Down the lineage
 

When I was younger, my Grandma once told me we had a grandma down the line that was native american but over the decades, her story was forgotten. Is this even true?

Always wondered why I would have these experiences of being guided to this sort of spirituality. The healing, the way of life - all so natural to me. Synchronicities. The dreams of this man and woman staring at me in regalia. A wolf in my most troubled moments. Sitting at the water and feeling the ancestors before us in the breeze. Feeling crazy mentioning this to anyone. A feeling deep within my soul. Stumbling upon a medicine wheel group at 19. Learning songs, stories, the earth's heart beat of the drum. Sweat lodge, invitations, gatherings and potlucks. Collecting arts and crafts. Accepting that I'll never truly know my connection to all this but being ok with that. This is really the condensed version lol.

Years have gone by and paintings/drawings have been used to express my dreams and visions. After coming into my power and accessing ancestral strength after a workshop last year and a lodge dedicated to all the grandmothers down the lineage, answers seemed to happen so quickly but clearly at the right time. I'm not so sure I'd be able to handle this info in such a touching way when I was younger.

After my cousin did some digging, we've found out this 8th great grandmother of our's was daughter of a chief who played a pivotal roll in the french and Indian war. Now of course I am not claiming to be Native American with such a small percentage like many other's claim lol. But to have answers to these experiences is one of the most healing things of my existence. Looking at these pictures of him makes so much sense. Everything. I am so honored to have their protection as well as others.

I can sit at my alter and pray to my seneca and other nation ancestors as well as study the Iroquois. I have names now and it is so powerful. I prayed for creativity and for ways to connect. I got an urge to look up wampum (never heard about it before) I start crafting my own beads to replicate quahog shell beads from polymer clay. In a trance like state over a few nights, I made a Haudenosaunee wampam belt. I started making my own dream catchers and getting curious about seneca style beadwork. I learn the songs, sing and craft to the memory of them. It is wonderful.

I can't believe with such little percentage, this feeling can be so strong. Like they are urging me to keep the memory alive and to teach my own.

https://imgshare.io/image/zNe7K

My Hiyawatha belt with more styles to follow

"This belt is a national belt of the Haudenosaunee. The belt is named after Hiawatha, the Peacemaker’s helper. In this belt, it records when 5 nations; the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk, buried their weapons of war to live in peace. Each square represents a nation and the line connects each nation"

The most precious gift of my life. So happy and looking forward to learning, growing and creating more. Thanks, Gram and Gramps!!!

Nice.
I once took a sweat up in Onondaga.:icon_sunny:

And how was that? I would love to go to the East coast and pay respect to this grandmother's grave and supposedly where he is burried. You know, once all this covid stuff is behind us.

I hope you get to visit your Gran's grave one day.
The sweat was real nice.
My wife had stayed at Onondaga for a few months in her travels.
So when I went there with her, she was welcomed back
and I was welcomed with open arms.
We had only stayed the night, but they were having a sweat
when we showed up, so we jumped in.
This was all back in 1995 or so.

ONONDAGA

I went scuba diving once in Onondaga Lake. The water was so murky you could not see beyond one foot.


At the New York State Fair each year, the Onondaga Indians always had their traditional way of life on display so people could see how their long houses were built and the type of food they ate.