Native American and Native Alaskan Heritage Celebration

Music, dance and film for Native American and Native Alaskan Heritage Month featuring Bill Neal Elk Whistle, the Sherman Indian High School White Rose Singers, and the American Indian Changing Spirits Drum. Also featuring a Festival of Short Films by Native Americans throughout November.Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Purchase tickets online at http://www.museumoftolerance.com/, call 310-772-2505, or email info@museumoftolerance. No charge for MOT members. This show coincides with "Anne", the new exhibit about Anne Frank.
"How wonderful it is that no one has to wait but can start right now to gradually change the world." - Anne Frank

Black Elk Speaks: The Power Of The Circle

“You have noticed that everything an Indian does in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything and everything tries to be round. In the old days all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people flourished. The flowering tree was the living center of the hoop, and the circle of the four quarters nourished it. The east gave peace and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain and the north with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance. This knowledge came to us from the outer world with our religion. Everything the power of the world does is done in a circle. The sky is round and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. Our teepees were round like the nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation’s hoop, a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children.” Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala Lakota (1863-1950).

Elk Whistle Weekly Songs and Stories

Listen and watch free every Wednesday at 12PM PT - we can chat during the broadcast - let's make it our go-to interactive circle on NuMuBu for songs, traditional and contemporary, and stories, traditional stories and stories from my own experience! Come join me at http://www.numubu.com/billnealelkwhistle - help support this give-away from Bill Neal Elk Whistle and NuMuBu for the like-hearted and like-minded! Share this information with your loved ones, friends, and relations and gather in the circle!

Honoring the Meadowlark

There was a time when the earth was pure and clean, and all living things spoke the same language. The people, the animals that flew, those that crawled, swam and lived in the earth could talk to one another. There was peace and harmony because there was respect for everything and everyone. Sadly, evil spirits – those against life – came among the living beings on the earth. During that time, there was one nation of people who were good messengers: the meadowlark. These people liked visiting and keeping everyone informed about the good things of life. The joyful meadowlark sang about the good taking place so all beings of the universe would know about it. Every spring day when the sun is coming up, you can hear the pretty song of our meadowlark relatives. It is this time of day one hears all living things talking and singing to the Creator, iits-tsi-pah-tah-pii-op, meaning “the source of life.” The meadowlark follows the road of the summer season, singing about the good things of life. All the relatives of meadowlark who lived on earth respected and loved him for the good he brought into their lives. They prayed for him and asked the Creator to bless meadowlark in some way. Because of this, the Creator came to learn about the good that meadowlark was doing for his relatives. As a result of these prayers, the Creator gave a gift for all to see. The gift was the yellow shirt and black necklace the meadowlark proudly shows while he sings his summer song. This story is to remind us that the gift of kindness is always rewarded. Story told by Long Stand Bear Chief, a member of the Blackfoot Nation.