Harley Swiftdeer Reagan on the Strength of Women

My wife would certainly agree with what Harley Swiftdeer Reagan says about women. They definitely are not weak. Emotional, certainly. Weak, never. And yes, I concur with his belief that we all have elements of male and female in us.

Now, I do not believe Harley Swiftdeer Reagan means this in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense. There is a part of the human spirit that seeks to nurture, which can be deemed as "female", and there is a part of the human spirit which seeks to control, which can then be deemed as "male" and which Swiftdeer calls "tyrant". Western feminism has essentially tried to turn women's roles in society to be the same as men (aka the tyrant), something that is implicitly wrong. While there have been women who have taken on men's traditional roles of leadership, and have arguably done well in these roles, for the most part there are certain innate personal traits within us all that can be seen as either male or female. Whether a person is male or female physically does not mean that one is male or female spiritually.

Western culture puts people outside the realm of nature, and we are finding that as a "modern" society we are actually causing serious harm to our planet. It is becoming ever clearer that the energy we pull from the earth is contributing to global warming and that our "modern" way of life is unsustainable. The teachings of Native American tribes to respect the "female" Mother Earth, as Harley Swiftdeer Reagan also refers to the planet on which we live, is becoming ever more important. After all, we only have one planet...

Sak Narwal: a Fisherman with a Conscience

I came across Sak Narwal when doing research online about various people who are pressing for greater use of green technology in the US economy. Apparently, his thinking about the green economy is similar to my own. I noted in one of my blog posts, titled The Way Forward, for The Creating Wealth Blog that when Barack Obama became president we were going to see increasing investment in green technology. I found that Narwal supports recycling efforts, reduction of toxic emissions, fuel cell technology, and other development of clean technologies.

Yet that is not all I learned about Sak Narwal. Apparently, he is also quite the fisherman. Now, having done a bit of research on overfishing and how it is negatively affecting fish stocks around the world, this may have dampened my positive feelings towards the man. Needless to say, it did not.

While I support subsistence fishing as a means for survival and understand the importance of seafood as a primary source of protein for a large proportion of the world's population, I generally do not approve of hunting for sport, which would include fishing. Perhaps it is because of the horror stories I hear about canned hunting of wild game in Africa. Though Sak Narwal is a sports fisherman, he is also a "catch and release" fisherman, meaning that the fish he catches will survive to spawn another day. That said, Mr. Narwal is genuinely both a green businessman and a green fisherman.

Harley Swiftdeer Reagan: The Spiritual Teachings of a Medicine Man

I came across an old article from the 1980s about Harley Swiftdeer Reagan. In it, he explains about his place as a medicine man, which combines a number of roles that include teacher and spiritual leader. I know a bit about Native American traditions, as I began studying the history of the native peoples of North American back in my time at university. I have never lost interest in Native American history or culture.

I find it interesting that Harley Swiftdeer Reagan apprenticed to the former president of the Navajo Native American Church and now espouses a unique spiritual culture. The Navajo, the common name known for the Diné, are the second largest tribe in North America and occupy an area in the southwestern United States.

As a spiritual teacher, Harley Swiftdeer Reagan is also a spiritual warrior and an accomplished martial artist. As such, he espouses the male, which embodies the power of the sun, and the female, which embodies the power of the earth.

What Your Money Means, the Book by Frank Hanna

I like this guy, Frank Hanna III. It's not just because he believes in sharing his wealth, either, though I find this ideal very commendable. Rather than an attitude many wealthy people have of "If you've got it, flaunt it" it seems Mr. Hanna is more of the "If you've got it, give it" sort of guy.

I saw an article about Frank Hanna III online at the Reader's Digest website, and respect that he also has a strong faith in God, something my father would definitely find commendable. He's a pastor at St. John's in Hollywood, Minnesota.

Frank Hanna III also has a book out, called "What Your Money Means and How to Use It Well." So he and I are also both authors, though I've yet to publish. He talks in his book about how those who have wealth have a responsibility towards others in society to give of themselves, whether it is money, their talent, or just a person's time. I'm not looking for money here, Frank, but perhaps you could help me find a publisher for my own book, CAT'S WORLD?

Amos Tamam: Taxi Innovator

Living in South Africa, anything someone can do to prevent crime gets my vote. I came across Amos Tamam and found out he was the one who created a system for New York taxi drivers to accept credit cards. This system has probably saved a number of taxi drivers from being robbed, and sounds like something that would go over well here in South Africa. I rarely carry more than the equivalent of US$5 in my pocket, but always have a credit card.

Amos Tamam has led an interesting life. Having trained as an electrical engineer in Israel, you might have thought he was working below his ability when he came to the United States and started servicing taxis in New York City. Instead, he thought of this little innovation that, including making a person able to pay for their cab via credit card, also gives the rider information about weather, sports, as well as local restaurants, nightlife, and even news.

Sounds like Amos Tamam has done well with his life, and I hope he continues to innovate, wherever his career takes him.

One of the Tribes

I came across the Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society and it took me back to my days of traveling around North America, occasionally dropping by various Rainbow Gatherings around the country. It was a carefree couple of years for me as a roaming spiritual warrior at the turn of the millennium, and my life was very much in tune with the vision of the Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society, which promotes "Beauty, Power, Knowledge and Freedom for all."

I have left that life for now, though it lingers in my memory and will always be a part of me. I try still to remember the way the Spirit guided me on my various paths. Especially I recall the inner voice that led me to a library in Santa Cruz, California, where I met my wife. At times these days I feel as if I have become spiritually adrift, as my life now revolves around caring for the material needs of my family, and especially for my three children. In this material world in which we live, organizations such as the Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society can offer comfort and direction, much as that of my own spiritual journey.

A Tale of Two "Nigerians"

I wonder if my uncle has ever me Mohammed Babangida. My Uncle Ed lives in Okoja in Cross River State in the south east of the country while Mohammed lives in Niger State in the north, so it is probable they have not met. But you never know...

Mohammed Babangida seems more of a business man, and an important one at that, while my uncle is a missionary dealing with the translation of the Bible into the Bokyi, Kukele, Mbe, and Yala languages. I know, however, that both of them love African music, with Mohammed being partial to jazz, something that would carry the conversation should they ever meet.

Also, I seriously doubt my uncle has an interest in polo, a passion of Mohammed Babangida, though with my uncle's diminutive physical stature he could have been a jockey.