Women of the Dawn

Poetry

Woman of the Dawn

by Wenona Gardner

Wabun-Anung (Morning Star)

Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation

I am the heart of my family,

I am the center of my community

I carry the nation on my back

I carry the life of tomorrow in my soul.

I rise above the violence.

Bones heal. Bruises fade. My fear I face.

The rage I channel to protect myself.

To protect my children.

I walk away from the destruction

with my Great Creator by my side.

I am the one who can change the tide.

I am the one who will say STOP!

No more forever.

For I am the Woman of the Dawn

I rise with the morning sun.

Blazing with light, love, and hope.

I hold the future within me.

National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence

Mahican Beadwork at the National Museum of the American Indian Cultural Resource Center

Wenona Morning Star Gardner of the Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation uncovering Mahican beadwork at the National Museum of American Indian Cultural Resource Center in Suitland, Maryland

As part on my Breath of Life Archival Institute of Indigenous Languages experience, I had the privilege to visit the National Museum of American Indian Cultural Resource Center (CRC) in Suitland, Maryland. The CRC, is home to the extensive collections and research programs of the museum. While at the CRC, I uncovered Mahican and Munsee baskets, bowls, mortar and pestles, as well as beadwork. As a beader myself, I am especially fond of beadwork so in this post I wanted to highlight some of the photos of my favorite Mahican beadwork that I had the chance to see.

I learned from L. Frank Manriquez that the purpose of surrounding ourselves with the original items of our people like our beadwork is because it helps with connecting to our native language. Since our old items and beadwork contain the memory of our language, if we were able to hold them you can feel that memory of our language of our people.

Mahican beadwork from the 1940s. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Mahican beadwork from the 1940s. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Mahican beadwork from the 1940s. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Mahican beadwork. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Mahican beadwork from the 1940s. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Mahican beadwork from the 1940s. Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2013. Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Cultural Resources Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 4220 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746. (2013) Photo by Wenona Morning Star Gardner (Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation).

Sacred Journey with Owl

Owls created from various tribes at the National Museum of American Indian in Washington DC

On June 7, 2013 I left for a 2 week trip for the Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages in Washington DC. While in DC, I searched the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institute Archives searching for the Mahican and Munsee languages of my Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation. While I was riding on the train from Chicago to DC, I spotted an owl in broad daylight flying over a children’s playground in Chicago. I took that as a very important sign from the Creator.
At the National American Indian Museum I wheeled past in my wheel chair and randomly noticed a display of Owls made from various tribes. A couple days later while in my wheel chair, I was rolling through the National Museum of Natural History just quickly passing through by random chance I encountered another display of Owls without even trying to look for them. In my research at the National Anthropological Archives in Maryland I discovered a Mahican story in Mahican called The Owl Story. This is the original version of The Owl Story August 4, 1914 and was in Linguist Truman Michelson’s papers of a story told in English by Mohican Sot Quinney and then is translated into Mahican by Mohican William Dick which is the most accurate version of the story. I felt extremely honored to touch Michelson’s original papers handwritten in Mahican. According to Breath of Life Eastern Algonquian Linguist Conor Quinn who spoke to Linguist and Algonquian Language Specialist Ives Goddard, Quinney and Dick worked cooperatively on The Owl Story plus the six other Mahican stories I uncovered and both deserve credit. Within The Owl Story I learned the Mahican word for owl which is M^cō’ksasan.

Owl display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC

According to the National Museum of American Indian This Day in the Mayan calendar , I learned corresponding with “June 25, 2013, is 8 Kame. Kame is the Owl and the recognition of death; 8 is a double balance. A day that recalls the night, tranquility, and silence, Kame is a good day to ask for the ancient and recent ancestors who have gone on, to thank them and remember them with purpose. Without fear, it is a good day to approach the spiritual dimension, ‘the enchantment.’”
Personally, I have associated the Owl representing the keeper of hidden knowledge and it seems most fitting to me as I explored the National Anthropological Archives in Maryland. I associate Owls with wisdom and spirituality which I perceive my Breath of Life journey to be focused on. I spent from February to June preparing myself spiritually with regular prayers and ceremony for the healing journey of Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages. I even invited my community to pray with me as I included them in a Breath of Life Prayer Circle. As I shared my research with my online tribal group Mohican-8 I attempted to make Breath of Life a community project so that they too were part of the process of uncovering hidden knowledge about our Mohican people. Owl also indicated to me the connection to our ancestors and I felt that as I touched the old papers in the archives that were handwritten with Mahican words.
I have been surrounded by Owl medicine during and after my Breath of Life journey. I am blessed to be in touch with the spirit world and by searching the archives to discover hidden knowledge. I am grateful the Owl has come with me on this sacred journey. I feel blessed.
Anushiik,
Wenona Morning Star Gardner
Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation

