There is a story of creation the Cherokee People one that speaks of a female sun as well as what is called an Earth Diver. It begins at a place beyond memory, when the world was covered with water. When all life, all that was Sacred lived in Galunlati or what is known as the vault in the sky beyond the rainbow. A place that was so crowded the creatures could barely move around.
The creatures decided to seek a solution to this discomfort and it was decided that they would send the Water Beetle down to the watery earth below. The Water beetle bravely dove down into the waters and soon surfaced bringing with him a gob of mud that he began slowly to spread out in order to create a surface. This surface soon became the earth-island. Soon after Creator attached the sky using four pieces of rawhide tied to the four sacred mountains that lie in the Four Sacred Directions. The Beetle smiled at Creator.
Yet still the earth was muddy and too soft for the creatures to live upon. So it was then decided that Buzzard would be sent down to locate a dry spot in which the creatures could dwell. Finally he came upon a place where the mud was drying out. The Buzzard then took his great wings and used its wide wingspan to flap creating mountains and valleys. The Buzzard smiled up at Creator.
When the land was ready the other creatures began to migrate down from beyond the rainbow. As they arrived they were saddened to find that their new home was dark with no light. So they decided to pull Sister Sun down from the vault of the sky showing her the path she should follow each day. She agreed and smiled at them and Creator.
Soon Creator sent the plants down to live among the animals and sustain them, asking that the plants and the animals all stay awake for seven days. Most of the creatures fell asleep before the time was up, but Owl stayed awake and was given the power of night vision.
Some of the plants also managed to stay awake the entire time and they, the cedar, pine, holly, spruce and a few others were then permitted to keep their hair throughout the year. The other plants were told they would have to shed their leaves each year when the cold began and grow them again when the weather began to warm up, testimony to their sleep and broken promise to the Creator.
Creator then decided to form a man and a woman. The man proceeded to press a fish against the woman, which made her grow large and eventually give birth to a child. Every seven days she gave birth to another child, until the Creator decided to place a cycle on her so that she could have a new child only once a year. This is how we, the Cherokee People came to be.
Long ago and far to the north, winter nights were very long, dark and bitter cold. Nights were so long, dark and cold that all the Four Leggeds and their friends could barely gather enough food to survive the season. No matter how quickly they tried to gather nuts and seeds, the darkness covered them and stopped all their efforts. On such a day Squirrel decided that something had to be done. Her first stop would be a visit to her friends the field mice.
“Oh, we do not know what to do,” said Father Mouse. “We have so many children to feed, and the winter nights are so long and dark.”
“I will help you my little friends,” Squirrel replied.
Next Squirrel went to see Porcupine to ask him if he too had been having trouble finding food during the long dark winter.
“Oh, yes,” said Porcupine,“ nothing can be done it has always been this way.”
“I don’t believe that,” said Squirrel. “There must be something that can be done.”
“It’s best to leave things as they are for you never know what could happen if you try and change things,” said Porcupine. With a bristle of quills, he scurried off through wintery wind and snow.
Squirrel sat and thought for a bit and then decided to seek out Owl. Owl rested by day and flew the woods at night, with eyes bigger than all the other animals. Perhaps Owl would know a way to bring light to the winter forest.
Squirrel climbed high in Owl’s maple tree and waited for Owl to wake.
“What brings you to me Squirrel?” asked Owl.
“All of the small woodland animals need to hunt by darkness as well as day. The northern winter nights are far too dark for us. If we could only find a little light to help us see we could gather our food with ease”
Owl agreed to ponder on this problem. He lifted his feathery head and then buried it into his shoulders to think. He thought all day long, while Squirrel shivered on the windy branch. Finally, he startled with thought, “I will talk to the Sky Father and see if he can bring the stars closer to us during the winter time.”
Squirrel flicked her tail in excitement and hope as she raced down the tree to her spot in the woods. A few days went by and then Owl flew in and landed at Squirrel’s burrow.
“Tell our small friends that the Sky Father has decided he will bring the stars closer to us at night. But first, he must clear all the clouds from the sky. We must all prepare for a strong and terrible blizzard.” With that said, Owl flew off to his tree.
All the animals worked as quickly as they could to forage all the nuts, berries and seeds that they found. Then they gathered and huddled in a hollow log and watched as the huge storm clouds gathered in the sky above.
