We Are All One Humanity by Peggy McNew

I am a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of southwest MI.   Water is important to the life of all humankind, one of the first elements we protect our babies with.  We see with eyes made 85% water.   Mother Earth needs water to maintain crops, trees,

Men Were Protecting Women with their Hearts by Molly Scott

“I was touched by the local, tribal stories and the women’s prayer ritual when the men were called, as in an archetype, to be the protectors of women in the ceremony.  Men, old and young, rose to the occasion with affirming arms, and, in some measure, hearts.  I reflected, not

A Call to Defend the Sacred by Jim Robinson

On the Friday before St. Francis Day, I rolled down the familiar final stretch of Greenwich Road with my friend Ryan Elwood, excited to arrive at Agape after a long ride from New Jersey.  Turning onto the property, I was struck by the banner stretched across the trees, commanding:  “DEFEND THE SACRED.”

Peace and Prayer Honor Us by Hawk Looks Far

To sum up what I took from St. Francis Day at Agape would be the word powerful, a strong and fitting word to describe how we as Native people were honored by the presence of spiritual beings, highly respected individuals in our culture. We were honored by being in such

By Bike: Mashpee to Standing Rock: A Journal Excerpt by David Detmold

Wounded Knee Massacre I stopped a few miles south of Porcupine, where Chief Big Foot, suffering from pneumonia and starving, along with his 100 or so lightly armed Hunkpapa and Minneconjou warriors, and the 200 or more old men, women and children who accompanied them, was surrounded in the snow

Our Drum Echoes over the Water by Joe Dancing Eagle

When I heard of an opportunity to sing and drum at a gathering being held for Standing Rock in Hardwick, MA, I jumped at the opportunity. When I arrived, I was greeted with smiles by friendly people. I noticed the buildings and the garden, built by the community with love. 

Systemic Racism is Alive and Well by Chief Dwaine Perry, Iron Bear

We have experienced conflict and oppression for over 300 years.  Our children were encouraged to drop out of school, so that generation upon generation became weary of survival, and afraid to address anyone outside of the tribe.  Some of us have been murdered, and our land has been taken, and

Voices from Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas’ Blog Post

“You brought water to parched land.  The rain today is reaching down to the roots of that little white pine.  May that ceremony water the shriveling spirits across the land.” Judy Hyde “Thank-you for bringing us all into the sacred circle of confession, repentance and commitment to making amends for

Paul by Suzanne Belote Shanley

RIP Paul Hood, co-founder of Ailanthus, key influence on the founding of Agape.  Feature in next issue. Your essence is blue jean, frail denim. your jacket, an emblem, you wear like a second skin, the first left in a foxhole in Okinawa. Shining rebirth, you fled those booze-beguiling fantasies of

Pat Tracy, Goodbye to an Agape Pillar by Brayton Shanley and Suzanne Belote Shanley

When we got the word from one of his students that Pat Tracy had died on September 17, we felt immediately overwhelmed, devastated.  “Death is impossible” we thought, a truism from the philosopher Sartre which seemed truer than ever with Patrick’s death at age 64.  Patrick had worked his way