It Ain’t Easy Being Indian – October 2019

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By Ricey Wild

It was my fondest wish to go to the “Storm Area 51” event to free the hostage Aliens or at least have a Meet and Greet, but Noooo!!! The US Military wagged their weapons of mass destruction at the believers, threatening to blow them up. And I was wondering what to bring to a top secret (ha-ha) military installation – good shoes for running was on top of the list. Maybe some Depends too just in case I did make it past the goons.

Alas! It was not to be. Before it happened I fell again and broke seven ribs on my left side and a bone in my left foot. Sigh! Is there a pattern here? Well, it sucks and I’m still recovering from my latest accident. I was visiting my friend staying in an old cabin by a lake. The cabins floor was warped, and I stubbed my left foot on it and voila! When I finally went to the hospital five days later the Nurse Practitioner gave me a wide-eyed look and said, “You’re tough”.

Right then and there my face crumpled up like a baby’s and I shed some tears. All I could think was, “Lady, you don’t even know”. The details pain me too much to share but I lost my beloved Cat The RZA. RZA is Purrince’s brother, both were born here in my closet in Rezberry. I adored him and loved his odd, short little tail that felt like one of those curly straws covered in fur. RZA would lie on my chest at night purr and caress my face oh so gently, careful not to scratch me. I miss my sweet baby cat every day. I had him cremated and his ashes will be mixed with mine when it’s my turn to leave.

All of that sent me into a tailspin of misery; I couldn’t even cry properly because my ribs hurt so bad. I thank everyone who commented on fb about my loss, it meant so much to me. I’m crying again. So many of us know what it is to lose a furry family member and my heart goes out to you all. So much love, tears and hugs! Miigwech Shawn R for being here. I will always remember.

Of course, there is nothing at all going on in the rest of the world or here in the States. Pffftt!!! OMG our planet is literally on fire. Crime and corruption have become the norm and our waters, that so many are fighting for, are being deliberately poisoned.

All the while, the 1% are building underground shelters to withstand the demise of our Mother Earth that they themselves created due to their greed. Sick, sick, sick! They continue the war on us brown and black people for what’s left of our natural resources. And for what? Money! Profits for shareholders who are as greedy as they are. They are so short-sighted they don’t understand you cannot eat money or drink oil.

Meanwhile, there are many young people who are leading the fight on climate change deniers, so they have a future for themselves and the rest of us. Autumn Peltier, Greta Thunberg and so many more are pointing out the obvious: we are all in danger of mass extinction now. Not years from now, NOW! Capitalism does not work for us human beings and it never will. Going back to communities that support each other is the answer. In other words, become like Indigenous People.

Quit killing us.

I’d like to think that what Indigenous People are yelling about may change someone’s, anyone’s, mind about their own well-being. But it falls on deaf, privileged ears that only care about the next high-status material possession. I like nice stuff, too; especially clean water, healthy trees, bees, animals, no pesticides, zero carbon emissions and no wars.
The real me, no cynicism, believes that we are all going to what the white people’s bible describe as Hell. I’m not sure what level we are in Dante’s Inferno, but it appears there is no going back.

Our Indigenous ancestors have warned about the times we are currently experiencing. Their words were recorded in books, see Black Elk Speaks. But obviously, they were disregarded as quaint or nonsense by mainstream deniers.

The only positive news is that the monster in the White House is going to sow what he reaped. 45 has repealed all the good that previous administrations have put into place (like the Clean Water Law and keeping national monuments sacred) in favor of dumping toxic waste into our drinking water.

Be aware.