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* "NEW TO TEACHING LOVE" *
* (part 22) *
* by Vince Water *
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| Copyright 2005-2006 by Vince Water UNFINISHED August 29, 2006 |
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{Shaman He-who-runs-up-mountains has eaten dinner with Winna, Running Water,
Mike, Jesse and Jake at the house. Grandfather has come to meet his grandson
for the first time. They're in the front room talking about Blackfoot stuff
so Jake can begin to learn about his proud Indian heritage. Grandfather
sings. His words are in old Siksika but Jake (who's been given a hand drum
to beat to the melody) hears the beauty in the old man's song. Several have
already been sung. A hauntingly sad song is now rendered by grandfather.}
"It seems that everybody wants to tell me what to do.
I didn't listen to them so you know I won't listen to you.
Do what I want to do.
Sit on street corners begging for change.
End up being a fool.
"What is in my heart is not revealed on my face.
Not heard in my voice.
Not for your White eyes.
My spirit wants to keep on riding free.
Freedom is a fire that never goes away.
"The road it stretches out endlessly in front of me.
To the next White town to sing for your coppers
though you don't really hear me.
Until I'm returned to my parents,
I sit alone.
I sit alone.
"What is in my heart is not revealed on my face.
Not heard in my voice.
Not for your White eyes.
My spirit wants to keep on riding free.
Freedom for my People is a fire that never goes away.
"Hey. Have your White eyes looked at the land?
And seen the destruction like a scab over a wound?
In a land that once was mine.
We used to soar high as the eagles,
far as we could fly.
Then you came along to take without asking.
Killed our... fathers.
Raped our mothers.
Put children in a White man's school.
Taught me nothing.
"What is in my heart is not revealed on my face.
Not heard in my voice.
Not for your White eyes.
My spirit wants to keep on riding free.
Freedom is a fire that never goes away.
"All the eagles they have fled.
No place for us to fly free either.
Given bad land to wound in your White ways.
I won't listen to you, won't follow in your footsteps.
My spirit is guided by the People of Old.
"What is in my heart is not revealed on my face.
Not heard in my voice.
Not for your White eyes.
My spirit wants to keep on riding free
as it was.
Freedom for the People a fire that never goes away.
Until we return to the good red road, I sit alone.
I sit alone.
I sit alone.
Alone."
I am struck by grandfather's sad song that has brought him to tears. Jake
stops beating on his drum. Jesse sitting beside holds the old man's hand. He
begins to chant.
"Not alone, my grandfather.
I sit beside you as the People of Old did.
You have returned some to the good red road.
You inspire us.
"What is in my heart is revealed on my face.
It is heard in my voice.
It is for all eyes to see.
Your spirit has kept on riding free.
Freedom for the People is a fire I won't allow to die down."
Tears are running down Jesse's face. He has renewed his pledge to serve
the People as Shaman He-who-runs-up-mountains has done. Grandfather wipes his
eyes dry. He's Looking at his grandson in a way that makes the tiny hairs
lift at the back of my neck. A haunting look. The old man's eyes then peer at
me. I grasp my lover's left hand in a show of my pledge to support him.
Power flows through us. Grandfather Sends Jes-ee-ah a series of images
that spill through my lover to me. This is what I See. An Indian boy of eight
being taken from his mother's arms. His father stands near a counter piled
with sacks of flour and wheat, coils of rope, a saw, boxes of nails, hammer
and other supplies. The man is heart broken over this necessary trade.
'Jacob' is the new name given the boy at the Jesuit school. His black hair
is cut short, deerskin flaps replaced by pants and a shirt. He's forbidden to
speak Indian. There are other Native children who have been taken from their
parents by threat of force, through 'trade' for food or simply cohered.
Blackfoot, Chippewa and Cree. They're being taught White man's ways through
the 'love of Christ'. All things Indian are said to be a sin. Heart sick boys
and girls are kept from returning home to see mothers and fathers. The Black
Robed White faces are their parents now.
Little Jacob is taunted by the other boys at school. They have submitted
to White ways but he refused. "My father was a proud Blackfoot chief! His
father before him was an Inspired One who kept the faith between my People
and the Great Father so I won't submit" The Black Robes often punished Jacob
for his defiance and speaking Siksika but they didn't break his spirit.
