Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Continued from last week

He turned to the assembly and said, “Now we will cross the stream. We will camp here. Then the eldest woman from each family shall go and get water from the river to be used in the food preparation. When she dips up the water she must notice carefully what she sees and must not forget it. I will come early in the morning.” He motioned for everyone to follow him as he crossed the stream.

The people followed him as he went to a place along the stream where the grapevine was attached. He grasped the vine and started the trek across the river and the people followed one by one. When the sun went down there were still many who were waiting their turn to cross the river. As the sun set, the vine which people were using, became detached from the opposite shore. Some were in the middle of crossing the stream when the grapevine detached and began floating downstream to a lower point on the river’s shoreline. Those that were left on the opposite shoe were unable to cross the stream.

As evening began to fall the various groups prepared camps for themselves and kindled fires. The camps extended quite a distance along both shores of the river. Everyone was in awe at the events of the day. The Elder Ones assembled the people as darkness began to fall and said, “We must watch the Young Man tomorrow when he comes to see what we have to do next. Today, he divided the people into several groups. Each group has camps set up along both sides of the river.”

Everyone began to settle down for the night. While the younger ones slept, the Eldest Ones watched and said, “It’s important that we watch the Young Man to see what he will do next.”

When dawn arrived the entire people rose and got ready for the day’s events. The eldest female in each family had been awake all night watching for daylight to arrive. All the people hurried to the river to watch the elder women fetch water from the stream.

The Young Man started and the Eldest Ones followed him. At the edge of the camps the most Ancient One had her lodge. The Young Man began with her saying, “I am thankful that the new day has begun in peace.” She replied, “Yes 1 believe that to be true and 1 am thankful also.” He replied saying “I need to ask you what you saw since you woke up this morning? What did you see that was most outstanding?” The Ancient One replied, “Since 1 awoke, 1 went to dip water at the river and as 1 did so, 1 saw a deer standing nearby. After 1 filled my pouch, 1 returned to my lodge and prepared food for my children and grandchildren.”

The Young Man said, “What you saw was a game animal. Our Creator made his body and from now one he will symbolize your clan. From now on you and your family will be known as the Deer Clan. 6 Where you dipped in the flowing stream, the water flows in a certain direction. It will come to pass that the sun will set and rise in a certain direction. So too will it come to pass in your family that they will be proud to say, “The deer is our kind of clan.” With this, the Young Man left and went to the next lodge.

Continued next week