BE A GOOD RELATIVE - Willard Malebear

$3,000.00

Aerosol and acrylic on canvas

48 × 60

I was once told that being a good relative means doing the hard thing, the thing that is asked of you even when it is inconvenient. Sometimes that means bringing your parents groceries, giving someone a ride, or bringing a meal when they are sick. Sometimes it means standing up and defending someone’s humanity. Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ, we are all relatives. Our neighbors are our family, and we must stand up for them as we would our own. Even those who are lost, sick, angry, or causing harm are still our relatives, pray for them too. We belong to each other, and someday we may need someone to stand up for us. Being a good relative means remembering that, especially when it is hard.

Aerosol and acrylic on canvas

48 × 60

I was once told that being a good relative means doing the hard thing, the thing that is asked of you even when it is inconvenient. Sometimes that means bringing your parents groceries, giving someone a ride, or bringing a meal when they are sick. Sometimes it means standing up and defending someone’s humanity. Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ, we are all relatives. Our neighbors are our family, and we must stand up for them as we would our own. Even those who are lost, sick, angry, or causing harm are still our relatives, pray for them too. We belong to each other, and someday we may need someone to stand up for us. Being a good relative means remembering that, especially when it is hard.