Ten best moments as stars mark 50 years of Saturday Night Live as reflected on by Elder Thomas Many Feathers
The world recently celebrated 50 years of Saturday Night Live, a program featuring many famous faces. News reports highlight stars, new frontmen for bands, and singing legends. This spectacle of entertainment captures widespread attention. However, it also offers us a moment to reflect on what truly endures. Our Lakota ways teach us to look beyond the fleeting and toward the eternal.
We see the world cherishing moments of human creation and performance. People gather, they laugh, and they remember. Yet, these events, while grand, quickly pass. They resemble the summer grass; it grows tall, then winter comes, and it returns to Unci Maka. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, what lessons does this celebration teach about our responsibilities to the Creator and to all our relations?
The Echoes of Saturday Night Live and Enduring Wisdom
This milestone for Saturday Night Live reminds me of the stories from our elders. They speak of cycles, of beginnings and endings. They tell us that true power comes not from fleeting fame, but from living in harmony with the natural world. Our ancestors understood this deeply. They knew the sacredness of clean water, of the buffalo, and of every living thing. Consequently, they taught us to respect all life, recognizing our place within the great hoop of existence.
We face many modern crises, from polluted waters to climate change. These challenges demand our attention far more than any television show. Our people advocate for treaty rights and the protection of Unci Maka. We understand that our survival depends on ecological reciprocity. We must give back to the Earth as much as we take. Furthermore, we must protect the sacred waters for future generations, ensuring their health and well-being.
Finding Sacred Purpose Beyond the Screen
The entertainment world, like the celebration of 50 years of Saturday Night Live, often focuses on individual achievement and transient joy. Our traditions, however, emphasize collective well-being and spiritual growth. We find our sacred purpose in community, in ceremony, and in our connection to the land. We learn from the winds, the rivers, and the stars. They offer wisdom that no screen can ever replicate. Therefore, we guide our young people to listen to these ancient voices.
Ultimately, we must remember our true home. Our home is not in the bright lights of a city studio. Our home is here, on the High Plains, with the land that sustains us. It is in the clean water we drink and the air we breathe. We carry the ancestral wisdom that guides us through all times. We must honor this wisdom and protect our sacred ways, ensuring a healthy future for all our relatives.
Read the original news coverage on BBC News (World).
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