May 2007

Hau kola na tiyospaye (Hello friends & extended family),

Welcome to all new Circle members! Each section of the Circle of Nations newsletter is written 'facing' one of the four sacred winds, beginning with the east, then the south, west and finally the north. This is to honor the old ways. It is to teach and to help us to focus and find the center. I have designed the Native Circle website in the same spirit. I welcome you all to the Circle....

EAST - Wiyohinyanpata - Yellow (Four Winds)
For the first time in my life I recently put my own life journey on the cover of my Lakota tipi in paint. In keeping with old tradition, we gathered a group of family and friends (at our Artist’s Retreat) and together, we all put our hands and brushes and hearts to this meaningful endeavor. I was honored to have so many participate in this first telling of my life story on my lodge cover. It is a humbling thing to ask someone to paint images of your visions and deeds. Well, it took nearly a month to complete, and my tipi is finally standing now. So I was sitting inside my lodge the other afternoon - wait - I’m getting ahead of myself....
If you have not heard, there is a movie coming out on HBO this week (May 27th) entitled ‘Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.’ The movie is based on the book by Dee Brown by the same name, and it focuses on the Lakota Sioux struggle for survival between 1876 and 1890. As well, if you were not aware, I provided my American Indian flutes, percussion and vocals to the entire movie from beginning to end. I was flown to Los Angeles in March to join renowned composer George S. Clinton at the Eastwood Sound Stage at Warner Brothers. George has scored the music for many major motion pictures. When you put music to movies, you watch the scenes from the film as you play and record. So I have seen this movie in its entirety, and I can assure you it is a very, very important film to see. I was asked to play my flutes to some incredibly difficult historical scenes, scenes which I know the cultural meaning and ramifications of personally. There were some very charged emotional moments for me during this process of creating, playing and recording my music to these images. There were also, thankfully, some triumphant and powerful scenes which I put my flutes to as well. All in all, it was an overwhelmingly humbling experience to be able to use my music to help give feeling and authenticity to the telling of this story. Moving forward.... Just a few weeks ago, Peggy and I were flown out to Hollywood to attend the Red Carpet Premier of the movie at Paramount Pictures. It was a very enjoyable experience, being on the Red Carpet, being photographed and interviewed and meeting movie stars. Then came the movie.... Once all were finally seated and the movie began, time seemed to stand still as the story unfolded. Powerful.... Epic.... Sweeping.... Tragic.... and ultimately Honest. When the movie ended immense applause erupted and did not end for some time. Afterward, it was moving to see men drying their eyes. The film had done its job telling this story - it had reached the heart. I am humbled to think that my music was part of it....
And so, as I was saying, I was sitting in my tipi the other afternoon. I was thinking about the past, in particular, the history of my people, the Lakota. As I looked around and upward at the beauty of the inside of my tipi, I could not help but think that there was a time when it was a scary thing to live in one of these. Scary because you never knew when the next attack from the Bluecoats was coming. But I never dwell in that place, and so I drifted back further, to a time before conflict.... a time when the beauty of the inside of a Lakota tipi was just part of everyday life.... a time when a tipi was nothing out of the ordinary, but just where you lived. And just as suddenly, I guided my thoughts back to now, and marveled at how, in 2007, this tipi stands here on this hill as a reminder of our resistance. It stands as if to say, you did not win, for I am still here. It stands, because my ancestors and all the ancestors of all Lakota and countless other Indian nations refused to surrender our identity. It stands because they stood then, and because we still stand now. It stands to remind all, including Indian people, that we are still here, and we have not only survived, we are rising again, like the beauty of these poles as they spiral sunwise from the earth to the stars....

Photos from my experiences in Hollywood
‘Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee’ airs for the first time on HBO Sunday, May 27th at 9:00pm Eastern Time (8pm Central)

SOUTH - Itokagata - Red (Red Earth)
A word from Peggy....

