Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Ancestors




First Encounter Beach, Eastham, Massachusett

Myles Standish of the Mayflower, and perhaps others, came ashore near this beach and encountered Native Americans from the Nauset Tribe of the Wampanoag nation.  I visited recently to honor my ancestors who I can trace to the Mayflower through Richard Warren.  I said aloud the list of descendants down to myself, buried a photo of me as a child, tried to light a candle but it was too windy.

I also apologized for the way my ancestors treated the Native Americans, from that day to this.  The tide was low, the days was lovely.The Cape is my ancestral home ground, no wonder I am so drawn to the landscape.

Our views of "conquering" other countries have changed in contemporary times, at least for some of us.  We see the travesty of taking what others' cherish, of giving nothing in return except small-poxed blankets.  Yet throughout the world people still pursue this quest of conquering.  

Let us be peace in our daily life, live peace and caring, to counter war and conquest.

15 comments:

Mystic Meandering said...

Suki, what a wonderful gift to yourself to honor your ancestry in this way, and to apologize in spirit for the way our ancestors have treated the true Natives of this land, and how we treat each other even today... Very powerful statement! If we could only remember the thread of Universal Life Energy that we all truly are, that connects us all; our True Beingness. But the mind gets in there and mucks it up creating divisiveness... As you say "remembering is hard" in our daily lives... sigh...

Rosaria Williams said...

Amen! On one hand, we are all growing up in our understandings of our cultural mistakes of the past; on the other hand, some of us are even brasher with statements of hate and misogyny. Came here through Options for a Better World, a mutual blog-friend. Glad to meet you.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I am glad you are enjoying yourself Suki. It is a tragedy that our nation began as it did. Let us hope there will be nothing like this done again. Peace.

kj said...

beautifully said, suki. i just read about what a jerk christopher columbus was. as if america was 'discovered', since it had inhabitants when he decided to claim fame to it.

i wish i could feel that these 'mistakes' were in the past. but such arrogance continues. hell, we invaded iraq.

i hope you have had a wonderful wonderful time on the cape

love
kj

sukipoet said...

Mystic, thank you. Yes a sort of bitter sweet thing, to acknowledge my both honorable and less than honorable roots. Am glad I did it.


sukipoet said...

rosaria, glad to meet you too. have know KJ for years both on blogs and in person. And I thank you for your comments. Blessed be.

sukipoet said...

Lisa, yes. We can only hope but as KJ says it keeps on keeping on. It is a form of arrogance for sure and lack of empathy and understanding that brings us to invade and intrude on other. Yes, I am enjoying myself and the weather has been super. I didnt bring shorts but could have worn them and my sandals almost every day.

sukipoet said...

KJ I saw an article on FB about Columbus but didnt read it. Maybe I can look it up. My visit here did not play out as I planned, but it has been wonderful. Slight chance I will stay longer, not sure. Mainly bec I cant make choices. Hate to leave aaron up there for so long too. I'll know soon though. Have a beautiful visit with Baino and Women's Week.

patti said...

Amen Suki X

sukipoet said...

amen back at you Patti.

Mim said...

Suki - enjoy your time there, I hope you stay but maybe i'ts just not in the cards. but still....enjoy and drink it all in

sukipoet said...

Thanks Mim. Of course re: the cards, I am holding the hand. LOL. It's so interesting when one is torn in two directions.

Annie said...

Susan, what dear and caring person you are. Be well and have some fun while you are there. xoxo

sukipoet said...

thank you Annie

layers said...

I do agree with you... all the conquering in past history... only led to destruction of cultures and lands... we can only hope to win with love and hope.