Tom Porter and the Roles of Men and Women

 


In what was billed as “History and the Traditional Roles for Men and Women,” Tom Porter used his most recent trip to Montana as a footing to talk to a group of rapt listeners on Friday, July 28, 2017. Using his trip, he shared his wisdom and humor in a way that only Porter can while he talked about roles for men, women, young parents, elders, medicine societies and more.

Porter’s trip to Montana is a story in itself. Years ago he met Bob Staffanson, a world-renowned orchestrator who assembled a group of financial backers and supporters to fund a yearly gathering of elders and youth. The once a year gathering was to ensure the traditions of Native elders are passed onto our youth. Staffanson, coming to the realization and experiencing a vision saw that the Western world had lost their way. He saw that Westerners were no longer real humans, having been consumed by greed and hatred and have lost their truth. He saw that every thing in Nature was upset. Who will save them? And in his vision he saw that natives would.

This relationship was started over forty years ago; since then Porter has traveled to Montana every year to work with elders and youth ensuring Native traditions and knowledge thrive and continue.

With that, Staffanson said he would ‘fan the fire’ to share your Elder’s knowledge and traditions, “We want you to make us human again. To be real once more.”

Porter stated, “We still have our truth, our knowledge. Their truth has been tampered with. Starting from the monarchs who once ruled the world to now, where wealth is power. Their truth has been taken away. Our truth has been tampered with for over 250 to 300 years, but it still in our blood. From the simple feeling of wearing moccasins to hearing the Kariwiio, it still feels good, it’s ours and it’s still in our blood.”

Each year youth and elders from across Turtle Island meet to share their wisdom and to gather wisdom as well. The funding resource group never interfered, allowing Native youth and elders complete freedom on their agenda and plans. Except for this year, the 40th anniversary of the gathering Native Elders gave a report to the funding circle.

And this is how Tom Porter presented; holding a baby in his arms, he said, “When a woman becomes pregnant, the man is pregnant. For nine months they must follow rules to ensure this greatest treasure is healthy and happy. It is said; the Creator loves babies the most of all, the most of anything. There is nothing more valuable than a baby.

A woman has her own power. When a woman becomes pregnant the Creator bestows upon the pregnant woman and pregnant man a power that is seven times that power. There is so much power, times seven, all to protect the baby. For nine months the man must not go hunting, fishing, trapping. The man and the woman must not see a creature suffer, they must not see blood. When you kill an animal or fish, whatever you see, the baby sees. The baby experiences it as well. If you see the blood, the baby sees blood. And when you can’t fish, hunt or trap: your brother, uncles, friends must hunt for you.

If you are walking upstairs, you must continue, don’t stop midway and turn around. If you do stop and turn around midway, this confuses the baby and doesn’t know which way to go.

For nine months, if you start a project you must complete what you are doing.

Most importantly you must carry a good mind during your pregnancy. If the pregnant woman and pregnant man feel anger, the baby feels anger. You have to become a pillow, to protect your baby.

When you are pregnant, you should stay close to your family, close to your home. You should not go anywhere unannounced. That is to prepare those you are visiting that you are coming.

Fathers have to follow this more. If you argue while pregnant, the baby will say, ‘I am the cause of their anger. I’m going to hold my breath until I am no more.’

You must have a name ready for your baby. Even before the baby is born, you should use the baby’s name while you talk to your baby.

There are about eight thousand names for the Bear Clan, and about the same for the Wolf and Turtle Clan. There are less names for the Snipe and Deer Clan. Long ago, just by speaking your name people would know what clan you are.

If you are Bear Clan and you name your baby with a Wolf Clan name, the Wolf Clan mother has the right to come to your home or within the Longhouse and take the name back in a basket.

You should not wait to give your baby a name. You should name your baby immediately. When a baby is born, the speech to welcome the baby is done by the biological father or the woman’s oldest brother, or the uncle. The person announcing the baby and welcoming the baby will say the baby’s name three times. Everything comes in threes; we dance the Great Feather Dance three times, when the Creator created a human, he blew into the human’s mouth the breath of life three times. When a chief is dehorned, the clan mothers will warn the chief three times. When you go out to pick medicine, do not pick the first one you see, or the second, those are the leaders of the medicine. Pick the third one to ensure the medicine will return the next year. When you make medicine, you should put in three. Everything is in three; like corn, beans and squash.

