Brandon Ecoffey
Making small sacrifices without recognition By Brandon Ecoffey There are many people who get credit for their service to our communities. Activists, journalists, politicians, and academics are well known in Indian country. Often, it is well deserved for they all play a very important role in protecting our communities on multiple fronts. There are, however, many of our people whose sacrifice goes unseen, and I would say are the real heroes. Those I speak of are our community members that have moved into the cities or whose connection to their reservation community is strong, who willfully endure the ache of longing for their home and family to serve our people. Many of our community members who have grown up on the reservation, earned their education, and are now living in a place far away from their home and communities are now occupy necessary and influential positions in the federal government or other influential institutions. These modern day warriors knowingly sacrifice parts of themselves to both educate the majority of Americans, who will never step foot on a reservation, and work to protect our communities from the ignorant onslaughts brought forth by non-Native news outlets and misguided legislators. When I mention the names Stacey Ecoffey (Lakota), Dani Her Many Horses (Lakota), Alena Chalan (Pueblo), Jesse Renteria (Lakota), Shannon Atcitty (Navajo), Allison Binney (Pomo) Lillian Sparks (Lakota) or many others, only those from their immediate community perk their head up. People like them work each and every day in Washington, DC for the betterment of their own tribal nation, as well as those in Indian country who they will never meet. They have spent the majority of their adult lives sacrificing conversations with those they love, and willfully giving up memories they would have otherwise shared with people who will, one day soon, no longer walk this earth. The countless tears they have and will continue to shed when their work prevents them from mourning with family after suicides and car wrecks go unseen. The family time that is shared at high school basketball games played by siblings and cousins, once missed, can never be recovered. And the ceremonies their spirits need to be strong are replaced with internal prayers that no spiritual leader will be present to guide, and are ultimately heard only by their creator. If you ask them why they do it, they will say they do it for the people. Many of these individuals are my heroes and although I know this column will never do them justice, some words just need to be said and heard. The second group I speak of will never gain fame for what they do, nor will proper credit be bestowed upon them. They are as humble and loving a group of people as anyone you will ever meet. This segment of our population sacrifices monetarily, socially, and physically so that our people may live: I mean that in the literal sense. The ones I mention now are the helpers who do the work that allows for our nations to pray. In each spiritual circle, there are those who sacrifice important parts of their life, family time, jobs, opportunities, all because they answer the call to help the people. They do it immediately and with unequaled passion. Quietly, they clean the ceremony house, prepare food, gather wood for sweat lodge ceremonies and clean up Sundance grounds, without ever being asked. They will spend their time watching over our Medicine Men on nights of ceremonies that leave them nearly lifeless. Rain, mud, or shine, they will endure the elements and the fights with those who do not understand their reasons, to ensure that when that one hot week of summer comes, an arbor will stand with a tree in the center, so that the people may live. If asked why they do it, they too would say they do it for the people. I could name countless individuals who fulfill this role in our communities but not one would want that, for their humility and love of the people is what guides them. They to, are also heroes. The sacrifices that our people give each and every day can be celebrated for we all give of ourselves in our own way: the coach on the rez who stopped gang-banging because he knew that his talent as a leader could be used to help the youth, the parent with diabetes who says no to a soda because she loves her children and wants to live longer for them, or the son who decided-that just this one time he wasn’t going to get high because he wanted to be sober for a family gathering. From someone who was once one of those sons struggling with that decision, and who still occasionally does, I thank you. Those of you making those small sacrifices in your own life are heroes too. (Brandon Ecoffey can be reached at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com or at 605-721-1266) Copyright permission by Native Sun News
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