My heart is full because the wolf
hunts in the Great Lakes regions have been stopped by a federal
judge. The horrific carnage of trapping, baiting, killing and
continued disruption of the wolves’ families are no more; they are
back on the endangered list where they will stay with the love,
compassion and diligent advocacy of people who worked hard and long
for their lives. To those of you who were directly instrumental I am
deeply thankful and so much for everyone who became active on the
wolves behalf to speak for them.
An odd thing though, just a few days
before the announcement I had called the Minnesota Fish &
Wildlife office and spoke to someone who was directly involved with
the so-called ‘wolf harvest.’ “Harvest!” Aghhh. That **name for
what is actually savage, bloody slaughter upon superior sentient
beings disgusts me and I told him so.
Then I told him a short version of how
Anishinabe (First Man) and Maa’ingan (Wolf) in the beginning of
time traveled the world together naming all animals, plants and
places. Eventually they had to go their own ways and Maa’ingan knew
Anishinabe would be lonely without him so he gave him Animoosh (dog).
That part always gets to me and I
cried as I am doing now. No longer buried in my skin is my spiritual,
cellular connection with Maa’ingan, it’s out now and I honor it
as the most basic level of being that is love in the purest form. We
both benefit. Maa’ingan will live their lives as Creator intended
and I benefit by putting my vulnerability out there for all to see
and in my own eyes I become a better person for having done so.
When I was talking to the state
official I also emphasized that the wolf hunt was not only vile
cruelty but entirely unnecessary to ‘manage’ their populations. I
said their own studies verified the fact that killing wolves in fact
increases predation upon domestic animals because the pack was
destroyed; that wolves know how to control their own pack numbers in
their territories and have been doing fine managing themselves
without arrogant, entitled ill-meaning people hell bent on killing
them all for sport.
The official did listen to me and was
very polite but some comments he made were condescending like he,
“understood from some other people (Indians) that there is a deep
spiritual connection with wolves” (which I understood to mean we
are not experts on wolves like they are) and then said what seemed to
me to be an oft-repeated persuasion as to why a wolf hunt was
necessary. I’m not calling the official out though, sad as it is he
was doing his job as instructed by his superiors who were told what
to do by the legislators who were, in my opinion, bought by gun
lobbyists and wealthy trophy hunters who contributed heavily to their
campaigns.
So thank you for taking the time to
read this, I really appreciate yooz when you compliment my writing
and far from feeling too exposed I am comforted by how many of you
take the time to consider another perspective unlike your own. That’s
how I learn about life for sure and by doing so I am opening my mind
to the world. No, I don’t like all I see but I am empowered now to
make a difference and I am energized and grateful I won’t stand
alone because the people are rising! We are who we’ve been waiting
for. Let’s do this.
Well, I think that the above is my
holiday present and New Year’s wishes all wrapped up in a shiny
happy bow. Miigwech Giichi Manidoo!
I announce with a trembling, happy
voice that I will become a grandmother this year. Because of course
it’s all about me! Just kidding jeez! I am thrilled and so happy
that my son and his fiancé Christine are expecting a child around
July this year; thank you both for making my Gramma dreams come true.
My peers have already become grandparents but I am relieved my son
Steve took his time to find the right woman.
Recently however my heartstrings began
to twang and I began to become anxious when I saw my friend’s
pictures of chubby brown baby cheeks, crazy black hair and soft
dribbling baby mouths smiling just big. I remembered what it felt
like holding my son as an infant, his sturdy breast-fed body, every
new smile and accomplishments and I wanted that again. So, I will
become a happy member of that most esteemed group and in the meantime
I have become an “Insta-Gram” to Christine’s wonderful 4
year-old daughter Indannis.
I’m so very grateful for all my
gifts.
