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"A Few Words from Trinton "TrinityHawk" Garrett
Hello everyone,
Thank you for stopping by my site and taking the time to read what I have to say.
I thought I would give you a little background about myself to start with, I am truthfully multi-cultural, the cultures that I know of are:
Cherokee, Choctaw, Northern Apache, Irish, Black Dutch, and French. Plus, I have been taught and adopted by Souix Elder.
As you can see I am not what most would call full-blooded American Indian and I do not wish to take anything away from those whom are and have had the great honor of growing up in the Native American Culture, -- they have had TOO many things taken away already--.
With my art and writings I only wish to honor all of my ancestors as I continue to learn more about them and try to pass on my knowledge to others who may be trying to find their way back to the culture and good Red Road.
However, I do claim some of my art to be of Native American style, or to have a Native American Spiritual teaching. I have been honored by many guides and teachers in the Native American Culture, both in this world and in the sleep world, also it is where my spirit leads me. And I was once told by a great Medicine woman that to deny your spirit and not to follow where it leads only leads to heartache and disaster for not only yourself but for others who you might of helped along the way. So, I follow my spirit and many of works are spiritual in nature.
In my travels to find my way along the good Red Road I have had a very rude awakening of how some of the Native Culture treat others who are not as "pure" in the Native Blood. I personally do not believe that the percentage of blood should matter. What should matter most is what is in one's heart and soul. The use of 'blood quantum' is just a way of surrogating the American Indian in my mind. After all, our Tribes are dying off and our languages because our young are no longer interested in learning and others are worried about how "pure" another is or if they carry a card to prove their pedigree.
By way of marrying non-Indians, and by the survival skills of some of my ancestors, Like my great-great grandmother who lived as a white man to take part in the Oklahoma land run so she could own property and not live on a reservation, the percentage of my own Indian blood became less, therefore, I find that some feel I can no longer be considered an Native American. However, my spirit and soul is as Native as my great- great grandmother's blood was. A point I frequently bring up in my debates is what other culture do you know of that has to carry a card proving their pedigree.
I am not saying that Native American Sacred Traditions should be shared with everyone. I know there was a rash run on learning the Native ways in the past as a "cool" thing to do, not because their spirit and heart cried out for the teachings.
But, I still say; it shouldn't be based on how "pure" your blood is but on what is in your heart and soul.
Our CREATOR has many names: GOD, GODDESS, MASTER, and LORD, as well as, MESSIAH... No matter what each culture calls HIM or HER, S/HE is the CREATOR of all humankind. It is time to stop the hatred and mend the Sacred Hoop!
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This page was last updated on: May 15, 2005
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