand years of their generational history and wisdom teachings, passing the knowledge on through only a tiny number of people in each generation. In 1990 the elders saw in the heavens a configuration that was a sign for them to release their sacred knowledge. A book, The Song of Waitaha, by Barry Brailsford, contains these teachings. In their language wai means water and taha means gourd, implying the idea of a water carrier, the sign of Aquarius.

South America

The Kogi are a pre-Columbian tribe who live an isolated existence in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. They are one of the few who escaped destruction by the Europeans and still live their lives in accordance with their ancient spiritual heritage. Alarmed by the excessive mining and deforestation of modern Arial, in 1990 (for the one and only time) they allowed a BBC television film crew to visit them and document their lives. Calling themselves "The Elder Brothers," they wished to issue an urgent warning to the "younger brothers." High in their mountain lands, they see that the earth is drying up; the sources of water that should give sustenance to the plains below are no longer vital. They warn us that the earth is dying and, "When the Earth dies we will all die."

Willaru Huarta grew up in the jungles of Peru, studying with the shamans. He says that his native Quechua Incan prophecies predicted the white man's coming would bring five hundred years of materialism and imbalance. But now they say that era is coming to an end and the Age of Aquarius will "signal the return of Light to the planet and the dawn of a golden era. We live in a time of the fulfillment of prophecy." Now he tours the world teaching his simple message: "Humanity should cure itself and give help to the poor. Regenerate yourself with light, and then help those who have poverty of the soul. Return to the inner spirit, which we have abandoned while looking elsewhere for happiness."

The Q'ero are another Peruvian group that are releasing prophecy, traveling to the industrialized nations to hold ceremonies and share their vision of the future.

Mayan Prophecy

Hunbatz Men tells of an ancient confederation of Native American elders made up of representatives from Nicaragua to the Arctic Circle. They have been meeting for thousands of years and continue to do so today. Before the Spaniards came the confederation decided to hide the Mayan teachings, entrusting certain families with their care. Hunbatz Men is an inheritor of that lineage. In his book "Secrets of Mayan Science/Religion", he reveals teachings that mirror the Hindu and Buddhist ones of astrology, meditation, and the septenary root of creation.

He speaks of Kukulcan and Quetzalcoatl, not so much in light of an expected return, but rather in terms of the possibility that each of us can attain the same exalted stage by treading the path of attaining knowledge. "To be Quetzalcoatl or Kukulcan is to know the seven forces that govern our body -- not only know them but also use them and understand their intimate relationship with natural and cosmic laws. We must comprehend the long and short cycles and the solar laws that sustain our lives. We must know how to die, and how to be born."

Don Alejandro Oxlaj is a seventh-generation priest from Guatemala and head of the Quiche Maya Elder Council. He has traveled throughout North America, comparing the native prophecies of different tribes. In the coming year he hopes to record and publish, for the first time in five hundred years, the Mayan prophecies of his people.

What is enlightening in all of these statements is their consistent tone of reconciliation. The native groups are opening their doors to people of every color, speaking of themselves as "Rainbow Warriors." Their elders have reminded them to "remember the original instructions" when each tribe was given by the creator a mandate to follow. That mandate has told them that now is the time to heal the past, despite the centuries of pain and persecution. Now is the time to join together and work in harmony to rehabilitate the planet and establish an era of alignment and peace.
Suggested reading:
Roben Boissiere, The Return of Pahana Vinson Brown, Voices of Earth and Sky
Pierre Honore, In Quest of the White God Steven McFadden, Ancient Voices
Hunbatz Men, Secrets of Mayan Science/Religion Scott Peterson, Native
American Prophecies Dhyani Ywahoo, Voices of Our Ancestors

Native American Spirituality
Robert Staffanson
Executive Directot; American Indian Institute
NOTE: A dictionary's definition of spirituality: "devotion to spiritual (i.e., metaphysical) things instead of worldly things." This definition does not apply to Native Americans because they do not recognize a dichotomy between "spiritual" and material things.

A simplistic definition of Native American spirituality would be that it is the opposite of pragmatism (i.e., short-term concern with "practical" results). While Native American spirituality is not easily defined, it has several defining characteristics:
1. Recognition of the interconnectedness of all Creation, and the responsibility of human beings to use their intelligence in protecting that interconnectedness. That applies particularly to the lifegiving elements: water, air, and soil.
2. Belief that all life is equal, and that the presence of the life spark implies a degree of spirituality whether in humans, animals, or plants. In their view the species of animals and birds, as well as forests and other plant life, have as much "right" to existence as human beings, and should not be damaged or destroyed. That does not mean that they cannot be used but that use has limitations.
3. The primary concern is with the long-term welfare of life rather than with short-term expediency or comfort. They consider all issues and actions in relationship to their long-term effect on all life, not just human life.
4. Spirituality is undergirded by thankfulness to the Creator. Prayer, ceremonies, meditation, and fasting are an important part of their lives. But they ask for nothing. They give thanks: for all forms of life and for all the elements that make life possible, and they are concerned with the continuation of that life and the ingredients upon which it depends. Traditional Native Americans believe that any of their people who lack spirituality are no longer Indian. Traditional Native Americans do not see any spirituality in our "western" world. They believe that we have a kind of mindless materialism that is destroying both us and the world we live in.

A Teaching from Tecumseh