Post by Okwes on Jan 13, 2008 17:47:36 GMT -5
First Mother, First Father - Penobscot
After having helped the Creator bring forth the Penobscot, Klouskap realized
these children needed guidance. He was a very powerful medicine man, but he
could only do so much. These children needed to know a mother's sweet,
tender love, and they also needed to know a father's strength and honor.
It was decided by forces too powerful for you and I to comprehend that a
First Mother and First Father would be created. From the morning dew that
collects on all the sacred plants of this earth, First Mother was created.
From sea foam of the powerful ocean, First Father was created. Together,
they set out to nurture and protect their Penobscot children with the
powerful guidance of Klouskap.
For many years the Penobscot lived in their sacred lands, hunting, fishing,
learning, and surviving. What a beautiful world they lived in but, just as
fast as good things will come to you, they will also leave. Over some period
of time, a drought had started in the Penobscot's land and only progressed
to the point of desperation. First Mother saw that many of her children were
dying, too weak from not having any food to eat. From the power and
knowledge of her motherhood, she knew what she had to do.
First Father was called home by his wife. He already felt in his heart that
something was about to happen, something that would take all of his
strength! He found his beautiful wife alone, sitting in the dim light of a
small fire In a calmly powerful voice, First Mother began to speak.
"Husband," she said, "listen to me, as I am the mother of all Penobscot and
can't bear the sadness of watching my children perish. You, along with a
small group of men, will take my life, then take my body to an open field.
There you will drag my body around the field until all of my flesh is worn
off and I am nothing but bones. Next you will have to bury my bones in the
center of the field, leave for seven days and nights, and then return."
Shocked and saddened, First Father cried in protest. "I know in my heart
what you tell me must be done but it's also my heart that tells me I can't!
I will need some time to think about this. I will need to talk to Klouscap."
At that, First Father set out for Klouscap's lodge where he was hoping to
find an answer that he knew he wouldn't receive.
"First Mother has the power to save her children," said Klouscap to First
Father. "You must listen to her every word, as hard as it is, and do what
she wishes."
It was with a sadness that we can only imagine that First Father and a small
group of men ended the life of First Mother. They carried out her wishes
exactly as directed, dragging her body around the field and then burying her
bones in the center. With secret prayers and ancient songs, they blessed the
area and left.
It seemed to be the longest seven days and nights that First Father could
ever remember, but finally the time had come. With sad anxiety, First Father
and the small group of men returned to the now sacred site. What they saw
was the salvation of the Penobscot, a miracle that couldn't be believed....
....where First Mother's flesh laid warm on the Earth, plants of corn,
squash, beans, and potatoes now grew. Enough to feed all her children and
with the sacred seeds of each plant, no Penobscot would ever go hungry
again. Where her bones were placed in the womb of Mother Earth, the sacred
tobacco plant now grew. With this plant, her Penobscot children could send
their prayers on clouds of smoke to Creator.
A great gathering took place in honor of First Mother. People sang and
danced and lived in her beauty. Only through her death did the rest of the
Penobscots survive. This is why until this very day we should always regard
our mothers with love, loyalty, and most important, respect.
as told by Jason Keith Brown, Rabbit Clan
After having helped the Creator bring forth the Penobscot, Klouskap realized
these children needed guidance. He was a very powerful medicine man, but he
could only do so much. These children needed to know a mother's sweet,
tender love, and they also needed to know a father's strength and honor.
It was decided by forces too powerful for you and I to comprehend that a
First Mother and First Father would be created. From the morning dew that
collects on all the sacred plants of this earth, First Mother was created.
From sea foam of the powerful ocean, First Father was created. Together,
they set out to nurture and protect their Penobscot children with the
powerful guidance of Klouskap.
For many years the Penobscot lived in their sacred lands, hunting, fishing,
learning, and surviving. What a beautiful world they lived in but, just as
fast as good things will come to you, they will also leave. Over some period
of time, a drought had started in the Penobscot's land and only progressed
to the point of desperation. First Mother saw that many of her children were
dying, too weak from not having any food to eat. From the power and
knowledge of her motherhood, she knew what she had to do.
First Father was called home by his wife. He already felt in his heart that
something was about to happen, something that would take all of his
strength! He found his beautiful wife alone, sitting in the dim light of a
small fire In a calmly powerful voice, First Mother began to speak.
"Husband," she said, "listen to me, as I am the mother of all Penobscot and
can't bear the sadness of watching my children perish. You, along with a
small group of men, will take my life, then take my body to an open field.
There you will drag my body around the field until all of my flesh is worn
off and I am nothing but bones. Next you will have to bury my bones in the
center of the field, leave for seven days and nights, and then return."
Shocked and saddened, First Father cried in protest. "I know in my heart
what you tell me must be done but it's also my heart that tells me I can't!
I will need some time to think about this. I will need to talk to Klouscap."
At that, First Father set out for Klouscap's lodge where he was hoping to
find an answer that he knew he wouldn't receive.
"First Mother has the power to save her children," said Klouscap to First
Father. "You must listen to her every word, as hard as it is, and do what
she wishes."
It was with a sadness that we can only imagine that First Father and a small
group of men ended the life of First Mother. They carried out her wishes
exactly as directed, dragging her body around the field and then burying her
bones in the center. With secret prayers and ancient songs, they blessed the
area and left.
It seemed to be the longest seven days and nights that First Father could
ever remember, but finally the time had come. With sad anxiety, First Father
and the small group of men returned to the now sacred site. What they saw
was the salvation of the Penobscot, a miracle that couldn't be believed....
....where First Mother's flesh laid warm on the Earth, plants of corn,
squash, beans, and potatoes now grew. Enough to feed all her children and
with the sacred seeds of each plant, no Penobscot would ever go hungry
again. Where her bones were placed in the womb of Mother Earth, the sacred
tobacco plant now grew. With this plant, her Penobscot children could send
their prayers on clouds of smoke to Creator.
A great gathering took place in honor of First Mother. People sang and
danced and lived in her beauty. Only through her death did the rest of the
Penobscots survive. This is why until this very day we should always regard
our mothers with love, loyalty, and most important, respect.
as told by Jason Keith Brown, Rabbit Clan