Photo: Self Reflection as a means to improving society. A female mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and her reflection on the water of a frozen lake in Toulouse, by PierreSelim, Wikimedia
Subtle truths are sometimes reflected in the very structure of a language. In ‘Iipay Aa, the words for “bad” and “ugly” are the same: wellich. Would you agree that everything we humans do that is bad turns out to be ugly, in some way? Similarly, the ‘Iipay Aa words for “good” and “true” are the same: ‘ehan. Somewhere, the ancestral Kumeyaay recognized that the highest good is the truth! In the turbulent times we live in, some perspective is needed to understand why different humans are behaving the way they are. One basic premise is that how good we are—how well we are within ourselves and how positive our impact is on the outside world—is directly related to how close we are to the truth.
(Scroll down for English Translation)
Pily kupilly, kweyuch welliich ‘ehmiiym ‘ewup ta’nyeway. Peyap ewuuwm eyay hwattehwatt wiih. Iinuypvek miichaa, mu’yuum peyaach wepay, mu’yuuch ‘iipaych peyaa ewipha? Nyii wehayh umaaws, ‘uuchuch ‘ewupvech. ‘Ekur, ‘ekurm ‘iipaych mat, nyaawihch marway ukunychuumiip tenyewayches. Matwaam ‘ehmiiych pekwillym ‘uuchuch stikm puurp, nyimvey ‘uuchuch kwellich nya’hwin ‘ewips. Mu’yuum ‘aaknach nya’hwin nyinyuy nyinyuy chepaka?
‘Uuchuch ‘ehin menurhlly marvu, ‘uuchuch ‘ematvi kweyuchech yuuhuy ‘iipaylly wepays. Kiicha’: ‘uuchuch mechuwvu, ‘uuchuch mewiivu, meyuuhuy miichaas. Nya’kwarch ‘aaskay wechuwhlly nyawarch, yuuhuy iichaas rewii mu’yuuhvu, wechuw ma’wiihvu, nyaapum wechuws. Nya’kwarch ‘uuchuch wellichm wiivek, iichaa yuuhuy, nyaapum waayps. Eyay wellich, nyaapum puu achepachech ‘uuyukm uushuuk. Nyip kenaach ‘uuchuch nyaamat, wellich matt ‘ehan, ‘ematvi kweyuchvech ‘iipaylly yuuhuy weyuus, umaawa? ‘Emat peyaach ‘uuyukvi ‘iipay eyay iichach ‘ukuwaay tekuwachvu perewiis.
Mu’yuuk ‘uuchuch kwellich kweyuchvu ‘epechhaakwiiha, ‘ema’wipk ‘eyuchehaanha? ‘Iipay wellich kwewipvu mat ‘etochvek, ‘epechhaakwiiha? Iinuypvek stikm. Pes kway ‘iiwaarpem, pupch puurph umaawvek, nya’hwin nyinyuy ewiph, matt nya’kwar ‘ehini nya’hwin kweyipch pa’wiih. Puknaach ‘uuchuch nyenyinyuy weyuus: ‘Iipaych puurph nyamaawm, ‘eyuuchaap iillyuw ‘achhuukaayph nyamaawm, ‘aaknachvech nya’hwin weyuuhlly sekayh.
‘Uuch ‘iipayvelly purpha, pa’wiik ‘emat peyaa yuuhanh? ‘Eyuuhuy ‘akechekwiichhlly ‘ewaarp, ‘uuch ‘iipaylly melaayk? ‘Uuchuch ‘ehin ‘iipay ekwach melaayk, kwa’hanvu netuu-urph umaaw. Matt aa ‘ehinim, ‘estikm ewups; nyaamatvu ewuph llyepechewar. Keyupm metaatch ‘ily kwa’shash ‘ehin menychewaa eyuk tuuyuuwm tuukatts. Maach mennemiis, ‘ily puu memirrch pukmenaa. Pes metaatvech tuukatts aawaall ‘ehinch mewallm; iinuypvek ‘ewaa ‘emaayk wenallh matt maap nehemirh. Nyip menurvek, iinuypvek mennemiih memaawh, ‘uuhayi miihm tuuyuuw. Nyawihch puuch nurvek ‘ily puu mewayvu, iinuypvek tuukatth umaawhm tuuyuuw. Puuch nyii wellich umaaws, nyaam melyays. Pu’yuuch ‘iipay marwayvu kukunychuumiipvech mechelyay. Marway werapvu yewiph umaaw. Netuu-urph umaaw ‘ehini menehmirvek, mat menehmir. Netuu-urph umaaw ‘enyaamatech mat ‘etuuhwillp, ‘enyaamatech nya’hwins. Peyaa netuu-urpvek, ‘uuchuch ewipvu ewiph umaawhm tuuyuuw.