For three days the Sky Father gathered the storm clouds in the sky, stacking them in huge towers. The animals shivered below, waiting. On the third day, the storm arrived. The blizzard howled through the woods. The animals were frightened, all except Squirrel for she believed in what Owl had promised.
When the storm died away, a huge snowdrift had blocked the hollow log so that the animals could see nothing but the wall of snow and the darkness from inside the hollow space. They were scared and disappointed, thinking that only hunger and darkness awaited them.
Brave Little Squirrel made her way through all her friends and turned to them, “Wait here, I will tunnel out and see if the stars are closer as the Great Sky Father promised.”
Squirrel dug and dug, pushing through the cold and wet snow finally reaching the top. When her head popped out through the snow, she gasped in surprise. The winter stars hung so low in the evening sky, it seemed that she could almost touch them.
A large, antlered moose stepped forward and bowed his head, “I have been sent to help you, if you little animals can gather all the snow you can and push it into a giant snowball, I will then carry it cradled in my antlers across the highest mountain ridges, where it will shed light on even the darkest winter nights.”
So they all worked together with the help of the moose and the Sky Father to create the first Snow Moon. Now despite the cold and the long nights of darkness, all are happy in the winter when the stars come close and the moon shines bright like great snowball in the sky.
Blessings to All
~ bear Medicinewalker
The Sacred Hoop Project is about the sharing of the culture so the stories remain, the teaching continues and our Ancestors remembered and honored. with that in Mind I have added to this post as well, Deborah New Moon Rising’s version of this story. When I shared it with her she was compelled to record it. I hope you enjoy them both, for it is a wonderful story to share with children and adults of all ages, and is definatley one of my favorites!
Mig`wetch
~ bear
Simply click on the player to hear Deborah New Moon Rising tell the story! “The Snow Moon” Deborah New Moon Rising & Ken Quiet Hawk
Deborah New Moon Rising and Ken Quiet Hawk are of Abenaki descent. Deborah is known as an award-winning artist of realistic wildlife paintings on wild turkey feathers. Her birch bark rattles and crafts adorn the regalia of many from coast to coast. Together with her husband Ken Quiet Hawk they have gathered stories and life’s lessons to share as storytellers at Pow Wows and Native gatherings. Performing at concerts and schools throughout New England, as well as traveling the entire East coast to share the teachings of the native peoples.
Both Quiet Hawk and New Moon Rising believe that storytelling should be more than just entertainment, “Storytelling should be a means of teaching, teaching us all how to be better people.”
The Native Symbol Orca Whales symbolizes family, romance, longevity, harmony, travel, community and protection. He is said to protect those who travel away from home, and lead them back when the time comes. The Orca Whales live like wolves, mate for life and raise each child with care. They also travel in large groups of families, working together to protect all members of their pod.
Referred to as the “Lord of the Ocean” Killer Whale or an Orca whale are said to be the guardians of the ocean, with seals as his slaves and dolphins as its warriors.
It is also said that they are closely related to humans, and for when a human drowns in the water, their soul is said to be guided down by Orca Whales deep to the very ocean floor itself and transformed into an Orca Killer Whale.
There are also stories of when a Killer Whale is seen off shore he is believed to be a deceased human or chief trying to communicate with loved ones. Some tribes believe that Orcas are reincarnations of their former chiefs lost at sea. Some people tell the following story on how the white markings appeared on the Killer Whale.
As a legend describes, a Killer Whale fell in love with an Osprey. The Killer Whale was so in love that he would jump out of the water and into the air, to be closer to the Osprey. The Osprey would respond by flying lower to meet the whale. They had a child together and the child was born black like the Whale with white markings from the Osprey.
The whale is known to help people in need whether we are helpless or wounded. The whale symbolizes kindness, intelligence and compassion. The Whale or Orca, is known as the guardian of the sea and guardian of travel and also can also be a symbol for unity and goodness. Killer Whales often travel in family groups known as pods and also hunt in packs like the wolf so are referred to as sea wolves.
The Orca Killer Whale is the most admired of all the whales and is used as a powerful crest by many clans.
In a time before there were any killer whales there lived a very able sea lion hunter and a highly skilled carver named Natsilane. He was from Kake and when he took as his wife the daughter of a chief on Duke Island, he decided to live among her people. He was accepted into her family and because he tried hard to prove himself, he soon had a place of honor as an accomplished hunter and spear carver.
