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The following autobiography and sharing of Values is written by a well respected friend of mine, Wasawa Tall Trees. His writing constantly moves me to action within myself and the world in which I live. I have been given permission from Wasawa Tall Trees to include his writing on this web site. Please respect his sharing by asking his permission to reprint or use in anyway.

Ashoge, Wasawa for allowing your writing on this web site. Egogahan, ApacheMa

Wasawa Tall Trees

On December 15, 1957, in a birthing hut on a small reservation in Oklahoma, Lucrara Tall Trees gave birth to her first son. Upon his entrance to this world, the Elder Tall Trees, his grandfather, pronounced His name shall be Wasawa, whereupon he placed a touchstone in the newborn's hand. The name given and accepted, literally translated, meant Seeker of Knowledge.

The youthful years of Wasawa Tall Trees were spent in St. Louis, Missouri, where his parents relocated, and the reservation where he was born. Under the tutorage of his Grandfather, he learned to honor and respect the ways of the People. In St. Louis, he became acquainted with the world of the "modern" man. Thus it was, from an early age, he began his walk in two worlds.

In his sixteenth year, he returned to the reservation to live with the Elder Tall Trees, where intense study of the ways of the People coexisted with formal education. Upon graduation, he was accepted at a university where he focussed on History and, at the suggestion of he who was his grandfather, Behavioral Science.

The two majors played a key role in that which ultimately lay ahead for him, that vision seen within the birthing hut when his Grandfather pronounced that he would be Wasawa, Seeker of Knowledge.

As a traditionalist, he sought the advise of both the Elder and the Wise One when his formal studies were complete. The Wise One suggested a vision quest, which was gladly undertaken. Within the circle, there came the spirits after four days, and he was given the answer that he would be a teacher of the People.

At Council, where the vision was revealed, he was to learned that, while he would always be first and foremost a teacher, another role awaited him, a role that was destined for him from the moment of birth and his Grandfather's proclamation. He was to become Sayer, the one who would gather information of not only his own People, but the People of the varied Nations, preserve it so that it would not be lost. His tasks included the learning of rituals, ceremonies, legends, cultures, and ways of the People. This information was to be shared by all in order that the richness of the cultures and the truth of the People would not be lost over time.

The path of the Sayer brings him into contact with both the modern People and those who still honor traditional ways, as well as those not of the People who have a genuine thirst to understand the People and who, in conjunction with them, spread the knowledge that the People shall endure from now unto eternity, without loss of their proud heritage.

It is by understanding and sharing of knowledge that the People shall remain strong and proud of their heritages. It is by understanding and sharing of knowledge that racial prejudices shall cease and the People and their brothers of other cultures, other races, other beliefs shall honor one another. This cannot be accomplished by one man, but must be a combined and mutual effort of not only the People, but also all who have a thirst for knowledge and understanding. It is like ripples on a pond; the expansion of the ripples are as the expansion of knowledge.

This, then, is the quest of the Wasawa Tall Trees, the Sayer, servant of the spirits and the People.

In the cultures of the varied Peoples, there are many rituals, beliefs, legends that are specific to each Nation. There are, however, four basic edicts that are common throughout all the People. These are known as The Four Values: Reverence, Respect, Peace and Honor.

Reverence -- Reverence is accorded all things of nature, for nature is given us by the All Seeing, in our care. We do not own nature; we have been charged by the All Seeing with the care and nurture of nature. It is a gift from the All Seeing and a responsibility. Therefore, we must treat all things of nature with respect. Those creatures which are taken for food must also be treated with respect, and none must be taken which are not for the feeding and care of the People. When an animal is thus taken, thanks must be given not only to the All Seeing for providing thus, but also to the spirit of the animal for the sacrifice of its life for ours. No animal must be taken that is nurturing her young or that is lame or elderly.

Nature includes the land, also, and all that which grows upon it. Reverence must be given to all things of nature, from the fields to the trees to the streams. Pollution of our waterways is not showing reverence. The destruction of our rainforests for profit or to clear the land for commercial or private use is not reverence of nature and is not sanctioned by the All Seeing. Reverence of nature does not mean that no part of nature may be used by the People, but shall be used reverently and with care.

Respect -- Respect is accorded People. All People should be treated with respect, even those without honor, for we do not bring ourselves down to the dishonorable level of others. Treating a person with respect is more than addressing him/her with the title of "Mr" or "Mrs(Ms)" but means to not dishonor another in any way. One does not steal from another or attack another or in any way disrespect another. Those of differing viewpoints must be respected. One may disagree without being disrespectful. Acceptance of another's right to a differing viewpoint or religious practice or lifestyle is showing respect. That does not mean one must agree with that lifestyle, but one does not insist that another change his/her lifestyle or belief in order to conform to what one believes. A belief may be stated and the debate to show that it is logical also stated, but insistence on changing must not be done.

Respect to elders must be shown at all times. Elders is not a term of age but of knowledge and honor. Respect shown is rewarded by respect given.

Peace -- Peace is the act of calmness in all things, of not reacting violently or in anger when faced with a situation that may seem intolerable. Peace is surrounding oneself with the assurance that all matters may be handled and resolved by, first, acquiring knowledge of both sides of a situation, then by implementing that action which would resolve it without violence. At times, to achieve peace is to accept the situation; at other times, to achieve peace is to change the situation.

Peace comes from within, not without. The spirit must be at peace in order for your environment to be at peace. Peace from within comes from the spirit, a personal relationship with the spirits and the All Seeing. To each, his/her own spiritual belief, but thus must be sought and believed before true inner peace can be achieved. With the inner peace of the spirits, outer peace is achievable, even in times of turmoil.

Honor -- "The highest of these is honor. Honor above all." Without honor, none else matters. A man (or woman) without honor is nothing. Honor must be placed above all other matters or all other people, places or things. Honor is the highest regard for all things, for the spirit, for oneself. Honor is integrity in the highest degree. Honor is the personal essence of one's very being. To have honor, to be honorable, is to be honest, to treat all people with respect, to have reverence for nature, peace within oneself and extended to others, and, above all, to be of the highest regard in spirit and with all others.

The words of bonding, the marriage ceremony of the People, state from the man, "I give you my life and my honor." This is the highest and most in-depth promise a person can extend. The woman replies, "I accept your life and your honor and shall treat it as my own." She accepts the awesome responsibility of being honorable and holding his honor as her own. This is the greatest promise she may give.

These, then, are the Four Values of the People.

With respect, Wasawa

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