Guest guest Posted October 14, 2001 Report Share Posted October 14, 2001 I had to share with you something that Goldblatt, the president of our local DS group, recently put in our newsletter. I was quite surprised and pleased to hear this, as we have all heard horror stories of the Hawaiians and certain other ethnicities' reactions " in the old days " to children with disabilities. " On another subject, I would like to share our personal experience at Audubon Acres Indian Summer Days last Saturday. Walking thru the Native American exhibits it occurred to me, I wonder what the tribe members thought years ago when a baby with Down syndrome was born, so I asked someone. I was told that they were believed to be rare, sacred gifts from the Great Spirits and that the parents of the child were revered by all the other members of the tribe because they had been trusted by the Great Spirits to raise the child. I was told by a member of the Cherokee tribe that they were believed to be sent to teach the tribe and that they were very sacred. My 4 year-old son, Ethan, was showered with gifts, prayers, blessings and respect. The more he smiled and kissed, the more he was showered. I had never experienced anything like it. They even invited him to be in the final ceremonial dance of the day. As we were walking away at the end of the day, a man ran across the field to catch us. He gave Ethan a treasured Hawk feather from his personal collection that he had said a blessing over for him and wanted him to have. Now it is in my personal treasure collection. I can only imagine that I had a small taste of what parents in these tribes must have experienced 500 years ago after giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome. What a different experience than what parents have today. Ethan will be wearing some of the beads he received that day at the Buddy Walk to honor the American Indians who taught us so much. " : ) Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2001 Report Share Posted October 14, 2001 I had to share with you something that Goldblatt, the president of our local DS group, recently put in our newsletter. I was quite surprised and pleased to hear this, as we have all heard horror stories of the Hawaiians and certain other ethnicities' reactions " in the old days " to children with disabilities. " On another subject, I would like to share our personal experience at Audubon Acres Indian Summer Days last Saturday. Walking thru the Native American exhibits it occurred to me, I wonder what the tribe members thought years ago when a baby with Down syndrome was born, so I asked someone. I was told that they were believed to be rare, sacred gifts from the Great Spirits and that the parents of the child were revered by all the other members of the tribe because they had been trusted by the Great Spirits to raise the child. I was told by a member of the Cherokee tribe that they were believed to be sent to teach the tribe and that they were very sacred. My 4 year-old son, Ethan, was showered with gifts, prayers, blessings and respect. The more he smiled and kissed, the more he was showered. I had never experienced anything like it. They even invited him to be in the final ceremonial dance of the day. As we were walking away at the end of the day, a man ran across the field to catch us. He gave Ethan a treasured Hawk feather from his personal collection that he had said a blessing over for him and wanted him to have. Now it is in my personal treasure collection. I can only imagine that I had a small taste of what parents in these tribes must have experienced 500 years ago after giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome. What a different experience than what parents have today. Ethan will be wearing some of the beads he received that day at the Buddy Walk to honor the American Indians who taught us so much. " : ) Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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