Native Americans often refer to the Great Mystery, or GOD, as the Creator...we are made in his image and likeness so using our creativity edifies and should develop our spiritual muscles if used properly.

Our grt grt grandfathers traveled light...let the land rest, stack the birch and reed mats, bundle up a few things and let the land rest for the winter as we moved by Lake superior for the summer of fishing,making medicine, preserving food and vice versa.Winter was long and dark, great for retelling the good tales and the history of our people...if not too cold, open the smoke hole in the birch wigwam and the women sewed clothes, made dream catchers and the men made tools or if talented enough, made pipes.

My husband, son and I creat pipes today, ONLY if it should be, if the person is truely traditional and a non drinker, non smoker. we used to quarry at pipestone, MN, now we ask they bring their own stone. The pipe is fasted and drempt for until the Creator enlightens you what it's design is and its career: a funeral pipe? a healing pipe?etc. Then it is shaped and the bowel carved...then the opening where the stem is placed, and when that breaks through to the bowl is a holy moment we all want to see it, the pipe takes its first breath and is no longer a stone but a spirit that looks like pipestone. A newly created helper for our people. the whole process may take years if it is done right.

My children are all artistic, N. Americans are strongly right brain dominent (but schools teach left brain dominent, so that was a problem for a long time and think how it squelched creativity in all children...music or art class was a reward not a 'real' class). I didnt buy many toys, I said to the kids what my parents said: You got a whole back yard full of sticks to build with and birch trees, leaves to press and paint on, and clay. when we had no tv once, I said close your eyes and imagine. when you close your eyes, your brain doesnt know if youre making this up or if its real.

I sold my birch paintings to help put kids thru school, to trade for stuff, I wrote and sold out several books, even poems.we wrote our own operas on road trips...no cellphones then.

When I think about all the beautiful things my sisters and i made from beads and scraps and willows bent into dream catchers, paintings people cried over they were so touched by them I realize having "nothing" as a child made us in fact have everything. We dreampt up every thing so we lived in our imagination, where there is no limit. We were always happy because we were always excited about what we were making, or creating.

So Godlike productions is important for us all, we are creating exciting thoughts, like our Creator, and exposing the bad and discovering Truth, creating a better world.