June 17thFrom The Desk of Our Executive Minister
MCBC at 90! Better Together 6 - “Engaging God’s World…First Nations Bible”
MCBC at 90! Better Together 6 - “Engaging God’s World…First Nations Bible”
I grew up in South Dakota. A state named after the Dakota Sioux tribes. I was born and raised in a small town on the Missouri River named Yankton, also named after a tribe. The Yankton Sioux, historically known as the Iháŋktoŋwaŋ (meaning "Dwellers at the End"), make up the fifth council fire of the original Oceti Šakowiŋ (the Seven Council Fires), which is the traditional name for the Sioux. I had First Nations/Native American classmates and church family. The university I went to for my undergrad (after a 1.5-year stint in Music and Urban Studies at a Bible College), had and has degrees in Native American Studies and Lakota Language. I had courses taught by Sioux in my degree. In the US, South Dakota has the second largest land mass that is set as Reserve Lands (AZ is first). Nine Reserves (in the US "Reservations") with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Sioux Tribal governments. South Dakota, a troubled state in its First Nations history and still home to one of the poorest counties in the US, also has from time to time worked at conciliation. Even changing the Columbus Day holiday to Native American Day way back in 1989, during a year of reconciliation, the first state to do so.
Those of us who went through various education programs in South Dakota read works early on like Black Elk Speaks, works of Vine Deloria, Jr., learning about Custer, and aware of names and stories of those like Smutty Bear, Crazy Horse, Struck-by-the-Ree, Sitting Bull, etc. Of course, also surrounded by the artwork of Oscar Howe.
One of the things I appreciate about this era of the church is that we can talk about Christianity and also First Nations believers. Those from First Nations who have embraced Jesus and worked through the trauma of evils done in the name of Jesus have much to teach us about sin, salvation, peace, and the goodness of Jesus in spite of flawed or even evil messengers.
At my last church we had Frances Ceen-ne Carlick share her residential school survivor story and her experience of Jesus. The Creator's Holy Spirit has been making Jesus real in many places, people, and times before anyone received the traditions passed on through the established church and the Bible.
So I wind up all this to encourage you to engage with First Nations believers. Mennonite Central Committee BC (MCC-BC) is hosting an evening of Music & Storytelling with Terry and Darlene Wildman (RainSong) this Saturday, June 20, 7pm, at Emmanuel Mennonite Church! In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), come hear about the inspiring work behind the First Nations New Testament https://firstnationsversion.com/ and enjoy music and stories from RainSong with songs written in collaboration with Brian Doerksen. RSVP for this FREE event here at https://musicstorytelling.rsvpify.com/.
If you ever want to see the centre of the universe, visit Paha Sapa, the Black Hills of South Dakota, just don't try to pet the fluffy cows (buffalo).
+Boese
(Image: Oscar Howe (Yanktonai Dakota, 1915–1983), Fighting Bucks, 1967. Casein on paper, 20 1/4 x 26 15/16 in. National Museum of the American Indian. 27/0217)