When Mohegan meant much more than a casino.

The holiday season is upon us once again, this time of the year I find myself reflecting back to the days of my youth, the time when being a Mohegan meant much more than a casino.

Sachem Tallfox (my grandfather) the leader of our traditional American native tribe, while holding the monthly meeting and on any month of each holiday including thanksgiving ( out people has 4 thanks given meetings one for each season). My grandfather would always allow his people to express their own belief, as long as the main expression was always Creator first.

I can still remember an elder from one of the New York tribes praying to a statue of Buddha, as with all elders he would sit back while I pestered him with my questions and as with all of those elders at my time of growing up would not get back to his prayers until I was complete with his answers.

Keeping in mind that our clan mothers made sure that every meeting would have a good meal before and a nice snack for after the meetings at our friendship gathering before heading back home.

The adult teachers would help the children with pictures from every religion to tape on the walls while at those holiday meetings.

When I got older I learned that the clan mothers assigned each adult the task of writing to Santa before each Christmas meeting to be able to get gifts under a tree for everyone attending that meeting.