To begin, you will give many thanks to the Creator for sending a daughter or son to you, ‘When the baby left the Creator’s land and came here to be your son or daughter you should say to your baby’s name and announce to the baby the Creator has sent you here to be with us. You will tell the baby you do not know how long the baby will be here with us. The Creator and child will have a good relationship. You will then speak to Mother Earth and introduce your baby. You will speak to all elements of earth, from the blades of grass, to the waters and water life, to the medicines and animals, to the stars in the sky. All things in the Ohenton Karihwatehkwen. Tell the baby that he or she will walk on your body (earth) and the earth will feed you. Always love her and always respect her. Every man and woman should know how to say this.

‘Wouldn’t it be grand to introduce every newborn in Akwesasne.’

Porter went on to say to the group gathered how he spoke to Staffanson and the support group, “When the white man arrived, they called us pagans, heathens. We were scarred, hurt and full of anger. We want to trust them but time and again, they have betrayed us.

In talking to Staffanson, Porter asked, “How can we trust you?”

And in response, Staffanson said, “The biggest job is to forgive our white brothers and sisters. We want to get better. We need you to survive. We need your help. Help us to become real people again. We need you to teach our children to be human again.”

Tom went on to speak of many other things:

He mentioned how we have been doing the Rites of Passage with our youth for years, “It was never ‘revived’, and it had never stopped. Delia and Richard ‘Junior’ Cook had been performing this rite for our youth long before the current Rites of Passage.

He mentioned how he was taught; “You can not wear a Hatowi mask if you can’t communicate in Kaniehkehaka with them. One was never allowed to wear a Hatowi mask if you can’t speak to them in Mohawk, and how would you understand the mask when they spoke to you? When they burn tobacco, they are giving instructions to the Hatowi and you must know what they are saying. The same is for Ohkiweh, you are called by a Seer to become a member of the Okiweh society, or the Hatowi society or Fish Society. You just don’t wake up one morning and say – I want to be a Hatowi.”

He also said, “You should always speak the full Mohawk name, don’t shorten any name. Each name has a power in itself and each time you say a name properly, it gives it a positive force”.

Porter added, “A man and woman must learn both ways of life; a man must learn how to cook, clean, sew, wash clothes, bake: all things to keep a house and to provide for your family. A woman must learn how to hunt, cut wood (like long ago), and learn to provide for your family. Big changes have occurred in our own lifetime. Unlike American western people, we have no defined roles. No one knows how long we are here for, and if you lose your husband or your wife, everything you have learned must keep your family together and to keep it going.

He mentioned how we revere our dead. He once visited Carlisle Indian School and there are fields of grave yards filled with Native children from across Turtle Island. He said, “There are no Mohawk children buried there. The children who died there, died of a broken heart. No matter how poor we were, we always brought our children back home to be buried at home.”

He spoke of how we still have much of our traditions, culture and language. He encouraged people to go and visit and learn from our Elders.

“There are many Native nations who have very little and next to nothing. We still do our ceremonies, the Strawberry, the Maple, the birthing and planting ceremony and songs. We still embrace it and it is alive. You may not see it on the outside as we dress and speak English, but on the inside we are Onkwehonwe. We still believe and practice, The Dish with One Spoon; to share. Our unifying factor is the Circle Wampum Belt, with fifty chiefs holding each others arms for strength. We will not let anyone fall. Our grandchildren will grab the Great Tree of Peace and hold it up.”

He went on to say, “If you have a gift, such a singing, beading, basketmaking or playing lacrosse, there are many gifts I have not mentioned. Whatever is your gift, you should share your gift. You should make sure your gift is passed on to the next generation.”

He spoke dearly of his grandmother, who told Tom, ‘Always be healthy and strong. Share your gift.’

Truly the day Tom Porter spoke to us, we were gifted by his words.

Cultural Teachings was sponsored by MCA’s Iethinisten:ha Akwesasne Family Wellness Program.

 

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