Cree Elder A.J. Felix at The Turtle Lodge

Cree Elder A.J. Felix speaks and shares a song at the Turtle Lodge Central House of Knowledge - March 19, 2020 | At the ceremonial launching

Cree Elder A.J. Felix at The Turtle Lodge

Cree Elder A.J. Felix speaks and shares a song at the Turtle Lodge Central House of Knowledge - March 19, 2020 | At the ceremonial launching of "Wahbanung - The Resurgence of a People: Clearing the Path for Our Survival"

This song is for sharing:

"Wake up, my Grandson!
Wake up, my Granddaughter!

Your children are hurting.
Wake up!

Your children don’t even know how to pray.
Wake up!

Your grandchildren are not learning good things!
Wake up!

Your people are not even getting along, they don’t even visit each other.
Wake up!

The old people are not looking after each other. They’re not visiting. They’re not acknowledging each other.
Wake up!

Wake up, my Grandson!
Wake up, my Granddaughter!

We’re not sharing anything with each other, we’re stingy.
Wake up!

How can we be blessed? We’re not sharing.
How can we be healthy? We’re not even kin. We’re not even being relative to each other. We’re not even visiting our sisters and our brothers.
Wake up!

You’re not even telling your Mum, “I love you!”
You’re not even telling your Dad, “I love you!”
Wake up!

You’re not practicing your spirituality that the Creator, Lord God, had given you. The humility that you’re supposed to have. You’re not practicing it.
Wake up."

Four Gifts Elder A.J. Felix Gives Away

1. Pray. Not a long prayer, a short prayer. Make it to the point.

2. When you pray, Cry. Mean it. Mean your prayer, which means have tears. If you want it bad enough, you’ll cry. And the spirit world, the whole universe, when you cry, will stop and listen to you.

3. Never go around trying to buy luck. Never go around trying to buy something that will hurt someone else. Don’t go around trying to buy success. You don’t know what you're buying and you don’t know from whom you’re buying. You can hurt your home, you can hurt yourself, you can hurt your family, by buying.

4. Now that you are a praying person, a crying person, watchful of your life and your lifestyle, you’re going to be successful. You’re going to be okay. Your home is going to be alright. You’re not going to have fear, you’re not going to be scared, because you’re doing these first two, three things, and doing them well. The last thing is – now that you’re ok, be humble. Don’t go around boasting because you’re ok. Share your wealth, share your food, share what little you’ve got, with those who really need it bad. And you’ll be ok. You'll be successful.


www.turtlelodge.org
The Turtle Lodge on Facebook

Activists Marshall Ganz, Rachel Laforest, and Madeline Janis explain how organized people achieve social change. Ganz, affiliated with the Leading Change

Activists Marshall Ganz, Rachel Laforest, and Madeline Janis explain how organized people achieve social change. Ganz, affiliated with the Leading Change Network, highlights the distinction between movements and special interests, the power of strategy and narrative, and that the powerful don't always win. Visit Marshall Ganz's website for more insights.

His book, Why David Sometimes Wins: leadership, organization and strategy in the California farm worker movement, delves into these themes. An interview, "Why Stories Matter," also references Paul Tillich's Love, Power and Justice, another recommended read. Both books are available on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini (Dr. David Courchene) shares Indigenous, land-based teachings for uncertain times, emphasizing healing, connection, and Mino-Pi-Mati-Si-Win – a Good and Peaceful Way of

Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini (Dr. David Courchene) shares Indigenous, land-based teachings for uncertain times, emphasizing healing, connection, and Mino-Pi-Mati-Si-Win – a Good and Peaceful Way of Life. These ancestral insights remind us that harming nature harms ourselves, urging reconciliation with Mother Earth.

Our fragile existence depends entirely on the land. We are called to remember our Original Instructions, become true stewards, and teach this sacred relationship to future generations. Nature's urgent message is clear: change now, or we will not survive. Donations are welcomed towards The Turtle Lodge.

Mah Pe Ya Mini (Henry Skywater), a respected Dakota Elder, Knowledge Keeper, and ceremonial leader, often shared his "Spirit of Life" song. He connected it to the Dakota creation story: a blue

Mah Pe Ya Mini (Henry Skywater), a respected Dakota Elder, Knowledge Keeper, and ceremonial leader, often shared his "Spirit of Life" song. He connected it to the Dakota creation story: a blue light journeys from a heavenly house to a mother's womb, lives on Earth, and then returns to its celestial origin.

The song's essence, "Lightning beings! It's me! There is a house in the heavens where I was born," reflects this journey. Shared with his family's permission to continue his legacy, this video is posted on behalf of the Turtle Lodge, where Henry was an Elder, and Elders Circle Seven, who honored him with the Mikinak-Keya Spirit Tour. Learn more about Henry Skywater: Turtle Lodge.