Life Language & Interpretation WordPlay: WAKAN TANKA KICI UN Family Team
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of life, the Great Sacred, the Holy: or, Wakan Tanka.
Photo & article by Marcia Singer •
lovearts@att.net In
SANTA ROSA, CA. ~
Rummaging through my things, in the midst of a radi- cal
downsizing
of possessions, I came across an advertisement
I’d saved from an Native American school in South Dakota. On the front in bold print, it says that in the Lakota Sioux language, the way to say “May
Great
Spirit Bless You” is “Wakan Tanka kici un.” You probably pronounce that Wah-kahn Tahn- -kah kee oon. my
During childhood
summers at Camp Ko-ha- me in Silverdale
Kansas, we had two songs taken from Native tribal tra- ditions.
One was “ah oo-
nee koo-nee ky-yi oo-nee.” It ended with dancing hand moves to, “ah oo-nee kee- chee!” I immediately recog- nized the similarity to kici un, in the Lakota school ad. We little campers in Blue Bird/ Camp Fire Girl territory also sang a haunting tune, as we marched single file from eve- ning camp fires back to our tents for sleep. We sang out to “Wokanda” to watch over us. This is apparently an Omaha- Ponca (and other nations) trib- al term for The Great Mystery
whether we know it or not or act accordingly. It would mean that any among us is free to discover our inherent divinity and worth, again and again, throughout a lifetime. T’is the season to practice humanity’s best teachings, even when I feel resistence to respecting, honoring, for- giving, finding compassion for those among us whose choices have brought pain to others, indeed, to me per- sonally.
But that’s what fol-
lowing the Golden Rule is all about, as the life of the late South African president Nelson Mandela exemplifies: choosing not to harm others,
In seed-time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. ~William Blake
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other words, the phrase in English is, “May Love bless you.” Like my own sensibili- ties about the great myster- ies of existence, these Native peoples believe that within each of us, and within every- thing, is that un-nameable, sacred stuffe of existence that our universe is made of. That would mean that each of us is good by our very nature,
even when they’ve harmed you, but to rise to the occasion of treating them as you would most want to be treated. We have celebrated our winter festivals of light, witnessed the changing of the seasons toward the light, and the re- birthing of loving conscious- ness to a world in need. May 2014 bring more peace, more hope, joy, more sharing of the wealth, less fear of our own light and magnificence --“each and every one,” to quote Tiny Tim.
May you be and feel for- tunate today, this month, as we begin a brand new year er.
togeth- Join me
in resolving to
practice
remembering the wholeness -the
wHo- chee
liness- the “wakan” that we are made of. Let’s treat each
other
and all living things with the kindness and consider-
ation we all deserve. Wakan Tanka kici un. Or as I like to say, Shine deLight,
do team members in different contexts do? How is a football team like a volleyball team or a baseball team? How is your family like a bowling team or an orchestra or bee hive? What kind of rules does your family use? How does your family change and develop? How are people in your family supported and guided? How do you celebrate successes? How does your family learn- ing team solve problems or right wrongs?
It will be fun to ask the mem- bers of your family these questions. Enjoy !
Chance Massaro Coaches
individuals and teams in easy learning and solid memory. Free seminars: 526-9196
UPBEAT TIMES • January 2014 • 17 JOKES & Humor # 7
A blackjack dealer and a player with a thirteen count in his hand were arguing about whether or not it was appropriate to tip the dealer. The player said, “When I get bad cards, it’s not the dealer’s fault. Accordingly, when I get good cards, the dealer obviously had nothing to do with it so, why should I tip him?” The dealer said, “When you eat out do you tip the waiter?” “Yes.” “Well then, he serves you food, I’m serving you cards so you should tip me.”
“Okay. But the waiter brings me whatever I order. So I’ll take an eight.”.
Silences make the real
conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is
what counts. Margaret Lee Runbeck
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ndsgalleryboutique.com UPBEAT TIMES • January 2014 • 17
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