Historic Trauma Theory

[TheNavigator]

(((Everyone)))

I was at a Seminar on Monday, by Dr Maria Yellow Horse Brave-Heart based on the Historic Trauma Theory, specifically in relation to the American and Mexican Indian population.

Much of the information has come through collaboration with the research being done with the survivors of the holocaust and other ethnic groups that have been effected by Mass Trauma.

I don't have too much time this morning, however I wanted to begin a thread around this as it really helped me see some things.

In relation to the American Indian, it was shocking to see just how bad things had been in our not so distant past, when our country was born the English came in and began one of the most thorough campaigns of genocide known in our world.

While I personal new of these events, I was not aware of just how devastating it truly was.

According to the figures presented, there were estimated between 30 million to 60 million indigenous peoples here in USA prier to the colonization...through the years of massacres disease (small pox infected blankets) etc, by the time it had ended there were estimated to be 200,000 native Americans that survived.
When the government stopped this behavior they came up with a way to colonize or civilize the native peoples through making sacred ceremonies illegal, and taking the children away from the families to boarding schools to teach them to be white basically.

You can imagine how this could truly create a trauma response in a person, and the tremendous amount of guilt felt by the survivors of such tragedies.

What Dr Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart has done is create a healing intervention program that is bringing the reality of what has happened to light, and help people realize that they have been grieving this for many generations, and bring back the ceremonies to begin the healing process of a nation.

There are several good articles on the net if you Google her name to give a better understanding.

The thing that was the most powerful to me is how she spoke of other groups of people around the world and in our country, from the Jewish peoples to the descendants of slavery in North America, and how this whole theory relates to everyone as individuals and as groups.

I realized that this information, this mass healing path is truly a key to begin a healing process that until now for me was the elusive idea that I couldn't quite put my finger on...the why I feel guilty for no reason, and the constant controversy I have within around my mixed heritage and a certain guilt I've carried around with me...like a form of karmic guilt if you will.

For myself as I have so many genetic relatives, English, Scottish, Irish, Danish, French and American Indian.

Ah...my time has run out...but I want to leave you today with this.

We know that we need to heal within, and we can see societies that have so much potential, but that are so disjointed through a mass anger or survival mode to the point where they are incapable of doing for themselves.

I think it is time to really move forward and truly heal from these traumas, in a mass way, not just in self...so that we can really begin to come together as a world, as a people.

Something I really want to investigate and have a conversation about is how this melting pot of cultures and peoples have effected us in this area, creating a certain amount of shame and guilt based on past beliefs, and how we can heal this.

Hope this makes sense.

Peace ~ Love ~ Harmony

Shannon

[Jester Black]

Thanks for posting this Shannon.

As a person who identifies himself ethnically as native american first and foremost, I truly appreciate it. But it didnt start with the english. The spanish did a number on the natives in central and south american before the english did their thing and among the nations decimated by the spanish thirst for gold were my people, the very people who greeted Columbus to the new world only to be betrayed by him....the Taino. In fact, the spaniards utterly destroyed advanced civilizations spanning millions of people, several hundred nations and some of the most advanced cultures this world has ever seen, almost overnight. Worse, becuase they considered these cultures as contrary to "God's will", they also destroyed much of the written history as well. We may never know the true history of civilizations that stretch back to 1200BC because of this.

Columbus Day is a day of mourning in my world. It was so bad that historians wrote the Taino off as extinct until recently when the the governments of the United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican, Haiti, and Venezuela finally accepted that Taino blood and customs have survived into modern times and the United States recognized the Jatibonicu Taino Tribal Nation of Boriken as a legitamate native american entity in 2000.

As far as the healing ... well we need to start by recognizing the legitimacy of the cultures that were overun. It has to start there or there really isnt any point. As much as we like to believe otherwise, we dont and shouldnt live in a homogenized world.

[Kiran]

I found what you wrote very interesting Shannon! Thank you for posting this!
I too am of a mixed heritage and I am going to be totally honest here...I grew up feeling ashamed of being English (I was born in UK).
I studied history when I was younger and when I saw what one nation is capable of doing to many, it sickened me.
Yes I know many nations and cultures have been guilty of such things throughout history but to have it hit home was just a little much for me to take in at 17/18 years of age.
Then as if there was a huge cosmic joke...I moved to Ireland!! A place where the english in particular had caused havoc to a country and its people.

But you know, I too have Irish in my blood and as the first generation to come back to Ireland in almost over 150 years, I felt I had come home.
I have been here almost 20 years now and have seen a lot of changes and can only give my own experience of this country as I have seen and felt it but I feel once the christian religion kicked in here, I feel a lot of the ancient inherent spirituality that was here, was suddenly lost.
It saddens my heart and now people are turning away from the church and seeking that which they have lost. If only they knew they have all they need inside if they only just remember.

