It has been a strange year.  The world is changing and with it we must change.  Prayers for us all in this time of transformation.  I have learned to appreciate my time at home.  I have spent more time on my family and around my home than I have taken the time to do in the past 10 years.   Sales are down in the gift shop but because we have received two grants we will be fine this year.  

Our gathering this year was small but powerful.  We sent prayers to those dealing with the effects of covid.  We had a special ceremony of Farwell to an old friend. Many may have known Olee Jobe.  He has been a member for many years.  It seems like he has always been part of my life part of our Keepers family.  His family came to join in the prayers and special celebration.

We spent much of the time around the fire which was perfect for the cool weather.  We all filled up our spiritual reservoirs and renewed our faith in humanity.  Thank you everyone for the part you played in making the time relaxing, fulfilling and special in a heart felt way.

I finally got this program working again.  These modern conveniences are great when they work.  Thanks for everyone's patients.

​Rona Johnston

I have had many people join us in the past few months and wanted to take the time to welcome them to our growing group.  I have been hoping to get members to volunteer to write articles to share with you here, but everyone is busy and my summer has been a whirlwind.

I just got back from attending two pow wows in Hawaii and have posted some pictures on my Keepers Facebook page: Keepers of the Sacred Tradition of Pipemakers:  https://www.facebook.com/pipekeepers/

I shared this as well https://www.kumd.org/post/217-ojibwe-stories-gaganoonididaa-end-life-rituals?fbclid=IwAR1Cvj3PKlE28KVFo45oQlrht6_IMOBc3myQq6xqB20PXy9HBFw9cIdxWqo it is worth checking out stories of Ojibwe end of life rituals.

Quote

“We Indians know about silence. We are not afraid of it. In fact, for us silence is more powerful than words. Our elders were trained in the ways of silence, and they handed over this knowledge to us. Observe, listen, and than act, they would tell us. That was the manner of living.
With you it is just the opposite. You learn by talking. You reward the children that talk the most at school. In your parties you all try to talk at the same time. In your work you are always having meetings in which everybody interrupts everybody and all talk five, ten or a hundred times. And you call that ‘solving a problem’. When you are in a room and there is silence, you get nervous. You must fill the space with sounds. So you talk compulsorily, even before you know what you are going to say.
White people love to discuss. They don’t even allow the other person to finish a sentence. They always interrupt. For us Indians this looks like bad manners or even stupidity. If you start talking, I’m not going to interrupt you. I will listen. Maybe I’ll stoop listening if I don’t like what you are saying, but I won’t interrupt you.
When you finish speaking, I’ll make up my mind about what you said, but I will not tell you I don’t agree unless it is important. Otherwise I’ll just keep quiet and I’ll go away. You have told me all I need to know. There is no more to be said. But this is not enough for the majority of white people.
People should regard their words as seeds. They should sow them, and then allow them to grow in silence. Our elders taught us that the earth is always talking to us, but we should keep silence in order to hear her.
There are many voices besides ours. Many voices…”

Have a beautiful day and many blessings
​Rona Johnston