'Peace Within' There once was a Chief who offered one of his prized arrows to the Indian who could best define peace through their art. The Chief viewed all the entries, but only two caught his eye and now he must decide. One picture was of a ravine amidst the valley with many forms of prospering life. A most serene mountain with a pink and blue sky. Many agreed that this was indeed the perfect place to be. The other picture was mountainous too. It was of rugged rocks where little rain fell and was nearly bare of vegetation. There appeared no peace at all. But when the Chief looked once more, he saw something beyond the barren rock; a yellow flower somehow nourished from the scarce sun and rainfall. So, which of the indians won the prized arrow for their picture? The Chief chose the second one. And why you may ask? Perhaps because peace may not be a perfect place where the sky is always blue and supplies all your needs. Nor a place free from struggles and challenges. Peace means to be in the midst of all the strife and still find beauty in the Creator's gifts and serenity in our hearts. This is the true meaning of peace within. ~k '01 ©

To my brother~ The greatest man the world has known. He stands miles above the rest. A powerful man- proud tall and true. Full of wisdom exempt from encyclopedias; teachings unfounded in schools. He speakes to me and needs no words. A beacon of hope in a darkened world. A guiding light for brothers souls. Protector of our faith. Defender of fate. With him I grow. Without him I groan. A man wholesome I wish I could be... half the man my brother is to me. excerpt from 'Visions, Thoughts and Dreams' by J. Mineo

I yearn for the waters to lead me home where each stroke shall bring me where i belong. A light rain may quench my hair for i hope the weather will be fair. 'Tis not a long journey i take, but a pondering stroll in this clear lake. If only to be thankful for the sun, moon and stars that guide me from yonder way and afar. Of all that i've seen in the life i lead, nothing is finer than to be at peace and all said. Tomorrow will arrive with another surprise as plans take me else where without any ties. Might each day see the light and maybe even soar new heights. ~k '92 ©

Rivers, lakes and streams are the riches of the earth that give us life. Without them the oceans would have nothing to nurture. They are sick and in need of care. Leaking oil barges, over fishing, and industrial waste have caused these waters great ill. Many aquatic plants and animals that once were will never be. Mother Earth has been more than patient is no longer so forgiving. Our grandchildren will have to pay our debts. Will they still enjoy the coral reefs and sandy beaches free of debris? Will birds and other wildlife becoming wandering nomads in search of suitable habitation? Must we then seek another planet to destroy when we can no longer live here on earth? Well, of course not. But i must admit, the thought has crossed my mind for the coming generations. So, let's respect what our Creator has provided for every living creature and their domain. And please be kind to our greatest natural resource. ~k

Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal... a commitment to excellence- that will enable you to attain the success you seek. ~Mario Andretti

My Parents They fell in love when it was not acceptable in America for an indian and a white woman to be together. They were from different continents and traveled throughout Europe. My father was born in Chicago of Iroquois parents and my mother in London of British lineage. My father was born in 1895 and my mother in 1919. As you can see, there were many years between them, and my dad was in his sixties when my sister and i were born in the 50's. Dad persuaded mom to move to the United States when she became pregnant with my older sister. She reluctantly came to America leaving behind a job in the tv/film industry. She had worked with Alfred Hitchcock as a 'continuity girl' for several years. Her job was to make sure that the props in the take of each scene were compatible with the action, script and dialog. For example, was the wine glass full or near empty or was a cigarette half smoked or just lit. Most of the bloopers you see on tv are from poor continuity. They're considered funny nowadays. But my mom would not allow such things and neither would Mr. Hitchcock, perfectionists ya might say. When she moved to Washington, D.C., she worked in advertising and later got a job as a secretary with a Jewish foundation. She passed away in the early seventies at the age of 52.

My father grew up at a time when there were many territorial disputes among Native Americans and the Government in the early 1900's. There are still some that exist today. During the days of Theodore Roosevelt, my dad, not much more than a teenager, took his first steps into politics along with many young and old. He rode among others on horseback across the Midwest seeking to help reclaim the land that was being taken away. The gov't forced the indians to live in designated areas with hardly any resources to live a decent life. We know them better as reservations, but less than a hundred years ago, the indians were treated like they didn't even belong to American civilization. Seems ironic now, but this infuriated my dad as well as his companions. Although success was few and far between, i do appreciate their valiant efforts and am thankful that my dad saw an injustice and tried to do something about it. He later became a writer and contributed to various magazines and had a column in the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper for many years covering the ravages of war from WWll to the Korean War and part of the Vietnam War. He also attended the Nuremberg trials as a reporter. He passed away in the late seventies at the age of 82.

Pow wows are a time of celebration~ A homecoming and gathering of friends and families. But it's so much more... it's a feeling. Many of the customs for today's pow wows came from the nomadic tribes of the Great Plains. The buffalo was central to the Plains Indians way of life. The buffalo supplied food, clothing and many other items used in their day-to-day life. As the buffalo migrated the plains, the people followed. During the winter months, traveling and hunting became very difficult and the tribes were forced to split up into small bands related by family or clan ties. As summer arrived, the bands would rejoin and each tribe would come together for the buffalo hunt, the major ceremonies of the tribe, and for the pow wows. These summer gatherings would bring together all the members of each tribe. This was a time for the sharing of stories about the great hunting feats and raiding parties, and a time for the telling of visions and the singing of songs that held many powers and spoke of the deeds of fallen brothers and ancestors gone many years. Pow wows are a time of happiness, thankfulness, and great feelings of pride in the honoring of friends and elders. But most of all, it was a time of music, song, and dance. Today, the spirit of the old pow wows lives on. wisdomkeepers.org

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Pow Wows, a tradition When a lead singer, along with his group of singers (which we collectively call "the Drum") plays the drum and sing the songs, the power of the drum carries the good medicine to the dancers and spectators. It has been said that, "A drum such as this stands at the center of the universe and the dancers' hearts beat as one with this drum." At a pow wow, the singers are the all-important ingredient. Without them there would be no dance. It is the lead (Head) singer, along with his other singers (collectively called 'the Drum'), who provide the music for the dancers. While the Flag and Veteran's songs are always played at the beginning of a dance session, the other songs played during the session will vary based on the types of dance styles that are represented and the purpose of the pow wow. Flag Song - Most pow wows are begun with a grand entry followed by the flag song or Indian national anthem. This is sung in their native language and accompanies the American flag over the Dance Arena. Patriotism and valor are highly regarded traits among Native Americans and we have a great respect for this country. Please stand and remove your hat for this song. There is no dancing during the Flag Song. Veteran's Song - Native Americans still hold bravery and valor in battle in high regard. The veterans' song is sung to honor all those who served in the armed forces and especially those who have fallen in battle. Only veterans (and occasionally their families) may dance to this song. As in the flag song, all other dancers and spectators stand in silence during this song. Source: wisdomkeepers.org