We have been hosting a couple of circles in recent times. One of these circles meets on Fridays and is made up of mostly students and some of our team. The other circle meet on Sundays at either 11 or 2 and is made up of local Akadem people, who share our convictions.
The circle on Fridays has not gathered in the last couple weeks because students have been studying for exams. Some of these students are around in January, but still have exams. We hope to meet up with them but are not sure how much time they have.
In recent times we got on to a discussion about Sakha gods. It was an interesting discussion. We wanted to learn as much as we could about this perspective. Whilst there is a chief god, we can not be sure that he is the same who created the whole cosmos. Apparently this chief god created all the nations, and they are the only ones who worship him. But he also created 9 lesser gods who are responsible for creating different parts of the world. This poses a dilemma as he can not be one and the same as the Great Creator God. This will require more discussion.
The Sakha boys have been asking about Canada and Australia. We already showed a documentary about Australian animals which was a lot of fun. We have a documentary about modern Inuit called "Transformations". Perhaps you are familiar with it. If you are not, go down to your local good bookshop and pick up a copy. We hope that this will provide an inspirational story for them of a people similar to themselves. Please remember these Sakha boys and ask Him, that they may have a chance to hear this story soon.
Meanwhile, as I research the Sakha people more I am learning that they arrived in their current homeland around 300 years before the Russians. They were responsible for nearly wiping out the Yukaghir, Eveny and Evenki peoples. This is tough for me and I am finding it hard to reconcile this in my desire to love them, knowing that they have brought much suffering to smaller peoples who I also love.
Head over to In One Ear for a wrap up on some of our circle discussions from Sunday.
3 comments:
I understand you feeling sad about the suffering caused to one people group at the hand of another, however I find it hard to understand not being able to relinquish that in relation to the people of today. Unless you come across widespread racism, I feel it is like the situation with the aboriginal peoples here.
White Australians were responsible for wiping out certain indigenous groups and have not aided the continuation of indigenous culture. You could argue that this goes on today, however there are many people who are trying to change this. Racism certainly remains, as it does throughout the world, but hopefully it is not as overt as it once was.
I would hope that people would not find it difficult to relate to me just because they have a love for the aboriginal and then see me as someone who helped to nearly wipe them out. I didn't (in actual fact, I am probably not even distantly related to anyone who did).
I can feel sorry for what has happened, but I am in no way responsible for it. As much as I do not have a problem with relating to the Germans or Japanese of today. Thank God we are not accountable for the sins of others, only our own, so I get frustrated when one brush is used to tar many.
I hope you are able to reconcile the fact that the Sakha boys you know were not actually the ones who caused the suffering hundreds of years ago.
Of course I do not hold a grudge against them. I am saying it is hard (and just being honest- I have a deep heart for the smaller peoples). Believe it or not, but the Sakha still oppress people like the Evenki, Eveny, Dolgan and Yukaghir today. We have been very kind and non judgmental with these people, but also disappointed to hear their attitude towards the smaller people groups. The Sakha honestly do no think the smaller peoples are very important, or even acknowledge their existence sometimes. This is a very similar attitude to the one found among the general population. Sadly this attitude is also prevalent among Sakha believers.
Yeah, I get what you're saying. That's sad if those kinds of attitudes carry on. It is the (evil) pride in hearts of men that make them feel that they can be better than someone else. It is when we will all learn to humble ourselves that true unity will occur.
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