Walking the Red Road
What profit is there in speaking of woiyáke oyáte kin (universal friendship) and proclaiming the oyáte wówačhiŋ (solidarity of the Human Family) as noble ideals if these thoughts remain as words and never take form in action? Such declarations, without movement, are like a drum that does not echo—a soundless call to unity that falls into silence. Ideals must be woven into the fabric of life through deeds. Otherwise, they are no more than fleeting smoke, dissipating without bringing warmth or light.
The injustices of this world—owášte šni oyáte (the hardships of the people)—persist not because we lack vision but because too many speak of virtue without living it. If our words became actions and our hands were guided by the principles we proclaim, the world's sorrow would not just lessen but transform into comfort, and the wounds of Mother Earth, Ina Maka, would not just heal but thrive. Our actions can transform, bring comfort where there is sorrow, and heal the wounds of our Mother Earth.
They are like the roots of the sacred cottonwood tree, working unseen yet offering life and strength to all. But the ones who accomplish a small good and shout it to the world diminish themselves, for their actions are no longer guided by the Sacred Laws of the Great Spirit, which are, but by the hunger for earthly fame. Such boasting is like a hollow pipe with no sustenance or sacred breath. (a term that symbolizes the life force and spiritual energy that animates all living beings.)
It is the way of the children of Wakan Tanka to act without boasting, to walk humbly in obedience to the Sacred Laws, and to see service to others not as a burden but as a selfless prayer in motion. Their works are offerings, deeds, and songs, rising like smoke to the Great Spirit. Let us be inspired by their selflessness, and let our service to others be a selfless prayer in motion, rising like smoke to the Great Spirit.
Our prayer, then, is this: That we, the oyáte waštépi (good people), will always reject oppression, will refuse to take part in tyranny, and will walk forward with courage until wóksape (wisdom) and owóhoda (respect) guide the hearts of all nations. We will labor without end until justice reigns on every land and harmony encircles all of Ina Maka. That we will keep our hearts pure, our hands unstained by injustice, and our words a reflection of our deeds.
This is what the near approach to the Wakan Iyotanka (Great Mystery) requires. The Great Spirit does not call us to speak of unity but to live it. The Creator does not ask us to dream of justice but to build it with every breath. Let us honor this sacred calling, not with words alone, but with the strength of our actions and the purity of our intentions. Let us be committed to living the values we speak of, and let our actions be a testament to our dedication.
Shunkmanu He Me Yedo! Chanupa Sapa He Me Yedo!
Hinhan Wicasta/Deloria Tiospaye, Ihanktonwan, and Chickasaw Nations.
