Native Americans and Down Syndrome

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

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