[Jester Black]

I found what you wrote very interesting Shannon! Thank you for posting this!
I too am of a mixed heritage and I am going to be totally honest here...I grew up feeling ashamed of being English (I was born in UK).
I studied history when I was younger and when I saw what one nation is capable of doing to many, it sickened me.
Yes I know many nations and cultures have been guilty of such things throughout history but to have it hit home was just a little much for me to take in at 17/18 years of age.
Then as if there was a huge cosmic joke...I moved to Ireland!! A place where the english in particular had caused havoc to a country and its people.

But you know, I too have Irish in my blood and as the first generation to come back to Ireland in almost over 150 years, I felt I had come home.
I have been here almost 20 years now and have seen a lot of changes and can only give my own experience of this country as I have seen and felt it but I feel once the christian religion kicked in here, I feel a lot of the ancient inherent spirituality that was here, was suddenly lost.
It saddens my heart and now people are turning away from the church and seeking that which they have lost. If only they knew they have all they need inside if they only just remember.

LOL, once again Lorri, we share something in common. Everytime i get a belly ache i tell people my spanish blood and my native american blood are having a pitched battle. I get the strangest looks when I say that LOL.

[Kiran]

Like I said Jay...a cosmic joke ...or karmic revenge

[Lion Spirit Walker]

This thread has so stirred my emotions and thoughts, I'll have to take a little time to regroup and reapproach this.
The song by Enigma, "The Cross Of Changes" is echoing in my mind.
I will certainly be back to this.

[TheNavigator]

(((Everyone)))

Sorry for not getting back to this sooner!!

I truly have not had time to reflect in a calm manner about all of this, which is what I was hoping to do this past few days, things have been moving very quickly around here, so just keeping grounded has been a bit of a challenge!!

Still...I want to keep this conversation going, and there are some things I wanted to share and some questions that are floating around in my head.

First...Thank you for your responses...I love what you are sharing in this.

Jester...

As a person who identifies himself ethnically as native american first and foremost, I truly appreciate it. But it didnt start with the english. The spanish did a number on the natives in central and south american before the english did their thing and among the nations decimated by the spanish thirst for gold were my people, the very people who greeted Columbus to the new world only to be betrayed by him....the Taino. In fact, the spaniards utterly destroyed advanced civilizations spanning millions of people, several hundred nations and some of the most advanced cultures this world has ever seen, almost overnight. Worse, becuase they considered these cultures as contrary to "God's will", they also destroyed much of the written history as well. We may never know the true history of civilizations that stretch back to 1200BC because of this.

Thank you...I was wondering about that...some part of my brain was telling me it was the Spanish initially but I did not have to time to research that information.

My experience is primarily in Canada, as I lived in and around the reservations in Alberta most of my life. So I’m most familiar with the Cree people and the Canadian experience and while it wasn’t great, it seems that it was and has been much better for them.

I find myself learning more about the different tribes of the USA and now I’m just beginning to understand more about the tribes in Mexico.

Columbus Day is a day of mourning in my world. It was so bad that historians wrote the Taino off as extinct until recently when the the governments of the United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican, Haiti, and Venezuela finally accepted that Taino blood and customs have survived into modern times and the United States recognized the Jatibonicu Taino Tribal Nation of Boriken as a legitamate native american entity in 2000..

There is a bit of a conflict for me in the above statement and I hope I express it correctly as to not offend in any manner.

First I believe strongly that as a people, and I don’t care what your lineage is, there is a great importance to know where your ancestors came from, what their customs were and are, and to identify with a family group. While I’m not sure why it is so important in one sense I realize that even spiritually we feel the need to be identified with a family group…so I accept this as it is deep within myself and everyone I’ve ever met.

So I agree 100% that all tribes and blood lines should be recognized officially.

On the point of Columbus Day being a day of mourning I find myself split. I agree that what these people did, and what those that followed did was and is unspeakably horrible. Let’s face it, these people, these cultures, my ancestors from Europe manicured and took over countries all over the world, exploiting those people, putting them into Slavery and calling themselves civilized when in fact they were instead the barbarians.

It is because of them that my Grandfathers mother, and her mother and her mother could not speak of their Sioux heritage nor practice their beliefs, or even pass down the spirituality and understanding to their own children.

But there is a side to this tragedy that I also have to look at, where would the world be if the United States of America had not been born?

It is in this country, and I think because of this country that these horrifying belief systems were uprooted and a much needed change within society and an understanding from a more spiritual level was born.

I don’t know how to put my finger on it exactly, because so many great scholars and philosophers have come out of so many different countries in our world, but for some reason, it is within this mish mash of people that many of our basic human rights have come from, and have been made into law, which has effected the world as a whole.

