The role of the clan is to provide a safe space for community members to live, work and play.

An excerpt from my book, The Hollow Tree:Fighting Addiction with Traditional Native Healing:

"A long time ago a loon was badly hurt. His spirit was broken, and his mind and body were confused because he drank too much alcohol This loon lived on the lake of firewater and he was surrounded by many other loons who lived in the same state of confusion The lake was polluted and the surroundings of the lake were not very pretty to look at because all the loons that lived on the lake drank too much. One day the loon met three other loons from a different lake. The confused loon, the one with the broken spirit, began to talk with the visiting loons. The two loons, Eddy and Michael, were generous and took time to communicate with the loon. The talked and walked the sweetgrass road with the broke-spirited loon. The told him that 'only through simple honesty and kindness are we able to build our true fire. If we cannot build this fire we eventually die.'" (p.39-40)

I wrote this book to help other people, who, like the broken-spirited loon, need help to fly. My prayer is that everyone who reads this book will discover their own inner fire and ability to fly. I hope that you will have the opportunity to find this book and read it and pass on the wisdom you gain as you read. That wisdom comes from your inner fire as you engage with the teachings contained in the book.

May you walk well with the Creator.

WISDOM

Wisdom does not mean "wise". The teaching of wisdom reminds us to cherish our knowledge, our pipes, sweat lodges, fasting, and other sacred ceremonies. Cherishing knowledge can be translated to being grateful which in turn strengthens our relationship to the Creator and the Grandfathers. "Grandfather" is a good spirit that helps us in our journey of life and a Grandfather could be likened to Angels in the Christian church. A pipe is a tool that was envisioned to us in the Stone Age, sent to us from the Creator. We use the pipe to maintain and sustain our relationship with the creator in prayer. The pipe is very much alive, like a human being. The wood of the pipe stem represents honesty and the stone represents strength.

A sweat lodge is a purification ritual that cleans ourselves of inner demons, or "rascals". Sometimes Ojibways refer to the rascals as "Windigo", an evil spirit. Fasting is a time of abstaining from food and water for four days and four nights in the "bush", or forest. Food spirits represents the East door of the sweat lodge, and Water represents the West door. The West and East doors of the lodge reminds us of the strength of food and water. As you know, without food and water life could not be sustained, therefore, understanding our relationships with these two elements helps us to connect with Creation.

Gaining Wisdom through fasting and other ceremonies enables us to live the good life. This is a process that is a lifelong process and not just a "thing" you can go out and get.