Feeling Connected

“Narratives and stories are not extrinsic niceties, but are basic life forces needed to establish and to preserve communities and develop a common culture of shared understandings, and deeper, more vital ethics...

The foundational narratives, for many American Indian nations, contain the traditional teachings on how humans are to live with each other and the rest of the Natural World. They also contain a blueprint that provides the communities’ structures (e.g., political and spiritual forms of governance, kinship relations, and societies that have specific duties and responsibilities in maintaining justice within the community).

The narratives also teach the listener that everyone has a duty to self and to the community to prevent injustice. In other words, individuals and groups learn acceptable behaviors and duties through participation in narrative events and membership...

Unfortunately, in today’s society, the feeling of belonging has become endangered. Many feel as if they are alone instead of feeling connected to the environment and their community."

--from The Great Circle of Justice
http://www.cwis.org/fwj/61/great_circle_of_justice.htm