Indigenous

Rye, NY

Created from the natural pattern found on a leaf to celebrate Native American peoples and their rich, diverse cultures. It is fitting the prominent pattern that resembles a "running deer" comes from natural origins since everything in creation is interconnected. In Native American culture, deer represent food, shelter, prosperity, clothing, continuity and the cycle of life from the “Spirit world” to the Earth and then back to the “Spirit World.” Per Native Americans deer are considered “Guardians of the Forest” which should inspire us especially during this period of climate change to rediscover our role as being guardians of the environment. The wigwam at the bottom of this abstract creation symbolizes our temporary dwelling on this planet and its lands that have been offered to provide for our needs during our transient stay. The circle represents the rising sun for new beginnings as well as equality, family ties, closeness and safety. The flowing red represents the blood that courses through our veins, which is the essence of life as well as beauty and joy. The splotches of black represent strength and prosperity while the abundance of gray represents the wisdom of simplicity and the embrace of the spiritual over the material. Finally the green represents ecological healing as well the mending that is desperately needed between red, black, white, brown and yellow in the USA.

As the “Thanksgiving” holiday approaches here in the USA – an opportunity to take pause in our lives and reflect on God’s providence, Americans must also recognize it is an intensely painful and disheartening day for many Native Americans. Aside from the Plymouth Rock narrative, many of the original colonists gave “thanks” to celebrate the horrific plague that decimated Indigenous communities with the depraved view that God had “cleared the lands” for them. At another time, some also held a “thanksgiving” ceremony to celebrate the success of the 1637 atrocity they committed in Mystic, CT when they slaughtered 400+ Pequot peoples (overwhelmingly women and children since most of the warriors had been away at the time) – America’s first act of genocide that left only a dozen or so survivors with many sold into slavery. Finally, may government leaders do the right thing and recognize the Eastern Pequots as a tribe since they are DNA descendants of these dozen or so survivors. Their continued failure perpetuates this first genocide and the pain felt in Indigenous communities.

Also by coincidence, my timing could not have been better. Since 2009, November is observed as National Native American Heritage Month in the USA to celebrate the contributions and culture of our indigenous peoples. :)