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Lawrence J. Barkwell: (born 1943 – 26 September 2019) was a Canadian author,[1] editor, historian[2] and lecturer,[3] best known for his comprehensive writings on the Métis Nation and Culture.
Friday 02/16/2024 E&SC NEW Reawakening
Good evening everyone. What an amazing blessing it is for us all to be here tonight.
My legal name is Lawrence Francis Hawk. People who call me that either want to give…, or take my money. Usually it's the latter. Most of you know me as Hawk.
My ancestors are Norwegian, Irish, German, Welsh, and French.
I was told…, my great great grandfather, on my Fathers side…, Pierre Parenteau was adopted by the people of the Metis Nation, of North America, now in Canada, as a War Chief during the 1860s uprisings. We, and All friends of the Metis Nation won that war.
My Great Grandfather from Ireland married his youngest daughter.
All of the Warriors, Men and Women and Children, of All of these nations paid the price for me to be here tonight.
Thank you for inviting me to speak at what I consider to be the Reawakening of the Earth and Spirit Council mission and experiment.
One of my earliest childhood spiritual memories was walking and running through deer trails, and switchbacks in the hills of Mill Valley California, and later throughout the Great Northwest. They empowered me to leap in the air as I flew through them.
Sometimes stumbling and falling in laughter, then shaking off the bruises.
Such as it was, these kinds of experiences brought us all here tonight, back to The Clan of The Earth and Spirit Council; except today we do not shake off our stumbling’s as we did when we were young.
Now we do our best to learn from those pieces.
My most memorable experience with Grampa Rod McAfee
Was at an event in the Native American Student & Community Center at PSU where Linda’s Mother, Georgia said something like, “he spoke more that night than most of us had heard from him over the many years we spent around him.” Rod McAfee Gift Video (This link is a copy of that speech.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mQUjprfYw
One of the things he said was, “Spirituality is very personal”
At the end of the talk, the crowd was invited to ask him questions.
I asked him, “What is the difference between a dream and a vision?
He said, "I can't tell you the difference between them because they are very personal. But if you have a vision, you must act on it, or else it will disappear.”
That is what We have done. Our dreams and shared visions have brought us All here this evening to this moment in time, They have done their work.
What I have learned, is that it is by design that we are only able to experience small pieces of the big picture. It is what some of us call The Great Mystery.
Halfway through my time with the Natural Way Program in the Earth and Spirit Council, I met Professor, Cornel Pewewardy, Director of Indigenous Studies at Portland State University. He taught me one word that I came to study from then on.
“Reciprocity.” He said something to the effect that reciprocity is a foundational knowing of indigenous people around the world. I call it ‘Earth-based Spirituality.’
Recently, I have found Trust in the Synchronicity of Reciprocity in Nature, in the nature of The Great Spirit, in the nature of The Great Mystery.
I have found sanctuary and refuge there, in Acceptance.
It sometimes takes a quantum leap of faith and surrender to know that our shared vision ‘to live in harmony with nature, and each other’ has always been.
It has been prophesized and acted upon over and over again through Dreams, Visions and Ceremony throughout time.
Our Legacy is to act on that calling as all of our ancestors have, and will—Respectfully.
I wrote this Poem called ‘Warrior’
It is a re-imagining of the Ancient Indigenous Teachings of what it is to be a Warrior.
young warrior
bellow your heart
illuminate your spirit
touching stars
making earth tremble
throughout
student warrior
find your spirit song
let it guide you
as cleansing thunders do
rippling within
entirely
beckoning songbirds
of dawn through dusk
lonely warrior
seek your companions
find your mate
the ones who heal
challenges illusions
exposes weakness
tests notions of trust
earn theirs
warrior men and women
serve family
all our relations
mentor solutions
needed
become peace
you seek
elder warriors
grandmother
grandfather
rise above
lay burdens down
leave weapons down
become grace
always desired
earned
~ hsh (c) 060216
(edit (010924)
A Warriors strength and wealth, Was & Is based on how much anyone, of any age or sex, could offer to strengthen the whole.
We inherently have always known that our strength was only as strong as our weakest link in life or death.
It is by Natures Design that our first priority is to survive, and that depends on us helping each other.
I want to go home.
I don't want to be angry anymore.
I need to know Serenity.
I long for Peace.
Mitakuye Oyasın
~ hsh © 021524
(edit 032224)
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Metis Prisoners
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