"Obama was adopted as an honorary member into the family within the Crow tribe that inhabited the reservation - who gave the presidential candidate a new name and new parents."
"Awe Kooda bilaxpak Kuuxshish" was the honorary name given to Obama meaning, "one who helps people throughout the land."
My first gathering of Barack Obama and his rising was at a point in 2004. In a meeting back in the indigenous lands of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California. At Incline Village. A visioning meeing. Where they asked then Chairman Brian Wallace to attend a political gatheirng of folks. I was sent in his stead. (since then I have moved from the Washoe Tribal Administration and moved to my families tribe, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Rancheria. Now I currently have moved off-rez and live in El Dorado Hills, California)
My first gathering of his rising was at a point in 2004. In a meeting back in the indigenous lands of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California. At Incline Village. A visioning meeing. Where they asked then Chairman Brian Wallace to attend a political gatheirng of folks. I was sent in his stead. (since then I have moved from the Washoe Tribal Administration and moved to my families tribe, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Rancheria. Now I currently have moved off-rez and live in El Dorado Hills, California)
So I listened. Not commenting just listening to a number of non-natives talking about a change, a positioning, and to hear what people had to say. Then they showed us a video of a non-white person speaking. It was ironic that everyone in the room was non-native, white. But all there supporting the young Obama, who would one day become the Senator who is a Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States. I felt a deep sense of awareness I should wake up and know that natives and non-natives alike really do care about the environment. Not only in a "Teddy Roosevelt" conservationalist environment way.. but Barack and the people in the room were thinking the way every one should have been thinking in the first place.. think of the environment in a cultural sense, in a active sense, to be apart of one's surroundings. The people, the place, how one lives and have one is living.
My chairman said it best.. "History is more about a sense of place than time". And in that regard it was refreshing to see a stature of a man who had the awareness of this. And so my interest was peeked.
(now I wish I had a video of that speech and the meeting we held.. as I know and did give my permission to tape me in the room , something that I have never provided the permission before)
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