So on one hand, yes it is something to mourn, but on another I wonder if we’d be sitting here on the internet discussing these types of issues if it had not.

As far as the healing ... well we need to start by recognizing the legitimacy of the cultures that were overun. It has to start there or there really isnt any point. As much as we like to believe otherwise, we dont and shouldnt live in a homogenized world. .

I don’t agree with your analogy here, primarily because I believe that the first place to start is within, and with an understanding of what did happen, why it happened and what has happened because of it…both good and bad.

From this place we can see where our ancestral guilt has come from, no matter what your background, and we can understand it for what it is rather then what it is not.

Yes the recognition from the governments are an important and much needed step in the healing process, but it is simply a part of the process, not the beginning of it.

OK…sorry but that is all I have time for at the moment…I’d like to address everything…hopefully over the next few days.

Peace ~ Love ~ Harmony

Shannon

[Lion Spirit Walker]

I really have to state this; I carry no guilt.

[TheNavigator]

((((((Michael)))))))

Hey Lovely man....

I don't think everybody does carry a feeling of guilt around with them, but I've seen and felt so much of it within people, guilt that can't be named, or deep deep sadness that never seems to leave.

It is this that I speak of and I really believe that there are many people that perhaps have dealt with it prier to this life, or earlier on in this life without even realizing it.

For myself I have felt guilty from the first moment I can remember, guilty about everything...especially the stuff I didn't do!!

When I heard Dr Yellow Horse Brave-Heart speak of ancestral guilt I felt a sense that some, if not all these feelings within me, the basis of my guilt feelings were coming from that area, so for me it was an amazing realization.

...I Love You...thank you for sharing.

Shannon

[Lion Spirit Walker]

I am a Scottish Celt. One of my four great grandmothers was Cheerokee. She married a MacKlainne. But my primary bloodline is from the clan MacGregor.
Many tried to erase the cultures of the Celtic tribes. And the english attempted to erase the culture of the Scots.
The MacGregor clan was on two occassions ordered to give up their lands and change their sir name or face death. This is why my sir name is not MacGregor.
And yet through all of this, I know and embrace my ancestry. I wear the plaids of my clan. My kilts are very much a part of who I am. I embrace the ways of the Celts.
I was born here in the USA, but I am not Native American. I am a Scottish Celt.
And because I embrace my bloodline, I have overcome. Those of the past who attempted to erase my heritage failed.

[Mr. Brightside]

mmmm Is there anybody in the world we (The English) have not invaded or screwed over..

If countries inherit Karma - I better duck

[TheNavigator]

(((Everybody)))

Chad pointed something out to me this morning that I want to share with you, and it is only in a quick reference prier to going to work.

There were many things that were touched on during the seminar, and one of the things that is in part also an issue is the Post Traumatic Stress response that many survivors or children of survivors seem to exibit.

Especially around the Native American people whom, due to such a mass depression that exists within the cultures have to deal with, such as a very high rate of suicide, and death due to disease that could be changed if they were able to get proper assistance etc.

There is much more to this, but don't have time...will come back to this again soon.

Peace ~ Love ~ Harmony

Shannon

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Sean, I don't believe that any of us carry the 'sins of our fathers'.

[Jester Black]

agree Michael.

Overall, some interesting thoughts. Dont agree with all of them, but totally respect them in the spirit they were expressed.

[TheNavigator]

Jester,

You may know the answer to this.

I've heard different things on the treaties between the US government and the native people.

When I was at the seminar someone said that the government has not honored the treaties and do not support the reservations etc....is this true?

In Canada the native people of status get support for the reservations such as housing and health care and free education and if I'm not mistaken some money every year for other things, however I might be wrong about that.

I know that the three reservations I had contact with in Alberta had their own industries, such as farming, hotels and restaurants, manufacturing plants and a casino in one that I know of, and golf course's.

The only reservation I was around in the USA to any extent was just west of Marysville in Washington State, and they had a gulf course, casino and small business's as well as leasing land etc...so they were doing very well for themselves.

While I've seen on TV some that seem to be very poor, I've not witnessed it before in person.

If you can shed some light on that I'd be grateful.

Thanks

Peace - Love - Harmony

shannon

[Jester Black]

The US Government has not ever honored any treaty its ever made with any native american people in its entirety and what it has honored has been a matter of the court enforced actions on individual treaties. Thats a fact. Of course some of those decisions have led to things like casino licenses (which i personally frown at). But by and large, most native american peoples that came from nations having treaties with the US have never benefitted from those treaties. The argument has been that the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 granted all native americans born within the terriritorial limits of the United States full citizenship and that that superceeds any treaties. So the person who said that was largely right in general terms, buts its a lot more complicated than he portrayed it.