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Frugal, defined
The word frugal is defined in the dictionary as:
"Characterized by economic resources and the use of resources available."
When we think about it, the phrase isn’t much different from the motto of families, "Do what you can with what you have."
Along this line of thinking, certainly, the Native American of early days not only practiced but had woven the philosophy actually into every part oftheir life and living. There are too many parts of their culture to illustrate this thought today and I will touch on just one aspect of their thinking.
Mother would look directly into a person’s eyes and say, "I’m Indian."
Indeed, she was. One of the things I like to remember about Mom was how she cared for her family’s clothing. The Natives treasured life above all things and this was reflected in their dress, even down to the beginning of this century.
A pilgrim asked a Native how he could withstand the cold without clothing.
"Your face doesn’t get cold, does it? The Native asked. " I’m all face." He explained.
I say "Native" but as mentioned before one cannot use a cover-all term like this, because each tribe has its own values. In fact, down to the tribe’s own clan, each practiced individual habits. Even to one small practice that of the protection of one’s peaceful existence as to being committed to frugality in dress. The Ponca,my tribe’s philosophy, "Peace with me, peace all about me."
How Mother brought that philosophy to modern time was interesting, too. In 1986 she and Dad had 22 great-grand children. I was forever amazed at how Mother shopped for them. Like the European, maybe learned from the Pensoneau, French, background, Mother shopped daily. She was 92 years old and forced to lean on her daughter for security, but every day she got up, put on a dress and went about her early morning shopping. Of course, groceries came first, but she was ever alert to any bargains in clothing. If there was a rack of things at a ridiculously low price she could look at a garment and know immediately which child, grandchild or great-grandchild could wear it as to their size.
My own intelligence doesn’t allow me to be so perceptive so what I do is make a list.
ON THE LIST I put everyone’s size on it. I have it laminated so it will fit inside my purse and can easily be accessed.
Last week I found six items of fine quality for three members of the family. The total cost was only 16 dollars. There was a small outfit for 2.00 for a four year old, a pair of house shoes of very good quality for four dollars compared to their usual cost of much more. A jean jacket for 1.00 for a grade school child, another three outfits for her, 3.00 each. Because I do not buy Christmas gifts but always put that money into savings there is always a small source to use.
There are rewards, too. A call from a grandchild to say in their childlike way, "Thank you, Grandma!" Or "I want to wear the outfit Aunt Donna got me from the four year old."
This is music to my ears, and from the adult, "How did you know I wanted some of those nice house shoes, and they are just the color of my robe!"
For years I was always in wonderment of how the Ponca "give-aways" were things to go to a person who especially needed that article. For a long time I thought it was something of a mysterious spiritual nature. Today, I’m not so sure there isn’t still a spiritual connotation to the practice, but I believe it is also like a learning touse our own intellect and honing of abilities.
To focus on the value of life, without letting ourselves be distracted by a greedy desire for more than we need certainly comes into play with frugality. At 92 and with a lifetime of experience Mother had already developed this skill.
So it is and has been with the combining flow of blending cultures and the understanding of what Mother meant, "I am Indian."
I share her Native American, Ponca, frugal thinking with you.
The word frugal is defined in the dictionary as:
"Characterized by economic resources and the use of resources available."
When we think about it, the phrase isn’t much different from the motto of families, "Do what you can with what you have."
Along this line of thinking, certainly, the Native American of early days not only practiced but had woven the philosophy actually into every part oftheir life and living. There are too many parts of their culture to illustrate this thought today and I will touch on just one aspect of their thinking.
Mother would look directly into a person’s eyes and say, "I’m Indian."
Indeed, she was. One of the things I like to remember about Mom was how she cared for her family’s clothing. The Natives treasured life above all things and this was reflected in their dress, even down to the beginning of this century.
A pilgrim asked a Native how he could withstand the cold without clothing.
"Your face doesn’t get cold, does it? The Native asked. " I’m all face." He explained.
I say "Native" but as mentioned before one cannot use a cover-all term like this, because each tribe has its own values. In fact, down to the tribe’s own clan, each practiced individual habits. Even to one small practice that of the protection of one’s peaceful existence as to being committed to frugality in dress. The Ponca,my tribe’s philosophy, "Peace with me, peace all about me."
How Mother brought that philosophy to modern time was interesting, too. In 1986 she and Dad had 22 great-grand children. I was forever amazed at how Mother shopped for them. Like the European, maybe learned from the Pensoneau, French, background, Mother shopped daily. She was 92 years old and forced to lean on her daughter for security, but every day she got up, put on a dress and went about her early morning shopping. Of course, groceries came first, but she was ever alert to any bargains in clothing. If there was a rack of things at a ridiculously low price she could look at a garment and know immediately which child, grandchild or great-grandchild could wear it as to their size.
My own intelligence doesn’t allow me to be so perceptive so what I do is make a list.
ON THE LIST I put everyone’s size on it. I have it laminated so it will fit inside my purse and can easily be accessed.
Last week I found six items of fine quality for three members of the family. The total cost was only 16 dollars. There was a small outfit for 2.00 for a four year old, a pair of house shoes of very good quality for four dollars compared to their usual cost of much more. A jean jacket for 1.00 for a grade school child, another three outfits for her, 3.00 each. Because I do not buy Christmas gifts but always put that money into savings there is always a small source to use.
There are rewards, too. A call from a grandchild to say in their childlike way, "Thank you, Grandma!" Or "I want to wear the outfit Aunt Donna got me from the four year old."
This is music to my ears, and from the adult, "How did you know I wanted some of those nice house shoes, and they are just the color of my robe!"
For years I was always in wonderment of how the Ponca "give-aways" were things to go to a person who especially needed that article. For a long time I thought it was something of a mysterious spiritual nature. Today, I’m not so sure there isn’t still a spiritual connotation to the practice, but I believe it is also like a learning touse our own intellect and honing of abilities.
To focus on the value of life, without letting ourselves be distracted by a greedy desire for more than we need certainly comes into play with frugality. At 92 and with a lifetime of experience Mother had already developed this skill.
So it is and has been with the combining flow of blending cultures and the understanding of what Mother meant, "I am Indian."
I share her Native American, Ponca, frugal thinking with you.