Statements of Faith

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Michael Wayne

The members of International Aboriginal Ministries, affirm our faith that:

1. There is but one “Creator.” – We believe in one universal spirit, divine and important; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; maker of all things.  Although our Creator is called by many names by peoples of various creeds, faiths and spiritual traditions in truth, all Gods are but reflections of the one Great Mystery, our Creator.

2. God is everywhere. – We believe God, the Creator, dwells everywhere, within and without, above and below?.  As such, we are bound to respect all creation, for in that manner we do honor not only to our Creator, but also to ourselves.

3. God is the Universal Divine Source. – We believe that, although the specific cultural and spiritual traditions of each tribe arc unique, all focus on celebrating and honoring the Sacred Circle of Life.  Due to the universal focus of these traditions, we believe they all emanate from a single Divine source, the Creator, and as such transcend any and all artificial borders, boundaries, or institutions devised by man.

4. Ours is a Living Faith. – We acknowledge that believing in our statement of faith is but one part of our duty to our Creator and ourselves; and that our duty includes living our statement of faith, setting an example for others to follow, reaching out with our hearts and hands to lift our brothers and sisters into the sacred circle: ultimately leaving this world a better place for ourselves and our posterity.

From: Elder’s Meditation of the Day – October 16:

“Many religions have been brought to this land.  And the way my religion is.  They teach me.  And they taught me and told me to respect all religions.  And I still do that.” – Horace Axtell. NEZ PERCE

“The Creator put on this Earth many different religions which represent different roads to walk to God. All religions are right and good if the path is the path to God. Should we be judging which road is better or worse than the other? When we accept each other’s way we can stand in a circle, hold hands and listen to each other as we pray to God. Let us be more accepting of the religions of others.”

“Great Spirit – God. Grandfather, Grandmother. Lord – let me know peace.”

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An Interview with Semu Huaute (Medecine Man of the Chumash Tribe)

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Michael Wayne

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History of the Indian Center in Los Angeles

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Michael Wayne

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The Bear Tribe

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Michael Wayne

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The Articles of Incorporation of the Native Orthodox Church

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Michael Wayne

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Eagle vs. Turkey

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Michael Wayne

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Map of California

Posted on January 18, 2022 by Michael Wayne

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Native American Heritage Month

Posted on November 21, 2021 by Michael Wayne
On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The bill read in part that “the President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities”. This landmark bill honoring America’s tribal people represented a major step in the establishment of this celebration which began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation the first historical week of recognition in the nation for native peoples. This led to 1986 with then President Ronald Reagan proclaiming November 23-30, 1986, as “American Indian Week”.[1]This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area. Federal Agencies are encouraged to provide educational programs for their employees regarding Native American history, rights, culture and contemporary issues, to better assist them in their jobs and for overall awareness.

Current designation

Previous designations

Proclamations

In 1976, a Cherokee Indian named J.C. Elliott-High Eagle authored the historic first week of awareness and recognition for native American Indian and Alaska natives. The week of ceremonies and activities were held in October. In 2012,[2] 2013,[3][4] 2014,[5] 2015[6] and 2016[7] President Barack Obama made a Presidential proclamation on the 31st of October of each year that each respective November would be National Native American Heritage Month.

In 2017[8][9][10] and 2018[11] and 2019[12] President Donald Trump made a Presidential proclamation on the 31st of October of each year that each respective November would be National Native American Heritage Month.

Legislation

A Cherokee American Indian, J.C. Elliott-High Eagle, authored Pub.L. 94–103, 89 Stat. 486 (S.J. Res. 209) for American Indian Awareness Week, October 10–16, 1976, signed by President Gerald R. Ford. This became the first official week of national recognition for the American Indian (Proclamation 4468) since the founding of the nation.[13]

Controversy

On October 31, 2019, President Donald Trump also proclaimed November 2019 as National American History and Founders Month[14] to celebrate the first European founders and colonizers of America. In a similar fashion to when, on October 13, 2019, President Donald Trump issued a formal proclamation recognizing Columbus Day and not Indigenous People’s Day,[15] some journalists suggested National American History and Founders Month is an attempt to subvert attention from National Native American Heritage Month[16] and stifle the indigenous voice[17] by announcing a celebration that can be viewed as opposing and contradictory to what National Native American Heritage Month is supposed to highlight and honor.[18][19]

