SHACK 66 ASHAMED

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Arriving at the airport at about 21.30 the flight scheduled for 23.00 I saw a few shops open, it was a small airport by comparison to some.

I was the only passenger in the place and there was man cleaning the floor.  I went into a shop selling native crafts.  The beautiful young girl assistant was very distant and almost aggressive. I bought a dream catcher and a medicine pipe.  She wrapped it and almost threw it at me, I put the change and a donation in the box to help the indigenous people in that region.

I went up to the man who was cleaning, he was indigenous and said had I offended the young lady and told him of my experience.  He said in a kindly way, that she was young and did not like people who took their land and exploited them and bought souvenirs which were replicas of sacred ritualistic cultural objects.   

I said should I return them and not ask for a refund and that I had no idea I had offended her and her peoples.  He said no she will probably get angry just leave it and go.  

On the six hour flight returning home I felt terrible and guilty as to the exploitation, the killing of animals for their fur not for food, the shame I felt for my race and I still feel ashamed, however I got a great compassion and try to see where it comes from and cultivate it.

Indeed the greed and avarice of those early conquerors reminds me of the conversation between a general and a chief. 'We want your land'  ' We cannot give you the land'  'Then we will take it by force'  ' No you do not understand, the land belongs to the Great Spirit, we can give you the things that grow and that ' 'We will take it, you had better leave or else'

We still do this, all that is here in our lifetimes is on loan, we possess not a thing, not even our bodies, for everything is transient, expedient, here today and gone tomorrow.  Make sure to be grateful and share whatever you can, because you never know when the tap on the left shoulder beckons one to leave, and it comes suddenly.

SHACK

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