You can’t go home again? I don’t want to hear it.
When I get to Red Lake, I’m home.
I can’t explain it. Bemidji, the town where we spent 25 years, feels distant, even in its familiarity. But Red Lake, where I spent only three years, makes me feel like I never left. You can attribute it to the fact that not much changes on the reservation. You can say it has to do with the people. You can attribute it to any number of causes or circumstances, but I can’t help but feel it has to do with the fact that I was allowed into the taproot experience of this vast piece of land, held in common by the Ojibwe, that has never been owned by the United States.
As I keep saying over and over about Indian experience in general as well as Red Lake in particular, what you see on the surface does not speak to the deep resonances of a place and people whose roots don’t trail off into some other part of America or some European or African country.
These folks are of and from this land, and the land has an unassailable resonance not obscured by the crisscrossing of immigrant cultures and transient movements. I tend not to trust single words to describe things, but I can’t do better than one of my favorite words to express the experience I am trying to describe: “quiddity”. The people and land have a quiddity that is irreducible.
But enough of the Kentian ruminations. This homecoming was a true highlight of the tour. The college treated me in that way that the Native folks have always treated honored guests. A tour of the college given by the college president, platters of food for folks attending the talk, an image of me on a big screen that made me feel like the wizard of Oz. The key word is “respect”. Native people understand respect, both given and received. It is one of the reasons why I love being around them. They hold people who show respect in higher regard than people who wield power. America in general doesn’t get that, and we are reaping the results of that blindness in the grotesque misshapen reality of our contemporary politics.
But enough of that.
The highlight for me was five of my former students showing up. They had not all been together in 30 years, and seeing them opened floodgates of feelings and memories that defy description. Suddenly, the veil of years parted and it was just Nerburn with Keith and Karen and Donnie and Kevin and Missy. Like Karen said, it was as if we hadn’t missed a beat.
Oh, those were the days. That was where my life turned and got set on the course that it has been on ever since.
I hope all of you sometime have the experience of encountering the moments of greatest significance in your past and feeling the years melt away and long forgotten sensations rush in and overwhelm you with warmth. That’s what Red Lake was for me.
I left that day with a song in my heart.
I feel honored that you are sharing this.
Please Sir, may I have more “Kentian ruminations?”
This brought tears to my eyes.
I love the pictures.
There are people and places where we are forever a part of one another.
Many Blessings on Red Lake people, and all Native Tribal people, the rightful owners of this land.
But especially you Kent, for making connections possible, as much as possible, walking in their moccasins.
Whether in vast open spaces, a forested wilderness, crowded grocery store, bar, cafe or library, meeting and talking with our native sisters and brothers opens my heart even more.
It is because of you, Kent.
The Arapaho and Cheyenne people I’ve shared your books with reported you lifted their spirit and . . .help them tell their story.
Your spirit-roots are deep in Mother Earth where ours need to be also.
One doesn’t need to dig a hole in the ground or snow pit like Crazy Horse. Your books open our heart to Great Spirit in us.
Thank You for helping us, Kent.
Wóyawašte
Blessings
Mitakuye Oyasin
We are all Connected
Great stuff. In my limited first nations experience, the notion of honor was always right there. I was honored to be accepted.
this is what being alive is all about, wonderful that you shared it with us
The winds of the North & Red Lake blew your craft down a new and exciting stream of consciousness! A consciousness that allowed you to become one with the land and those who respectfully understand & steward it! You were blessed with an understanding & appreciation of the significance of tatanka to the people of the land & have become a true & real Lakota in spirit.