The traditional culture of the Native American Indians included the telling of tales and stories by the elders while everyone sat around the Winters fires for warmth as the cold winds blew and the snow flakes flew.
Many of the oldest stories were told for centuries and remarkably are like many of the stories of the written words of religion today. For example the natives shared a story about the world being flooded and the Bible shares the story about Noah and the Flood. The Bible spoke of giants living in the lands and taking wives of the people, as did the Native tale of the giant man called Man-a-Dingo.
Stories told by the Winter fires not only entertained but they carried a message of the connection of the First People with Creator, Creation and their life upon Mother Earth where all things have a Spirit of existence. People today are now understanding our stories coincide with many Christian writings in the Bible. We have the stories of the flood, and the visit upon Mother Earth of the Son, and thousands of stories more memorised and shared and were not written for we had no reason of a written language over the thousands of years of the First People. Moreover, the tales explained the creatures and the interaction of the people with the world around them.
Even today, there are great story tellers that still share the tales as they Walk this Earth.
I hope you enjoy a few of mine? pabear48
War between Bear and Beaver
Many Winters ago when the moon was still green and the stars lit the night skies a Great Chief of the Nation spoke of the War between Bear and Beaver. His name was Wha-0-Chee ( Bear Standing )
He said:
It began across the white topped mountains and where the desert meets the trees as the grasslands begin to flow. Where streams glisten and the buffalo roam from sea to sea and the ground shakes when they run from time to time.
Black Bear lived along the ridges of the mountains and hunted down below. In spring he would gather berries and at times hunting in the flowing waters of the crystal clear creek for the Salmon that roamed and sometimes seemed to fly through the air. It was in the time when animals could speak and man had just arrived. Black Bear was called Great Claws by all that saw him pass by. And, Great Claws loved eating the Salmon that sometimes flew in the air.
Beaver lived along the grasslands and roamed the where the streams glisten and the flowing waters of the crystal clear creek met the Great River of the Nation which split the lands from East to West and canoes were needed to pass. He was called Chewey by all that saw him pass by.
Now Chewey was a mischievous who could walk on the land and swim through the waters and loved to chew the trees he passed. He eyed the crystal creek as a wonderful place to build his home and watch the green moon light dance upon the GreatRiver in the still of the nights. And, he knew the danger of seeing Great Claws when hunting the crystal clear creek.
I, Wha-O-Chee have walked the GreatRiver and crossed it in my canoe to reach the crystal clear creek and have seen Chewey attending the land and watching out for Great Claws while felling the trees to make his abode. I am witness to the War between Bear and the Beaver and share what I saw to the entire Nation. During the Green Moon I have listened and talked with the animals of the Creator.
It began the day the sun rose in red flame and the winds went still. I was gathering a drink of the crystal clear waters of the creek when Great Claws appeared. Good Day I said and he spoke: Yes! It is a good day for Salmon.
Have you seen the buffalo pass by? Great Claws stood on hind legs and looked deeply at me while saying: I have no want of watching for the buffalo and what you ask is no concern for Salmon is on my mind. But, to please you new man I say they passed by one moon ago. Now leave me to my hunting. Watching this exchange was Chewey from the other side of the crystal clear creek chewing on a white birch tree.
Great Claws began wading within the waters waiting for the Salmon that sometimes did fly. His eyes were upon the waters so he did not see Chewey on the other side of the crystal clear creek felling a birch tree, until suddenly he heard a crack like thunder and the birch tree fell upon his side.
Hey! You hit me with a tree you mischievous beaver and have scared the Salmon away and I was hungry as a Bear.
Chewey replied, Well why were you standing where I plan to build my home Great Claws?
Great Claws growled and with mighty arms lifted the tree and threw it to the shore and then smiled at small Chewey standing there.
Chewey grew angry and said: All of days I have chewed the birch tree to start my home and in one mighty act you have thrown my work away. This is War between you and me now Great Claws.
Great Claws grinned and even smiled: Chewey you are a crazy little fur covered animal that must see I am twenty times your size and you declare War between you and me! Now leave me to my hunting while I watch for the salmon that sometimes even fly.
Wha-O-Chee sat and listened and watched.
Great Claws walked from the crystal clear creek which now was muddy and said: I will be back when the waters clear up again from that disruption of the tree falling upon me. You little fur covered Chewey had better not be here when I return for the Salmon that sometimes fly.
The night was approaching and Wha-O-Chee decided to camp and eat jerky to see what the Green Moon and the new red flame sun would reveal? His human curiosity had arrived.
The green moon beams were aglow upon the crystal clear creek as Chewey began knocking down one birch tree after another and dropping them with precision atop each other until they appeared as a great mountain and the creek came to a slow. Wha-O-Chee heard the commotion but sleep drew him into a deep slumber.
Great Claws awoke as the red flame sun shined upon his eyes. He was very hungry for no Salmon did he have yesterday from the crystal clear creek. He arose and walked down the mountain.
His eyes beheld a new mountain of wood reaching to the stars and he growled a roar heard from sea to sea which woke up Wha-O-Chee.
Into the creek raced Great Claws and with mighty claws and strength only the bear has tore and ripped and threw and broke the birch tress into the air until none were left and the mountain of wood was gone. Wha-O-Chee was witness to this act and saw Great Claws walk back up the mountain for the crystal clear waters were all muddy and no Salmon could be seen unless they would fly: But, Salmon do not even fly in muddy waters any day.
Now Chewey saw what Great Claws had done and his fur did rise. He started to chew limbs and sticks and one by one placed them into place and fell more birch trees in-between and packed with mud all of it into place until a greater wood mountain now held the waters in place. And, Wha-O-Chee watched this as he sat in the green moon light.
Chewey had stilled the waters from flowing and not a drop could pass by his new constructed wood mountain.
Next morning Great Claws even more hungry walked down the mountain and again ripped and tore Chewey’s Dam away tree by tree and limb by branch until not a stick remained. And, Wha-O-Chee watched this!
Sun by sun and moon by moon for thirty days and nights Chewey built and then Great Claws ripped apart. And, Wha-O-Chee watched this!
It was a dribble day as rain in small drops covered the lands as Great Claws once more appeared in endless hunger for a Salmon that sometimes flies.
Small furred Chewey was sitting on a tree stump on the other side of the once crystal clear waters that now were not flowing and even smelled as he watched Great Claws arriving once more. He noticed that Great Claws did not appear so strong because of great hunger.
Chewey called out to Great Claws: Have you had enough War? Will you leave my home alone? Go else where?
Great Claws replied: I have always hunted ........
" THE FULL STORY IS IN OUR NEW BOOK"
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Tradition story shared at the fires by the Midewiwin whom are the Native Tribes Medicine People.
Stories were always told in go-la (wintertime). That's when the harvesting is done, and it's not yet time to begin planting. Everything is very very quiet, it's usually snowing outside, and except for the hunters, everyone has to stay inside next to the fire ( a-tsi-la ), where it is warm and comfortable. Wintertime is also the best time to tell stories because that's when the snakes are asleep, and they can't hear what we are saying because snakes hold no secrets?
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