Service of Repentance

Please Enter in Silence

My Friends, I have been asked to My Friends, I have been asked to show you my heart. I am glad to have show you my heart. I am glad to have a chance to do so. I want the white a chance to do so. I want the white people to understand my people. people to understand my people. Some of you think an Indian is like a Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake. I wild animal. This is a great mistake. I will tell you all about our people, and will tell you all about our people, and then you can judge whether an Indian then you can judge whether an Indian is a man or not…. It does not require is a man or not…. It does not require many words to speak the truth. What many words to speak the truth. What I have to say will come from my I have to say will come from my heart, and I will speak with a straight heart, and I will speak with a straight tongue. tongue. -- Inmutooyahlatlat (Chief Joseph), Nez Perce

When Joseph spoke these words in a Washington, D.C., interview more than a century ago, most Americans were not ready to listen. For four hundred years, the world had failed to understand Indian people, and the watchword of the day was change – change for Indian people, not understanding of them.

And so, the United States government And so, the United States government furthered what the Europeans had initiated, furthered what the Europeans had initiated,

and Indian nations were herded onto and Indian nations were herded onto military reservations and kept under close military reservations and kept under close

supervision. supervision.

As part of an aggressive campaign to As part of an aggressive campaign to assimilate them into American society, assimilate them into American society,

government boarding schools were government boarding schools were established whose stated purpose was the established whose stated purpose was the obliteration of Indian languages and the obliteration of Indian languages and the

total eradication of cultures.total eradication of cultures.

Indian parents experienced the agonizing pain of having their children forcibly

wrenched from them and sent to these schools to become “civilized.”

Acculturation was unleashed as a weapon of war.

The tragedy was that many victims of the boarding school experience came away with a distorted perception of

themselves.

For years they had been told that to be Indian was bad, and the good Indians

were those who were able to throw the past away and become Americans.

Successful “civilized” Indians were held up as role models and placed in positions of authority by the federal government in

matters relating to Indian affairs.

….Today, the exploits of white heroes are taught in elementary schools. Indian children, who are forced to attend these schools, are told that George Washington is a hero…. But

white children never learn what Indian children know – that George Washington killed Indians….

In American schools, Indian children are taught that Abraham Lincoln

emancipated slaves. But white children are never told that this emancipation only pertained to black slaves. Indian slavery existed in California until long

after the Civil war….

Ulysses S. Grant was responsible for the death of Apaches; Andrew

Jackson killed Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee; Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the massacre of

Shawnee and Kickapoo in the Ohio Valley….

My Brothers and Sisters… if we are My Brothers and Sisters… if we are in Christ… if we are to be a New in Christ… if we are to be a New Creation… then the way to go Creation… then the way to go

forward is to first go back. Today we forward is to first go back. Today we recognize our Sin in a desire to recognize our Sin in a desire to

move forward in new awareness and move forward in new awareness and new relationship. The previous new relationship. The previous

excerpts I have read to you are from excerpts I have read to you are from a book entitled, a book entitled, From the Heart: From the Heart: Voices of the American IndianVoices of the American Indian, ,

edited by Lee Miller; edited by Lee Miller;

so too are the passages crafted into a litany below. We are

invited to enter into a time of collective remembrance and

repentance.

North District:North District:The earth is our mother. She The earth is our mother. She nourishes us; that which we put nourishes us; that which we put into the ground she returns to into the ground she returns to us, and healing plants she gives us, and healing plants she gives us likewise. If we are wounded, us likewise. If we are wounded, we go to our mother and seek we go to our mother and seek to lay the wounded part against to lay the wounded part against her, to be healed.her, to be healed.

-- Bedagi (Big Thunder), -- Bedagi (Big Thunder), PenobscotPenobscot

West District:West District:We were driven from our corn We were driven from our corn last year by the people about last year by the people about Kennebeck, and many of us Kennebeck, and many of us died. We had no powder and died. We had no powder and shot to kill venison and foul shot to kill venison and foul with, to prevent it. If you with, to prevent it. If you English were our friends as you English were our friends as you pretend you are, you would not pretend you are, you would not suffer us to starve as we did.suffer us to starve as we did.

