Prejudice is a Poison Destroying Our Human Family!
Prejudice—in all its faces, be it religious, racial, gender, national, or political—is a deep wound that cuts to the very heart of humanity, turning us away from the path that Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, has set before us. These prejudices are like poison destroying the light of humans, blocking the truth of our shared kinship, and breaking the natural harmony that our Creator intended for all peoples. Every prejudice is a defiance of the Sacred Command, a divine mandate that calls us to honor each other as relatives, bonded in spirit and belonging to one sacred family.
Wakan Tanka, our Creator, has sent spiritual Teachers and Messengers throughout time, carrying the sacred fire of wisdom and teachings that spread light, compassion, and unity among all peoples. These teachings are woven into the holy words given to us across cultures, each a thread of love and guidance from the Great Spirit. If these sacred words are twisted into tools for division or cause separation between hearts, they fall empty, like a once-mighty river that has dried up, unable to nurture the life it once held. True teachings do not divide; they open the heart and mind, calling us toward harmony and kinship.
Mother Earth stands as a testament to this unity. She is undivided, without boundaries drawn by the Creator's hand. Her lands, waters, and skies flow as one. It was not Wakan Tanka who placed fences and borders upon her; it was human beings, driven by fear and a desire for control, who marked her body with divisions, claiming pieces as their own and creating illusions of separation. These borders of nation and land are human-made and are only shadows cast upon the true unity of Mother Earth. From these illusions, prejudice is born, and with it comes the storm of conflict and suffering. Remember, we are all interconnected, and our actions affect each other and the world around us.
The Sacred Prophecies of Wakan Tanka tell us this separation will not stand. The Great Spirit calls upon us to rise beyond these prejudices and lay down these burdens of division. These ancient truths guide us to seek our Creator's pleasure, walk the Sacred Path of unity and respect, and honor the Great Spirit's will. In this, we are called to a vision of a world where love and reconciliation are as natural as the rivers flowing, as strong as the mountains standing, as embracing as the sky above.
Our collective mission is urgent and clear: We must strive to unite humanity and restore Mother Earth. As we let go of prejudice and free our minds and spirits from these shackles, we bring ourselves closer to the Creator’s vision of wholeness. By following the Sacred Teachings, we transform ourselves and each other, becoming lights in the world and guiding all towards an era of balance and love.
In this unity, we become the guardians of Mother Earth, protectors of her beauty, and healers of the wounds inflicted by our division. We honor Wakan Tanka by living as one people, one family. It is only in this way that we can fulfill our sacred responsibility, bringing a time when humanity, as one family, will stand in harmony upon the surface of Mother Earth, fulfilling the will of the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, and allowing love to flourish in the hearts of all.
Shunkmanu He Me Yedo! Chanupa Sapa He Me Yedo!
Hinhan Wicasa/Deloria Tiospaye, Ihanktonwan, and Chickasaw Nations