The Breath of Life Prayer Circle.

The Breath of Life Prayer Circle.

I am coming to you asking for prayer support as I go on my journey to the Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages in Washington DC. I will be searching the archives of the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institute searching for Mahican and Munsee languages from my tribe. I will be going to Washington DC June 7-June 22, 2013. I am requesting that you regularly provide your prayers both before, during, and after my trip. I need prayers before I go to get ready for my journey. I definitely need prayers as I am actually traveling during June 7- June 22 since I am physically disabled and traveling poses special challenges for me. I will need prayers to help me locate and find hidden knowledge in the archives. I also need prayers to help me retrieve the information and bring it safely back to my tribe the Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation and the rest of the Lenape Nations. Most importantly I need prayers so that the information I get can be implemented and properly put into use.

Prayers that can be shared so that I can see them when I am in Washington DC would be much appreciated. I would like to see prayers written, pictures created, video of songs or music playing posted so I can view and hear them while I am on the road. I appreciate if you chose to pray silently and I am grateful for that. However, I am especially asking for prayers that I can see and hear while I am actually in Washington DC. Please post your prayers so I can be inspired and lifted as I take on the challenge of this intense two weeks.

I am grateful for you being part of my Breath of Life Prayer Circle. I am grateful for all and any prayers. I look forward to see what prayers you have to share.

Anushiik Thank you!

Wenona Morning Star Gardner
Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation

Wiping Away the Tears

Wiping Away the Tears

I am enrolled in the Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation and I was in foster care for a few years. I was told that Native American people who were adopted or went through foster care were considered “Lost Birds.” A longtime mentor brought me to a special ceremony called the Wiping Away the Tears ceremony at Indian Summer Festival during September 2002. The ceremony was part of that Indian Summer Festival’s theme “Coming Home,” which extended honor and healing to Indian adoptees and Indians that were in foster homes. Lakota Chief Arvol Looking Horse Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe performed the “Wiping Away the Tears” describes the special emphasis the “Wablenica Ceremony”, prayer and pipe ceremony, American Indian adoptees and foster care children are welcomed back to Native culture and their spiritual home. This ceremony also helped families who were separated by adoption or foster care begin the reconciliation process. The Wiping of Tears Ceremony to heal the grief caused by the years of separation from their families and communities. The entire ceremony for all of us Lost Birds in a circle praying and singing together. I hope, if you haven’t had a chance to participate in one, that you have the opportunity to participate in such a ceremony, it’s been very healing and life altering experience for me. 

Wenona Morning Star Gardner
Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation

Mohican News

I was pleased to discover that Mohican News ran an article about our Breath of Life Archival Institute of Indigenous Languages project. An invitation was made to anyone that wants to participate in the Breath of Life by coming to Mohican-8 to be part of this community project.

Mohican-8 on Facebook is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mohican7

The article is in Mohican News May 1, 2013 Page 5

http://www.mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Mohican_News/issues/05-01-13.pdf

Breath of Life

I have been doing research since I was 15 years old on my own. I love interviewing family relatives and doing all kinds of research. I have been doing genealogy research for 24 years. I was accepted into the Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages where I get to go to Washington DC to search through the Library of Congress archives and the Smithsonian archives searching for Munsee language. In addition, I am told I can also search for genealogy while I am there.

