Tag Archives: Relationships

April 1, 2013 · 10:42 am

Invitation to see Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi

The government and coporate interests of the U.S. are in a dispute with the government and corporate interests of Iran.  We are led to believe that the people of Iran are different from us, that their beliefs and attitudes are a danger to us.  The Iranian people have been told that the U.S. is the great satan.
From the perspective of the Creator we are just squabbling siblings.  Unfortunately, the division between us effects billions of people. Continue reading →
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February 13, 2013 · 10:55 am

Living in Balance + Coyote Life Festival Reminder

Hau Kolas,
 
Just back from a morning walk on a beautiful, wintery morning.  Even in February the birds sing to each other, announcing our presence.  The deer flash their white tails as they dash for deeper cover.  A bumpy trail in the snow reveals the tunnel of a hungry rodent looking for something good to eat.  Footprint trails of many kinds including turkey, racoon, squirrels and rabbits mark the comings and goings of our brothers and sisters who roam the Winter forest.  At this time of year, you can hear the howls and yips of the coyotes echoing in the night.  The females are calling for mates.  When the woods are healthy, full with a diversity of plants and animals, the coyotes know its a good time to bring pups into the world. 
 
A little over 80 years ago we the people passed a law called the Animal Damage Control Act.  The intention of this law was to reduce the damage to farms and homes caused by wild creatures.  We now call the agency created by that law the Department of Wildlife Services.  The service this agency provides is to kill over 2,000,000 ‘nuisance’ animals every year at a cost of more than $100,000,000 annually.  Especially hated among the animals are the predators bears, mountain lions, wolves and coyote.  They represent about 150,000 of the animals killed each year and the coyote about 90,000 of those. 
 
We have spent billions of dollars killing animals under the Animal Damage Control Act.  We have employed methods of killing that many find inhumane such as poisoning, snares that strangle, and traps that maim and slowly kill their victims.  What have we gained from these practices?  Farmers and ranchers still complain that predation threatens their livelihood.  Coyotes and other predators are expanding their ranges even into the cities.  Scientists who study the relationship between predators, humans and the environment are coming to better understand the effects of the Animal Damage Control Act.  Using the coyote as an example, they have learned that efforts to exterminate them have very little benefit.  In cases where short term kill methods have been used, by that they mean projects lasting less than 6 months, coyote migration will replace the population within 3 months of the end of the project.  Longer term kill methods have been able to hold down the coyote population, but have resulted in an imbalance in the ecosystem that leads to an overabundance of animals that compete with livestock animals for forage.  The loss of forage reduces the capacity of ranchland to support livestock to a degree greater than that caused by predation.  The loss of a top predator like the coyote also leads to a simplification of the ecosystem.  Once they are removed, a rash of extinctions occurs among the other animals.  Biodiversity is lost and the stability of the ecosystem is threatened.  The scientists are coming to understand what the native people had observed in the days before science.  Coyote and predators in general serve an important role in maintaining the balance and health of the ecosystem.  Their presence improves the health and abundance of all forms of life. 
 
We as a nation must learn how to live in balance with the coyote and other predators.  Our old policies are based on fear and greed.  Actual studies of predation on livestock show that it is both less common and less costly than what has been portrayed.  Alternative methods of dealing with the problem of predation are showing promise.  Marin County in California has discontinued their contract with Wildlife Services, opting instead for programs that protect livestock with improved fencing, guard dogs and compensation to farmers for lost livestock.  These methods have proven to be not only more effective, but also less expensive. 
 
The perceived struggle between the predators and the farmers is a reflection of the struggle faced by all of us in a modern society.  Our desire to control and consume the Earth for profit without regard for the consequences of our choices is proving to be unsustainable.  We are damaging the health and wholesomeness of our environment.  The quality of our life and the lives of our future generations will suffer if we do not learn to live in harmony with all our relations.
 
The Coyote Life Festival is not just a protest against the extermination of coyote, it is also a celebration of the value of the coyote and honoring the important role it plays in maintaining balance and health for all of us.  Please join us in celebrating all life Friday, Feb 22nd through Sunday, Feb 24th.   Email tim@healinglifeways.org if you have questions about lodging, directions, or what to bring with you for this weekend of celebration.

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December 7, 2012 · 4:01 pm

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from Follow the Buffalo, Inc.

