The Gathering at Ft. Lincoln

The Gathering at Ft. Lincoln

They came from many corners of this land to a place on the Great Plains
Where the ancestors of the hosts of the gathering had roamed free and proud.

They came to a room constructed over a swimming pool of collective tears
Representing lost freedoms, lost integrity and shame.

They were of diverse lineage---mainly Native American, Japanese, German
But also Scotch Irish, English, African American and others.

Here they forged bonds of unity with story telling and conversations
And the examination of words such as justice, courage, integrity and resilience.

And from this forging and examining emerged friendships bridging the span of time
And the barriers of cultural differences;

Friendships cemented by shared experiences and empathy
And a ceremony led by a Lakota medicine man.

Ursula Vogt Potter
June 4, 2010