Step III: Ernie Longwalker Peters – Buffalo Soldiers Trangressions
The “Long Walk”, led by Medicineman, Ernie Peters, Co-founding Leader, AIM (American Indian Movement)
Encamped on the outskirts of Washington, DC, just before the last leg of the February to March 1978, “Longest Walk” from LA to DC, were the traveling marchers, with camp of Medicineman Ernie Longwalker Peters situated at its center.
My young family and I traveled in our van from New Hampshire to the multiple-ethnic Indigenous Peoples camp to audience with Mr. Peters about Generational Responsibility.
On behalf of my ancestors, I apologized to the great Medicine Man and all the Indigenous Peoples, for the post-1861- 1865 Civil War to free the chattel slaves and end slavery, the Buffalo Soldiers’ immoral participation with the US Army’s so-called “Indian Wars” of land grabbing and inhumane genocide treatment, including reservationing the remnants of the Indigenous Peoples.
To a somewhat pleasantly surprised Erni Longwalker Peters, along with the apology, I asked him for his forgiveness and blessing from the Great Spirit for my own, American African, black, chattel slave descendant peoples’ beleaguered, collective, generational sufferings.
Also, as a commitment to the repentance made, I pledged that from then on, even to this day, I will continue to seek healing and reconciliation between our peoples for the cruel collective, generational transgressions made by the new federal, black citizens against the Indigenous Peoples by the misguided Buffalo Soldiers.
Thanking GOD, the Great Spirit that Erni Longwalker Peters understood, and indeed gave me his sacred blessings.