Engaging Native Americans

“…*man must recognize the oneness of humanity, for all in origin belong to the same household and all are servants of the same God. Therefore mankind must continue in the state of fellowship and love.. for the divine bestowals bring forth unity and agreement…”* \~ ‘Abdu’l- Baha

What do we know about our Native American relatives? Our formal education often excludes their vast spiritual knowledge and achievements prior to colonization as well as many wonderful contributions they are making today.

Instead of taking time to learn about and apply their harmonious worldview, the colonizers called the Indigenous people “savages”, forcefully took their children from their homes and put them into Boarding Schools where many were severely mistreated and denigrated with sayings such as “Kill the Indian and Save the Man”.

Conversely, many tribes had Prophets or Teachers who brought messages of love and respect as well as organizing principles to their people over time. Deganawida brought wisdom to the Haudenosaunee (erroneously named Iroquois) which resulted in them forming a 6-nation confederacy which is still in existence today. In fact, the founding fathers of the United States consulted with their leaders and used some of their ideas in the foundational documents of the United States.

In this meetup discussion, let’s consult on how we can connect with and learn from our Native American sisters and brothers in a spirit of love and unity. We know their voices are critical to building an ever-advancing civilization together and it is important to include them as Baha’is are working through-out the world to advance the whole of humankind toward unity and justice. People of all backgrounds, religions and beliefs are welcome.

We would love to see you in person, but we’d rather see you online than not see you at all. If this is you, here is a zoom link for our meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88158217522?pwd=cGxNeDR2eCthN0k2d2tlSk1sMnViQT09