NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN LEADER & GENDER ADVOCATE, CARMEN BARAKA

Caarmen Baraka*

Carmen Baraka’s Native American Name is Spirit Warrior.  She is an instructor of global native women’s wisdom, consciousness, activism through native traditional practices and ceremonies. Her Apache, Cherokee and Colombian-Peruvian Indian heritage bring a unique and powerful perspective to her work. She has been gathering circles to empower women and girls for over 30 years. Her work involves private invitational gatherings, community aid and education and a recent address to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women regarding the plight of Native women and girls. Her strong sense of history and injustice is driving her forward to reach new goals.

Although aware of the chain of broken treaties, the atrocities of the Indian schools, continuing racism, sex trafficking and the oppression of the reservation system, she chooses to embody the most positive aspects of her heritage: “We have endured unbelievable hardship, and we survive and reach out to bring the circle of rainbow beings together and pray for the healing for all.”

Whether exercising her skills one on one as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for a neglected and abused child, providing spiritual inspiration through group invocations or framing objectives for future projects, Carmen brings a much needed empathy, understanding and sense of urgency to the issues she highlights. “My quest is to bring indigenous ceremony and circle to bridge the gap between cultures, remind us that our ancestors all began in circle and I believe finding our way back to that paradigm will be our healing.”

While she informs us that Indian women are subject to sexual predators because tribal governments cannot prosecute non-Indians, mental and physical health care is woefully inadequate created by years of flawed US policy.

“All of our ancestors were once in circle. Women holding hands in prayer, sharing information in nature on Mother Earth. We are the healers, the ones with empathy and heart. It’s our turn, it is the female paradigm shift that will save us. I believe in women and girls, our strength, our wisdom. We have the key that can save this world for future generations. I would ask that anyone with even a small amount of Native in you, find whatever tribe that is your lineage and see in what way you can help. And for those who are non-Native I ask that you be informed and act with your heart. I know that many will rise to this occasion, it is time!”

To accomplish the goals of the healing she outlines, Carmen is developing a non-profit workbook to help empower and enlighten Native and indigenous girls, to let them know they are not alone and whatever their circumstance they can rise above it. She has been to Arizona, helping her San Carlos Apache bring out the news of the government takeover of the sacred land in Oak Flat, where they hold many ceremonies, “the most special being the Sunrise ceremony, when a girl becomes a woman, 4 days of amazing beauty and transformation.”

“This healing must happen if there ever will be healing for all peoples of this United States – because to walk on the bones of the First People, the ancestors, without respect or acknowledgement of their sacrifices we will not heal as a nation. No one has ever healed through untruths – that is a fact.”

Carmen points out that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially recognized Canada’s historical abuses toward aboriginals and has apologized. She wants the president of the US to do the same, and she believes US media should devote coverage to Native Americans in the way Canada honors their First Nation People. Her recent presentation at CSW60 was followed by a ceremonial smudging of flags from all countries at the United Nations.

Contact her at CarmenBaraka@gmail.com
Website under construction spiritwarriorspeaks.com

“I am so proud to be indigenous. I know we have an innate spiritual sense, a great reverence for Mother Earth… and this keeps us in the arms of our Creator.” Aho Mitakuye Oyasin – we are all related!

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*Carmen Baraka presented at the CSW 60 Panel: Art, Poetry, Film for Women’s Resilience, Empowerment, Bonding – Recharging Our Advocacy in Post 2015