First, a seeking...
Well, went thru with it, Wednesday! That is, the vision that had come to my imaginative attention that i 'must' embark on an effort to deeply interact with indigenous folks in 'domesticated' spaces...in "full regalia", with a message of the importance of those who refuse the b.i.a.-styled assimilation & "begin" creating more often autonomous spaces with the non-indigenous of their choice...
intro
i was seeking a vision beyond simply putting up the two new signs in my home (heh) & looking for some general visions, especially on which way to head, and such...Biked 30+ miles as part of a seeking (did not have idea to walke on the Rez at this time, yet).
A mobile sweat
As i rode, i thought of such bicycling as a *mobile sweat place* and engaged in a few fear-challenges besides the one of riding with no helmet. Chose 'my' owl (or prairie chicken?) feather, found on the AIM v. fed standoff site, in the vicinity of the wounded knee massacre (didn't know significance of "owl" until later, tho). And proceeded to wear it in my hat at various angles.
Also challenged myself to close my eyes while riding...(phew boy!)(what? me, crazy? hooo boy!)...including once in the oncoming lane towards a (still far away) oncoming red SUV already giving me plenty of room... It was a kind of "test"...i told myself, intuitively...(a kind of "gathering of power" sort of thing).
After this, when needing rest, i proceeded to do a ceremonial-style sitting position prayer back on 'my' side of the road...thinking to myself that maybe some traditionals were doing this already, or maybe "i" might be "starting" something...or at least complementing...
Maybe 13-16 miles of large, stepping hills, against the wind, to the tree line and beyond. i was seeking to take my text-dominated flyers of 'radical' good intentions to a 'town' showing on my map 14 miles away...but recalling experiences in other rezes, figured i might only find a non-promoted conveninece store, perhaps with folks hanging out around it... i didn't expect to find *no one* except assorted homes dotting the area...Well, that iz good!
Anyway, a prayer had been answered in the person of "Bill 'Master' J..." earlier at the library, after i had finally dared to pass out my "depth charge" flyers at the local high school. "Bill" was quick off the mark to wildly engage my eager engagings, and was, i feel, s'prized at the generally thoughtful outcome, tho i wished i had invited him to my castle (heh) and shared sacred blessings (re: via ganjawanna).
Walking the Colville Rez
Made prayer & kept waking up with intent ideas thru the night, including finding various regalia bits and setting them out for morning...
And in morn' had only a tiny bit of food and immediately began preparing (not smokin any ganjawanna tho), such as putting attachments on most of my feathers and then pinning them onto my self-made masque; selecting art for my depth folder (and other similar objects, such as important audio stuff, to share in case i spontaneously met up with deep folks and sat down and spoke with them); included various gifts as well.
Donned both my silly frog slippers, my colorful jacket made into pants, one tye-dye sock, two small signs, one shaped like a tooth (including root); my hat, necklace Aunt Becky D. gave me (she's part native, at least), purple plastic bead necklace, pouch filled with snacks for dogs, my black and white striped (and found) undershorts, and the usual masque (2nd model, self-made) and attachments.
Horse champion prances up
Walking 4 or so miles out of Omak into the Colville Rez, only 2 or 3 people seemed inspired, tho sun prevented me from making eye contact with car drivers. Most of the walk, i learned, was about silence and listening to other ways beings speak. Like the horse up by the "Rez A Rex Rekd Ridz Salvage" sign.
The hue-man outside apparently missed noting me as he worked, but the horse pranced up (in a vibe kind of like a guard dog!) and "wagged" its black tail as we made spirit contact. And then the horse did a kind of dance, whereupon i sent a respectful vibe by kneeling down on one knee.
i had gotten to the "Rez A Rex" sign and tho i had biked by it the previous day, hadn't noted a bunch of signs forbidding entrance, most pointedly, to government offishals and the like; and spelling that out! Yee=-haaa!
Well, i stopped for a good while and sent praryer and thought to the cloud spirits and the reflection seemed to say it would be okay. Walking in on the rough-hewn road, i met the horse in silence, and only let out a short coyote-'hey'.
i'd "hoped" to visit with the occupants of one place in the distance which looked like a salvage yard (but only a bit) and also had cars parked that appeared running...well, i appraoched in silence and made eye contact with "their" dog (when i looked in the back from out in the parking area) and when our eyes met, i got down on one knee and closed my eyes and put down my bag of old signs (etc.) and held out my hand. But the dog chose to remain quiet and not approach.
It actually was backing up to the human door of the place, and the vibe i got was not to scare it further... So i walked back to the road, and then hung out awhile, imagining that someone might turn into the access road and that we might speak somehow...but no one did. So then i got the notion to turn back towards town.
Earlier, on the way up there, while walking up the 6% grade road, i had approached a "nice looking" house which had a pirate flag on the pole out front! Far out! But no one seemed home as i knocked on the big wooden door and called out. (Would YOU answer your door if a strange-ass-looking critter was knocking???!)
Back in town
Walking back down on flat ground i stopped to rest and cool myself off in a creek going under the road. Real nice after all that hot walking!
Coming out of there, and back on the pavement was when some of the locals began to finally slow down. One guy stood up out of the top of his car (through the sun roof) and gave me a long stare, as though he was considering how to respond; but he/they kept going.
Next I remember that two young ladies (white) stopped to chat me up, and while it was nice, it wasn't anything like the depth i had hoped to find.
Finally, just after i had given up on actually speaking with any indigenous folks and about a hundred yards from the rez border with Omak, a lady in a van stopped by me as i walked on the side of the road and asked what i was "up to."
Well, we got to being friends in time, and i'm still in sometime touch with her! And even tho she doesn't seem to have inclinations towards traditional ways, her culture *speaks her* deeply (if unconsciously), and i'm honored to know her!