"Our ancient prophesies say a time will come when the blue sky and waters turn black and green things turn brown and die. Animals and fish will disappear, and birds will drop from the sky. This devastation will come because of man's greed and disrespect for Mother Earth ...
Great Leaders, Warriors, and Shamans of many nations will be born to be Pathfinders, and they will cleanse the earth for rebirth. Next will come the Planters sowing seeds of truth, justice, and freedom. The Storytellers, Warriors, and Planters will live in the way of the Great Spirit and teach ways to keep Mother of the Ground sacred forevermore …
They will be called Rainbow Warriors, for they will bring together the four races of man to live in peace ... The four sacred directions and the four races of man are symbolized by the magnificence and glory of the rainbow. The diversity of energy and expresses itself in wavelengths of color -- the rainbow"...
Prophesy of the Rainbow Warrior as
told by Standing Bear, Lakota Elder
There will come a day when people of all races will put aside their differences and come together as one. Black Elk spoke about a vision of a Rainbow Tribe of many colors. Crazy Horse also had a vision where he saw his people, alongside brothers and sisters of all nations, dancing around the sacred tree. Many other indigenous cultures have their version of the Rainbow Prophesy, and its message is the same: Unity. Healing. Peace.
Look around, and you will see the signs in the world today. Humanity is destroying nature. Our air, water, and land are polluted. Animals and plant life can no longer survive without their natural ecosystems in place, so they perish, never to return. We rise against each other in war, nation against nation, brother against brother. According to the ancients, we enter a time of great disease, also a time of great hope. You and I are the storytellers, the warriors, and the planters. For this reason, I step outside my vow as a Native person, not to speak of these things, because I want the day to come when all of us will be as one family.
We start by creating bridges — brother to brother, sister to sister — in a humble and peaceful way. We must take care of each other, eat good food, drink clean water, breathe fresh air, and enjoy these great gifts as a family. We will practice song and dance together. Songs and dances from all of our cultures will become that sacred bridge. We will open our ears and hearts, and once again, learn that beat of the world. All racial boundaries will dissolve, and the color of our skin will no longer matter. We will form a magnificent rainbow of peace, love, and healing.
We are all spiritual beings having a human experience for as long as the Creator allows. We share this common bond, no matter our culture. Our bonds are with Unčí Makhá: Mother Earth and Tȟuŋkášila: the Great Spirit. They are eternal. And we are accountable here to Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka — my God and yours — for how we grow our earthly gardens. Will we plant our seeds in good soil so that future generations can thrive from the bounty? Will we plant our seeds in the sand where nothing takes root, leaving no future harvest for our children? It is our choice — mine and yours — as to the legacy we leave behind.
We have endured so much through the Covid-19 pandemic. It has taught us about the frailty of life as we know it on this planet. We must be conscious every day of each and our world because our Mother Earth responds according to Natural Law when we live without consciousness or respect.
Let us not wait for a pandemic or a crisis to enjoy and love the process of becoming one with our world and humanity. Touch the earth with thanksgiving for her abundant gifts. Honor the trees that release oxygen for us to breathe. Greet the sun and moon as living spirits that bring us darkness and light. As we deepen our bond with Creator and His Creation, we start becoming colorful. We no longer see the rainbow; we become the rainbow. We start wearing our colors on the outside for the whole world to see.
Artist Dennis Metcalf, Hunkpati Oyate, has designed this one-of-a-kind shirt to honor Unčí Makhá in a special way for Earth Day. Highlighting the beauty of what she provides for the four-legged, two-legged, and winged creatures. With your gift of $40 or more, you too, can honor her.
I hope you join us in celebrating Unčí Makhá today and every day.