Ravenspeaker
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Ravenspeaker is an author, storyteller and more of the Alaskan Tsimshian peoples; Raven clan.
I need to say a few more things about Canoe Journeys. I have long thought cultural expression and spiritual expression were the same thing or at least closely related. Spirituality cant really be described as the "mumbo jumbo" more materialistic people think of it as. The ceremony is not the thing happening in spiritual moments. Its the thing helping to focus the mind and the heart so the ACTUAL POINT of it can happen.
This ACTUAL POINT is for the person to realize that HE or SHE is REAL, is capable and allowed to exist, and can make a geniune contribution. This also applies, he or she discovers, to other people. Culture is definitely a part of this discovery process. Canoe Journeys and other activities like it need to be a part of everyone's life. Amen?
My thoughts post Canoe Journeys. This event is a unifying cultural experience for us NW Coast NDNs. You really can't describe it as anything less grand than that. I had to go back and forth to work and when I was present I was backstage and working at camp. I missed most of it but man! What I got to see was pure splendor!
Our ceremony touched the thousands who saw it. Skipper Solana Rose Booth lead like a championship coach. I did what I could to help. It was beautiful.
And besides, Squaxin Island came to get down!
05/02/2026
Come see me!
Thoughts about Christmas- We used to have Civilization in America. The simplest way to describe a civilization is as a society where everybody influences everybody else toward common meaning, culture and traditions of acceptable behavior. Some people, probably confusing the word with colonization, hate the word.
Christmas is a good example of what is ailing American Civilization. A few readers might love to see American society decline and depress itself. But the fall of a civilization has never in history been a happy event filled with joy and gladness. As an American Indian, part of 2% of the population I am not looking forward to the chaos when the 98% is no longer civilized.
Other readers will think I exaggerate. But, kids today have no idea what a big deal Christmas was in America even 20 years ago. I have been to three malls this week and none of them have a third as many people in them as would have been true in the 80s and 90s.
Don't give me Amazon either! Half the people wandering the malls back in the day were not there just to shop. Anyone who simply hates capitalism or "commercialism" has missed this entirely.
Christmas is a cultural phenomenon. It once was a religious activity, but it has been centuries since that was true. Americans would happily walk down the street spreading good cheer to everyone for no other reason than it being Christmas. Not "the Holidays", Christmas.
If you live in an Urban Environment there will be thousands of people living within a mile of you. Almost everyone of them, even many who are not religious or even born here, will regard Christmas as important, though probably less so today than 20 years ago.
Christmas is dying. Everyone who said there was no war on Christmas were those special types of liars who look you in the face with a smile and assure you what you see happening isn't happening at all. Saying Happy Holidays does nothing for anyone. Saying Merry Christmas brings cheer to many. If there is some group that legitimately suffers when they hear it, this is no reason for everyone to stop saying it to anyone. It is no reason to tell people to use meaningless expressions that bring cheer to no one.
I will start the process. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
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