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Velma’s World, 2007 - The
world is a different one
A restlessness like leaves
in a windstorm settles upon the spirit of Velma these days. She had
advised her daughter about the theme for the post office mural. “Paint
something for the children,” she said. And then she kept asking, “You know
you need to write some of the experiences I have had? So many changes, so
many changes have come to us.”
It was true. In the year
2007 the world is a different one for the Native American. Education,
jobs, and housing create a beginning of a new world for them. Gone are the
days when a person could put their hand through the cracks in the boards
of the walls in their house. Indoor plumbing in modern, clean houses make
life so much more pleasant. Their problems now, though, are the same as
their non-Indian neighbors. Divorce, materialism, drug abuse with some
children and a host of other conditions are theirs to live through. This
is not to say that all experience these things but, on the whole, no one
is able to say they are free from the crisis that can come upon them in
the modern world. A terrible car crash to orphan children just as in the
Anglo world might happen. Some struggle daily to keep up with their jobs.
There are other plagues now and they inflict damage on all worlds. One of
the maladies is diabetes which is no respecter of race but is endured by
all. Yet another, might suffer from cancer. These are the negatives.
At the other end of the
spectrum are the accomplishments. It is possible now to speak of a Native
American person for being a Senator, a lawyer, a doctor, artist, script
writer, the owner of their own productive businesses and, in fact, too
many success stories to list. Of course, some of other tribal members have
become independently wealthy from the casinos on their lands. The rumor is
that some tribes pay each person as much as 4000.00, every month.
In place, the school
systems at Ponca City, Oklahoma have a Native American advisor in each
school with a descendant of a chief who is over all these. There is still
the J.O.M. program which is used by the tribe. This only allows help to go
down to children who are 1/4th Indian, one of the things Leonard Big Goose
criticized. To cover this lack of compassion the Title Seven program was
introduced. This is to provide for any child, no matter how small the
degree of Indian blood, so in this way, there is a provision for all who
might be of several races. This is a more humane and possible provision
for children who need enrichment in their lives. Still, the theme of
Native American culture is practiced with speakers, Native crafts, and any
other means to encourage and with financial help given to these students
who are in need. All of the instructors have Native American blood and are
tutored through conferences, educating them to be able to pass something
of the spirit of feeling pride in being Indian to their students.
Velma is modest when she
speaks about these attainments so many of Native American blood made, and
she is quick to point out the achievements came from a united effort from
higher up and from her peers. Many whose efforts were practiced in a
quiet, unpretentious way to help, in fact, were not Native American, at
all.
At 94 Velma seems to have
partially accepted having finished much of her work. She helped as much as
possible to record these events worked through in her Ponca tribe so
future generations might continue in their quest for a better world.
Somehow this has given her peace, if but momentarily. The frustrations and
anger at being aged, of course, cannot be understood, unless, a person
themselves experiences it. By the time that comes to anyone, it is too
late to help those who have gone ahead in death. The Native American seems
to have a better understanding and control of this dilemma and, indeed,
have been taught to treat their elders with great respect as if they know
to appreciate the giving ways of these old ones, when they were in their
strength and youthfulness. If anyone could understand depression then they
might be able to see the suffering of these aging people who are in
probably the most depressed state of their life, more than they have ever
known. Their body is weakened to the point that they cannot practice their
crafts. Often the knowledge they possess, cannot be easily called up. Even
simple tasks that were once so easily performed elude them. Their love and
duty to their family cannot be carried out because of the hindrances of a
weakened mental, emotional and physical state.
These are the times
grandchildren seem to be of greater solace to the old ones. No demands are
put upon the aging other than their unconditional love and tolerance for
any disparages coming from that elderly one. There is the possibility of
working with their diet to include foods that are high in the B vitamins
and vegetable protein. What usually happens here is that the elderly
person soon begins to feel better and thinks they are well. They go back
into their own environment and back to a diet practiced before and in a
little while are again in the same place they were with depression. This
yo-yo like state is difficult for grown children. They want to do the best
they can to accept the hardships of life and death but these are the
modern days when the pressures of jobs, schooling children, meeting
economic conditions sometimes, are a miserable substitute for peaceful
living as their ancestors may have had in caring for their elders.
“Do whatever your Mama asks
of you,” one Native American friend advised.
Lee, who was Velma’s
opposite, was the epitome of self-control probably learned from his
growing up in an Osage encampment whereas Velma and her mother,
essentially, grew up in boarding schools of their conquerors. He often
said he made no agreement with the old adversary and they did not even
know what he meant until Velma’s age was upon her.
“I would like you to meet
my wife, Velma. She is Native American and we are proud of that.” Lee told
an invisible person with whom he visited while he was nearing death.
He asked his children as he
was leaving that they take care of their mother and it only now makes them
know he was preparing these adult sons and daughters years in advance, for
the trials they would have. How well he knew his wife. |
