The Indian Way simply means living one with nature. This is easily accomplished if the male/female attributes are balanced. There is an Indian belief that the wings of an Eagle represents the balance needed between male and female, each one dependent upon the strengths and abilities of the other. The gift of a beaded eagle feather is very powerful. In today’s age of technology it is difficult to duplicate. Technology tends to alter nature or even destroy it. But if this tendency is recognized technology can be used to complement nature instead of competing with it.

On May 16, 2015 the new Entiat Park will have a Grand Opening starting about 10 AM.

I will introduce tribal members that are attending. Then I will describe why we are there.

This is a memorial occasion for many reasons but I want to especially mention my great-grandfather Chilcosahaskt who was the long term Chief of the Entiat Tribe while they were in this area. He was especially proud of the horses he raised. His reputation as a horse breeder was far and wide. He sold and traded horses but one of his proudest moments was when he gave his best horse to Qualchan, son of Chief Owhi of the Kittitas Tribe. It became Qualchan’s favorite which he rode during his surrender to the U.S. Army after the Spokane Indian War which was fought to protect the Indians of this area. The sculpture you are looking at memorializes that bay horse and my great-grandfather. He is facing East, lifting his arms up and “Reaching for the Sky!” which is the meaning of his name.

We are going to bless this statue and the new Entiat Park with the Smoke Ceremony. For those of you who don’t know what that is I offer a brief description.

Indians do the Smoke Ceremony to remind us we are One with nature. We use cedar, sage or sweet grass.

We do this because nature itself does not speak with a voice that can be easily understood.

We can’t speak for nature and the spiritual energy that flows through life but Indians are intuitively aware of it and want to share the Smoke Ceremony so Everyone can become aware of it.

Being one with nature means we are connected to animals, trees and all the earth, stars and galaxies. Smoke infuses us with this connecting force.

The Cedar tree is very special because it demonstrates our tie to earth. It needs water just as we need water. When we give it water it flourishes and returns to us whatever we need; shade, building material or, in this case, smoke. Cooperation is the primary rule of nature.

Why do we do the Smoke? To invite people to join us in becoming one with nature. In doing so we can strengthen our collective spirituality and eventually solve many of the problems of today.

We Indians consider the Earth our mother because it is nurturing. We call the Sun Father because of the energy it provides.

So nature is speaking to us; we just have to listen.

Now I’ll do the Smoke while Dan, Rob and Tim provide a song that is calling our to nature.