Well I did it! Yes I sent in my application for Indian Status in Canada today. My brother very recently did some genealogy work on the family tree and found that the branch that had always been described as Irish because the last name was Barnhart was in fact Mohawk and had a history dating back to the Iroquois migration north in 1777 from the USA to Canada under Chief Joseph Brant after the American Revolution.
I understand the motivations of the family in distancing themselves from the stereotype of the drunken Indian and all the other degrading commentary of their day. But, nonetheless, it is hurtful to me that a significant part of my heritage has been denied me and now I am taking positive steps to rectify this sad state.
I have wondered for a long time about my attraction to native spirituality and to the music. I have a collection of flutes and drums and I have even built drums. I have spent time in native spiritual centers and have felt such a strong connect. A friend recently reminded me penchant for dating women of native extraction of native appearance.
A couple of years ago I had occasion to purchase a CD made by a native flute maker named David Maracle from the Tyendinaga reserve at Deseronto, Ontario. When checking the family tree, a man by the name of Maracle was a great grandfather. I wonder if we are related. It would be interesting to find out and perhaps I will venture that way to look him up and maybe take some lessons from him. My skills can be termed at the embryonic level.
There are some government benefits that will become available to me once my status is confirmed. But, I’m not sure I will partake. What is important to me is knowing my roots and understanding some of the energies that run in my spirit that so closely align me with the native way. Take my last journey. It was a journey of spirit and discovery. I left in the Fall at the time of harvest (the direction West) and thanks giving as it transition to winter (the North) the time of rebirth and self discovery to the spring (the East) the time of re-awakening and growth. Hmmmmmmm.
So this is the time of waiting for the application to be processed and my status as native confirmed. In that time I will commit myself to learning more of my rich heritage and discovering a whole new world that is now mine to discover and to become a part of.
Here is a little tune I played impromptu that I made up for someone very dear to me. I played this on a beautiful high D Raymond Redfeather made walnut flute.
Mary Youngblood ‘s Beneath the Raven Moon is a wonderful introduction to the person who inspired me to play the flute.
My painting Sacred Circle inspired by the ancient Ojibway sacred site at Petroglyphs Provincial Park in Ontario. The images are from sketches I made from the stone carvings on this ancient site.
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