His desire to please won him the admiration of the youngest of his brothers- in-law but the oldest ones misunderstood his intentions and became jealous and so began to plot against him. The men decided to get even with Natsilane on the day of the big seal hunt. After much preparation, the day of the big hunt arrived and Natsilane along with his four new brothers paddled their canoe toward West Devil Rock, out in the open straits. The wind was blowing fiercely and the waves were high but Natsilane was determined that the hunt would be successful.
When the canoe neared the rocks, he leaped toward shore and plunged his spear into the nearest sea lion before it could escape. Unfortunately, the point broke off and the lion slipped into the water. Worse yet, Natsilane saw that his brothers, over the fierce objections of the youngest, were paddling away- abandoning him on the deserted island with no food or weapons. Their betrayal stung him deeply and after a time, he pulled his cloak up over his head and fell asleep.
Natsilane awoke the next morning to the sound of his name. He saw a sea lion that looked like a man beckoning to him to go with him down beneath the waves into the Sea Lion’s House. At the great house he met the chief of the sea lions who asked him if he could help his injured son. Natsilane saw that the young lion had his spear point embedded in his body and with some effort was able to remove it and the son was healed. The chief was very grateful and after granting Natsilane even greater skills, arranged for his safe return to the village.
Natsilane met with his wife and after telling her his story, he made her promise to keep his return a secret. He took with him his carving tools and went into the woods to carry out a plan of revenge on the older brothers-in- law who had betrayed him. Remembering the Sea-Lion Chief’s promise, he asked him for help and began carving a large black fish, a killer whale of spruce the likes of which had never been seen before. After many tries and improvement in his carving skills, he fashioned a sleek orca whale from yellow cedar, marked it with white lines using chalk from the corners of its mouth back to its head. He said, “This is going to be the white-mouthed killer whale.” and when it was launched, it came to life and swam out to sea.
He called the black fish to him and ordered it to find his brothers-in-law when they returned from their hunting, destroy them and their boat but spare the youngest boy. The black fish set out and found them late that afternoon. black fish capsized the boat breaking it in two and drowned the older three brothers by keeping them from shore. The youngest made it back safely along with his story of the great black fish and his brothers’ treachery. The villagers came to believe that Natsilane had carved the great black fish and given it life.
Not long afterward, a strange black fish with teeth was seen near the shore and at times would leave a freshly killed seal or halibut there for the villagers. Natsilane had instructed it never again to harm humans but instead, to help them.
As the Orca Whale continued to help the villagers, they realized that the “Orca Whale” was a gift from Natsilane and so they took it for their crest. Natsilane became a legend to their village and some have claimed to have seen him riding the seas on the backs of two great black fish.
Orca’s guardians of the ocean by most Spiritually significant and symbolism to me the connections to the Ancestors, the Ancient ones. the keepers of the Wisdom’s For those who follow a shamanistic path, it is believed that the Orca can turn matter into stars and aid in the creation of the cosmic universe.
I believe that their songs have healing qualities And that their vibrations A they communicate with each other and with us can heal those who are physically, emotionally, and spiritually sick or help you find your soul’s path again.
I ask that today and all days ahead that we remember to Honor the Great guardians of the Oceans. That we listen to the wisdoms they share with us and help to keep their waters safe, for the waters are the sacred elixir of all life that also hold a great many secrets to our past …and not just to one person…but to all. Honor the lessons of the Great and small creatures of the water, for they don’t look upon us as to which color our skins are…or what gender we are… to them we are simply mankind…and they have been a constant through out our existence…may we learn to hold them and their wisdoms as Sacred… Blessings to you oh Orca’s of our Sea’s and thank you for your Teachings.
So today…allow the voices of the Great guardians to heal what ails you. pay homage and offer a prayer for them. Be conscious of the great role they have played in human kinds life story… and be thankful for all that is.
Welcome to all my relations as I call to the Sacred Winds to carry my words, to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers of all Directions. I ask that in this time and space, you allow me to speak with the Wisdom’s and Knowledge of the old ways. Allow your stories and the lessons that they bring to be taught for those who need to hear. I honor you and thank you for answering the call… aho
Good day to you all. I invite you to get comfortable and take a walk with a bear. Today we speak of stories and legends that have been passed down through time.
