APTN National News
Earlier this summer, APTN National News reporter Shanneen Robinson was invited to the Sprucewoods Sundance ceremony in western Manitoba. Shanneen was given unfettered access to the site and it’s participants.
Here is part 3 of her series.
thank you for sharing this beautiful renewal and prayerful celebration with all of us.
I am proud to see the Sundance on film. I know this is a good thing.
LOTS OF HATE OUT THERE! mostly coming from traditional people. There is a Mohawk proverb: gossip is the worst form of sorcery. How many of our young peoples deaths will it take for us to realize that its 2013! Do you even realize how hateful you are. Why are we traditionals the biggest hypocrites of all? Am amazed considering how much of the Sundance was not shown. Hiding in the past will not help with the problems of now. Lets support people who deal with the now
i see nothing wrong here or on any video. i have shaketents videos from 60s reason being the old man said they will need it in the future. and so true.. we are in time of healing we just got to look out our doors to see the pain and hurt are people are in..we suffer from sexual,physical .mental , incest, drug,acohol abuse.and lists go on.. and its our indenty we need to get back.. the preists the indain agents dont need to hurt and control us no more ,, where doing that fine on our own and we only got ours selves to blame for that now.. we all know whats right and wrong and i dont see nothing wrong here. all in see a new avenue to change and show world who we really are and the ones that need help a place to go..so if think theres something wrong start at your own home and comnutiy and take truthfull look and quit hiding behind things..
Ok here goes. A few interesting things to note. After watching this wonderful telling of the Sundance, I counted the comments, and read them all, and out of the 22 comments posted (as of this writing) 17 of them have been negative/hateful. 5 positive. This might call for a bit of reflection.
What the story displayed was an unseen beauty of Aboriginal People. A tangible display of love, generosity, hope, healing and the very fabric of family. Many people have lost that sense due to residential schools and the residues.
What is this story and ceremony proof of? That the rise that our People have prayed for for decades is now upon us. Native people don’t call on one savior, interestingly, what we have here is not a perfect man (David Blacksmith), but a powerful man. A loving man. A teacher of these values. A giver of these ceremonies. 17/22 of you just hammered the first nails into his cross with your comments. He carries your burdens, and gives you the chance to heal from them. He has a big family with many children. They’re part of a generation that is growing up with ceremonies, AND technology. You’ve seen this as a potential weapon, whereas they are using it as a tool to share. Yet you take it upon yourselves to challenge a family of such good people and try to paint them with your misunderstanding?
Which in itself is interesting. What I witnessed in the comments was hate, disdain, misunderstanding, wanting of punishment, even the WILLING of punishment to David and his family. I find it uncanny that it is these very things that contributed to the crucifixion of Christ.
David Blacksmith is a beloved man. A respected man. He has known and done ceremonies his WHOLE life. Who are we to judge his message, and the means in which he shares it? I watched this series and was uplifted immediately. It made my day. To some of you, it seemed like it ruined your days/weeks and even brought you to hateful/hurtful tears. Reflect on that a little, and when you get the chance, swallow your pride and attend David’s Sundance, and see how tall your anger stands against David (and the Sundance’s) towering love. We have risen, you remain kneeling. I suggest you get off your knees, and know what it is to stand. I stand with David, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart. And yes, you’re all welcome to stand with him too. 😉