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The next lady was
introduced but she asked to be excused while she gave up her place in line
as a demonstration of respect because this was what the meeting was about.
“I respect this next lady. She is an elder, more so than I.”
Dee's mother stood. “Thank
you.” She told the other woman. “And thank you to my Grandson also.” “I
enjoyed your talk.” “I've often said the government sends money out here
for teaching and then they get the young people to teach.” “This man is
one of the few left who knows and has abundant knowledge about our Ponca
tribe.” “He and I were raised through famine, drought, hot sun,
cockleburrs and anything else you can think of that is unpleasant.” “We
stayed here.” “Our parents had a great way of surviving.”
“We did not have electric
lights. Instead, we carried kerosene lanterns. There was a danger there
too. If you dropped it, you could burn the whole house down.”
“We had to pump our water,
but it was good pure water. Now you have to buy your water.”
“I sure would hate to see
another depression. I don't think folks could make it. Our elders knew
how to survive. It was true as my Grandson here tells you. We had to walk
a lot, in fact many miles.”
“This gentleman and I are
the same age. He was born December 1912 and I was born January 1913. So
maybe you wonder why I call him Grandson. This is the way our respect for
each other is brought forth. We always have a relationship and for this we
use that. This is respect.”
“There was a good
relationship between our families. If we needed something they, provided
it. If they needed something we provided. It is the way we did things.
Too, then we had a good tribal government. Now, today, that is gone.”
“I do not believe in
terrorism. You can do things the right way. Learn to speak well so you
can address people with your thoughts. Get that knowledge through study
and going to school. In this way influence others with what you wish to
get across.”
“I thank our federal
government for being able to get that knowledge when I went to Chilocco
for eight years. It was too bad they changed policies and started sending
bad behaving kids to school there. They messed it up, and it had to close
in 1981.”
At Chilocco we had all
modern living. At home I had to live the old way but, the government was
right. It was time for change. So I say to you, go to school. Study and
listen to the person talking to you. They have already been through it.
They went to school and graduated. Now they are ready to teach you. So
listen to what they say.”
“Remember. Our ways are
beautiful ways, our Indian ways. We didn't have beer joints. We didn't
crash our cars. So many of the things written in the Bible are the ways
our people practised. Learn those way, and be proud you are Indian.” |
