Although my late beloved grandmother barely understood English, she would sometimes go to the Presbyterian Church, the one that used to be here. They are praying and that is why I am going. She respected that element of religion. I wish the same could be said for the Euro-American polity that sought to annihilate us in the name of Christianity. We are perhaps one of the few tribes in the United States who have actually purchased their land as opposed to having the government allot the land for us.
Money equals a deed.
Today, unlike other tribes, we are property owners here in Tama County. In Mesquaki prophecy, money is seen as a negativity. In other words, the very act of acquiring land could be lost through similar means. If you buy, you can also sell. We may be considered one of the most conservative tribes in the Midwest, but that may be short-lived.