Legends are stories about people …a place…or sometimes even an animal that is created to explain an event or occurrence so that it may be passed down to other generations as a lesson or record. Most are spun in fiction, not entirely true…however the mere fact that a legend is passed from one generation to the next has a sense of mystery and magic.
So with that in mind, I tell you a story that was passed to me, throughout the generations.
It is the Story of Sleeping Bear Dunes…
Before time was time, before man walked the forests, there was a mighty lake. Its vastness spread across the shores, untouched raw beauty as it’s waves tickled the ever stretching forests. Wildlife was plentiful and the nights stretched as the day was long.
In one such forest close to the edge of the Great Lake, lived a Mother Bear. Her coat was dense and thick …colored blacker than the night. She had large soft eyes that showed pure joy as she watched her two young cubs frolic and play. The little family lived a life among the wildflowers and green pastures and forests, along the shoreline of this Great lake.
Every morning they were awakened by nature’s choir that stirred as Father Sun rose to the sky to greet the day. Their daily travels took them throughout the forests, meadows and the rich streams that flowed over the Great Mother. Stopping only to acknowledge the gentle deer that crossed the path. Mother bear would stop and encourage her young cubs to play in the water, and then to be ever so patient as to reach in and grab a fish as it shimmered in the stream for lunch. Always thanking and honoring the great circle of life, and only taking what was needed for the day. She taught them well. When they would finish it was time to nap in the lazy afternoons, and just enjoy Father Sun’s warmth on their shoulders.
After waking from a long and restful nap they would stroll along the long shoreline of the Great Lake, that had no beginning and had no end…playing in the waves as they cascaded over the sandy beaches. Learning to simply be, and connecting with each other and the very life around them. Then as the long days would draw to a close, the Mother bear would gather the cubs and take them back to the cave for a night of rest. Lying in a nurturing mother’s embrace, they would gently fall asleep.
One afternoon as they were about themselves, a storm rolled in. The thunder was deafening and the lightning was bold. Mother bear stood up looking around her and sniffing at the air. A nervous tension settled in as the silence was broken for the sounds of crackling and the dark sky turned to a fiery glow. Fire!
She felt a surge of panic, grabbing her small cubs and urging them to hurry they headed towards the Great lake. Running alongside them were the wolves, the deer and all the forest dwellers all heading the same way…
Diving to the water she called to the cubs to follow. Urging them deeper, to save them she guided them to the other side. They followed their Mother without question, the waves that washed over them were strong and cold. Looking back she saw she was loosing sight of them, continually calling out to them, so they would follow Her through the wind and waves. All through the night they swam…yet they were falling farther and farther behind. Mother bear was worried.
Night time fell upon them. The sky was dark and glittered with stars and the light from Sister Moon, and still she swam on…listening to the night sounds of howling wolves, the cry of the night owls, all urging her to continue. Mother bear kept looking back, and her eyes grew weary as Father Sun began once again to rise across the sky…
Looking back once more to see her cubs, she realized they were no longer there. She came upon the shore and collapsed into the soft sands. The land seemed strange to her as she placed her weary wet paws into it. There were hills that rolled forever and sand all around. After resting a short while she began to pace along the surf, looking out towards the water for her cubs. Crying out in a roar as her eyes filled with tears.
Calling to the cubs pacing …pacing…she climbed to the top of the highest hill and looked out over the water that was deep and dark, yet there was no sign of her cubs.
She let out a cry again, calling to them …echoing out over the waters dark deep blanket.
Mother bear sat and waited…she watched Father Sun come and go as the seasons passed and the flowers bloomed…she sat and watched, as the swallows nested and then taught their young to fly. She sat and waited as the Sweet Grass grew green and turned to the golden colors of the fall…
She waited and watched while the leaves fell from the trees and the air grew cold bringing with it the white blanket of snow that caused all to rest. She watched and waited, but her cubs never reached the shore. Soon she fell fast asleep in a slumber of sorrow…
Years passed by and the Great lake gently blew over her caressing her and keeping her warm with blankets of sand while she slept in that slumber. And in time the Great Mother felt her sadness as her own. Realizing the Mother bear’s great love for her cubs. In honor of that Love the Great Mother called upon the Sacred Winds to bring the cubs near the shore, raising them from within the depths to create two islands full of beauty and lushness, placing them forever within the watchful eyes of their Mother Bear.
