Teachings from the Tree of Life, part 37: When the Waters Are Calm and the Fog Rises

zhaawano
1 hour ago
6 min read

Manidoo-giizis (Spirit Moon) (January 24, 2026)

"Manidoo Emerging from the Fog" painting by Zhaawano Giizhik

“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hate so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”

- James Baldwin

The rise of Trump didn't appear out of thin air. A total of 77,303,568 Americans voted for him, and even now, amid national turmoil, a notable number still back his actions and words. Trump and MAGA embody the mindset of millions who hold deep-seated racism and a toxic mix of personal grievances against anything they perceive as threatening and cannot understand. Without this support, Trump could never have emerged. However, it was inevitable. The warning signs were present for a long time, but few made the effort to recognize them.

Trump arose from the underbelly of an ogre, a wiindigoo that has been in control since the establishment of the United States as we know it. Initially, the American Dream was, and often continues to be, perceived as a promise of personal fulfillment and societal opportunity, regardless of one's background. But now, with the rise of MAGA, a shift has occurred that has shattered this notion, and decent folks are shocked to discover that while they believed they were secure in their leafy suburban neighborhoods, a sewer runs directly beneath their street.

Only now, as the metaphorical sewers overflow and city streets are filled with heavily armed, masked ICE officers with "fascism is here" written on their foreheads, and their unpredictable, predatory leader unlawfully invades or threatens to annex allied sovereign nations with white populations, does the moderately thinking American of European descent begin to panic and cry bloody murder. But where were they when marginalized Black and Brown communities on our Turtle Island were oppressed for many decades by the American corporate, political, and judicial systems, systematically trampled on and confined to deprived inner-city areas and reservations on stolen land, polluted by uranium waste and pipelines from profit-driven Wiindigoo corporations? Structural racism against Black people remains a reality, and if there is one group that has endured the impact of America's "Manifest Destiny" and the systematic suppression and pollution by armed forces and large corporations, it's the Indigenous people, the original heirs of the land.

For far too long, the privileged descendants of European settlers have been living under a delusion, fueled by an idealized belief in socioeconomic and political progress, freedom, and success, which has lulled them into a false sense of security and comfort. Their perspective, shaped by a selective, one-sided, almost mythical interpretation of American history, has blinded them to the reality that their country has never been a true democracy—at least not for the less privileged, including the poor White and Black populations and the Indigenous peoples. For these less fortunate groups, the concepts of freedom and democracy are hollow and merely decorative, as they have always known that the laws primarily serve the wealthy and the privileged. The harsh oppression displayed by ICE today may be new to the suburbs but is all too familiar to the ghettos and reservations, which have long been accustomed to structural and systemic oppression. American democracy has always been an illusion, a false pretense of those in power, and if the rise of the Trump autocracy teaches us anything, it is that it does not end democracy. Democracy in America has never truly existed. MAGA and Project 2025 represent a starkly dark and cynical form of a pseudo-democracy that has consistently been about socio-economic selection and manipulation. Trump, a weak and vindictive figure hiding behind a facade of bravado and triumph, delights in cruelty, openly mocks and dismantles the old society with its established political and educational institutions. His malevolent persona openly challenges the deceptive myth of the Land of the Free, previously regarded as noble champions of freedom and democracy, revealing it as a falsehood.

No one can predict the outcome of today's dramatic events, but expecting a peaceful resolution is unrealistic. History demonstrates that oppressive regimes eventually collapse, and autocrats and tyrants often face the same violence they inflicted. Once the dust settles and the extent of the destruction is evident, as the fractured system once known as America attempts to rebuild, it may be a good time to pause and reflect on the hard-earned lessons.

Indigenous culture and wisdom offer valuable lessons. An ancient Midewiwin ritual song states: “When the waters are calm and the fog rises, I will now and then appear.” Tȟašúŋke Witkó, a 19th-century Oglala Lakota warrior, had a vision that encourages us to seek self-reflection by emulating a soaring eagle discovering wisdom in the deepest blue of the sky. Additionally, an old Ojibwe teaching known as "Spiritual Paths" advises that when faced with confusion, one can select a different branch from the tree of life and follow it toward discovery; by stepping back and observing, numerous branches become available for humanity to choose. These examples and more teach us to embrace the earth's quiet lessons, moving away from the old society before Trump. It is time to abandon the myth and falsehood of the American Dream and begin walking in harmony with the earth's rhythm, listening to humanity's long-muted voice. We must return to the tree trunk and reevaluate our path, just as we should heed the wise spiritual figure emerging from the fog and the visionary war leader urging us to be like an eagle and seek answers in the sky.

What lessons do the metaphors of the tree, the fog, and the eagle offer us? The tree teaches us that in times of turmoil and doubt, we can always return to its roots and recognize the many branches available to us. The fog, rising from the damp depths of the earth and waters, brings tranquility and wisdom, while the eagle provides sharp vision and oversight. Oversight leads to insight. Once this period ends and the current regime is no more, we, as inhabitants of Turtle Island, must create a new narrative not based on historical distortion, deception, and lies. We must rise from the ashes, spread our battered wings, and aim for the blue sky, crafting a narrative that doesn't just protect the status quo and the assets of the wealthy and powerful but includes everyone and leaves no one behind. Only a brutally honest narrative, bold enough to break from the past and, regardless of the cost, protect the earth's future and ensure the well-being of our children, grandchildren, and countless generations to come, will prevent the rise of another Donald Trump.