Author Topic: Old or Elderly, But Not Native Elders  (Read 25202 times)

Offline educatedindian

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Old or Elderly, But Not Native Elders
« on: November 02, 2004, 08:00:53 pm »
"debbieredbear2000" <debbieredbear2000@yahoo.com>  Add to Address Book
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 16:50:40 -0000
Subject: [newagefraudsplastichshamans] elders vs Elders

   
I can't speak to my tribes because I have not grown up with them and
do not live with them. However, I live on one rez and my husband's
rez is down the road about 5 miles. And I have argued the elder vs
Elder with anti-whaling nutbars endlessy. They attached themselves to
one old lady who is old, but not an Elder. Then they stomped their
collective feet and got very angry when told that they didn't get to
have a say in who is an Elder. Anyway, and elder around here is
someone who hads reached a certain age, in my husband's tribe it's
55. They get benefits, like senior lunches and occasional trips. But
an Elder is someone who is respected for their knowledge. Someone who
actually knows their traditional knowledge and can pass that on.
Someone who you can go to for counsel if you need it. And some of the
Elders have not passed the magic age, either. I can think of a
handful of people in both tribes who fit the bill. The rest are just
elders. Which is also nothing to sneeze at.;)