The cubs stand to this day, time where there is no time as the North and South Manitou Islands. Happy to be near their Mother once again, they stand in tribute to their Mother bears love. With the shimmering water shining while Father Sun looks down upon them with pride.
I am Dedicated to Educating and sharing the Native culture with the World. It is not enough merely to teach the ways of our Elders. We must honor those traditions by sharing and educating the World. Inspiring others …Inspiring our Youth.
Through the Music… the Arts…the stories…
Mitakuye O`yasin,
bear Medicinewalker
One Who Sees performed by Award Winning Pow Wow Group Bear Creek from their XI CD available at http://canyonrecords.com/shop/
Winter time came and with it the winds brought the snow and ice that covered the earth and sealed the waters.
To this point the animals had never seen the snow and ice. In the beginning they frolicked and played in it, enjoying making imprints and sliding along the glass like ice. But as the temperatures began to drop, the animals became scared. The small ones were being buried in the snow and the larger creatures were finding it harder and harder to walk. Food was becoming scarce and the temperatures were frigid. If they did not figure out what to do, they would surely all die.
“We must send a messenger to the Creator,” Owl spoke out, “and we must ask that the earth can be warm again so that Spirit Snow will leave us in peace.” All the creatures thought this would be a good plan and talked amongst them selves about who should be the one to go and ask the Creator for this great favor.
Since the Owl’s sight was limited in the daylight, they all agreed he should not be the one. Coyote was too easily distracted and was known as the Trickster so it was agreed that he could not be trusted. Turtle although held great knowledge and would surely be reliable, yet they all agreed he was too slow and would not survive the trip. Then the Rainbow Crow stepped forward. Everyone looked to him with his shimmering feathers of the rainbow listening to his beautiful singing voice, they all agreed he was the best choice to go and speak with the Creator and the Rainbow Crow accepted.
The journey was a long and difficult challenge, high into the heavens, beyond the trees and clouds, higher than Grandmother Moon and Father Sun and out beyond the Stars he flew. The Sacred Winds blew and helped him a little, but there was no where for him to rest so he continued his flight knowing that he needed to reach the heavens for all the Creatures below were depending on him.
When the Rainbow Crow finally reached the Sacred place, he called out to the Creator, but received no response. The Creator was busy and did not notice this most beautiful of birds. So Rainbow Crow decided to sing his most beautiful song in hopes the Creator would hear.
Soon the most beautiful of song reached the Creator’s ears and looked to see where the song was coming from. Smiling the Creator greeted the Rainbow Crow asking what gift he could give in return for the beautiful song he had shared. The Rainbow Crow asked the Creator to stop the snow and ice from covering the earth and the creatures below causing them to freeze to death. The Creator listened and then explained to the Rainbow Crow that the snow and the ice had spirits of their own and could not be destroyed.
“What can be done to help my friends so that they will not all freeze or be smothered by the snow and ice?” asked the Rainbow Crow.
I will send the Sacred Fire to the Earth Mother; it will be something that will warm all creatures during these very cold times.”
The Creator then stuck a stick towards Father Sun and the end ignited and blazed with a bright, glowing fire which created a warming heat. “This is Sacred Fire,” he explained to the Rainbow Crow, handing him the cool end of the stick. “You must hurry down to your friends as fast as you can before the stick burns up and the Sacred Fire burns out.”
The Rainbow Crow bowed to the Creator in gratitude and thanks, then flew as fast as he could back to his friends and the Great Earth Mother. The stick was large and heavy, but the Sacred Fire kept the Rainbow Crow warm as he descended from the Heavens and down through the path of stars. Then the Sacred Fire grew hot as it came closer to the Rainbow Crows feathers and as he flew passed Father Sun, his tail caught on fire, turning the shimmering beautiful feathers black. By the time he flew passed Grandmother Moon, his entire body was black with soot. As he soared into the Sky and flew through the clouds, the smoke got into his throat, strangling his beautiful singing voice.
By the time the Rainbow Crow reached his friends, he was black as tar and could only Caw instead of sing. He delivered the fire to the animals melting the snow and bringing warmth to the littlest animals from the snow drifts where they lay buried.
All the creatures rejoiced for the Sacred Fire had been brought to the Earth Mother. The Rainbow Crow sat in the background of the festivities, saddened by his dull ugly feathers and his rasping voice. Then he felt the touch of the Sacred Wind on his face. He looked up and saw the Creator moving towards him.
