Martin High Bear

Here is a video Of one of my old teachers who is deceased. (48:00 min.)

I group called Wisdom of the elders are keeping his memory alive and they talk and then show a couple of his videos.

It brings back good memories and just thought I might share.

https://vimeo.com/85475084

[Native spirit]

Very interesting my grandmother used to tell me stories about life how it was for her growing up.
A friend that came from the Rose bud reservation used to tell me things as well she passed nearly three years ago.

Namaste

Originally Posted by Native spirit

Very interesting my grandmother used to tell me stories about life how it was for her growing up.
A friend that came from the Rose bud reservation used to tell me things as well she passed nearly three years ago.

Namaste

Sorry to here of your lose.

[sentient]

Great video, thank you ImthatIm for the link! Interesting too to get an idea of where you have been 'coming from’……….

Looks like the other videos are well worth watching as well.
In addition to educating about and preserving the culture, there is the reconciliation aspect to it as well and much more to their good work - plus recovering alcoholics and people who communicate with the rocks get my special attention

Now that I’ve got no. 7 in my brain – what do the 7 feathers on the wall tapestry (in that video) mean, do you know?

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Originally Posted by sentient

Great video, thank you ImthatIm for the link! Interesting too to get an idea of where you have been 'coming from’……….

Looks like the other videos are well worth watching as well.
In addition to educating about and preserving the culture, there is the reconciliation aspect to it as well and much more to their good work - plus recovering alcoholics and people who communicate with the rocks get my special attention

Now that I’ve got no. 7 in my brain – what do the 7 feathers on the wall tapestry (in that video) mean, do you know?

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I will take a stab at it.(7 feathers)
It looks to be a commercial blanket so could be anything.
But I see the pipe so that puts it in the plains area.
The seven feathers reminds me of the seven council fires.
But again it looks commercial to me.
But here is another link that speaks of the 7 fires and 7 feathers and 7 rites.

http://www.sicc.sk.ca/archive/saskindian/a93aug03.htm

I also first thought about seven drums religion until I seen the pipe.
But there is also water and mountains represented and in the middle could be a modern take on a longhouse.It could be a commissioned blanket for the seven drums religion.
Just a couple guesses.
But the pipe takes me to the plains region. But the Columbia river basin tribes sure would be familiar with the pipe.
Anyway here is another couple links on the seven drums way.

https://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/422

https://www.slideshare.net/LyraCoral...ashat-religion
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The last link has pictures too.

[sentient]

Good info ImthatIm, thanks – we are learning about 7 and you could be right there.

In the early part of the 1700's, the Dakota were divided into a fabric of seven closely related tribes and joined in an alliance of "Seven Council Fires" for their mutual protection.

This is just my imagination here, but IF they were 7 tribes united, would you not think the 7 feathers would be of equal size? You know - 'egalitarianism' and all that?

To me it looks like the middle feather is bigger as if it is a kind of summary of the 3 on both sides of it.
(The 7 commandments talked about in the video???)

So – is the ‘Honoured Feathers of Wisdom’ on the ‘Good Red Road’ a New Age fabrication or is it a real cultural thing?

From a book "Honoured Feathers of Wisdom":

Earning the ‘Honoured Feathers of Wisdom’.
These 7 Gifts are:

Wisdom: to cherish knowledge is to know wisdom.
Love: to know love is to know peace.
Respect: to honour all of the Creation is to have respect.
Courage/Bravery: Bravery is to face the foe with integrity.
Honesty: Honesty in facing a situation is to be brave.
Humility: Humility is to know yourself as a sacred part of the Creation.
Truth: Truth is to know all of these things.

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Sentient:

IF they were 7 tribes united, would you not think the 7 feathers would be of equal size? You know - 'egalitarianism' and all that?

To me it looks like the middle feather is bigger as if it is a kind of summary of the 3 on both sides of it.

I would say the tapestry/blanket is maybe someones commissioned work.But using common known symbolism.
Your just not going to find a set standard on meaning and words that you find, especially on the internet, But you may get an overall picture.
When things of the spirit are involved and things being past down they are going to vary. One will say this color means this and the other will say this color mean that. This may have been taught or they received the instruction spiritually.There are many differences.

The center feather being bigger( to me ) is like I was referring to before.
Pray to the Creator Spirit first and He is in the center.
Then the 4 directions and up and down.Which equals 7.

Any of the sites I refereed you to I am not endorsing anything in any way. Except Martin High Bear and what comes from his own mouth. Or to point to possible answers or considerations to your questions.But I no way endorse any site or material.
The book you mentioned, it is a book written by some guy who wanted to write a book.Take it for it is worth.
But the 7 "Honored feathers of Wisdom" looks like a short version of the 7 Laws/commandments/virtues there are different versions I have seen and heard.

[sentient]

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Any of the sites I refereed you to I am not endorsing anything in any way. Except Martin High Bear and what comes from his own mouth.

Wise attitude perhaps since some of the organizations and people supposedly continuing Elder Martin’s legacy are said to be fraudulent.

Personally I wouldn’t believe in the positive nor the negative claims having never met the people.
I don’t even trust in my own mind-created judgements.
But if I did meet them, I’d ask Spirit to show me “What Is”.
And everyone has a ‘link’ to Spirit.

Here another example of the teachings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru4gvkNbDnc

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[sentient]

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Yet another example of the 7:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0GL24c_plU

Interesting that the 'Sabe' is mentioned.

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[sentient]

Originally Posted by sentient

Yet another example of the 7:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0GL24c_plU

Thought that video was very good as it gave an insight into Native American Spirituality, and perhaps also how “non-natives stealing native spirituality” started.

Taught by grandfather:
The 7 Sacred Laws have acted as a foundation of our way of life and connection to the Spirit and to the Land.

Here it also becomes apparent (to me anyways) that indeed – Native American Spirituality is NO “shamanism”.

The differences:
Very early on in my childhood, my grandmother had no commandments/laws/virtues to teach me - hence no achievements/merits either.

She belonged to that old generation of ‘simpletons from the forests’ who naturally had no ego, but only lived in connections to everything.

So instead of verbal teachings – she would *shift* my awareness into silence and stillness – into what I call Nondual “One Spirit”.
That *awareness shift* into “One Spirit” IS unconditional love, THAT JUST IS, without there being a giver nor a receiver to it.
And because the *shift* was both of us, yet neither of us, how could we claim ‘merit points’ for it - for ourselves.

Also, because that *awareness shift* is not a concept, nor does it have form – I just could not understand for the life of me - how Spirituality could possibly be stolen.

But I kind of get it a bit now how these 7 Laws with specific Animal Wisdoms attached to them coupled with ceremonial forms would attract New Age ‘wannabees’ and create the phenomena of “Plastic Shamans”.

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