Last week, I talked of the Sacred Path lesson of Smoke Signals and the message of Intent. Today, I would like to share a little history with you about Smoke Signals and the first revolution in what would become the United States. Remember that Smoke Signals are an unspoken language?
Around 1680 the brave and peaceful Pueblo Indians were slaves to the invading Spaniards. The Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico had formerly been known as Aztlan. Long before Cortez and Coronado started their quests for gold the Aztecs had called this place home. Each Pueblo had a different set of laws and a different language. They all lived in peace with each other and in harmony with the Earth Mother and had for centuries.
A Pueblo Medicine Man, Popi, united each Pueblo and helped to orchestrate a revolt that crushed the old of the Spanish after many years of cruel domination. His brilliant plan signaled the return to power by those who had lived with the land instead of taking from it. Runners were sent to the first Pueblo with cores knotted in a certain way but were caught and killed by the Spanish. The Smoke Signals that told of revolution were sent out three days later. Sending the runners was pure subterfuge and the plan worked. The Spaniards tortured the two young runners and were told that a revolt was to take place on the fourth day after the runners were shot. The real plan was begun on the third day and it happened with the sending of the Smoke Signals.
The Smoke Signal
John Mix Stanley
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Seeing the possibility of a victory by the peaceful Pueblo people, the Apaches decided to join the efforts in some areas and the Spanish were ousted from the mountains and valleys of Aztlan. The intent of the Native Americans was to reclaim their rights to their own Knowing Systems and to use their own Medicine. The Masks, Kachina Dolls, Rattles, Drums, Eagle feathers , and other sacred objects had been burned by the orders of the Catholic Padres in an effort to force Christianity upon the Pueblos. The Smoke Signals sent the intent to the People of the Sky Nation as a cry for freedom. The unity of one heart and one mind among the different tribes who could not communicate in each other’s language was accomplished from the unspoken tongues of Smoke Signals and knotted ropes.
~Mitakuye Oyasin~ We are all related