Hello all you lovely peace-seeking people!
So much to share this month.... I guess I will start with business. We are currently setting up concerts, retreats, appearances in Ohio for August and September, and in Texas for November. So if any of you have a place or would like to host an event during those months and in those places, please let us know. House concerts are ok as long as we have at least 40 people in attendance. Festivals, concert halls, retreat centers, Unity churches, these are all great places to check with. So if you have an idea for hosting an event please call and let me know 888 790-9091 I will be working on this schedule for the next two weeks, so check the schedule pages. We have set August 24th in Dayton, Ohio for a one day Mending Medicine retreat and an evening concert. The location is the Bergamo Center. We are really excited about this and may do a full retreat there in 2008. Please e-mail and let me know if you would like to attend the August 24th retreat. The cost will be $100 and will include your ticket for the Fri. night concert. For those that are interested in only in the concert seating is limited and tickets for the concert are $20. Tickets and Registration are available online here. Also my contact person in Ohio is Jan Thomas, you can reach her at 937 409-5204.

Also we will be offering gift certificates for anyone who can get us a new account in a retail store, museum or spa for Circle Studios. If you have a store in your area that is not carrying John Two-Hawks music and books just make the contact and we will do the rest. When the store places its first order, we will send you a gift certificate.

Just returning from the Premier of 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee', my mind is on that particular story. I can not tell you how many people have shared with me that the book, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" changed their life. The movie is powerful... the music is soul cleansing.... the experience profound.. Please find a way to see this incredible HBO movie on May 27th. John and I are so honored to have been able to play a part in the telling of this story. It is time in 2007 to come to grips with the fact that it is not good to try to control other people, to impose our will upon their cultures and their values. It must start with each one of us as individuals, thru prayer, thru understanding, thru peace... we can change the world. It is not too late.
I want to mention the new Nuwati Herbals we have added to the Red Earth store. We are very proud to carry these products. We have added some items and also made available smaller sizes for you to sample. You will love these teas, soaps, bath bags and balms. Check out all the wonderful Nuwati items at:
http://www.nativecircle.com/nuwatiherbals.html

Also, our community member Cynthia has just finished her wonderful website wildgourdstudio.com. She is the creator of our new John Two-Hawks greeting cards and we have several of her beautiful gourds in our home. Check out her new site!
Wild Gourd Studio

About the Mending Medicine retreats in Eureka Springs this Oct. .. as of today we have 7 spaces left in the first week and 16 spaces left in the second week. The retreats are only 5 months away, so make your plans now and join us for an incredible weekend of mending and dreaming.

Peace is now,
Peggy


WEST - Wiyohpeyata - Black or Blue (We are STILL Here!)
It’s okay to have a bad day!

Ever have a day when you just are not in a chipper mood? Well, if you are one of those who over analyzes and tries to figure out why and what’s wrong and so on, I have good news - it’s okay! All of life is a series of coming and going, day and night, and ebb and flow. In fact, all life as we know it would cease to exist if this were not the reality. Sometimes in this life, things are not going to go your way! Actually, roughly half of all things in this life do not go the way we hoped! I know, sometimes it feels like a lot more than half. But the truth is, that there is a balance for all of us in this life if we seek it and understand it when we find it. No two of us will ever balance the same, so it is up to you to find your special balance. But in all of that, remember, that when the tides of life do go out, it is perfectly normal. And it is perfectly normal to just have a bad day sometimes! It’s okay! It is all part of the greater wonder that is life. Embrace it, live it, and accept it....


NORTH - Waziyata - White (Words of Wisdom)
I was tickled to hear recently that a Circle of Nations member was not aware that I wrote this ‘North’ section of the newsletter, but that instead, this section was made up of quotes from elders. I must say, I was humbled and honored by that sentiment! And so, here goes....

In your search for success, remember not to lose yourself

Just because many agree does not mean it is right

The past is as much a part of the present as the roots are part of the tree

All life deserves respect



May Wakantanka encircle you and yours with faith to believe, hope for the future, and love for all....

As always, in the spirit of mending the sacred hoop of the nations of the world
Your Oglala Lakota friend and brother,
John Two-Hawks
http://www.nativecircle.com
http://www.johntwohawks.com
Reprinting of this Circle of Nations newsletter is encouraged! All I ask is that it be printed in its entirety, with no changes, and that I be given proper credit, unless I have otherwise okayed it. Wopila (great thanks)!