All That Is Not Light Is Darkness

Our Children's children will not sit around the council

fire telling of our Washichu games. They will not sing of

how we gained favor with the BIA. They will not dance our

winning a vote over the phrasing of a Washichu document.

If this is all we leave to them, our names will be spoken

only to curse the heritage we passed on.

Fly up out of the darkness right now. Look at that

council fire and listen. What is said and done there depends

only on what we do, or do not do, now. How will we be

remembered?

There will be battles of words on paper. There will be

fighting with sticks and knives. When it is finally over, it

won't matter much even who lost and who won. There may come

a time when even Spirit won't care to remember.

What counts is that this day a few keep the Light. All

that is not Light is Darkness.

Great Spirit, teach us again the Ghost Dance. Hone our

souls to the keenest edge. Free us from all that serves You

not.

I hear our children's children sing of us. They sing of

how we kept the Light. They call us Dog soldiers of Spirit.

Hawk Watcher - Sha Peko Ouachita

© 1990