Dinner and a Movie

Rhonda and McKenna.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Downtown Spokane.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

Spring Break began in earnest and all our big travel plans evaporated for lack of funds. Instead, we took the kids downtown to the Old Spaghetti Factory and then a movie. Rhonda's family will be in town later this week, so as you know, plans change.

Sam Moses Memorial Dinner and Powwow

Three generations of Sam Moses descendents, Davier, Gary, and Dale...
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Pat Moses leading the drum (center).
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Sam's kids sing an honor song for their father.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

A memorial dinner and powwow convened yesterday on the Spokane Reservation in honor of my great uncle Sam Moses. Family members gathered and enjoyed a wonderful time visiting and remembering and laughing. I brought my wife and children for dinner. We only planned to stay a little while, but when the drum started, I couldn't resist going out to the floor to dance. It didn't matter that I didn't have any regalia. I forgot how much I love to dance. I also sang at the drum with Pat, Francis, Louise, Connie, Conrad, and others.

The family then had a give-away in honor of uncle Sam. It was a beautiful evening.

My "Evil" Twin

Diane Moses, my "Evil" Twin.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

I was happy to see my cousin Diane Moses during the dinner and powwow yesterday. She and I are "birthday twins;" born on the same day, but only one year apart (she's the older twin). Years ago, she used to say she was the evil twin and I was the good twin, and somehow those titles stuck. Though I have to say, I don't think she's evil at all. Every year, she carries on the tradition of our grandmothers by having a community dinner at the Wellpinit Labor Day Powwow. She takes in "lost" kids and overall, she has a really big heart. There's nothing evil about her.

In this photograph, she is being very camera-shy. I'm posting it here because I told her I would, paparazzi style. :)

Generations

Whitney with her Tupye.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


My auntie Darlene and I laugh together.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Johnnae and her son.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

The dinner and powwow yesterday gave our family a wonderful chance to visit and laugh. I forgot how much I used to love this kind of gathering with all the generations coming together to learn from one another. What a blessed event!

Happy Birthday Bradley Moses!!!

Today is my brother's 31st birthday. He's living with his wife and children in Alabama, just across the state line from Fort Benning, Georgia. He is a drill sergeant and recently received a promotion. We spoke briefly on the phone just so I could say, "Congratulations brother!"

Sacred Experience

Grandpa Great's Obituary in the Paper.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

I had a sacred experience last week I want to share with you. I know Jesus says to not cast pearls before swine, or give that which is holy to dogs (Matthew 7:6), but I have to believe my words will reach the pure of heart and not just idle passersby. The internet is a big place, and surely some will read this and think I'm foolish for giving so much importance to this simple experience. No matter. Those who see with spiritual eyes will understand.

Exactly one week ago on March 25, I made fire for my uncle's sweat lodge on the Spokane Reservation. My uncle always tells me the ceremony actually begins from the moment we set our intention to visit the lodge. He says the Creator and the spirits take notice when we announce our intention and they make arrangements to meet us and send blessings. "Be mindful," he often says, "Whether you're building the fire, or carrying water, or bringing the rocks; you might get a message in those quiet moments. You might find an answer to prayer."

So I was at the lodge by myself chopping wood and hearing the beautiful sound of birds returning for the springtime season. All the while, I made prayers in my heart.

My uncle keeps a bin filled with old newspapers to help start the fire. I grabbed a handful to place beneath the kindling; I tore the sheets in half, crumpled them into a loose ball, and then placed them at the base of the fire pit. Just then, something caught my eye on one of the newsprint pages; I saw Grandpa Great's face looking back at me. It was only a picture on the printed page, from his obituary appearing in an old edition of the Spokesman Review (he died on October 5, 2005), and yet seeing that picture nearly stopped my heart. Suddenly I felt his presence all around me, as though he were standing with me and holding me in his embrace.

Grandpa Great was such a great example of the LDS faith, and when I left the church, I know it must have hurt his heart. Even still, he always treated me with such genuine love and respect. He never gave the slightest hint of criticism or judgment. In my turn, I loved that man as though he were my own flesh and blood grandfather.

As I stood in that most sacred place, building the fire for our prayers, I felt his spirit all around me. I felt his undying love for me, even though I so often see myself as just the husband of his granddaughter; the "in-law." And yet, by visiting me at my uncle's lodge, I felt like he was telling me the spirit of love transcends all differences of race, ethnicity, religion, social standing, or politics.

His presence washed away all doubt. Standing in the light of his spirit, our differences melt away. In that moment, we stood as one in the presence of the One Greater Than All.

