LAWTON, Okla. - Native Peoples Display "Warrior Hearts of Forgiveness"

07 July 2010

By: Patrick Butler
Resonate News

MEERS, Okla., USA – The “warrior heart” for family, cultural dignity, reconciliation between people groups was on full display at the Sing To The Mountains Music Festival near Meers, Okla., today.  Native American and First Nations tribal members from Canada played their hearts out on the stage for about 300 people gathered at Camp Y’Shua in this idyllic tourist destination at the base of the Wichita Mountains, just miles from former U.S. Cavalry outpost, Fort Sill.

Among the many bands and drum groups featured at the festival was Broken Walls, a three-man band from Ontario, Canada.

Mohawk tribal member Jonathan Maracle (left) of the Tyendinaga reservation in Ontario, leads the contemporary instrumented band. He said the festival was the “first-ever gathering of native peoples expressly held to worship Jesus”  from the cultural perspective of those peoples.

An all-ages gathering ranging from young girls – dancing in shorts and tennis shoes in 95-degree heat – to grown men and women in full “regalia” or Indian tribal dress, got up and danced to the sounds of worship and songs of celebration. The setting at  former Native American lands saturated with the history of conflict and sorrow, could not have been more fitting. Just 12 miles from the festival grounds is the “Key Gate” for Historic U.S. Army Fort Sill, which played a central role in the conquest and relocation of American Indians in the 19^thcentury. Colonels George Custer and Nelson Miles – the latter being the pursuer of Chief Joseph and Geronimo – were once based at Fort Sill.

“This place was the end of the trail of tears,” said one festival-goer, speaking as the sounds of praise seemed to replace bitter memories of wrongs past. While he spoke, members of the All Nations and Sacred Thunder Drum groups pounded out a persistent, solid offering of spiritual strength to God.

Earlier, Maracle had sung “Fly” (Like an Eagle), a song laced with words of spiritual encouragement. ”When we walk the path with God’s Spirit, We can face the storm, We don’t have to fear it, So fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, Fly like an eagle,” Maracle sang.

“In the past, First Nation people either were completely assimilated into European culture, or they reacted against it and its religion,” Maracle said to Resonate Saturday 6-26-10 . “But God didn’t make a mistake when he created our native cultures. Jesus came to conquer sin. He never came to conquer culture and that’s where the great mistake has been made. We were made ashamed of our culture. Now, as native peoples we reach out for restoration.  We also reach back to America – and all Europeans peoples – with reconciliation and the message of Jesus they brought to us in the first place. And we’re doing it with the culture and perspective God gave us as a people. We are not ashamed, anymore, to be who we are.”

Encouraging the audience that “there was healing” in Christ, Maracle said “We can forgive what happened to us. We have warrior hearts when it comes to forgiveness.”

As the “Big Drum” played by up to six men beat out steady, rhythmic pulses of passion and prayers on Saturday night- the loudest beats called the “Honor Beat” to God – hands were raised to God as shouts were offered. There is spiritual power in such praise, said Charles Barnett, who volunteered to help out at the festival.

Barnett of Tyler, Texas said he is a professional percussionist who has played with Michael W. Smith, Toby Mac, the Second Chapter of Acts and others. He said music was a one of the most important elements in the reconciliation process of forgiveness.

”That’s because the beat of music is the key that can open a man’s heart,” said Barnett, who is a black American. “Music and the Word (the Bible) together are like two legs on a man walking forward in unity. Music played in the right spirit and motive will get into a man’s heart and bring him to forgiveness of years of hateful thoughts.”

Maracle  said, “This festival is all about the restoration of dignity and respect. To recognize that God loves us for who he made us to be.”

Maracle also said that Native American and First nation people were “perfectly placed” to “carry the message of Jesus  into the world.”

That’s because we are loved everywhere in the world – except here,” he  said. “For some reason First Nation peoples have been overlooked here and forgotten. But America can never be fully blessed until it recognizes the God-given gifts native people have that America needs.”

Drum group members also joined the more Western rock-blues group Washed in the Blood Blues Band, far into Saturday night, as audience members danced at stage front.

Visit the Web at http://singtothemountainsmusicfestival.blogspot.com/ for more information and www.brokenwalls.com for samples and information on the ministry of Broken Walls