OSEU One: Delores Taken Alive– Respecting Mother Earth

Respecting Mother Earth - Delores Taken Alive - OSEU 1 Going back to what they tell us, you know… they always say do not trash Mother Earth. Respect Mother Earth. So, like I mentioned, there was no such thing as plastics or jars or cans laying around. My father always has a hole dug, and that's where we burn it… where everything is burned. Then he covers that up. So, you know, we have no lawns, but we kept the area clean. And that's where we were taught to respect Mother Earth. And now we'll say, you know, you walk on Mother Earth that is feeding us because, you know… you have a garden there… you have food. And where does that come from? It comes from Mother Earth, Unci Maka. So, these are some of the things that were taught to us… and then be careful with fire… be careful with matches. Be careful. Like we have to have matches to build a fire or light a lamp now. So, make sure you put that out so you don't cause a fire. So, these are the things that they taught us about the land and how the land is also, you know, like the water that runs through on the land. And that's where, like in the wintertime, they always have things that are by the river or, you know, like we drink right from a stream… or of course they’re pure at that time, you know. And then after a while, there was a pump that was built. So that's where a lot of people that live out in the country… that's where we go to haul our water. And so that's one of the things that they really appreciate is the land base. And then LAKOTA WORD. You know, this is where you're going to be growing up. So, take care of the land. So, we do you know, we take care of the land and then… also to take care of the animals. They always say, in the wintertime, the animals… they need to drink water. So, we'll make a water hole and keep it open and then take our horses down there. Our father used to tend to the cows… to the waterhole… or to the water where the stream is. So, these are the things that they taught us about the land because the land is so important to appreciate. Even if you have a little piece of land, take care of it. Because you know, LAKOTA WORDS, where you grew up. That's where all the things were taught to you. And so, things that you go back and look at it… and just think this is where we grew up and things that, you know… that are shared with us… that the land has given us like food, shelter, all these things. Because, you know, our father built our own log house, so nobody was homeless. Our time growing up… everybody had a home… even like building their own home… even like living in a tent, a tent. Everybody has a home, and everybody shares and helps each other. There's no such a thing as, “Okay, you pay me to help you.” That was not the thing at that time. Sharing was so important. So that's how we were taught about land, water, even the trees… take care of the trees… and then to chop wood, you don't chop the green trees that are growing, things that are laying down or trees that are old. You know, all that we were taught. So, like now it seemed like it seemed like a lot of things are not being really appreciative of how to take care of things.