“Warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of humanity.” —Sitting Bull (c. 1831 - 1890), Hunkpapa Sioux
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Something Wonderful from one of America’s best living artists:
“The Force of Nature Humbles All Men”, 2003 - Howard Terpning (1927 - )
Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.
― Wendell Berry, born August 5th, 1934 -
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MI ZHOU
The earth
““This project is a collaboration between Chinese fashion designer Ma Ke and I. It is the synergy of two different forms of art presentation that have similar belief.
Ma Ke revealed her design concept for her “Earth” series in her statement : ” What attracted me was the simplicity and basic idea of human history, when people still treated nature with awe and fear. They lived the simple and primitive life, with a very basic understanding of their environment. The simplicity originated from life itself as a powerful force, that resonates with today’s people… for us, the earth is not merely a source of material survival, but also the origin of life as well as our soul’s destiny.” She spent a year looking for a photographer to realize her idea in a 2 dimensional form. She found me in December 2007. So we went together to the Kangding Plateau in China.
In my pursuit of photography, I’ve been searching for essence of humanity. Amongst the varied geographies, societies, and races that I have come into contact with, I’ve continually seen such confirmation of my belief. For me, this project is a personal spiritual pilgrimage. When these Tibetan herdsmen stood upon the land that nurtured them, they blended with the landscape into one organic, timeless statue. I could almost touch their soul, full of dignity, strength and generosity. Maybe this is the origin and fountain of humanity, the life force that we should cherish.”
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A Blackfoot encampment at twilight, photographed by Walter McClintock at the turn of the century.
(Courtesy Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.)
Greg Red Elk - Irene Bedard - Bob Red Elk - platinum photograph
(by Gary Auerbach - platinumphotographer)
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Greg Red Elk - Assinboin, Sioux Lakota, Dakota
Do you have a specific memory that stands out in your mind when you were young?
“I remember being at Pow Wows and other spiritual gatherings and watching my father perform ceremonies that very few knew how to perform. I also remember the unity I felt, the safeness of hearing the drums and being near other tribes. I remember most the closeness of our families.”
Irene Bedard - Inupiaq, Malemuit, Yupik, Cree
How is your life different from your parents or grandparents?
“With the onset of satellites, space technology, modern medicine, it seems as though our lives today must be totally different from those who came before us. But we go home to the village in Alaska, and my relatives still subsist by hunting and continue to live many of the traditions the Inupiaq, Malemuit, and Yupik have lived since the beginning. I think even though I am an actor on film, a recent invention in the realm of time, I am still a storyteller. So, maybe my life is not so different.”
Bob Red Elk - Assiniboin, Sioux, Lakota, Dakota
What traditions from the past do you still continue to practice?
“Early in my life I did not realize that I was being imprinted by the behavior and example of my grandfather who in his own quiet way schooled me in what it means to be respectful. That is hard to retain when those around you are taught that competition and conquest are more important than the Christian golden rule. As a rule of thumb today, I strive to stay teachable amidst a world bent on self-reliance through corporate global expansion. The old ways teach us the benefit of cooperation and peaceful co-existence, but it is hard to practice them when you have to live in two worlds.”
Excerpted from: www.WeWalkinBeauty.com
