Our sacred ceremonies empowered, cleansed, and unified us. Our medicine men healed us with plants from the earth. Our women enabled us to thrive by their nurturing spirits and commitment to the ideal of “what is best for everyone”. They were involved in our decision making and important contributors because they clung to the principles of caring for all. Women were the keepers of the flame of our culture. They were perceived as closer to the Creator because they gave birth, so they were honored as the ones who maintained the extended family.

Our culture included art, song, and dancing to drumbeats that reverberated to the heartbeat of the Earth. We lived as part of the universe and honored the moon, the stars, the sun and sky and every living thing under the sky. We purified ourselves in ceremonial Sweat Lodges to be clean in heart, body and mind so the spirits of our ancestors could come to teach and heal us. We went on Vision Quests into the wilderness alone to seek oneness with the Creator. We prayed and fasted for visions that would help us grow in our knowledge of the path of Red Road we walked to spirituality. This was a road of peace and spiritual depth that focused upon maintaining our cultural ways and sustaining our community. This was a road of self-sacrifice that insured each one knew the greater whole was our security and maintaining that oneness was integral to our society.