Reporting to Chief Seattle

Where it's from

"Reporting to Chief Seattle" is a Work that Reconnects practice that draws on the profound and poignant words of Chief Seattle, as adapted by film scriptwriter Ted Perry. It's designed to evoke a sense of connection to the earth, understanding of indigenous wisdom, and awareness of the impacts of modern society on the natural world.

What you need

Duration

30-40 minutes

Preparations

• Arrange seating in a circle.
• Place a lit candle or an arrangement of natural objects and a woven basket in the center of the circle to ground the process as a central focus.
• Have copies of Chief Seattle’s speech ready for participants to read.

How it's done

Here's a list of step-by-step instructions to conduct "Reporting to Chief Seattle" as a group.

1. Reading Chief Seattle’s Speech
   Participants take turns reading aloud significant portions of Chief Seattle's speech. This sets the tone and context for the practice, immersing participants in the perspective and reverence for nature expressed by Chief Seattle.
2. Reflective Listening
   As the speech is read, participants listen quietly and reflectively, considering the message and its relevance to contemporary environmental and societal issues.
3. Imagining Chief Seattle’s Presence
   After completing the reading, the guide invites the group to imagine Chief Seattle’s spirit is present at the center of the circle.
4. Speaking to Chief Seattle
   Participants speak spontaneously, at random, telling Chief Seattle about the current state of his land, how we are treating it and each other, and what life is like now. Topics might include environmental degradation, societal issues, or personal reflections on the state of the world.
5. Group Acknowledgment
   After each person speaks, the rest of the group acknowledges the truth of their words with a simple affirmation, like “Yes, it is so.”
6. Concluding the Process
   The guide concludes the practice by reflecting on the words spoken and the importance of carrying these messages forward for the healing of our world. They can say something like "May our words to Chief Seattle, like his to us, remain with us for the healing of our world."

Take it further

Reflection and Discussion

After the practice, facilitate a discussion where participants can reflect on the diversity of contributions and how they felt about the practice.

Adapting the Objects

Depending on the context or theme of the gathering, the symbolic objects can be adapted to better represent the specific focus of the group. Perhaps using objects that are more relatable to the participants instead of the ones suggested above.