Latah Bridge

On Latah Bridge.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Plaque on Latah Bridge.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

During my lunch hour walk this afternoon, I also stopped to take in the view from Latah Bridge. The bridge overlooks Latah Creek, also known as Hangman Creek. In 1858, Colonel George Wright hanged a handful of Indians near the creek in retaliation for their role in the war against the United States. His cruelty is well documented. An old Spokane legend says one of the men sang his death song just before the hanging. Contemporary indigenous observers remembered that song and passed it on to their descendants to the present day. We often sing it in honor of veterans. I learned the Hangman Song years ago while sitting around Hank Wynne's drum. I remember that song today, and all the elders who went before.

Browne's Addition

The Finch House in Browne's Addition.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


An Old House in Browne's Addition.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

During my lunch hour at the museum, I took a walk through Browne's Addition and admired the old homes; many of which are featured on the National Register of Historic Places. I've often thought I might like to live in this part of town. It's a beautiful place.

Man Without Blood

Man Without Blood at the MAC.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is hosting an exhibit dedicated to the great explorer David Thompson and his visit to the Plateau Salish people. One item of the exhibit features a painting of a Spokane chief by the name of Tum-sen-a-ho; 'Man Without Blood.'

I once showed this picture to my ya-ya Norma and asked her about the name. She is one of the last fluent speakers of the Spokane language. As best as I could tell, the true name should have been pronounced 'tam-sn-whul,' but she disagreed. If his name means 'Man Without Blood,' then it should be pronounced 'tap-sn-whul.' I was grateful to the lesson in language and our cultural history.

Gonzaga Fire Caused by Arson

The Gonzaga fire was deliberate.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

News reports announced the Gonzaga fire earlier this month was the result of arson. After removing huge amounts of debris, investigators uncovered multiple sources of fire, though no suspects have yet been identified. For a more complete report, click HERE.

Home at Last

Anthony Haines; Home at Last.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

Several years ago, Anthony left our home under very difficult circumstances. Since that time, he wandered the streets of life and got into all kinds of trouble. People said he would never come back, and yet he calls us fairly often. He returns to visit and have family dinners and spend time with the kids. Just when he seemed lost to us, he returned and truly became our son.

Inge Mebes

Inge Mebes in Colville, Washington
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

My step-mother Inge Mebes showed up at my workplace in Colville, just as my shift ended, and took me out to lunch. We rarely visit anymore, especially since my father died in 1994. But today we talked about the way things were and what it feels like to finally face old hurts. My father was a wonderful man, but he had a tendency to push and teach everything the hard way. I think my father drove himself and took on so much spiritual responsibility until it finally killed him. After I inherited his spiritual obligations, they quite nearly drove me mad until I finally stepped back and realized I can’t do everything.

I told Inge about a dream I had about my father about a year after he died. He was sitting across from me with tears streaming down his face. He said, “I’m so sorry for the way I treated you Barry. I was always driving you, and I never took the time to tell you I love you. I do love you, and I’m so proud of you.” I woke up sobbing. It was so interesting; when I told her my dream she said she had the same dream at about the same time. My father returned with a message of reconciliation for both of us.

We laughed during our conversation and several times we cried. You know, the community practically sainted my father after his death, but it felt wonderful to acknowledge the wisdom he left us and still recognize his human failings. Somehow I love him more as a result.

I’m so glad Inge stopped to visit. My life is more complete because of her.

Traditional Dinner

Remains of a Housefire
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

This was a powerful weekend on many levels; my family gathered for a traditional dinner and enjoyed many of the old-time foods. I also got to visit with family and friends in a variety of settings. We shared spiritual experiences and practices. Something about our time together made me feel indescribably happy.

There is no photograph to convey what I felt. The photograph I am posting today comes from the remains of a housefire I saw on my way home. Something about the way the chimney stood over the ashes really caught my attention.

Liberty Park

The Old Stairs at Liberty Park.

Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

Every now and then, my sister and I set out on some wild adventure to photograph the most interesting, noteworthy, or memorable places in Spokane. But I have to say, it's not always easy to maintain interest. This is Spokane, after all. Sometimes we have to get creative.

Motivated by a whim, we drove around Spokane this afternoon looking for some old, abandoned buildings. Unfortunately, everywhere we looked, developers arrived before we did and transformed the ruins of past buildings into upscale condominiums or office suites. It's good for business, I suppose, but I think old places make better pictures somehow.

We did see something moderately intriguing in the form of Liberty Park on the Spokane east side. I've passed it a million times on the freeway, but I never stopped there until now. The park has a wonderful display of ancient basalt exposed to the elements and a wonderful rock staircase leading toward the lower South Hill. The stairs looked old, and as you can imagine, they held my interest longer than anything else. We might have stayed longer, but my sister didn't feel well, and sadly, Liberty Park seemed to live up to its reputation as a place of questionable transactions. During our short visit, we saw men in business suits driving fancy cars conversing with people who look like they sleep under bridges.

Curious, isn't it? We had fun, but I don't think I'll be bringing the kids any time soon.

Logan Heftel

You ever have one of those experiences where you turn on the radio and you hear exactly the words you needed to hear that day? Or you thought about an old friend you haven't seen in 20 years, and that same day they call you? I had something like that happen to me today.