“Do not be sad little one,” the Creator said. “All animals will honor you for the sacrifice you have made for them. And when the tribes come, they will not hunt you, for I have made your flesh taste of smoke so that it is not good to eat. Your black feathers and hoarse voice will prevent man from putting you into a cage to sing for him. You will remain free.”
Then the Creator stretched out his hand towards the Rainbow Crow’s black feathers, and before his very eyes, the Rainbow Crow saw the dull feathers become shiny and inside each one, he could see all the colors of the rainbow. “This will remind everyone who sees you of the great sacrifice you offered for your people that saved them all.”
In the early spring a young hunter who lived in a lodge with his wife and little ones far apart from his village left his home to go hunt the woods for food. Father Sun was high in the sky sending his rays to warm the earth and melt the white blankets of snow that remained. The piles of snow disappeared into the ground as he walked through the trees. Laughing the young hunter began to laugh and talk to the snow, “You are not afraid of Father Sun are you Snow?”
A strong booming voice startled him as it replied back, “Do not speak to me in that tone! I am here because the Ancestors of the North sent me, but I must only stay a season as I am instructed. Father Sun helps me to disappear. But since you have dishonored me in this way, by making light of my worth, you will be tested when next I return! Be Prepared!”
The young hunter looked around him hearing the voice but seeing no one he turned to leave wondering if someone was playing tricks on him. As he did he heard the voice once again as it spoke out loud, “Who is scared now? Remember next winter, be prepared.”
The young hunter felt chills and headed home at a run. Reaching his lodge he shared with his wife and children what had happened. His wife looked at home and encouraged him to seek guidance from the Elders in the village so gathering his courage to speak of it again he went to them telling them all that had happened.
“If you heard the Snow Man speak,” said the Elders, “you must prepare for what he said he will do, he will do!” The Elders all agreed and shook their heads, “It is no wonder that the Snow Man was angry with you, you made fun of him telling him he was scared, however he said when he returned you would be tested so you must prepare to meet him next winter.”
“And how am I to prepare for his return?” asked the young hunter.
“You must begin now to hunt the Deer, Bear, Buffalo, and any other large creatures that you can find. You must press out their fat and oil, and put it all in skin bags. You must also fill some bags with pitch. Then you must cut and lay aside a great deal of wood full of knots. After that you must build yourself a lodge apart from every one, with a door to the south. Take Pine pitch and fill up all the cracks in the walls, and hang a closely braided mat before the door, so that nothing can get through. Inside you must build a fireplace with a small smoke-hole. Then carry into the lodge your supply of wood and the skins full of fat, oil, and pitch. You will need all you can get, for the test will be long and difficult.”
Agreeing and understanding what must be done, the young hunter left to begin to prepare for the test.. Spending the entire summer and autumn seasons he hunted by night and cut wood and prepared the other things by day. He made grease and tallow cakes and bars of all sizes, and filled skin bags with oil and pitch. Last but not least he built his lodge as he had been instructed to do. Winter was fast approaching and the young hunter began to tremble, bidding his family good-bye he entered the lodge he had built and locked himself in. In the beginning his fire was small, but as the days progressed and the winter’s breath grew colder, he began adding more and more wood in order to stay warm.
One cold evening there came a fierce wind that whipped and swept around outside the lodge howling as if it was in pain. Louder and louder the sound grew until the young hunter thought the snow had returned for him, but no one came.
The next evening the sound came back, louder tan before and the winds stirred and whipped around the lodge. Soon the young hunter became very cold as he felt the temperature drop some more, so he made a large fire. The trees and bushes outside snapped and cracked louder and louder, as the wind tore through them. Snow has finally come for me he thought, but no one came. The next night the young hunter stirred the fire as the cold grew worse and worse, and the wind howled and shrieked damaging trees and brush outside. I wonder if tonight he will come for me thought the hunter, but still no one came.
Time passed and soon mid winter arrived but the young hunter had no concept of time, so he was unaware. Then at last he saw him through the tightly pitched and chinked lodge and its closely woven mat over the door, a Manlike-Object-of-Snow walked about. It passed close to the young hunter and as its icy breath filled the lodge, the fire began to dim. The young hunter rose to his feet and threw on more wood but saving the better wood for later. The Manlike-Object-of-Snow sat down opposite him staring at him with its icy eyes. The lodge grew colder and colder chilling the young hunter down to the bone. Again the fire was beginning to die almost going out until the young hunter remembered what the Elder had said, and he added more wood to the fire. Soon the winter was almost over yet the young hunter did not know.