-- Madokawando, -- Madokawando, PenobscotPenobscot

Central District:Central District:Why do you sell brandy to our Why do you sell brandy to our young men? They are not used young men? They are not used to it – it makes them crazy. to it – it makes them crazy. Even your own people, who are Even your own people, who are accustomed to strong liquors, accustomed to strong liquors, sometimes become drunk, and sometimes become drunk, and fight with knives. Sell no more fight with knives. Sell no more strong drink to the Indians, if strong drink to the Indians, if you would avoid mischief.you would avoid mischief.

-- Hackensack delegation-- Hackensack delegation

Platform Participants:Platform Participants:The white people never cared The white people never cared for land or deer or bear…. for land or deer or bear…. When we dig roots we make When we dig roots we make little holes. When we build little holes. When we build houses, we make little holes…. houses, we make little holes…. We shake down acorns and We shake down acorns and pinenuts. We don’t chop down pinenuts. We don’t chop down the trees. We only use dead the trees. We only use dead wood. wood.

But the white people plow up But the white people plow up the ground, pull down the the ground, pull down the trees, kill everything…. The trees, kill everything…. The spirit of the land hates them. spirit of the land hates them. They blast out trees and stir it They blast out trees and stir it up to its depths. They saw up up to its depths. They saw up the trees. That hurts them. the trees. That hurts them. The Indians never hurt The Indians never hurt anything, but the white anything, but the white people destroy all. people destroy all.

They blast rocks and scatter They blast rocks and scatter them on the earth. The rock them on the earth. The rock says, “Don’t. You are hurting says, “Don’t. You are hurting me.” But the white people pay me.” But the white people pay no attention. When the Indians no attention. When the Indians use rocks, they take little use rocks, they take little round ones for their cooking…. round ones for their cooking…. How can the spirit of the earth How can the spirit of the earth like the White man? … like the White man? … Everywhere the white man Everywhere the white man has touched it, it is sore.has touched it, it is sore.

-- Kate Luckie, -- Kate Luckie, WintuWintu

Leader:Leader:It is said that in the Christian’s guide, that It is said that in the Christian’s guide, that God is merciful, and they that are his God is merciful, and they that are his followers are like him. How much mercy followers are like him. How much mercy do you think has been shown towards do you think has been shown towards Indians, their wives and their children? Not Indians, their wives and their children? Not much, we think. No…. Have you any much, we think. No…. Have you any regard for your wives and children, for regard for your wives and children, for those delicate sons and daughters? those delicate sons and daughters?

Would you like to Would you like to see them slain see them slain

and laid in heaps, and laid in heaps, and their bodies and their bodies devoured by the devoured by the

vultures and wild vultures and wild beasts of prey? beasts of prey? and their bones and their bones bleaching in the bleaching in the sun and air, till sun and air, till

they moulder they moulder away, or were away, or were

covered by the covered by the falling leaves of falling leaves of the forest, and the forest, and

not resist? not resist?

No. Your hearts would break grief, and with all the religion and knowledge you have, it would not impede your force to take vengeance upon your foe, that had so cruelly conducted thus…. Can, or do you think we have no feeling? --William Apess, Pequot

South District:South District:When you first came When you first came

to our coasts, you to our coasts, you sometimes had no sometimes had no

food; we gave you our food; we gave you our beans and corn, and beans and corn, and

relieved you with our relieved you with our oysters and fish; and oysters and fish; and

now, for recompense, now, for recompense, you murder our you murder our

people.people.-- (Name not given), -- (Name not given),

MontaukMontauk

Platform Participants:Platform Participants:The Ottawas were greatly The Ottawas were greatly reduced in numbers on account reduced in numbers on account of the small-pox…. This small-of the small-pox…. This small-pox was sold to them shut up in pox was sold to them shut up in a tin box, with the strict a tin box, with the strict injunction not to open their box injunction not to open their box on their way homeward, but on their way homeward, but only when they should reach only when they should reach their country; and that this box their country; and that this box contained something that would contained something that would do them great good, and their do them great good, and their people! … people! …

Accordingly, after they reached Accordingly, after they reached home they opened the box; but home they opened the box; but behold there was another tin behold there was another tin box inside, smaller … and when box inside, smaller … and when they opened the last one they they opened the last one they found nothing but mouldy found nothing but mouldy particles in this last little box! particles in this last little box! … But alas, alas! … But alas, alas!

Pretty soon burst out a terrible Pretty soon burst out a terrible sickness among them…. Lodge sickness among them…. Lodge after lodge was totally vacated after lodge was totally vacated – nothing but the dead bodies – nothing but the dead bodies lying here and there in their lying here and there in their lodges – entire families being lodges – entire families being swept off with the ravages of swept off with the ravages of this terrible disease…. this terrible disease….

