History is repeating itself
Lessons from Lithuania
Today’s post was meant to honor Columbus or Indigenous Peoples Day in America “in recognition of the disease, genocide, and slavery brought to the Americas through the interactions of Columbus and other European explorers with Indigenous peoples. In addition, the arrival of European explorers and settlers also meant that Indigenous peoples increasingly lost access to their ancestral lands and natural resources, which significantly impacted their ability to practice aspects of their cultures and traditions.”
“Cherokee Farming and Animal Husbandry” by Olga Mohr—a mural at the Post Office in Stilwell, Oklahoma.
In 1980, First Nations was founded “to uplift and sustain the lifeways and economies of Native communities through advocacy, financial support, and knowledge sharing…. Tribes and Native communities have been stewarding their lands for tens of thousands of years, cultivating and transferring traditional knowledge across generations.” In church yesterday we prayed, “For the land in which we live, that we see it as your gift, and that all its peoples work together with all our strength to conform it to your holy will: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.” ( St. Bartholomew’s Church, October 12.) We are all stewards of the land we are privileged to inhabit.
In last week’s post, I made a promise to avoid politics but, on October 9, 2025, the president signed a proclamation to cancel Indigenous People’s Day. This backwards move makes me uncomfortable. Lithuanians are the indigenous people of Lithuania. During her reign, Catherine the Great, “extended the borders of the Russian Empire southward and westward to absorb New Russia, Crimea, Northern Caucasus, Right-bank Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Courland at the expense, mainly, of two powers – the Ottoman Empire and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Under her rule, some 200,000 square miles (520,000 km2) were added to Russian territory.” This lesson from Lithuania is a cautionary tale today. What happens in the world affects the United States as we affect what happens globally as well.
The countries of the former USSR are like David fighting Goliath. I was surprised and impressed to see Lithuania’s spirit of reliance and defiance in the face of Putin’s threats by gifting Ukraine with X-wing drones.
Lithuania Just Gave Ukraine an Insane EXPERIMENTAL WEAPON... Russia Is SHOCKED
In the spirit of the season, I came across an article I want to share. On October 7, 2025 Asa West Published, Why We Need Witches More Than Ever. “Let our stories be Pandora’s box, unleashing all the things fascists fear the most….Real political action is always going to be uncomfortable, and it’s vital that we all get as loud and active as we can.” Next week I plan on celebrating the good witches among us. It’s better to act now before more of our freedoms erode. Countries can rebuild but It can take decades to recover from erasure.
The courage we see in David-vs-Goliath situations, from the ancient persecution of Indigenous cultures to the modern defiance of countries like Lithuania, is the same defiant spirit celebrated in West’s article. It reminds us that real political action is always uncomfortable be it Rebellion, Activism, or Imagination. Across the country, 2,000 No Kings protests are scheduled for next Saturday, according to a post from the Indivisible project. This good witch will show up.