AUTUMN

RECENTLY I TRAVELED WITH SOME FRIENDS TO NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND FROM UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT

AS WE TRAVELED NORTH ON I-395 WE WERE ENJOYING GREAT CONVERSATION, AND THE SPECTACLE OF COLOR UNFOLDING IN FRONT OF US. THE VIBRANT YELLOWS, ORANGES, REDS AND BROWNS. THE LEAVES ON THE TREES LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE ON FIRE. THE TREES BECOMING MORE VIBRANT AS WE WENT. SOON THESE VERY BEAUTIFUL BLAZES OF COLOR WILL BE GONE. THE TREES WILL BE STRIPPED OF THEIR LEAVES EXPOSING THE VERY GARTH AND LIMBS OF THEIR BODIES. THE AIR WAS COOL AND CRISP. THE SUN FELT GOOD SHINING ON OUR FACES AND WARMED UP OUR ENTIRE BODIES.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, IT IS A GOOD TO BE ALIVE. SOMEONE SAID, IT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR (FALL) IN NEW ENGLAND. THE THOUGHT OF A POSSIBLE COLD WINTER WITH SNOW CROSSED MY MIND. I THOUGHT THAT WINTER WITH ITS ACCOMPANYING SNOW, IS PART OF THE PRICE WE PAY TO LIVE IN CONNECTICUT.

THE SQUIRRELS ARE SECURYING AROUND, RUNNING EVERY WHICH WAY, GATHERING NUTS AND BURYING THEM. THE BEARS ARE EATING THEIR LAST MEALS PUTTING ON EXTRA WEIGHT FOR THE LONG SLEEP THAT LIES AHEAD. THE SNAKES ARE GOING INTO THEIR BURROWS TO JOIN OTHER SNAKES TO SHARE THEIR BODY HEAT AND SURVIVE. BIRDS ARE FLYING SOUTH TO WARMER TEMPERATURES. ANIMALS ARE MAKING PREPARTIONS ON THEIR NESTS AND BURROWS.

OUR ANCESTORS, (MOHEGANS IN THE OLD DAYS), WOULD DIG HOLES AND STORE FOOD IN THEM TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE WINTER. THEY MADE PREPARATIONS FOR THE COLD. PUTTING WINTER COVERINGS TO THE WIGWAMS (TREE BARK OR ANIMAL SKINS). THEY WOULD GATHER WOOD FOR THE FIRES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED THROUGH THE WINTER. MOHEGANS WOULD GET THEIR HUNTING AND FISHING SUPPLIES READY. THINGS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO SURVIVE THE WINTER WERE HUNG NEATLY FROM THE CROSS MEMBERS OF THE WIGWAMS.

MOHEGANS BASICALLY LIVED OUTSIDE IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER. THE FACT THAT WIGWAMS WERE CIRCULAR OR OVAL IN SHAPE , WITH DOORS OF ANIMAL SKINS ON THE ENDS WITH SMOKE HOLES ON THE TOPS TELLS A LOT ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS. AROUND THE FIRES THAT WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WIGWAMS WERE SLEEPING RACKS, VERY PRIMITIVE BUT VERY EFFICIENT. THERE WERE NO WINDOWS, THEY DID NOT NEED THEM, THEY WERE LIVING IN THE VIEW. THEY WERE A PART OF THE SURROUNDINGS AROUND THEM. THEY WERE CONNECTED TO MOTHER EARTH (THE TREES, THE ROCKS, THE ANIMALS, ETC.). THEY WERE A PART OF THE CYCLE OF LIFE. THEY WERE ONE WITH THE EARTH.

THAT BRINGS US (MOHEGAN TRIBAL MEMBERS) TO TODAY. HAS THE TRIBAL COUNCIL OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT PUT MONEY AWAY FOR THE COLD HARD WINTER THAT LIES AHEAD OF US? TRIBAL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TOLD BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: YOU BORROW, PAY INTEREST AND BORROW SOME MORE. BIG BUSINESSES , WE WERE TOLD NEVER PAY OFF THEIR LOANS, YOU JUST BORROW MONEY AND KEEP PAYING THINGS OFF. YOU NEVER PAY EVERYTHING OFF EVER.

THE WAY I SEE IT, IT WAS BAD ADVISE. THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT WHEN IT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, SHOULD HAVE PAID OFF MORE OF ITS' DEBT. WE HAD THE CHANCE TO CUT THE DEBT DOWN AND DID NOT DO IT. IN MY OPINION, INSTEAD OF PREPARING FOR WINTER (HARD ECONOMIC TIMES) LIKE OUR ANCESTORS AND THE ANIMAL WORLD AROUND US, THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT NEVER PLANNED FOR THE WINTER THAT IS UPON US (THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE).

COULD IT BE THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT NEVER SAW THE LEAVES CHANGING. THEY WERE NOT PREPARED. THEY AND THEIR ADVISERS NEVER SAW IT COMING? MAYBE THEY NEVER APPRECIATED THE LEAVES CHANGING, AND THE SCOURING AROUND OF THE ANIMALS PREPARING FOR WINTER. THEY NEVER FELT THE COOL AIR WITH THE HINT OF THE COLD WEATHER COMING. MAYBE THEY DID NOT FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN. MAYBE WE (THE MOHEGAN TRIBE) HAVE LOST OUR CONNECTION TO MOTHER EARTH.