Listening to the Land • What is my role here?

Rogue Valley ~ a brief history :

Upper and Lower Table Rock 🌿

About 200 years ago the people that lived in this valley ~that we now call the Rogue Valley ~ were living in tune with Nature, animals, Rivers and in daily prayerful connection to the Great Spirit.
They were ripped from this reality by others who sought to exploit the riches of the Earth and take ownership over the natural world.

These ancient volcanic plateaus were Sacred sites to the natives of this land for thousands of years before the settler's came.
Once gold was discovered in the Valley the settler's rushed to claim the Earth's jewels as their own, and war began upon the tribes of the valley, the Takelma, Shasta and the Athabaskan people.

"To the Native American tribes that lived here, the
Rogue Valley was not just their home, it was what
defined them as a culture and a people. Every story
they told, every bit of food they ate, every article of
clothing they wore and every object they crafted
were directly related to their immediate
surroundings."
source

Takelma means 'people of the River's
And this tribe made their home on the riverbanks next to these Ti'lomikh falls

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The beautiful Rogue River, just outside of Gold Hill

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all photos by me @onewithearth

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Today, the valley is exploited by transit pollution, orchards with massive pesticide use, deforestation, destruction of mountains, continued shrinking of natural habitats along Rivers and creeks, and so much more.

I myself am a third generation settler in this valley from a linage which is predominately English, on mother's side. On my father's side I hold the linage of German settlers as well as several native tribes, predominately Cherokee.
Becoming aware of the massive changes that have happened on this land in a relatively short period of time, I can't help but ask myself some serious questions:

What is my role here?
How have I and my ancestors contributed to exploitation?
What is my next step in healing these relations?
Why has it happened this way and what can we learn from it?
How can I bring awareness to others?
What messages is Great Spirit bringing to this land that I may receive?
How can I live in tune with Nature myself and be an example for future generations?

#tablerock #uppertablerock #lowertablerock #roguevalley #rogueriver #goldhill #goldrush
#greatspirit #takelma #shasta #athabaskan #natives #settlers #ancestors
#healing #timeforchange #awareness
#prayer #listen #love #trust #learn #change
#waterislife #airislife #earthislife
#onewithearth #earthtribe #onesky #onepeople #nextgeneration