4 Comments

Thank you for sharing this story, Ilo. How fortunate you were to have these stories embedded in you by your Pawnee stepfather. I just read your beautiful ode to your spiritual teacher, Master Ku San. I imagine those Pawnee stories left you open to the teachings of Ku San. "The thousands of worlds/which are like grains of sand/ become one whole/White snow fills the courtyard/ and magnolia blossoms bloom." Thank you thank you.

Expand full comment

Another wonderful installment and a voice calling in the wilderness. I had the great good fortune to spend part of my youth in an indigenous household. My stepfather, Garland, was a Pawnee and had been raised himself by his non-English speaking Pawnee grandparents because his Pawnee parents had died from disease. Fluent in the Pawnee language himself, he was of the last generation of such speakers and had a wealth of stories similar to what you have shared with us. Thank you!

Expand full comment

I believe in stories and reflection. Oops.

Expand full comment

I do not believe in perfect past cultures. I believe in stories and reflection. To make one culture look perfect is an insult to that culture. Each culture needs to come to its one truth within its imperfection. I know that the only way for our culture to survive is to reorder our priorities, find humility, simplicity. Eat and live local. Work with each other. Respect each other. I believe our story is still incomplete. Stuck is where we are.

Expand full comment