So what I am offering the opportunity to come benefit from the genealogy and Munsee language research I have already begun and will continue in the archives in Washington D.C. I will be searching for Lenape and Delaware as part of my research. I am sure I will uncover Unami language archival resources. I am inviting anyone who wants to be involved with the Breath of Life project to come join me at Mohican-8. Let me know you are interested in working on Breath of Life with me.

I envision Breath of Life to be an Intertribal Communtiy project on Munsee language and genealogy that can potentially benefit the Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation, the Pennsylvania Lenape Nation, the Ramapough Munsee Lunaape Nation, Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape , Munsee-Delaware Nation 1, the Moravian of the Thames First Nation, and the Delaware of Six Nations, Delaware Nation and the Delaware Tribe of Indian both located in Oklahoma.

Wenona Morning Star Gardner
Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohican Nation
Leader of Mohican-8
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Mohican7

The Prosperous Heart by Julia Cameron – Review

I totally loved Julia Cameron’s The Prosperous Heart. Going through the book I saw the value of my BA in Business and Management degree from Alverno and was inspired to begin work on my business plan. I found a friend from my Artist’s Way Circle who lives in Ohio who was willing to go through the Right Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee with me week by week through Google+ Hangouts. So far we have spent 9 weeks working through our business plan. I love my friend and together we explored our our value and laid down our individual prosperity plans. Thanks to the Prosperous Heart I also saw the value of my leadership skills so I signed up for more leadership roles. Thanks to the Prosperous Heart, I am now the Organizer of The Artist’s Way Circle Meetup in Waukesha, the Life Story Circle Meetup in Waukesha, and Waukesha Gaming Group Meetup in Waukesha. I realized Prosperous Heart empowered me to take on these new leadership positions. Prosperous Heart helped me to value my time and the benefit of volunteering to serve others. Through the Counting Tool I recognized I spent way too much money on eating out and so I cut back on that so I could put money towards a trip. Through the encouragement of Prosperous Heart, I also dared to apply for new opportunities and won a chance to go to Washington D.C.to search for my tribe’s Munsee language in the Library of Congress and Smithsonian archives. I loved hearing Julia Cameron explain each chapter. I draw strength from Julia Cameron’s words. I love many of Julia Cameron’s work including The Artist’s Way, Walking in This World, Finding Water, The Artist’s Way at Work, The Writing Diet, and now Prosperous Heart.

Idle No More Peace March in Milwaukee, WI January 18, 2013

Today I went to a Peace March in Milwaukee, WI for a deeply spiritual and powerful movement for protecting tribal sovereignty and the environment. Here are the pictures of my day.

Chief Robert Red Hawk Ruth of Pennsylvania Lenape Nation carrying the Four Crow Prophecy Drum with Wenona “Buffy” Gardner, Wabun anung (Morning Star) of the Stockbridge Munsee band of Mohicans tribe of Wisconsin. At Grand Ave Mall in Milwaukee Wisconsin for the Idle No More Peace Rally.

The beginning of the Idle No More Peace March starting at Grand Ave Mall in Milwaukee, WI

Wenona “Buffy” Gardner, Wabun anung (Morning Star) of the Stockbridge Munsee band of Mohicans tribe of Wisconsin. with Alfreda Young former WE Indians Counselor of the Potawatomi tribe. At Grand Ave Mall in Milwaukee for the Idle No More Peace Rally

The beginning of the Idle No More Peace March starting at Grand Ave Mall.

The beginning of the Idle No More Peace March starting at Grand Ave Mall in Milwaukee, WI. IdleNoMore Organizer Dona Yahola of the Bad River Ojibwe.

Idle No More Peace March at Veterans Park Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Poem in a Pocket Day – Thurs April 26, 2012

Celebrate national Poem In Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 26, 2012!

The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends. You can also share your poem selection on Twitter by using the hashtag #pocketpoem.   More information go to http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406

Here’s my Poem in my Pocket today that I wrote.

 

Morning Star by

Wenona “Buffy” Gardner
Wabun-anung

I am the light
shining in
the darkness.
A glimmer
of love in
a sea of black.
I am a sign
of hope
and a beacon.
Letting the
restless know
the dawn of a
new sun
is soon rising.
A chance to
start fresh.
A new day.
I am the light.