No matter the color of my skin,

                  I walk unashamed,  I walk

                  in two worlds …

     Have you ever felt as if you’ve walked in two worlds? For many it could mean the difference of going between work and home each day.  Tradionally speaking, it could mean the difference of our women baking bread in outdoor ovens during ceremony, our men going out on traditional hunts and gathering medicine's and yet those same women and men have their carreers and work to return to on Monday morning.

We have tribal artist's, nurses, doctors, lawyers, etc. who are also deeply rooted in their tribal society's  and medicine lodges.  They are spiritual healers, medicine men and women, story tellers, dancers and song carriers who must live in a world of cultural traditions and also modern society. 

    I walk in two worlds with each beat of my heart; the very blood within me carries the history of two great nations, the Northern Cheyenne of Montana and the Dutch people of the Netherlands.

The Cheyenne, Tsitsistas; meaning the beautiful people, were the buffalo hunters of the Great Plains. We were celebrated for our fearless warriors, and an ordered government. The ancestors lived in harmony with each other, the Cheyenne women were virtuous and the children were treasured by all.

They respected Mother Earth from days of old and remain spiritually connected to her today. The people give thanks to Ma‘heo’o, the Creator of all things. We were also taught to preserve and protect the sacred places including the holy mountain of Bear Butte.  Our skin is the color of red earth and when we set our feet upon the ground we are reminded of the place from whence we first came.

     The Dutch are the people of Holland, the Netherlands. The word “Holland” means “Woodland” in the Old Dutch language. There are some theories that it is a Viking name. The Vikings often visited this part of Europe until the 10th century.  The Norse ancestors built strongholds around their cities to prevent the invasion of strange nobles and armies from coming in. They tried to protect themselves but Julius Caesar conquered present-day Netherlands in the first century. Roman settlements were built in Utrecht and Maastricht in 48 AD and 50 AD respectively. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the control of the country passed to the Franks. Later it became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

These, the Dutch are a resourceful people. They are surrounded by the beautiful North Sea and fishing is a traditional industry. The ocean and also farming provide an abundance and variety of delicious foods. As a low-lying country the Netherlands has engaged in a long history of struggle against the sea.

      So you see, I walk in two worlds. With pride, I walk unashamed, for the Creators plan is set in motion when we fulfill our purpose for living. I remember that two halves make a whole so the Cheyenne and the Dutch can live together in complete wholeness inside of me.  I’m still discovering and finding my place in this world and I hope to be a guiding light to those who seek healing that they might find their destiny. I know that people are just people and I’ve learned that no matter where we come from, that we all suffer comparable trials, sorrows and celebrate similar victories and  joys in our lives.  No matter the color of our skin, lifes mirror reminds us that we are more than just flesh and bone but soul and spirit.

We all walk in two worlds in some way or another and life can be beautiful when we love ourselves and our neighbor with no conditions or prejudice. 

                                                                              

                                 Shelley Morningsong

I Walk in Two Worlds

How can I tell you what my heart contains?

Only those who walk this path know the pain

When I look in the mirror it’s clear what I see

Flesh and bone, a human being

Chorus

I walk in two worlds,

I’ve been hurt by both.

And I’ve learned that people are just people

No matter the color of their skin.

There’s only One who can say what I’m worth

He is the one who destined my birth

So don’t try and judge what you don’t understand

I’m proud of my blood and know who I am

Chorus

I walk in two worlds,

I’ve been hurt by both.

And I’ve learned that people are just people

No matter the color of their skin.

I walk unashamed, but I walk in two worlds.

How can I tell you what my heart contains?

Only those who walk this path know the pain

When I look in the mirror it’s clear what I see

Flesh and bone, a human being.

Written by Shelley Morningsong

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From the Album "Out of the Ashes"

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