Many years ago, before the arrival of the European people here in North America, the Creator came to visit his people. One day the Creator decided to check on his people to see if they were still following his teachings.

One day the people noticed that a big chunk of the sun fell from the sky and came crashing towards the earth. It was a huge ball of flames and when it crashed to earth there appeared a most handsome man. This wonderful man was the Creator himself. This man prepared himself to visit his people. The first thing he did was to transform his body into that of a very tired, dirty, and shabby looking old man. The Creator did this so no one would recognize him.

In those days our people lived in villages. Each village was inhabited by a single clan. The villages were many miles apart from one another. Usually each village was located by a lake or some body of water. Generally there were small trails or paths that connected these villages.

Sonkwaiatison, who now is transformed into an old man, begins his journey following a small path, picking up an old crooked and twisted stick that becomes his cane or walking stick. As Sonkwaiatison makes his way along the path he has to go through thorn bushes and burdock patches. The thorn bushes tear his clothes, making them even more shabby-looking. The burdock gets stuck in his hair and all his exposed skin is scratched by the bushes.

Finally Sonkwaiatison comes to a clearing along side of a small lake and sees smoke rising from the cooking fires of that village. Sonkwaiatison was so relieved to finally find his people that he hurriedly approached.

An older woman met Sonkwaiatison when he reached the village and she was very hostile to the old man. She chased him away. She ridiculed his physical appearance and called him a lazy stinking beggar. Sonkwaiatison was very disappointed, disillusioned and very hurt.

Sonkwaiatison pulled himself together and continued on his way following the dirt trail in search of another village that might welcome him.

Sonkwaiatison was now becoming tired, worn down and very hungry. Mile after mile wore holes in his moccasins. His feet were beginning to ache and blister.

After many miles of walking, Sonkwaiatison again saw smoke rising in the distance. Upon reaching that village he noticed the antlers of a deer affixed to the bark houses. As he entered the Deer Clan village a small group of Deer Clan women scolded him and told him to leave because they didn’t want a lazy, stinking old man hanging around their village. Once again, the old man was disappointed and walked away ever so hurt.

Sonkwaiatison continued to walk and walk. Every single time he found villages, he was turned away and verbally abused. He attempted to visit the Eel Clan, the Hawk Clan, the Turtle Clan, the Beaver Clan, the Snipe Clan. The other clans turned him away. Now the old man was so hurt and so disappointed that all his people had abandoned their ways and teachings. His feet were all blistered and his body was all scratched. He became very weak and barely able to walk because of hunger.

Now the old man came to the conclusion that all his people no longer followed the sacred ways. Sonkwaiatison decided to return to the Sky World and from there would change the world forevermore.

Sonkwaiatison was just about to return to his home in the Sky World when he noticed smoke rising in the distance. With great pain and a last effort he made his way to that village. He noticed that there were Bear Clan emblems hanging from the walls of the bark houses. As Sonkwaiatison approached the village he had feelings of reluctance and anxiety. He was very much afraid of being rejected as he had been up until that moment. As he approached closer, he saw a very old woman who helpfully embraced him and offered warm words of welcome.

The old woman said to, Sonkwaiatison “Watkonnonhweni:ton Raksen.” This means I give you my greetings and thankfulness together with love, Grandfather.

Now the old woman guided Sonkwaiatison to her house where she offered him some herb tea and fed him whatever food she had at the moment. The old Bear Clan lady fixed water for Sonkwaiatison to bathe and offered him a robe to wrap himself while she washed and mended his old clothes. The old Bear Clan woman fixed a bed with blankets of fur for the old man to rest. That evening she prepared many types of food and puddings for the old man. That night Sonkwaiatison was so pleased that there still was someone on earth who remembered his teachings.

The next morning the old Bear Clan woman woke to find the old man in severe pain. The Bear Clan woman felt so sorry for the old man and asked what she could do to help him be more comfortable. He told the old woman that in the forest where the hardwood trees grow there are patches of medicine plants. He described exactly what they looked like and gave the old lady sacred tobacco to offer to the leader of the medicine patch. He told her exactly how to wash the medicine, how many roots, how much water to use, how long and how hot to cook the medicine. The old Bear Clan woman did exactly as she was told and the old man drank the medicine. In just a short while the old man was well and happy. Soon the old Bear Clan woman was sewing new moccasins and an entire outfit for the old man. The people of the village would gather at her house to sing for the old man’s entertainment.

Continued next week