Holy Night Series: The Great Peacemaker Story, The Holy Grail Story for America
Dear Friends,
This story of The Great Peacemaker fills me with excitement, wonder and hope. It should be known by every citizen of this country though unfortunately it is not. I shared with my students in the Spiritual America classes at Rudolf Steiner College for nearly forty years and do so now with you so you can carry it forth.
This is the King Arthur, Holy Grail story for this land, filled with truth, real individuals and lives lived, then becoming legend, myth and leaving astonishment within the soul of what actually happened here-- the foundational deeds to give rise to the 'great evolutionary experiment of America' as a land where all humanity gathers and the awakened citizens can strive to create the universal cosmic citizenry of the future. May we ultimately succeed.
The story became legend and was carried by oral tradition for over six hundred to a thousand years. I spent over a year with the stories recorded directly from some of the last faith keepers of the Iroquois confederacy that were in the UC Davis archives. In this retelling (done with the encouragement of native America friends) I took the greatest care for preserving original phrases and ideas and deeds. Rarely in the history of the world has a peaceful society lasted for any length of time much less a 1000 years. As every spiritual leader in the world today will say.... We need new thinking for the future. The Great Peacemaker declared that 1000 years ago! The New Mind... the new thinking.... to which the individuals and tribes the Peacemaker, Degandawidah, awakened would reply, "It is good, I embrace it."
May we embrace such wisdom, critical to us all and our Mother Earth as we go forward into this coming year to find authenticity, integrity, moral conscience and compassion in every encounter. The Evil one in this story is modern in every way, subhuman and crooked in body and soul, possessed of great powers to control and over power fearful human beings. He is met with utmost courage and redeemed. The Great Peacemaker, this Christ-like figure, born of a virgin, resurrects the soul and spirit of his companion, the utterly defeated and depraved Hiawatha in the touching ceremony of redemption. This compassionate ceremony of condolences forms the heart of Iroquois ceremony to this day. Evil is transformed into service of the greater good. A far reaching story of \ deep spiritual significance.. the Tree of Peace was meant to shelter all those everywhere who could hear the true message of the New thinking, of Peace and courage within and without and creating the good for all people everywhere.
The document is available on my website nancyjewelpoer.com There is also a version available with a Great Peacemaker Play as well, which was wonderfully performed by Amy Elder's eighth grade Waldorf class at Cedar Springs School where I was privileged to be the founding teacher.
Nancy Jewel Poer, January 4, 2022.
