WE NEED TO THINK LIKE OUR FOREFATHERS DID

"My children, you have forgotten the customs and traditions of your forefathers. ...You have bought guns, knives, kettles, and blankets from the white man until you can no longer do without them; and what is worse you have drunk the poison firewater, which turns you into fools. Fling all these things away; live as your forefathers did before you."

Pontiac, ODOWA

We need to think as our forefathers did.

They knew the culture and the customs. The culture taught them how to live in harmony with each other. We need to think like this again.

We must be God-reliant. We don't need the firewater. This liquid is very destructive to our native people. It kills our spirit.

Our Indian people are happiest when we are spiritual. When we depend on anyone or anything else, we get off track.

We need to talk to the Elders and find out what the old ways were. We need to ask them to teach us the culture, the tradition, and the customs. This will help us become whole again.