Taino'ti Guaitiao,
I write with both sadness and relief in my heart.
Taino elder Hu'acan (John P. Vidal) crossed just after midnight this morning. The cancer that came to take him finally lost to the ancestors who came to take him. He had been in increasing pain over the past two weeks, having stopped any attempts to fight the cancer with chemo months ago. The caring and deeply loving staff members at the hospice he was in were more than accommodating, allowing ceremony to happen all evening. He was surrounded by drummers, singers, medicine, and love in those last days and hours. Our sister, Gina Reyes, was there when he passed; he was far from alone.
Below are quotes from an email Hu'acan posted back on September 28, 2005 about love that I think speak accurately to Hu'acan's gift to all of us. I am honored to have been given the gift to know him at all, and to have been with him in these days leading to his crossing. He was, is, and will remain a well-loved man.
Oma'bahari and Good Journeys Hu'acan…
I love you,
Sarobei (Deanna Rivera),
UCTP Liaison Officer,
State of California
"Love is something that you can leave behind you when you die. It's that powerful."
"The Old Ones say, love is all anyone needs. Love doesn't go away nor can love be divided. Once you commit an act of love, you'll find it continues. Love is like setting up dominos one behind the other. Once you hit the first domino, it will touch the second one which will touch the third one and so on. Every love act or love thought has an affect on each person as well as touching the whole world. If you live a life filled with love, the results will affect your friends, relatives and other people, even after you go to the other side. So... Love."
"My Creator, let me love. Let me put into action the love dominos."
- Hu'acan (John P. Vidal)
I write with both sadness and relief in my heart.
Taino elder Hu'acan (John P. Vidal) crossed just after midnight this morning. The cancer that came to take him finally lost to the ancestors who came to take him. He had been in increasing pain over the past two weeks, having stopped any attempts to fight the cancer with chemo months ago. The caring and deeply loving staff members at the hospice he was in were more than accommodating, allowing ceremony to happen all evening. He was surrounded by drummers, singers, medicine, and love in those last days and hours. Our sister, Gina Reyes, was there when he passed; he was far from alone.
Below are quotes from an email Hu'acan posted back on September 28, 2005 about love that I think speak accurately to Hu'acan's gift to all of us. I am honored to have been given the gift to know him at all, and to have been with him in these days leading to his crossing. He was, is, and will remain a well-loved man.
Oma'bahari and Good Journeys Hu'acan…
I love you,
Sarobei (Deanna Rivera),
UCTP Liaison Officer,
State of California
"Love is something that you can leave behind you when you die. It's that powerful."
"The Old Ones say, love is all anyone needs. Love doesn't go away nor can love be divided. Once you commit an act of love, you'll find it continues. Love is like setting up dominos one behind the other. Once you hit the first domino, it will touch the second one which will touch the third one and so on. Every love act or love thought has an affect on each person as well as touching the whole world. If you live a life filled with love, the results will affect your friends, relatives and other people, even after you go to the other side. So... Love."
"My Creator, let me love. Let me put into action the love dominos."
- Hu'acan (John P. Vidal)
Hu'acan (John P. Vidal) , 20 August 1949 - December 15, 2006
UCTP Liaison Officer for the State of California, Community and Ceremonial Leader, Veteran, beloved Father, Brother, Uncle, Councilor and Friend...
