I remember when I first moved back to Alaska after living in California for 7 years the first time I saw an animal killed.....I was quite taken aback. There was more blood then I remembered. The animal didn't die as fast as I thought it should have. It made a noise before it passed. It bothered me.
I couldn't understand why it would bother me. I thought about it alot. I examined my inner thoughts as I helped sever flesh from bone. I even went so far as wondering why it didn't bother me when I ate a hamburger, what was the difference?
It wasn't till much later that I realized that I was focussing on the wrong thing. The wrong time. I was thinking about the death....and not what happened afterwards.
I found the difference between eating a hamburger....and living a subsistance life. My take anyways....
Our lumbering souls are exposed for the Creator to see
When we take the shining essence of animals for our own
The crimson blood and pale bone
reveal our make
our inner human
and we are judged with every death
with every action
and with every non-action
How much of our taken wealth do we we share with those that need?
how much respect do we show the clay that we are to make into ourselves?
how clean is the last place earths children will rest?
how much happiness is felt in aching bones working to keep meat safe and long lasting?
We who choose in eating souls are ourselves judged with every take
A hundred times a year
A million times in a lifetime
We do rejoice in the chance to show our worth
To open our hearts and minds and souls
to expose the pain that is joy and utter mortal respect
We forever dance the dance of heart rending favor
We are allowed for a brief time to know ourselves
Torn exposed by Nuna sod
Scrubbed bare by Tagiuq salts
We are allowed for a brief time to
See
ourselves
I always show respect. I make sure to say thank you to the animals I eat.
ReplyDeleteI moved from Detroit-area to become a teacher in the Inupiaq region (previously yupik, in Stebbins). I have gone through the same experience of coming tot he realization.
ReplyDeleteAside from that, I came across your site through deviant art. I would like to ask about some prints. I have a desire to get hold of a picture (drawn) of a native hunter with a spear looking over a vast space. My ultimate goal is to have it made into a cross-stitch pattern for my grand mother to do for me. What are your thoughts? You can email me from my blog.