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Dear Father Martin,
I have a “wonder” and a consequent theory. It seems to me that for all Peoples, all Nations, all Races, women are the bearers of the One Who Saves. Women, it seems to me, are never mentioned as the Saviors; they bring the Savior. Among the Dakota/Lakota it was the Buffalo Calf Woman who brought the Sacred Pipe.
What has your experience, as a Lakota, taught you, and what have you learned from research into the theology and ceremonials of other Tribes?
fr. stan * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Father Stan,
About the women and revelation I think you are on the right track. I push it one step further in saying that all the major mythic heroes in Native American mythology are females, and this is probably the reason why women are either dominant or very powerful in Indian Societies.
Among the Navajo, the Spider Grandmother creates this visible world, as she does also in Hopi mythology. Turquoise Woman wishes for and plans for the world to be safe, but for safety, her son, the Monster Slayer, does the killing. The Navajo also have that portion in their creation story in which humankind is created from same sex couples rather than from male-female couples.
The Kiowa have a Star Woman who reveals sacred teachings and has something redemptive that she does, but I can’t remember what it is. I must read further.
Of course, among us Lakota, Ptesanwin, the White Buffalo Calf Woman reveals all the ceremonies herself, with the exception of the Sun Dance, due to the phallic imagery in the tree and the two male silhouettes in the tree.
A careful observer of Dakota/Lakota life will see that our most important persons and place, home, children, family, are the domain of the woman. The Coming of Age/Isnati Awicalowan ceremony talks so often about the necessity of the presence of the woman, if the Oyate is to continue.
Notice also that at all community gatherings the women decide and direct what goes on. Men are figure-head leaders and at certain moments may even have the illusion that they are in charge.
When they walk together somewhere, the man walks in front of the woman, not because she is subservient, but because he is disposable and must protect her, she is more necessary for the continuance of the community.
Even those now called “winkte” have status, since they are between the men and the women. The word as it is now used for “kills woman”, makes no sense. The proper pronunciation is “wi’i’inkte” with a stop between each syllable) means the man who speaks using women’s grammar. That makes sense, since that is the custom among the “wi’i’inkte.
A careful listening to Sundance songs shows that the song could be sung by a man to Tunkasila-in-the-plural. More likely it is a man singing to Tunkasila using woman’s grammar.
The “Wi’i’inkte”, I was told, are the keepers of the traditions and ceremonies. They are very wakan, so no ceremony is complete without them, and they are to be treated with the greatest respect.
They, the “Wi’i’inkte”, are often the ones who pray with the ‘spirit food plate’ at a feast, since, in a community that knows what it is doing, they are the men who are in the kitchen with the women.
The Wi’i’inkte are the only men’s Society that has survived the transition to Re-servations and modern times, and their status is a reflection of the power of the feminine in Dakota/Lakota culture.
I have given this matter much thought, and I will continue to listen and search.
Rev. Martin Broken Leg, OSBCn Director of Native Ministries Programme Professor First Nations Theology Vancouver School of Theology 6000 Iona Drive Vancouver, BC V6T IL4 Phone 604-827-5726 FAX 604-822-9212
E-mail: brokenleg@vst.edu |