We hope your holidays are warm and cozy, filled with laughter and joy shared with loved ones. The chill of Winter drives us inside from the elements, but draws us inward in reflection. We hope as you look back on 2012 you find many things to be grateful for and that your experiences of the year lead to new insights and even greater wisdom.

At Follow the Buffalo, Inc. we look back at 2012 with special fondness as the year we brought our vision into reality – a vision of helping our brothers and sisters on the reservation and those working to preserve native cultures. We are discovering just how much we have to learn in building relationships, raising funds, and working for change. The challenges before us are great, but the Creator is leaving us that bread crumb trail of hints and bringing just the right people in at the right times to help us make our way.428px-Snow-covered_Bison_bison

The spirit that drives Follow the Buffalo, Inc. is the understanding that we are all related, all children of the same Creator. We are part of that great circle of life, each with a role to play in this creation we call earth. The Lakota way of expressing this is Mitakuwe Oyasin – All My Relations. They proclaim this each time they pray.

As we enjoy the warmth and abundance of the holidays with our loved ones, we hope that you will join us in remembering our brothers and sisters who’s life on the reservation can be challenging in the cold months of Winter.

Your donation can make a real difference in easing suffering and providing encouragement.

Thank you so much for all the ways you bring more light into the world.

Mitakuwe Oyasin!

We invite you to share this message with your friends and family.  Click the link to open as a PDF: winter letter

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November 11, 2012 · 1:08 pm

Announcing the Coyote Life Festival

Follow the Buffalo, Inc. and Healing Lifeways are joining to sponsor and host the first Coyote Life Festival in Comins, Michigan on the weekend of February 22-24, 2013.

The Coyote Life Festival is a celebration of life, love, and laughter in the traditional “coyote spirit”.  There will be plenty of fun, food, games, drumming, singing, storytelling, sharing, and thanksgiving.

Tentative Schedule

Friday

  • Arrive 5-8 pm – meet, mix, and mingle
  • 8-10 pm – drumming, singing, and bonfire (weather permitting)
  • 10pm – Canupa (pipe) ceremony

Saturday

  • 7:30 am – pancake breakfast
  • Morning – games, crafts, and workshops (TBD)
  • 12pm – soup, sandwich, and potluck lunch
  • Afternoon – games, crafts, outdoor activities (weather permitting), drumming, songs, and stories
  • 5-8pm – chili supper – this will be open to the public and will feature drumming, singing, dancing, contests, and discussion on the theme of celebrating life with gratitude
  • Evening – prayers, discussion, etc.

Sunday

  • 8:30 am – breakfast
  • 10 am – blessing the land, drumming, singing, Canupa (pipe) ceremony
  • 12 pm – lunch, cleanup, and farewell

Additional Information

Cost – We suggest a donation of $40 for the weekend (includes all food and activities).  All proceeds will benefit Follow the Buffalo, Inc.

What to bring – simple food to share on Friday evening and Saturday lunch.

Please contact us for lodging information.

To register or learn more, please email sally@followthebuffalo.org or tim@healinglifeways.org or call Tim at (989)848-5757

Click the link below to download a PDF flyer:

Coyote Life Festival info

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October 29, 2012 · 12:13 am

What is the Elder Wood Project?

Winters on the Pine Ridge Reservation are harsh.  Weather is extreme – severe winds are common and temperatures are bitter cold, frequently below zero.  Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation.  Even more homes lack central heating.  Wood burning is the second most common form of heating a home, although wood supplies are often expensive or difficult to obtain. Continue reading →

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October 17, 2012 · 8:41 pm

Keeping of the Soul

The Inipi or sweat lodge is just one of the sacred ceremonies of the Lakota people.  Another of their sacred ceremonies is the Keeping of the Soul.  This ceremony was given to the people to help them deal with the deep feelings of loss and grief experienced at the death of a loved one.  It provided a structure for understanding and supporting the transition from this life to the next.  It taught that even the death of a loved one can serve a life-giving purpose.  Continue reading →

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September 11, 2012 · 5:07 pm

Welcome

Welcome to Follow the Buffalo.

Follow the Buffalo envisions a world in which people of all races, cultures, socio-economic classes, and spiritual traditions are treated with dignity and respect.  The directors of Follow the Buffalo come from a community of people whose spiritual journey has allowed us the opportunity to experience a small portion of the wisdom, depth and beauty of Native American spirituality.  Continue reading →

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