As the young hunter felt his limbs getting numb he began to use the best wood for the fire and the flames encircled him with their warmth. The Snow Man groaned as the young hunter began to throw the grease and tallow on the flames to make them shoot up sputtering and sizzling with heat. Then the Snow Man groaned again, but still he sat there with his icy stare, and his breath numbed the young hunter’s body. Soon winter was over, but the young hunter did not know it! Soon the young hunter began to throw on the pitch and piled up his largest logs into the fireplace. The Snow Man groaned horribly growing smaller and smaller gasping and groaning again. Then the young hunter poured on the oil, and soon only a little lump of ice lay where the Snow Man had sat. Soon a voice cried out, “Aho young hunter! You have won! You are greater than I and I give up to you!” But the young hunter did not stop continuing to pour oil, pitch and wood into the fireplace.
Soon the Snow Man cried out, “Stop young hunter! I have spoken the truth. I will return to the North where I have power. You shall live in this lodge becoming a great hunter. Your wife and children may always go barefooted in the snow, and I will not hurt them. Your name from now on shall be ‘The-Man-who-Mastered-the-Winter.’ ” With those words, the Snow Man disappeared. The young hunter lifted the mat at the door looking out through the doorway he felt Father Sun’s warmth, saw the grass was green, the flowers were blooming, the birds were singing, for winter was gone and it was once again spring!
“I am Dedicated to Educating and sharing the Native culture with the World. It is not enough merely to teach the ways of our Elders. We must honor those traditions by sharing and educating the World. Inspiring others …Inspiring our Youth. Through the Music… the Arts…the stories…” Mitakuye O’yasin ~bear Medicinewalker
The Gift Jim Brickman piano version available on I tunes and used as Creative Commons
Sacred White… it was predicted the Sacred White Buffalo would return one day, and with it would come the Pride of the People returned… we would dance again…gather again…pray again in the way it was in the beginning. The White Buffalo has indeed returned, with it we have seen many sacred White Animals… although Rare…they have been showing them selves to us in greater numbers.
They are believed to hold mystical powers and energy… they are to be Revered. This is one of the story’s that was shared with me long ago… and now I share it with you…
Legend of the White Raven Spirit
At the beginning, when the Earth was fresh and new, the Creator sent down His Raven to enjoy this new creation. As Raven soared down from cloud to cloud he began to take the color of the snow crystals that touched his wings, each crystal being different, like the creation on the earth. The Creator told him, you will be like the snow flakes you have gathered on your wings, a part of everything new, everything that I have created. You will be for all people. As White Raven soared in the clouds the cool air rushed under his wings, he was singing and shouting songs of praise to the Creator.
One day he wanted to touch and feel the ground and taste the earth below. He wanted someone to keep him company, but he knew when he landed he would soil his feathers having to settle on the ground below. So the Creator wishing to please this special one, created a special spirit mate for White Raven, a White Buffalo where he could land and rest. Now there were many of these new Buffalo but only one as white as the snow. They moved about and covered many lands. White Raven found his spirit mate, the White Buffalo below and would ride on his back, resting and smelling the sweetness of earth, making many pleasant sounds in thanks for his new home. Now he could help White Buffalo and his brothers and sisters find good places to roam for food.
Every day White Raven would fly high into the air soaring around, spotting fine places of grass for his brother. When he would look down, he could see White Buffalo as bright as the mornings sun among the others that were colored like the dark earth they roamed.. White Buffalo could be found easily and then led to the good eating places. He would sing to the White Buffalo, “Come here, come here, come here, the grass is good, good, good then laugh”. They would fly, and run, play, eat and enjoy all that was given to them.
Then came a time when the Creator put new creatures on the Earth. They were called humans and walked on two legs. The humans were the color of the earth, the place where they came from, and were very smart. They would sing and make fires to The Creator in thanks for their life and the beauty He had given them. But the human became very hungry and asked the Creator what they should do.
The Creator pointed them to the White Raven and told them, “I gave to the White Raven the White Buffalo, so he could guide him to places where his brothers and sisters could eat the good grasses. Now I will give you any buffalo except the White one, to fill your lodges and stomachs and keep you warm so you and your families will never go hungry and never be cold. But remember without the White Buffalo it will be hard to see the others and hunt because they are like you, the color of the Earth.