A continuous village some fifteen A continuous village some fifteen or sixteen miles long … was or sixteen miles long … was

entirely depopulated and laid entirely depopulated and laid waste….waste….

-- Andrew Blackbird, -- Andrew Blackbird, OdawaOdawa

East District:East District:I have seen two generations of I have seen two generations of my people die. Not a man of the my people die. Not a man of the two generations is alive now but two generations is alive now but myself. I know the difference myself. I know the difference between peace and war better between peace and war better than any men in my country…. than any men in my country…. Why will you take by force what Why will you take by force what you may have quietly by love? you may have quietly by love? Why will you destroy us who Why will you destroy us who supply you with food? What can supply you with food? What can you get by war?you get by war?

-- Wahunsonacock, -- Wahunsonacock, PowhatanPowhatan

Leader:Leader:We proceeded… to burn the Indian We proceeded… to burn the Indian cabins. Some of the men seemed to cabins. Some of the men seemed to enjoy this cruel work, laughing enjoy this cruel work, laughing heartily at the curling flames, but to heartily at the curling flames, but to me it appeared a shocking sight…. me it appeared a shocking sight…. But when we came… to cut down the But when we came… to cut down the fields of corn, I could scarcely refrain fields of corn, I could scarcely refrain from tears…. from tears….

I saw everywhere around, the I saw everywhere around, the footsteps of little Indian children, footsteps of little Indian children,

where they had lately played under where they had lately played under the shade of their rustling corn.the shade of their rustling corn.

When we are gone, thought I, they When we are gone, thought I, they will return and… with tearful eyes, will return and… with tearful eyes, they will ask their mothers, and the they will ask their mothers, and the reply will be, “The white people did reply will be, “The white people did

it, -- the Christians did it!”it, -- the Christians did it!” -- Lieutenant Francis Marion, -- Lieutenant Francis Marion,

British ArmyBritish Army

West District:West District:I noticed … a small group of Indians I noticed … a small group of Indians who sat under a tree … all were who sat under a tree … all were dirty, ragged, and lean…. dirty, ragged, and lean….

Soon an Indian woman and a young Soon an Indian woman and a young girl … hurried into the group, laid girl … hurried into the group, laid down … packs and opened them…. down … packs and opened them….

I could see spread out there some I could see spread out there some dingy meat, evidently waste from a dingy meat, evidently waste from a

butcher’s shop, butcher’s shop, some discarded scraps of stale some discarded scraps of stale

bread, and other stray odds and bread, and other stray odds and ends of food…. I felt a wave of fury ends of food…. I felt a wave of fury

toward our government’s whole toward our government’s whole Indian policy….Indian policy….

-- Thomas Tibbles, -- Thomas Tibbles, United StatesUnited States

East District:East District:They told us that Indian ways They told us that Indian ways were bad. They said we must were bad. They said we must get civilized. I remember that get civilized. I remember that word too. It means “be like the word too. It means “be like the white man.” …And the books white man.” …And the books told how bad the Indians had told how bad the Indians had been to the white men – been to the white men – burning their towns and killing burning their towns and killing their women and children…. their women and children….

We all wore white man’s We all wore white man’s clothes and ate white man’s clothes and ate white man’s food and went to white man’s food and went to white man’s churches and spoke white churches and spoke white man’s talk. And so after a man’s talk. And so after a while we also began to say while we also began to say Indians were bad. We laughed Indians were bad. We laughed at our own people and their at our own people and their blankets and cooking pots and blankets and cooking pots and sacred societies and dances….sacred societies and dances…. -- Sun Elk, -- Sun Elk, TaosTaos

North District:North District:And so the days passed by, and the And so the days passed by, and the changes slowly came to settle within changes slowly came to settle within me…. Gone were the vivid pictures of my me…. Gone were the vivid pictures of my parents, sisters and brothers.parents, sisters and brothers.

Only a blurred vision of what used to be. Only a blurred vision of what used to be. Desperately, I tried to cling to the faded Desperately, I tried to cling to the faded past which was slowly being erased from past which was slowly being erased from my mind. my mind. -- Metha Bercier, -- Metha Bercier, Turtle Mountain Turtle Mountain ChippewaChippewa

South District:South District:Does this generation love justice Does this generation love justice enough to ask that it be shown to enough to ask that it be shown to the red men [women and the red men [women and children]? Have we not as a children]? Have we not as a people fixed the brutal maxim in people fixed the brutal maxim in our language, “the only good our language, “the only good Indian is a dead Indian?” Indian is a dead Indian?”

