Oneida holy men stress harmony in life (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

 ONEIDA HOLY MEN STRESS HARMONY IN LIFE 
By Jean Peerenboom[1]  
 jpeerenb at greenbaypressgazette.com[2]  April 22, 2006

 
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060422/GPG0406/604220524/1250/GPGlife

  DE PERE — Deacon Everett Doxtator and Leander Danforth spent Thursday
morning telling stories — the same kind of stories that enabled the Oneida
Tribe of Indians and other tribes to hand down their religion and culture even
though the government was trying to silence them. 

  Doxtator, a deacon with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Oneida, and Danforth, a
faithkeeper with the Longhouse religion of the Oneidas, were the speakers at the
Spirituality in Retirement Forum at St. Anne's Episcopal Church. 

  Most Oneidas came to Wisconsin as Methodists or Episcopalians, Doxtator said.
For many years, the government and Christian churches did not allow them to
practice the rituals of their culture. "When we came into a Christian church,
we had to take a Christian name. People usually took their sponsor's name." 

  It wasn't until 1977 that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops allowed
Native American symbols in Catholic churches. In 1978, the government allowed
Native Americans to practice their native spirituality, Doxtator said. 

  "Having our symbols in church is important. We have them so people can feel a
part of it. That's nice. Other (mainline Christian) churches also allow these
symbols in church," he said. 

  Both men emphasized the importance of finding harmony and balance in life.
"When we have balance, we have fullness of life," Doxtator said. "We're all in
the world together. We all journey together. I can't help it if you're white
and I'm brown. We're all on a journey to the Creator." 

  Danforth, who is involved in an effort to revitalize the Oneida language,
said the language is important because the Longhouse ceremonies are done in
native tongue. "When I was young, we didn't know anything about our own
identity. Nowhere in the stories we were told repeatedly are the stories of our
ceremonies. This tells me that most of the people here came as Christian. But
some of our ceremonies are for medicine — for healing. That's important for
us." 

  The Longhouse religion and sweat lodges that are conducted here today date
back to 1981, Danforth said. "The Longhouse community is a small group, but it
is acknowledged by our own people. Last year, the chiefs of five nations
acknowledged us." 

  "What I see is the importance of well-being — body, mind and spirit. These
are things people need to be healthy. We have medicine societies to take care
of our people," Danforth said. 

  Included in the Longhouse religion are thanksgiving ceremonies "that were
given to us by the Creator." The four ceremonies are the Feather Dance, the
Men's Dance, the Drum Dance and the Peach Dance. The thanksgiving ceremonies go
in cycles that coincide with harvest, planting, mid-winter, and more. 

  Doxtator explained the sweat lodge, which can be a six-hour ceremony. "Women
sit on the south side; men on the north side. When the door is closed, it's
like being back in the womb." Throughout the ceremony, there are prayers and
songs. The doors are opened four different times. The ceremony focuses on
purifying, prayer and healing. "When the door is opened for the fourth time,
everything is let out. You are cleansed," he said. 

  When the ceremony is over, everyone takes some berries, meat and corn that
are laid out at the beginning as part of the ritual. These are shared and
people shake hands. "It ends with breaking bread — a potluck," he said. 

  "As I learn about my culture, the sweat lodge and Christianity, I find there
is not a lot of difference," Doxtator said.      

Links:
------
[1] mailto:jpeerenb at greenbaypressgazette.com
[2] mailto:jpeerenb at greenbaypressgazette.com
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