May 5, a Day for Native Women
an article by Ele-Elleid Kay
I was born on the Oneida Reservation in Wisconsin where I lived on and off for about 30 years. I was too white on my mother's side of the family to be a registered tribal member, but my heart was too red to fit into the uncultured ways of the city that overlapped the reservation. As I became an adult I worked on the reservation with the youth, the men coming out of the prisons, and worked with drug and alcohol and domestic violence issues. I felt led by the Creator to work with these souls and take them to ceremonies where they could face the demons that I also had to face in the past. My own life and years of experience impassioned me to live and die for human rights and to strive to build a world that is safe for the next seven generations.
One issue that is strong on my heart is the very difficult and complex problem of Native women, my sisters, going missing from their homelands. Some show up murdered, and some are never to be found or heard from again. There is poor media coverage, almost no justice in the court systems, and a real lack of support for these women and their families. Very few individuals want to hear these stories, and even worse than that, many of the women are blamed for their own murders, seen as only drunks or savages. Many of their families live with no answers, only questions and grief.
On July 5, 2013, Hanna Harris, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, was reported missing by her family. Five days later her body was found. In response to this murder and the murder of many other Native women, the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center and at least 165 or more tribal, state, regional, and national organizations, have joined to support a resolution to declare May 5th, Hanna's Birthday, A National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.
In my opinion this is a powerful serendipity because here at Avalon Organic Gardens & EcoVillage, where I have lived for the last 11 years, we believe that May 5th is a significant day of positive change for our planet. Through the vision of our Co-Founders, Gabriel of Urantia and Niann Emerson Chase, on May 5th, 2016 we hosted "The Times of the Purification Gathering". The purpose of this gathering was to bring awareness to these planetary problems and the spiritual solution.
Several Native American Elders attended the gathering and spoke on the prophecies of their tribal ancestors. One of those elders was Dennis Banks, Co-founder of the American Indian Movement. Very recently his own granddaughter was found murdered. The abuse of Native American women, often by their own tribal members, is rampant. We believe we are living in the times that our world is being purified of the evil ways of "the talker" that causes such travesties as women going missing and being murdered, like Hanna. Someday soon when the Creator and our Ancestors return to this planet, there will be no more evil, sin, and iniquity.
There is much hope, there is a new world waiting to be born. A World of Light and Life. A world where all colors of man will realize they must return to the sacred ways as Sons and Daughters of the same God. A world where humanity will realize they have a responsibility to care for one another and our beloved Mother Earth (Urantia). I believe our spirit/celestial helpers are working on the other side to make May 5th a true and lasting day of change that will bring forth justice, unity, and peace. As Gabriel of Urantia says, "One God, one Planetary family." Aho!