A wise man

There was a wise man sitting and listening to a group of "Indians"
talk about their "true and pure" blood. This one said he was full
blooded this and that one said she was full blooded that. Another
was so proud of his blood as he could recall his line back to when
the "Boat People" came from the East and his grandfather met them
and said this is good. The Elder listened with a sad heart for he
knews these people and was ashamed for them in their ignorance.
Finally he asked each what they were chatting about. They said that
a white man came into the village and said he was Metis, a half
breed, and they chased him out of the village. The wise man asked if
they knew they were no more pure than that man was. HE told them
that he had lived in this village for over 80 summers and saw each
of their families come into the village asking for a place to stay.
They were accepted by the People and were made welcome. Food,
clothing, and a place to live was given to their ancestors. The
village didn't want to know how much blood they had that was Huron
or whether they had the right signs to be a part of the Bear People.
They were just welcomed in and allowed to prove themselves to all
the Village. The Wise man asked if these "pure/full bloods" knew if
that man they chased away was hungry, maybe thirsty or needed a
place to live and be accepted. Maybe he had lost all and needed to
be reassured he was loved by the People. The old man said, "For all
you know he could have been a messegner from the Great Spirit
looking for some of HIS People to take Home." Then the old man told
those who were there that the man with some "indian blood is no more
or less Indian that the "indian" who worries about how much blood
anyone has. Then he told this story to all the People there. There
was a time when there was no blood upon the Earth and everyone knew
who they were and where they came from. They all taked to each other
and understood the meaning of their existance upon this Earth. They
all were happy to give freely of themselves to each other. But
slowly this People started to say they were more important than that
People. There slowly became a grouping of the Peoples on this Earth,
a grouping that was becoming hard to become a part of. For a long
time The Creator sat a watched this change come over his creations
and he became sad. He asked why there was such a need for his People
to be so seperate and He was told that they knew "They" were the
best and most inportant and the "others" were not as important.
Grandfather shook his head with sorrow and told them that they ALL
were important to Him, Earth Mother let Her thoughts be know as
well, telling the People they were all important to Her too. The
people agreed with what they heard and yet the asked WHO was the
Most important of all the People. It was then that Grandfather set
all the people aside and instilled with-in each the blood of their
kind. To those who could roam and breath air he gave the Red of the
sunset and sunrise for their life fluid. To those who stood still
and breathed air He gave the color of white as their life fluid. To
others was given each to their kind the color needed to identify
them as to who they were. Then He said in a clear voice that echo's
to this day, NO-ONE of you has the most important position over any
of your life blood kind to me. You are all the same, and as such, I
will SEE none of you who is so full of self-importance as to put
yourself above your fellow beings. Take heed and be aware, I choose
you all as mine and IF you cannot tell by the color of your blood
who is who, then you are the same. The Elder sat down and waited to
see what would happen.. Two of those present, a man and a woman ran
to try to catch the "white man" they had chased away to bring him
back to feed, cloth and give a place to stay. They said, "Let him
prove himself to our Elders and be accepted or rejected by his works
and not our thoughts". It is our task to be likewise. Choose not
what "part" of us is red or black or white or yellow. Whether we are
Metis by birth, proclaimation, or living, matters not. It is most
important that we recognize the need to accept and befriend others
as Family and accept them into the village so they may "prove
themselves" to the Elders of the Clan and be accepted fully into the
Village or Circle. May this help with some confussion about blood
quotas. Peace and soft walk, TwoBears.