One Human Family

Video Transcript

There’s a story of Coronado coming to North America. As he came up from Mexico into what is now Arizona, he was met by the Hopi elders. And the holy man put his hands out…like this [hands held out in front of body, palms facing up in an open gesture]. And Coronado looked down and he said, ‘They’re nothing but beggars,’ and ordered his lieutenant to throw down some beads and trinkets at his feet. And all the men around the holy man said, ‘Let’s kill them. Let‘s kill them now. They’re being so disrespectful. Let’s just kill them and get this over with.’ And the holy man said, ‘No. Our brothers have returned. Give them time to help remember.’

The Hopi believe that they came out of the earth. The families were sent off in four directions to all corners of the earth. And they were to come back and tell everybody what they learned and saw, and share it. When they came back they were to take their hand and put it like that [right hand placed on top of left hand with palms touching]… I’m home. So who’s not family?

In the native world, the first thing we’re taught is to listen. And that’s not as simple as the westerners interpret it as…just listening [index finger of each hand pointing at and touching ears] with your ears. We’re taught… we listen with our soul. And when you listen with your heart or your soul, you’re to listen open and calm, without judgement. Just take the information in. There’ll be time later on to figure things out. Until then, just take it in.

When we go into a gathering, for example, we’re told at the threshold of the door there’s a hook, a big nail. On that nail you’re to hang all the issues you have with anybody in this room. Leave those behind. They have no business here. You come in here with an open heart and open mind to learn and listen.

When I was a kid, all these great words were being shared with me, these conversations. And I’m thinking, did I listen? If I had to do it over again I’d be sitting in the audience just being quiet and writing down everything I could. And I worry did I remember enough?

When I was younger, the old Indians, when they would start talking, they could talk for two hours or three hours. And you would just sit there, sit there, sit there, and listen. And I said, I’m going to find the first meeting where there’s a bunch of natives gathered together, and I’m going to stand up and start talking and not shut up. I’m going to just let loose. And you become an elder in our tribe at 55. Sure enough man, that day came. And a couple of days later I found myself in this big group of all these natives having lunch and talking and visiting. And I thought, I’m going to stand up and not shut up. I’ve got 55 years pent-up. I sat there and I thought, I don’t have anything to say. I had nothing to say. I was wanting to say it for all the wrong reasons. I was wanting vengeance. I was wanting pay back… it was selfish reasons. It had no purpose there. It would help nobody. Just all the wrong reasons.

I learned my lesson [pointing to self, pointing to ears]. Listen, listen.

The elders around you, the older people in your life, are responsible for looking at the young ones coming up and taking notice of their life. And then they gather you to the side and say, ‘Oh, you’re really good at this. This is one of your gifts.’ We’re big on recognizing gifts. And that our gifts are what we’re going to walk through life with to help other people.

At four and a half, five years old people started talking to me and telling me what I was going to do, my responsibilities in life. I was told I was going to be the head of the family. And as a kid of 4 or 5 years old you’re thinking, ‘Oh that’s pretty cool. I’m big stuff.’ But I guarantee you, my auntie made it very clear, the higher up you are, the lower down you serve. You will serve and help everybody.

King Solomon of the bible, he was offered two things: great wealth or wisdom. He made his choice. He chose wisdom…true wealth. In the native world we talk about our work…not our job where we make money, but our work expanding on our gifts in life. Wisdom is knowing what to do with your gifts, to know what to do with them, who to help. If you listen to your heart and soul it’ll tell you who to spend your energy with, who to spend your resources with, and give attention to those people.

I do a lot of writing and it’s called my Morning Musings. I write about whatever issues are on my mind for the day. And I end it with the same sentence, ‘Yes, we are our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers.’ Our deeds and actions will affect our neighbor. Our selfishness takes away from somebody else. Our generosity helps somebody else.

I was at this elders lunch a couple of months ago and I was having this very animated talk with the other elders there about world issues, wars and all the troubles. This one little grandma, she must have been 80-something years old, and I looked over at her and she had her hands on her head. ‘When the world discovers we’re all just one family we’ll all be better off.’ And she was almost in tears.

We’re all related. We’re all indigenous to the earth. There’s no such thing as a non-indigenous human being. When you think about it in a pure scientific sense, this is ridiculous. How can someone not be a human being? That’s why I just shake my head a lot and throw my hands up…I mean, we’re all indigenous.

The world was made up of different cultures formed from different tribes, different villages, different families. And when you become aware of that you realize how important it is to take care of your sisters and brothers.