See also

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2012). “Presidential Proclamation — National Native American Heritage Month, 2012”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  3. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2013). “President Barack Obama Proclaims November 2013 as National Native American Heritage Month”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via National Archives.
  4. ^ “National Native American Heritage Month, 2013”. Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. October 31, 2013. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017. Alt URL
  5. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2014). “Presidential Proclamation — National Native American Heritage Month, 2014”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  6. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2015). “Presidential Proclamation — National Native American Heritage Month, 2015”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  7. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2016). “Presidential Proclamation — National Native American Heritage Month, 2016”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  8. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2017). “President Donald J. Trump Proclaims November 2017 as National Native American Heritage Month”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via National Archives.
  9. ^ Scott, Eugene (November 3, 2017). “Trump’s ‘Pocahontas’ jab at Elizabeth Warren draws the ire of Native Americans”. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Nash Holdings LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  10. ^ “National Native American Heritage Month, 2017”. Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. October 31, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017. Alt URL
  11. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2018). “Presidential Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month, 2018”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  12. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2019). “Presidential Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month, 2019”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 6, 2019 – via National Archives.
  13. ^ “Proclamation 4468—Native American Awareness Week, 1976”. University of California, Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. October 8, 1976. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (October 31, 2019). “Presidential Proclamation on National American History and Founders Month, 2019”. whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via National Archives.
  15. ^ Harper, Jennifer (October 13, 2019). “Trump marks Columbus Day, praises explorer’s drive for discovery as ‘core of the American spirit‘“. washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  16. ^ Armus, Teo (November 5, 2019). “November is Native American Heritage Month. Critics say Trump is subverting it with a new celebration of the Founding Fathers”. Washington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  17. ^ The Associated Press (November 5, 2019). “Trump Honors Native Americans, US Founders in Same Month”. The New York Times. New York, New York. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  18. ^ Connor, Jay (November 5, 2019). “Trump Gives National American Indian Heritage Month an All Lives Matter Makeover That Nobody Is Here For”. theroot.com. The Root. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  19. ^ Lennard, Natasha (November 6, 2019). “Trump Says Native Americans’ Heritage Month Is Also for the White Men Who Stole Their Land”. theintercept.com. The Intercept. Retrieved November 6, 2019.

External links

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Michael Wayne Marousek Biography

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Michael Wayne

REV. MICHAEL WAYNE MAROUSEK-BELCHER

NativeOrthodoxChurch.org – Yourhungrycoyote@att.net

(213) 440-0334

Dear Community, I’m a Native Californian of Mission Indian descent, grandson of Artie Ortego aka Chief Little Horse who participated in parades, rodeos, pageants, and appeared in over 24 motion pictures from 1912-1955. I’m a student of Indian Lore, history, and theology. Studied under Ataloa Mary Stone McClendon, Chickasaw. Worked with Red Dawn, director of American Indian Lore Association. Worked with the “Y” Indian Guide, Woodcraft Rangers, and various private camps as an Indian Lore and Craft Director, Camp Counselor, and Archery Instructor. I’ve also worked assistant to Sun Bear, publisher of Many Smokes magazine.

I’ve been an active member and worker of the Indian Center Youth Group and the Navajo Sand Painters Club under the direction of Jones Wallace Benally. On December 1969, I joined the LA Times and worked with the Associated Press on a documentary about problems indigenous people face in the inner city. While working for the advertising department, I sometimes did research for reporters and kept them informed about the Native American Community. In 1971, I was elected to the Indian Center Board, following year appointed to board of directors for the Huntington Park free clinic. In 1980, I became Provisional Scout Master for the Indian Center and became a member of the American Indian Education Commission.

At my son’s elementary school I served as chairman of the Advisory Council, State School Site, Region G Chess Committee, and volunteered at Title VII LAUSD. During this time I was also promoting computers, music, and art in schools. In 1997, I retired from the L.A. Times and to incorporate the Native Orthodox Church.

I’m an independent scholar, I attend workshops, and class lectures at both ELAC, and CSULA. I can be found most Saturdays at the American Indian Resource Center, Huntington Park Library.

My true passion is working to ensure the vitality and relevance of leadership in the community we serve. There isn’t a week that goes by that I’m not moved by how meetings, powwows, and dances have united people and changed lives. It’s wonderful to see our community make new friendships and in a few cases find their life partner. I love bringing people together to break down stereotypes. We have an incredible opportunity to be innovative and take risks to reinvent and reinvigorate our roles in society. I hope we can continue to learn and evolve from one another.

– Rev. Michael Wayne, Your Hungry Coyote

Websites: NativeOrthodoxChurch.org and ArtieOrtego.com.

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California Indians At Play

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Michael Wayne

Here’s an article I had in my archives of newspaper/magazine clippings about games California Natives played and the toys they made.

 

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NORTHERN PLAINS INDIAN PRAYER

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Michael Wayne

To the One above, the First Person and the First Maker, we offer pipe to you.  We seek your guidance, over us at all times, for we wish to live well and to be happy always.

Mother Earth, I am offering next this pipe of peace to you. May our lives on you be long ones and happy ones.  Do not permit us to travel crooked trails, not let any of our trails go astray, and may our trails follow the Trail of Beauty Forever.

I turn to the North, where the eternal winter lives, and to you who resides there, take also of this pipe. We are weak against your coldness.  Be kind to us.  Send us only the amount of cold that we can endure.  We ask you to send us only the good snows and healthy winds.  Snows and winds that quicken our bodies and clean our minds.

Now from the East, from when the Old Man, our Grandfather Sun comes over the far eastern hills and brings us daylight, I offer this pipe to you.  May you bring us always good days, bright days, warm days, and we ask of you – let there be nothing to sadden the daylight.

South, where eternal summer lives, I present my pipe to you.

When the days grow longer after winter, we beg you to send us a good summer – one in which fruits grow abundantly so that we may live well, and one where grass grows plentifully for the buffalo to feed upon.

To the West, I point my pipe to you. To the peace where our Grandfather, the Sun, wraps his scarlet robe around him and takes the daylight with him, as he goes over the hill.  Yours is the place where our ancestors have gone, and we ask of you now to have them watch over us safely.  When the time comes for us to follow them, we want to have a joyful reunion with them.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

 

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