The humans did what they were told, and after a hunt would first thank the Creator, then the buffalo for his spirit, food and skin for warmth and protection. All things were very happy and gave thanks every day.
One morning, White Raven woke up from a good sleep on the soft back of White Buffalo, and stretched his wings. Flying high into the air looked for a nice place for his brother to eat for the day. While high above the hills he saw a different kind of human, although they looked the same he could feel their hearts were not the same as the others he had known. The new humans were thoughtless caring only for themselves killing many animals that they could not eat or use for their families.
White Raven talked to the Creator asking what are these humans doing, they do not thank You or the ones whose spirit they send to you. They gather up much that they cannot take or use and it goes to waste, the Creator was unhappy.
On that very day, one of the new humans saw the beautiful White Buffalo who was not paying attention to the ground, but looking up in the air to follow White Raven to a new area to eat and play. The new human crept up on White Buffalo and took his life and spirit, not following the command of the Creator. Then the new human did not thank Creator or the White Buffalo for this spirit, food or skin, leaving much of the body there to rot in the sun.
This made Creator very sad, he began to cry and from the clouds and sent sharp streaks of bright anger to the ground.. White Raven was very sad, his spirit mate had been taken from him and he had no place to stand or sleep any longer. White Buffalo’s brothers and sisters ran off causing a great rumbling that went to the heavens and began to shake the earth and the clouds. Creator let his tears begin to fall from the clouds showing his sadness. White Raven cried and yelled as he circled his spirit mate’s lifeless body from high above.
As the days past and the tears continued, White Raven began to tire since he no longer had his place to rest. The streams began to overflow and the seas and the lakes rose to a point where there was very little dirt left. After many days, exhausted and soaked with rain, White Raven landed on a small piece of muddy ground. The dirt splashed up on his body and wings. He tried to move about but he got more and more discolored with the mud. He began to change color to black as the mud spread all over his body, flopping around trying to get back into the air. A day or two passed and White Raven now was completely black and covered with mud. The water had risen to a point where the only piece of ground left was being covered with the rising flood.
Far away White Raven saw an old man and his family floating towards him in a large canoe and he cried out “here, here, come, here, come here .” The Elder noticed him and came over to him and picked him up.. The Elder was very kind and began to feed the Raven and dry him off. Now by this time the entire earth was covered with water and the tears had stopped, the Creator now would mourn silently.
White Raven told the Elder of his journey and what had happened to him and his friend, White Buffalo. Elder told him that the Creator had spared him from the great rains to look for anything good, but there was much evil in the world and there was not much to save. The Elder explained that again, along time in the future not only will there be good on the earth but evil also. When this time comes the Creator will have to again cleanse the earth of this evil.
White Raven was now strong enough to fly back into the heavens. As he left the elder and his family he thanked him for his kindness and began to soar back to the Creator.
The Creator explained to the Elder that from that point on only the black Raven would be created in order to remind all peoples of the evil that man can create and that in the future when the earth is filled with evil the White Raven will once again be sent. Next time he will not turn to black or be soiled, but remain forever white the color that had been given to him in the beginning. One will see White Raven and he will give this message to many Nations and to all who will listen to him and what he says about the Creator. This one will be giving a warning to all, the need to remember the beginnings and honor all that is Sacred.
White Raven will again have the soft white back of his spirit mate to rest on, and everyone should listen to his warning, “Return to the Creator, sing songs of praise. Burn fires that will let their smokes rise up filled with the scents of sacred Sage, Cedar and Sweetgrass. Put away your evil ways and desires and follow the Great Grandfather teachings and place the Creator in your hearts as the way to walk and all will be well.”
White Raven then soared up towards the Creator into the clouds. The snow crystals began to cleanse the feathers of White Raven as he flew through the clouds going ever higher until he again became as he was in the beginning, the way the Creator had intended.
So the time is drawing near for the return of the White Raven. This will call us to look to the Creator and understand and honor All Life as Sacred.
We will still try our evil ways, destroying what the Creator has done for us. Will we do the things that we were meant to do in the beginning.
Love the Creator, learn to live in peace with all, love the Creator loves…Unconditionally. This is what is written, this is The Way it must be for the Sacred Hoop to remain Unbroken!
