There was a small white envelope waiting for me when I got home, it reminded me of some work I had done two years ago on some land matters that ended up in federal court. It was a subpeona,  it said be here at this time and don't be late or else bad things will happen to you. So I went, it was a long day, not that day but the day before trying to catch up on some things, so I worked late till 4 in the morning, went to get some sleep for couple of hours and got up real late...what did the paper say....8 and don't be late, well it was about 9 when I got there.

The court is a magnificent white ediface, marble and granite, the court room was all mahogany, quiet and so large. I sat there waiting while the preliminaries were done and it looks like it is going to go a couple of days...those lawyer types dressed in pristine white shirts, and black suits waved me over...we will probably need you tomorrow they said...so I went outside and stood in the hallway. It was a large hallway white marble walls, cold and quiet.

There were a couple of people from the tribe there it involves them and so I am there for talk a little about the work I did for them...I stood there with them, all of us dressed  to kill with white starched shirts, a blue tie for me and a suit, one that I like that fits comfortable and so I stood there with them. We talked about fishing, and a little about the snow of late. Them two from the tribe dressed just as I, holding up those white marble walls....

The hall begin to fill little by little people of different shapes, colors, from nations like Iran, China, Sweden, Thailand, Mexico and alot more, just down the hall. I walked down there and saw a sign, a paper on a door. It said, Citizenship ceremony at 1:00, assemble here.

We stood there and watched them as people kept coming slowly, with children, grandmas, an Hissidic Jew with a feathered hat, an Indian woman in a sarong, Iranian women wrapped head to toe. The went into the room and spilled out into the hallway.

The court room where we were in, was off to the side, the lawyers took a break, one of the ones for the government came over and stood with us three in center of the hallway. I had heard he was Native but not for sure so I sort of asked him from where he came, he told me he was Seneca Cayuga and spoke to us of his people. There were just us four Indians standing there, quietly talking and looking down the hall. It is a naturalization ceremony, they are to be sworn in as citizens. We all looked at each other, and without saying a word walked over to the door and joined the masses standing there...these people from all over the world....wanting to be American.

I am not sure who said it, but one of us did. Maybe we should join them and become American, we all started to laugh. The people there looked at us, those four making noise...wondering what country we were from... we looked at them closely and wondered how it would be...so the break was over the case resumed....I stood there for a minute and watched those waiting to become American and they looked at me.....I thought about it and after being told they did not need me to testify I wondered over there into that room and stood there and watched them, 90 there were all together....they raised their hand and swore to be American. It felt strange to stand there and listen to them, a native american out of place. I stood next to man from India, he asked me where are you from? I told him, I am born for Bitahni, the Folded Arms People, and that my father is Tsinalbiiltnii, the Mountain People, that I come from Dinetah, and some would say I was Navajo, a Native American...he looked at me and we just smiled at each other....he said are here with someone...no I said just taking a look around...he said you come from a great country...and walked away....

I stood there and thought, I guess I am an American and after listening to those folks talk about where they came from and the difficulties to get to this time and place...it made me think I am glad I am an American, and a Native....then I left to find me a burger and a Coke.....