Yesterday was a pretty energy shifting day, the whole group became much closer and I know this will only enhance our level of engagement during the rest of our workshops and talking circles. For example today during story telling with Tata Vicente I really felt moved by hearing stories that originate directly from my ancestors. Tata looked at me, my brothers, and sisters as if we were his children and he was telling us a bed time story; Our ancestors signed treaties that would lead us to adopt catholicism just to protect our families, traditions, and knowledge. Our great leaders knew that so much more would be lost if we didn’t give rule to the Spanish empire. My blood boils with anger when I hear that other native people assimilated and embrace the catholic church. Now that I understand why they assimilated, I don’t feel as disturbed by something that once enraged me so much. Later in the day the males participated in ceremony, where as the sound of the drum got harder the beat beat of my heart did as well, and my voice during prayer became medicine for the reminder of the atrocities our people continue to face today. Later when we had free time students either went to the village for frozen yogurt or they went swimming, both seemed a little too chaotic for me especially after an exhausting day so I decided to stay with Nana Julia, Tata Vicente, and Alejandro, and just colored, listen to the trees dancing in the wind, and enjoyed the company of proud indigenous people (something I don’t get to do often).
nativeyouth2college.org 