Haudenosaunee and Peace Keeping

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Hello again everyone!

I've made it back to Boston, and have finally slowed down enough to post some new thoughts on peacekeeping. For years now, I've admired a quote from Oren Lyons who is the Chief and Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois which is a member of the Haudenosaunee. I found this quote in the "Honoring Nations: Celebrating Excellence in Tribal Governance" handbook from The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/hpaied/ 2005 edition.

Haudenosanee history tells us that when the Great Peacemaker came amongst our people some thousand years ago, he gave us democratic principles. These principles include an understanding of responsibility. The Great peacemaker told us, "When you sit and you council for the welfare of the people, think not of yourself, nor of your family, nor even of your generation." He instructed us to make our decisions on behalf of seven generations coming, and those faces that are looking up from the earth, and each layer waiting their time, coming-coming-coming. Chief Shenandoah used to say, "You had better start planting." That is what these honored programs are doing. Planting takes all kinds of forms and all kinds of ideas. The 2005 Honoring Nations Honorees are demonstrating democratic principles and taking responsibility-planting the seeds for the coming generations. Congratuations and thank you, for serving your people well.

I just wanted to finally post this for all to see. :-D