In closing, Luis Macas told a moving story about an Indigenous rebel from Ecuador's history who was captured and then put to death by the colonists. Bruce Miller then spoke. Mr. Miller is Skokomish and a member of the Northwest Native Basketweavers. Mr. Miller spoke of the universal nature of our Indigenous symbols , the circle, the four directions, the fire. The fire, he said, is the center, the heart, keeping the people warm.
Fire also represents knowledge and understanding.
As Indigenous peoples we are now returning to the fire, seeing the need to rekindle its flame. Through this wholeness, we had pride in our identity and each of us was had a role to play in the world, a responsibility, and through this we knew how to fit into the world without changing the world. Our instructions, our responsibilities and our laws were taught to us by First Teachers, the plan people and the animal people. They taught us in a way that did not require a spoken language, they taught by example. Sadly, we have lost this skill of learning and teaching by example.