An honor to our Lipan Legacy
and to my Grandmother Alma Cruz
|
BRAIN IS TO KNOWLEDGE AS FEATHERS ARE TO BIRDS
by Christy Cruz
Somewhat of an amateur, new overlook,
at one culture you know nothing about;
can eventually become a big part of someone’s life.
As my mind expands, my experience with my grandmother
is something I thought would never be important to me.
When my mind becomes curious,
take in as much knowledge as possible to try to understand.
As impossible as it sounds, it was clearly right in front of me.
My grandmother holds my past,
my history, our history,
and now the future is so clear to me,
as the wind on a hot summer day,
WE are LIPAN APACHE
and that’s where my roots stand Strong to me.
Her countless hours searching in and staying up,
as much as she could do,
sometimes my anger grew, as if she ignored us all
but what a rude awaking the day we went to see
a summons to the capital the day of March 18th, the year will never waver, the year
2009, embedded in my brain as gentle as it was.
We saw a great reunion within the State of Texas Star
when our chief went down, and others, too, I had no thought at all.
The gathering of them upon the senate floor,
my eyes could not believe, the lady who raised me
was down among her chief's right hand, and brought tears I could not see.
My eyes and heart began to stand and proudly took it in,
my ancestors as she said: Flacco, Cuelgas, Pocarropa, were there upon the mist.
As young as I am today, I gladly say to all,
respect the work at hand of each of them and all.
For now I know that I am strong and proud,
for it was she who held us all,
encouraging us daily to take our history proud.
So as today I say, that as feathers are to birds,
My grandmother's love is to all, the best I know I have.
To all I say this day, I am proud to be who made me a Lipan.
I dream this day to be the woman that my grandmother choose to be.
One day I'd like to fill her shoe's
but her mold is just but one. I bless the day I came to be
the Granddaughter of her life.
Remember all the adults in our lives, as they hold the knowledge to the brain
and stern as feathers to a bird, yet loving as dove.
To all we are Lipan, I am a new one here
to learn all I can, and make her proud of me.
|
|
|