We laugh at the saying now as We laugh at the saying now as a good jest, but the cheeks of a good jest, but the cheeks of our descendants will redden our descendants will redden with shame when they read the with shame when they read the coarse brutality of our wit. coarse brutality of our wit.

-- Fletcher Johnson, -- Fletcher Johnson, United United StatesStates

Central District:Central District:Before you determine on a Before you determine on a measure so unjust, look up to measure so unjust, look up to God, who has made us as well as God, who has made us as well as you. We hope He will not permit you. We hope He will not permit you to destroy the whole of our you to destroy the whole of our nation…. The land we live on, our nation…. The land we live on, our fathers received from God, and fathers received from God, and they transmitted it to us, for our they transmitted it to us, for our children, and we cannot part with children, and we cannot part with it.it.

-- Cornplanter, -- Cornplanter, SenecaSeneca

ALL:ALL:I tremble for my country when I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.I reflect that God is just.

-- Thomas Jefferson, -- Thomas Jefferson, United United StatesStates

Leader:Leader:The blood that has been spilled by The blood that has been spilled by generations of Native Americans is generations of Native Americans is

not something for which we are able not something for which we are able to say, “I’m sorry!” and walk away. to say, “I’m sorry!” and walk away.

True repentance means that we True repentance means that we change our ways; we work to right change our ways; we work to right

the wrongs. the wrongs.

How can we How can we make what is make what is

so wrong, so wrong, right, as long right, as long

as we as we continue to continue to deny the deny the atrocity atrocity

happened in happened in the first the first place? place?

ALL:God forgive us for those times

when we just don’t want to

know the truth, and we

ignore it.

Leader:In the words of Rev. Dr. George E. Tinker of the Osage Nation, General Conference 2012:

My friends, there’s a lot of history to be owned. And there’s a lot of this stuff that has yet to be learned, and it’s being concealed from you.

You have to do the work now to go dig it You have to do the work now to go dig it up, spade the ground, and make fertile soul up, spade the ground, and make fertile soul for the seed of the Gospel to grow. That’s for the seed of the Gospel to grow. That’s

your job now. Together, all of us repenting, your job now. Together, all of us repenting, all of us restoring balance to the world. It’s all of us restoring balance to the world. It’s

not just about making disciples for Jesus not just about making disciples for Jesus Christ; it really is about transforming the Christ; it really is about transforming the

world, because the world we have inherited world, because the world we have inherited is in bad, bad shape.is in bad, bad shape.

If we are to truly repent, the Hebrew If we are to truly repent, the Hebrew word is word is shoove,shoove, if we are to turn around, if we are to turn around, begin anew, the first step is to listen to begin anew, the first step is to listen to

the story; to stand with our Native the story; to stand with our Native American brothers and sisters; to learn American brothers and sisters; to learn from them; to work with them on their from them; to work with them on their

terms – not ours. This kind of terms – not ours. This kind of repentance takes time… more than a 20 repentance takes time… more than a 20

minute service of worship.minute service of worship.

ALL:ALL:God, we rush through life, and God, we rush through life, and take so little notice of “the take so little notice of “the other.” Forgive us we pray. Help other.” Forgive us we pray. Help us to step back and allow you to us to step back and allow you to recreate relationships among recreate relationships among us. Let this prayer begin a new us. Let this prayer begin a new way of seeing, a new way of way of seeing, a new way of being. May we work together being. May we work together and seek your kingdom of and seek your kingdom of shalomshalom – wholeness and – wholeness and harmony of body, self, spirit, harmony of body, self, spirit, mind, and neighbor. mind, and neighbor.

Lord, Have Mercy

Words: Liturgical Text; English versification,

John ThornburgMusic: Geronima Montoya (San Juan

Pueblo); transcribed by Carlton R. Young from the CD Songs from the Tewa Mass

Music © 1994 The Tewa Indian Women’s Choir Used with permission

O Lord, O Lord, visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O…Christ, O Christ, visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O…

O Lord, O Lord, visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O visit us with mercy. O…(last time add) O visit us with mercy.