On The Wild Side

Christine Schoene Maccabee

Gratitude

As soon as I start feeling sorry for myself because of another problem I have to deal with, something comes in the mail that stops me in my tracks. Here is a quote from the American Indian Relief Council : “The American Indians are not in good shape. Rusted-out cars and tiny, weather-beaten, time worn homes line the streets. Sometimes two and three families are forced to live in run-down dwellings they call ‘home’. There is a shortage of nutritious food and the brutal winter months and poor health care will threaten the lives of thousands of vulnerable Elders and young children. And, sadly, very little means to celebrate Thanksgiving on the reservation again this year.” Many good-hearted people, with a little extra money, are sending aid to these Native American communities, which is a good thing. However, most of these poor communities are on reservations, formed due to the historical effort by white settlers to push whole Indian tribes off their ancestral lands and on to arid lands west of the Mississippi (read the book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) and no amount of money will ever be able to make up to them what we as immigrant invaders did. Still, when white men came to American shores, they were unprepared for the hardships they faced in the wilderness. According to an Elder of one of the present day tribes…“our Ancestors watched the strange ones and could see they were without survival skills. The year was 1621. The pilgrims were not in good shape. They were living in dirt covered shelters. There was a shortage of food and half of them died during the brutal winter. They obviously needed help. My Indian Ancestors brought them food, and taught them how to hunt and farm the land. We shared our knowledge of wild plants and their uses to combat illness. Above all we taught them to preserve berries, teas and other foods to help them through the winters.” Ultimately the first Thanksgiving feast occurred, but quickly things went downhill, as terrible wars were spawned by both sides. However, a great effort by some settlers was made to continue to learn from the Indians and preserve peace. William Penn, the founder of the state of Pennsylvania, made friends with the Leni-Lenape tribe (Delaware Indians) and signed a treaty of friendship with them that sadly only lasted twenty years. Later, in 1682, Benjamin West painted “The Peaceable Kingdom” in an effort to inspire greater feelings of hope for peace in the future. If you look closely at the painting (shown right), on the left hand side you will see the gathering of Indians and white men as they signed the treaty of friendship. The larger image of children fearlessly mingling with wild creatures is a visual interpretation inspired by the prophecy in Isaiah, which says that someday the lion will lie down with the lamb, which of course is purely symbolic of mankind’s desire for peace. These days, peace in the world, and our nation, still seems like a distant dream, even an impossibility. However, there is another battle being fought, which many people are not fully aware: the warfare we are waging against our planet Earth. I will not dwell on the many disturbing effects our materialistic lifestyles are having on the health of every ecosystem that exists, as that would take a book. However, much like William Penn, I want to learn from the natives. I want to know how to make herb teas from wild plants growing abundantly in my meadows up here in the Catoctins; I want to nurture and eat the wild edibles, and I want to preserve habitat for “all my relations.” I want to know how to preserve the wild berry and other foods to sustain myself and others through hard winters, living simply and in tune with nature. So far, I have learned a lot. One of the biggest lessons I have learned, however, is gratitude, even when things are not going exactly as I wish. Sadly, not everything works out for everybody. It seems some people have charmed lives, while others are finding roadblocks at every turn. In my own little life, even with all its twists and turns, I find something to be grateful for every day. Life is humbling, that’s for sure. However, as I grow older, I am thankful for little blessings, and there are many. I also thank the Native Americans, who endured unimaginable hardships and yet survived with their interesting cultures and spirituality. Perhaps as we give more of our time and resources, and reach out to others and the natural world with understanding and friendship, we can all thrive together, not just survive in cardboard shanties with polluted water. Meantime, some of us will continue to eat our humble pie (preferably pumpkin), one slice at a time, and give thanks through it all. Christine is a member of Thurmont’s Green Team and a Master Habitat Naturalist. She would be happy to help you with habitat, particularly plant ID, on your own property and can be reached at [email protected].