Indigenous Peoples Day

When Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. Matthew 8:28-34

Indigenous Peoples Day


We are not and cannot be discovered
we are people of great social traditions
who taught this nations' early leaders
about democracy and autonomy.

We never owned the land we loved
we care for her as our mothers' heart
and all our relatives, who swim and fly
the ones who walk and run on all fours.

The land was never to be carved up
never to be bound up for greed and evil
never to be less than any other life
always to be honored in all our lives.

We cannot be discovered for we are still
here despite efforts to run us off and slaughter
everyone of us, sending us like swine to die
forced over a cliff, the living signs of evil.

We are mothers, fathers, daughters and sons
veterans, chefs, teachers, writers and priests
we cannot be bought and sold so we will defend
this land and our people always with love.