Nyaapum ‘uuch ‘ema’wipha? ‘Iipay nyaamatech ‘uuchuch ewiihlly war. ‘Enyaawap ‘iipaych ‘ewup ‘ucheyuuwp ‘ellya’ams ‘uuchuch ‘ehan matt umaaw. Pukenaach ‘uuchuch ‘ema’wiphlly ‘ewaarp. ‘Emat ‘enychewaypvi, ‘uuchuch ‘ema’wip ‘ellya’amvek, ‘epa’wiph. Pes kuuyaaw, marwayvu pup iillyuwm mat ‘etochvek, ‘emaarrchh ‘emaawh. Pup ‘uuhwiichpvek, puu wehwichvu ‘uunnaamh ‘emaawh; nyaam wehwich nyemich ‘echaawchh. ‘Uuchuch nyaamat ‘ewaarph ‘emaawvu, ‘iiwaarm puu ‘emaally ‘echaawchh. ‘Uuch ‘ewiph, ‘emaally ‘etarchach: ‘uuch ‘eyuuhlly ‘ewaarp puu mat ‘echaawhh. ‘Enyaawap ‘ukuwaay ‘eyuu iillyuw, kway ‘ematvi perewiih. ‘Emaally ‘epuurpvek, ‘emat peyaach purph. Nyaamat ‘emaayk, tellah kaatuqm kwa’hanvu kehmay. Kwa’han ‘ekurvek, ma’hanh memaawh. Mat kewuuwna: Mu’yum menur, mu’yum memelyay? Mema’wiik nyemich mewuuwh, nyemich meyiph, ‘iipay marway ‘emat peyaa menur ma’hanh? Puuk ka’.
English Translation
These days, we are witness to many tragedies. To see these can be distressing. Perhaps you have thought, why is this happening, how can people do this? What we are seeing is nothing new. For a long, long time people have been mistreating each other and other things. Though much time has passed and a few things have changed, people do the same bad things. Why does the same story repeat again and again?
One thing you need to know is that whatever happens in the world happened first inside a person. Think about it: whatever you have made, whatever you have done, you first thought of it. When someone wants to make a pot, they first think of how it will look, how they will make it, and then they make it. If someone says something bad, they first thought of it, then they spoke. They felt bad, then they took that out and let it loose outside. Therefore, everything that happens in the world, good or bad, first happened inside people, isn’t it so? This world on the outside is just the same as what is inside people’s hearts and minds.
How do we stop the bad things that are happening, and how do we make them right? If we were to fight the evildoers, would that stop it? Maybe for a little while. But after some time, if they have not changed, they will do the same thing again, or someone else who feels the same as them will do it. That’s why things keep repeating: If people don’t change, if we don’t change our ways of thinking, the story will keep being the same.
To set this world right, what in people needs to change? First we need to ask, what in people is wrong? One thing wrong with people is they don’t know the truth. Or in other words, they only see a little; they can’t see it all. Let’s say your father cuts back a beautiful tree in front of your house. You get mad, because you liked that tree. But your father cut it because a limb was weak: it could have fallen on the house or hurt someone. If you had known that, perhaps you wouldn’t have gotten mad, but instead you would have said thank you. And if he had known you loved that tree, maybe he wouldn’t have cut it. He’s not bad, he just didn’t know. Likewise the people who mistreat others are ignorant. They don’t feel the other’s pain. They don’t know that if you harm another, you harm yourself. They don’t know that we are all connected, we are all the same. If they knew this, they would not be doing what they’re doing.
So what shall we do? Everyone has a role to play. We people are able to see and know if something is right or wrong. Therefore we must act. In the places we live, if there is something we can do, let us do it. But know that if we fight others with their methods, we will not win. If we hate them, we will not destroy their hate, we will only create more hate. All the things we do not want, we will end up creating ourselves. What we must do is work on ourselves: Let us make ourselves what we want to be. The way we are within ourselves will eventually reflect in the world. If we change ourselves, this world will change. Above all, cast out lies and seek the truth. If the truth is far away, you won’t be well. Take a look at yourself: How much do you know, and how much do you not know? How will you see more, feel more, and understand other people and this world better? Go from there.