Four moons after the boy's 'capture' by the Whites, he escaped. It was a
long hard road back to his People's reservation. He met up with a half breed
squaw. She'd sold herself in towns while the boy sang at street corners for
copper coins. That song grandfather rendered to us earlier sounded sweet in
their White sympathetic ears though sung in Siksika, they couldn't understand
his words. Woman and boy survived those years amongst the Whites until
finding their way south and west to the Blackfoot reservation.
Hope to see his parents again was what sustained the boy. When he learned
that his mother had died from starvation and his father killed by Whites
trying to steal food, that broke his spirit when nothing else had. The boy
fell into darkness. The squaw who'd taken care of him those years on the road
became his second mother. They were provided for by others in the tribe,
saddened that the boy hid inside himself. He still sometimes sang for coppers
though there were no Whites to toss them into his lap where he sat in the
squaw's lodge in the reservation.
Light returned to the boy's heart in his early teens. It was an ancestor's
spirit who yet walked in flesh. Of Power to Reach inside him. This one Took
the boy and his second mother Forward to a better time where she married
(a White skin of all people!) while he grew into manhood and became the
tribe's Inspired One.
The images end. Before grandfather broke his Connection to us, I'd Seen
one thing further or rather, I Sensed it. A circle about to complete itself.
An old man who was that troubled teen helped by the one he in turn helped. It
doesn't make sense to me.
Regular sight returns to my eyes. I see Winna crouching before grandfather
with concern on her face.
"Uncle? Are you alright?"
He-who-runs-up-mountains doesn't respond. Jesse lets go of my hand.
"He's really tired, mom. I'll take him to bed."
We both help walk grandfather to our bedroom while Winna and Jake follow
behind. At our door, Jes gives his mother the eye so she turns away, taking
Jake to the kitchen. We lay the troubled old man on our bed. He falls asleep.
... {THESE THREE DOTS INDICATE THAT THIS SCENE IS UNFINISHED.}
One-white-horse walks to his truck parked at the curb while grandfather
lingers a moment with us on the porch. He has parting words to give us.
"My grandsons. Do not worry about this old man before you. There are yet
a handful of moons remaining to my life so I can see my grandson Jes-ee-ah
set on the path my feet have walked these many, many years. He will lead the
People after me."
"Yes, grandfather."
They exchange Looks that make the tiny hairs at the back of my neck stand
on end. Not from the flow of Power. I'm not Sensing its rising between them
yet something is Passed. A secret?
"Short Hair. I am very proud of you for keeping your feet on the good red
road. You are a worthy companion to my grandson."
I feel a burning to my face. My eyes drop from his when I softly mutter,
"I've stumbled some."
"Don't we all?" asks grandfather. "The troubles you faced have blown away
like smoke in the wind. Is this not so?"
I'm only nodding in reply. Grandfather smiles and that lifts my spirits.
"After great struggles comes rest. I am to love pledge the two of you in a
few Saturdays before family and friends. Why not enjoy a... how you say it?
Your 'honeymoon' during this week?"
I'm glancing at Jesse. He only shrugs his shoulders, leaving it up to me
to decide. We'd only be given three days for our honeymoon. I'd hoped for at
least a week! There are also other concerns which I voice to the old man.
"Grandfather. The following week would be better. Jake needs to be settled
into his new home so we need to help Winna with that."
:My mom can look after Jake,: Says Jesse. :They should be given some time
without us around, love.:
:Only three days with you!: Jes understands but he wants to seize this
opportunity to be with me. We've rarely been given the chance to spend time
together alone since we met. I address grandfather. "Very well."
"Good. I'll ask One-white-horse to prepare a horse for your journey
tomorrow. Come to his lodge in the morning. We'll see you off."
Jesse grabs my right hand. I'm Sensing his great relief and happiness
that I've agreed to grandfather's suggestion for going this week. Tomorrow!
We'll be enjoying a honeymoon even before we're married.
... {THESE THREE DOTS INDICATE THAT THIS SCENE IS UNFINISHED.}
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End of file: TEACHL22.TXT This is the end of this series!
The saga continues in 'New to Love Honeymoon'