My mother-in-law's friend Jean stopped by for a short visit and started talking about her grandson Logan Heftel and how he recently recorded his own CD. Of course, I was happy to hear this young man was obviously following his dreams, but I was especially happy because he and my son hung out together a few times. I feel like I know him, albeit somewhat distantly by now. Well, Jean gave me one of his CDs and asked me to listen to it. As I did my errands for the day, I popped the CD into my player and tried it out.

Logan uses a lot of acoustic guitar and harmonica, and many of his songs reflect a certain pensive characteristic. He has a wonderful voice and some obvious talent, but I was not prepared for how the words would affect me.

One song in particular says, "I could not close my eyes for fear that I would find myself waking up back again where I had been before I came to my senses" (Blind).

Suddenly I felt like the music were speaking my deepest thoughts and fears. Anyone who knows me well can tell you of my struggle these last few years and all the insanity leading up to this difficult time. Things have been getting progressively better, and yet I wonder, have I really come back to my senses? Have I gained enough wisdom to avoid that kind of struggle again? Thinking those thoughts and hearing that music in that moment made me want to cry.

Another song reminded me of my son Anthony: "You know I wish you health. Above all I wish you to be free. I hope that you can find yourself, and when you do, come find me in the rain" (Rain).

I feel grateful to the Spirit for speaking to me through this very unlikely source, and congratulations to Logan on his music!

You can find his music at:

http://www.loganheftel.com/

Visiting the Catholic Diocese

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cathedral.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Cherub on the door of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

I visited the Catholic Diocese of Spokane this afternoon to obtain a photocopy of an old article from the Inland Register. The article was written by Alice Abrahamson of the Chewelah Band of Indians, and recounts a brief history of our family (we descend from the same family tree). She alludes briefly to the spiritual traditions of our people, but says the old ways are forgotten. Thankfully, a few of us still remember.

In other "news," I had the chance to visit with three remarkable people over the course of the day; Inge Mebes (my father's former wife), Michael Hollaman from the MAC, and Deb Abrahamson. Each conversation was totally separate from the others, and yet each one had a distinctly spiritual quality.

Happy Birthday Jack Riley!

Ford, Washington

A lonely stretch of highway near Ford, Washington.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


The old Ford school.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.


Site of the Tshimakain Mission.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

On my way home from work this afternoon, I took a long detour through Ford, Washington in order to visit a relative on the Spokane Reservation. Not too much happens in Ford, that I can tell. They have a store and an old school. Across the creek on the reservation there's a "smoke shack," an abandoned casino, and a seasonal fireworks stand.

I never think too much about Ford, except as I pass through to get someplace else, and yet this little settlement has a unique history of some consequence to my life.

More than a hundred years ago, the Reverends Elkanah Walker and Cushing Eels established a Protestant mission on the site of present day Ford, Washington: Tshimakain (Chimokane). They resided only ten years among the Spokane without much missionary success, but their presence set the stage for later cultural contacts. I believe they abandoned our country shortly after the Whitman Massacre.

My ancestors settled in the general vicinity, and I'm sure they must have had some contact with the mission at Tshimakain (Chimokane). My ancestry runs deep in that area.

Fast forward a hundred years or so, to about 1990, and I attended one of my first winter ceremonies in the old Ford school with Evaleen Corral. It was a very memorable experience for me.

Today I drive through this tiny place and think how looks can deceive. You would never guess the importance of this place on the events of my life.

Jehovah's Witnesses Comment

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

Several months ago my sister introduced me to StatCounter to help me keep track of visitors to my blog. I was impressed by the number of visitors I received from a wide range of countries, but I was also surprised by the search words entered to locate my site. For example, within 48 hours of my brother-in-law Steve Merchant's passing, I received literally hundreds of visitors from all over the world looking for more information about Steve. It was quite moving.

Surprisingly, an entry I posted regarding the Jehovah's Witnesses produced the second largest number of hits. I also received comments from opposite ends of the religious spectrum. One reader referred to Jehovah's Witnesses as "wolves in sheep's clothing," and called the Watchtower "a destructive cult of false teachings." A more sympathetic reader stated "...we TRY to live by bible standards which would thus qualify us for a heavenly life."

Frankly, I never expected to receive so much interest in either topic. In hindsight, Steve makes sense. He had friends all over the world, but Jehovah's Witnesses? I would have never thought...

Woodhaven Apartments

Woodhaven Apartments in Spokane.
Copyright © 2006 Barry G. Moses.

I was supposed to work out at the gym tonight, but Rhonda drove away with my membership card, so I took the dog for a long walk instead. We walked down by the Bozarth Retreat to get a picture of the mansion, but the gate was locked for the night. I got a picture instead of the Woodhaven Apartments. I know what you're thinking. The excitement is overwhelming. Nice picture, though.