Everyday Sacredness

Everyday sacredness? What the heck is that? What makes something sacred? My Mom and Dad used to gather the crumbs of the bread when they were eating. I guess it was something they learned eating at the residential schools or something that their parents thought them. We have been thought that food is sacred. Yet we take food for granted. Sure we give food the casual thought when we see the starving people infomercials on tv. When it comes down to eat we don't remember the sacredness of food. Sacredness of all those things around us. We wolf down the Big Mac or Chinese food (aurrrrrhh... emulating Homer Simpson) without a second thought about how fortunate we are. I know people say Grace at some tables and good golly good for them. It is a practice that should remind people how lucky, blessed even, they are. In general we don't think about everyday sacredness.

I was thinking about Bundles (you know Indian Bundles or Sacred Bundles) and how we ALL have a Bundle. When you hear about the Bundle you wonder what is in that Bundle and how can I get one? Are you a bingo player? If you want to see parts of a Bundle go to bingo. Doesn't even have to be a bingo with Indian people in it. These little old ladies (stereotyping here) have all sorts of sacred items at the head of their station. Little dice, pictures even troll dolls. That is part of their Bundles. Not trying to trivialize the sacredness of ancestral Bundles. We all have things that we hold dear. My daughter used to give me rocks when she was very small. I don't know why. I kept a few of those rocks. They are in my Bundle. The rocks hold something sacred for me. The innocence of a child. The love and generousity of a child. My Mom used to give us Turtles. This artist in our Reserve makes paintings, carvings, and other items. Mom used to get him to make little stone turtles for us. I still have some. I put some on my Son's Headstone. There are thoughts, feelings, even memories that go with a certain item and that is what makes it sacred. Sacred to you. A rock is just a rock for many people. But have the rock come from your baby girl and it takes on a new life. What is in your Bundle? A picture, a feather, a rock? Do you put things in your Bundle that you expect should be there? Something that Indians would put in their Bundles way back when?

Story from home...I like to tease and make fun. Sometimes it's to the point that it is no longer funny. This is not one of those stories. I had an idea on money making. You ever see in those old comics or old magazines, there are all sorts of adds. You could send away for x-ray glasses, weird monster horses and even a sliver from the Holy Cross. I thought now that is an idea! We have our versions of sacrifice for others. I told this Elder I was going to gather some of the soil, parts of the Tree at the Sundance site. I would then advertise to sell them to people. Think of it, all these super prayers at your disposal. You wouldn't have to do any of the sacrifice but hold a piece of those prayers for yourself. Great, don't you think? I would even get the items put in a leather pouch or a glass vile that you could where on your neck. When I told Elder Fabian he was speechless. I never did get an answer from him, so the idea died. Wonder if he thought I would really do it?

But I did do something else. I sent two dollars to this very famous tel-evangelist. I sent the donation in the name of a friend named Brian. Now Brian started receiving all sorts of interesting things. He got a picture of the evangelist hand. He was to send another donation, then put his hand on the picture and they would pray together for what he wanted. He also got a two candles, where he was to send one back, with a donation, and then they would light the candles together for their prayers to go up and be heard. He got other things, and that is what makes an idea a good one.