Bear's Den: "The More Things Change But Stay The Same... Doesn't Apply Anymore"

The other day, I watched a bald 'pele-thi' (eagle) cruising above the lake, searching the freshly opened water. He was majestic, with black body and white head and tail. I know that he is the Creator´s messenger, and that he, at least, has not changed. So, while the old saying – ´The more things change – the more they stay the same´ applies to him, it sure isn´t relevant to us two-legged´s, anymore – uh-uh – and that... is a sad and sorry fact… indeed.

Back when my wife was going through the worst of times with her leukemia, about a year ago now, I could feel the bad spirits around me. I felt the ground rumble with their dance, and heard their wicked chant and drum. They were coming, and coming for us all – not just my wife and I. So, I told everyone of this. And now, they are near – blatant and warring. If many of the two-legged economists are correct, then we are headed for an economic depression and times are about to be bad. But bad this time, as compared to the last depression we passed… will be far more arduous and much more dangerous than anything we´ve ever experienced. This is because, over the decades, we have moved so far away from our own protective weapons which are… the Great Good Spirit´s teachings. Without these protective spiritual implements, we will have no defense against the war weapons of the evil ones. There are many ways to see this ´shying away´, but one only has to consider our celluloid history.

Since its inception, film has been an excellent way to catalog history. It is a major indicator of what American two-leggeds believe at the time. Movies are a slice of the life in which they are made. What could, or couldn´t, be done was displayed according to the current social dictum of the era, regardless of the subject matter; this is what was preserved on film. I remember back in the 1980´s when Johnny Carson was interviewing the famous actor Jimmy Stewart on his TV show. Carson asked him, "What do you think of movies today?" Stewart, who was probably one of the most famous and highly respected actors of all time, a man who flew over 25 combat missions in a B-24 bomber in WWII, said that he wouldn´t be in the business of making movies nowadays…. for all the money in the world… because there was no morality anymore. He added that it was clearest of all in the movies of today. He had lived through economic depression and war and was a major icon in the American culture, and this… was his opinion of American society some thirty years ago. To my mind, it has only grown worse since then and another famous actor´s take on this lends credence.

In 1992, the famed comedian and movie actor Red Skelton told a story of how things had changed in this country. He said that during the early 1930´s – The Depression – he and a girl were doing a humorous Vaudeville skit on stage, but there happened to be children in the audience. The girl raised her skirt, just a bit, to display her ankles, and said, "Oh it´s raining outside and I´ll get my dress wet." Skelton´s comeback, as he looked at the girl´s ankles was, "Yeah… I´d like to see it clear-up." They were both hauled off stage and arrested, right away. So, times have changed – have they not? And while the 'pele-thi' does not change – we do – and change…such as this… is not always good. It reasons, then, that children will kill each other in schools and have little respect for life – of any kind – when for decades we´ve routinely killed them in medical procedures, placed incestuous parents back in the family home after a little counseling, and taught them all manner of improper morality, including even going against that of the Creator's natural design. Then we should know that many will value any life but their own… as much less. It is obvious that our society no longer considers their worth as highly as it did during the last economic depression, and it is these children, over the decades… which have grown into adulthood. It is chronicled on contemporary film – news and movies, alike – everyday. So, other facets of this lack of defense are just as worrisome.

My folks are of Indian decent and spent the Depression of the 1930´s in the rural and wooded South. I have heard many tales of the era. But, the one thing that is always consistent in these tellings is the character of the two-leggeds of the time. Back then, if your family had only two chickens and someone opted to steal, they wouldn´t take both birds – they´d leave you one for your family. In a nutshell, if we were to have a similar scenario today, I doubt that this would be the case. Not only will such a thief – and there will be many more, preportionally – take both of your chickens, but, because we have moved so far from our spiritual weapons… they will likely take everything else you own, too, including… your life´s breath.

So, if you feel and see… the bad spirits around you, then maybe it´s time to gather your own weapons which include… our spiritual armaments – the Great Good Spirit´s teachings. Brace yourself and guard your village, or wigewa… ´physically´... and with staunch will while shielding yourself and your family with the Creator´s greatest protections – His instruction. Because ´the more things change – the more they stay the same´ only applies to the 'pele-thi' and the other of the Great Mystery´s creations nowadays. It sure isn´t relevant to us two-legged´s, anymore – uh-uh – and that... is a sad and sorry fact… indeed.

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David Walks-As-Bear is an Inter-Tribal Elder and Kispoko Shawnee Indian. He works as a private game warden and detective and is a novelist and syndicated newspaper columnist living in Northwest Michigan. Contact him at The White Lake Beacon: 231-894-5356 or visit his website at: www.Walks-As-Bear.com