Native North American

Elders are people that have a special place in the Native North American culture. And this is in all areas of the culture.
They teach us about our culture so that we can teach it to our children and grandchildren.
At one time here in Canada it was illegal to be that we lived our culture. Our Elders if they had been caught teaching us different aspects of our culture they would have been gone to jail. In fact there were 2 Elders from my home that went to jail for this very fact.
Elders
---teach our history-so that we know the real truth of Native history
---teach our songs so that they are kept alive
---teach our dances and the meaning of the dances
---are our healers-all aspects of health -be it spiritual,emotional,physical and mental
---are our "pastors" --by that I mean that they serve in the same capacity as a minister or priest
---are advisors to the chiefs when there is any discussion especially when it concerns any dealings with a government or any other issue that the chief needs help with
there is no aspect of Native culture that an Elder is not involved in. And that is why they are so loved and respected

pidamaya...

I wish we AMERICANS looked upon our elders that way. We shove them in nursing homes. And you wonder why I am so intrigued with the Native American culture? We could learn how to respect and care not only for our families but for the earth as well. We think we know so much (US), yet we know so little.


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Thank you for your posting. Elders have a very special place in the culture of Native Americans [First Nations in Canada]. The term Elders does not refer to elderly people.

Elders have a very special place in the traditions of The People [as we call ourselves]
These people are our teachers of our culture
-our history,language,songs,music , stories
--every aspect of traditional Native life
I do not know of any part of life that an Elder is at one time or another had a discussion with someone on how an issue should be approached.
take care
Ellen

here is a good link that is a PDF file that gives a lot of good information on an Elder if anyone is interested

http://www3.brandonu.ca/library/cjns/16.1/Stiegelbauer.pdf

take care
Ellen