Telling Our Stories

In Native American traditions, we tell our stories in many different ways.

We tell our stories through songs, through our traditional dances, ceremonies, words, etc.

We keep our stories alive and pass them down from generation to generation.

Stories are the treasures that cannot be bought or stolen.

As a singer and traditional Native American drummer, let me share one story.

It is early in the morning, I pick up my drumstick and put on my “Original Founding Fathers” shirt that honors Geromino, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Chief Seattle.

I look at my “Indian” hat and think, “Do I want to be stared at today?”

I get on public transit and have drumming on my mind. I walk into the luxury hotel with plush carpets and fancy furniture. My drum sisters arrive. We hug and smudge before we sing.

We begin drumming and singing our traditional songs while the audience talks. They become silent, not knowing whether to applaud or keep talking. We continue to sing and drum as our voices carry into the hallway. Our voices are strong. The drumbeat is strong and echoes throughout the hallway.

We sing and plan our Native American anthem “AIM” along, and we ask everyone to stand around the drum.

I see other Native Americans, and we nod at each other.

We are given t-shirts with our name, “Sweet Medicine Drum,” which is the name of our drum, “Sweet Medicine”.

We watch the Native vendors and say hello. We go outside and stand next to the Redwood tree, smudge, hug each other, and with a prayer, wishing everyone blessings and say goodbye.