A Sacred Story

Re: A very GOOD story,shared by Tiger Lillie

thank you for passing this on to us granny.

-------Original Message----- --


A very GOOD story,shared by Tiger
Lillie

This was shared by Tiger Lillie in a poetry group. There is great honor and
truth in this story no matter what Nation is your own. Until we again walk
the path of our grandparents, we will not understand how important is the
teaching in our hearts and lives!
blessings granny

Chief Saug Anishnabe

A SACRED STORY

An Anishnabe Legend

It was spring when the young Anishnibe Warrior came to Community. There was
something different about him that many did not understand. With his well
spoken ways and the confidence in which he held was something foreign to
these people that were of the "Traditional Circle". After several months of
being in the community many were afraid to speak with him or considered
there to be something wrong with him yet no one could find fault with the
way he did things not even the work that he did. This Young man knew very
little of the ways of the Circle and so he thought that he would go and
learn there ways. Much talk and teachings came from this and he learned very
well what was expected of him as a Warrior in the Traditional circle.

After many months of teachings he came back to the Elders to question them
concerning the state of community and why it was that so many things were
denied the others in the circle. He saw old people, disabled people, mothers
that were relying on the Gov. to care for there families as there men were
sleeping in someone else's bed, and many more things that bothered him. He
was told that he was meddling in the affairs of the community and that this
was not an acceptable to the community. It did not seem right to him that
only the people that could pick the sacred medicines were allowed to have
them and it did not seem right to him that the Elders did not have Eagle
Feathers for being elders, yet those that could dance and were young and
strong did. He again was told that it was how it had become to be in this
community and unless he could think of a better way then that was the way of
things.

This Young Warrior did not like it at all and became very irritable over
this as it seemed that the ways of the dominant culture were creeping in and
that no one understood that the teachings of community are for all and not
just the few who can fend for themselves. So he went to his place to ask the
Grandmothers and the grandfathers for help in this m atter. He knew this was
a life or death situation for the community so he placed his gifts down
first and then entered lodge, this was a fasting lodge a lodge of need, not
like the teaching lodge or the prayer lodge, but one of a different type
constructed differently than the others. So he prayed and fasted for many
days and so it was that the Grandmother from the Northeast came to him and
spoke not a word to him but drew a circle in the center of the lodge and put
4 points on it and told him to go and travel the four directions and you
will have your answer that you seek.

The young warrior thanked her for the sacred teaching and left the lodge and
offered many more gifts to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. He left the
lodge and traveled east first. In the East along a small brook in a clearing
sat the Crane and he watched the Crane for a time. When the Crane left he
offered again his gifts to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. When he
approached the spot where the Crane was he could smell a very familiar
pungent aroma and found that there was a 10 acre field of sweetgrass there
nested in the heart of his trap line. He began to pick and harvest the
sweetgrass and harvested with care not to pull the roots but to allow it to
regrow again next year. He filled up his sled 4 foot high with sweetgrass
braids.

He returned back to the people that he saw were in need and passed out all
of the sweetgrass to the community. He held nothing back not one blade but
gave it all away. He then went to the South and found wild tobacco growing
and did the same with the tobacco ties giving it all away saving not one
piece for himself to keep He then went to the West and found Sage and did
the same and passed it all out to the community saving not one piece for
himself. Then he went North and came upon the great Cedar Grandfather and
did the same and passed them out once again to community for those that were
in need and saved not one piece for himself.

When the Elders questioned why he had done it he said "because everyone is
equal and everyone deserves to have what everyone else has. I have nothing
but know where to get it because I walked the path of the Grandmothers and
Grandfathers and you may believe that if there is need again in this
community that I will come again and do the same, you that make yourself
great at the woes of others are not great and your Sacred Lodge is an
abomination to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers, put your own house in
order and then help others to do the same when all houses in community are
in order then there will be peace in the lodge and many good prayers will be
sent out. I will give one more gift to show this as it was told of me to
give". So he again left and went many days to the west to seek the great
gifts of the Grandmothers and the Grandfathers. He found a valley with Eagle
Feathers in it and again he offered his gifts to the Grandfathers and
Grandmothers and came to community and gave the Golden Eagle Feather to
community for healing. He gave all of them away saving not one for himself,
he gave one to every person the was in need and could not get them for
themselves. This last act of defiance against the Elders outraged them to
the point of openly speaking out against his gifts.

Then the community powwow came and by chance a young dancer the son of an
Elder lost his Eagle Feather in the Circle of dancers, and the cry went out
for Veterans to come to return the Spirit of the Eagle to the People with
honor. In full Regalia as he was told to wear he stepped forword and took
his place in the East with the other Vets. When it came time to be
questioned as to who would pick up the feather and give it away again it was
found that he was the only Veteran that was also wounded in battle so the
honor was his and his alone. When he did pick up the feather, he asked a
question of the Elders who was it that he was required to give the Eagle
feather to ?

He went to a young girl that was in a wheelchair and gave her the Eagle
Feather to keep. I came for community, the one that dances has many she had
none, care for what you have or the Grandfathers and Grandmothers will
lessen your burden.

This is a true story of the people.