Violation Against Sacred Ceremony

Statement from Chief Arvol Looking Horse:

I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nation would like to offer a statement concerning the violation against the Sacred Sundance Ceremony at Big Mountain, Arizona. The Sacred White Buffalo Calf Bundle that I care for consists of the Seven Sacred Rights and one of them is the Sundance. Because of this responsibility, my work is toward World Peace and Global Healing, as our ceremonies are connected to the Sacred Mother, including her well being preserved for generations to come. The Sacred Tree represents all life upon Mother Earth. A very important protocol in putting up the Sacred Tree with it’s offerings of prayers for all life including health for our relatives, is that the ceremony and energy must not be broken or stopped. This ceremony has been with Sacred Bundle for nineteen generations. We have shared this ceremony for health and well being with other Indigenous Nations to bring spiritual awareness and strength back to Nations.

When I heard of the Hopi Nation’s attitude and violations to a spiritual ceremony, I had to realize that it was not the Hopi Nation, but rather a group of people who have been affected by the “disease of the mind”. This disease that has spread throughout Turtle Island to many Honorable Nations that have made decisions affecting relationships toward their own “brothers and sisters” of Indigenous Nations, including the violation toward our Mother Earth.

In my Peace works I was honored to sit with many Hopi Traditional Elders, including the late Thomas Banyanca, who had the most deepest respect for all ceremonies, as we shared the Sacred C’anupa together. We understood that our work and message was the same. His concern for his people violating their own culture and traditions was the same as mine. There are many other “Traditional Hopi” who understand the proper protocol to ceremonies and would not think and do anything toward violating one another in interrupting a Sacred Right. So this brings my thoughts to those who do not understand who they are as a Hopi, a person that holds a bloodline to their Ancestors that walked in honor and in harmony. Many Nations, have these kinds of people that are not aware of the blood that carry in their veins and responsibility to bring honor to their people by making wise decisions based on compassion, understanding and respect. This makes me realize that the people making these decisions have another motive based on the material world, which brings unbalance to our Mother the Earth. They only need to understand that these prayers made at all ceremonies are for their children’s health as well. Prayers need to be offered to “our people” that have become lost in their spirit and identity as an Indigenous Nation of this Turtle Island. Our prayers are strong and to react the same as them will not resolve anything, but bring more division and confusion.

My prayer is for this issue to be resolved in a most Peaceful way and honor to all Nations represented will heal and communicate for Peace and Harmony.

In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no ending and beginning!

Mitakuye Oyasin (all my relations),
Chief Arvol Looking Horse,
19th Generation Keeper of the
Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe