by Jill Wilder
Chapter 8
The sanctuary was a special room for worship and giving thanks to the Creator and all the spirits. The four walls were each colored a different color to represent the four direction; East in the color yellow, South in the color white, West in the color black and North in the color red. The hardwood floor was dyed green for Mother Earth, and the ceiling was colored blue for Father Sky.
Sitting quietly on the floor, by a low lying table made of cedar, was Keo. He sat there awaiting the Captain. Silently, Keo thought to himself about times so long ago. Then speaking to the Creator Keo said aloud, “I remember when there was a time that our Leaders were called Chiefs instead of Captain. That time was indeed a long time ago. I have lived longer than any Elder or Healer is suppose to. I have been waiting for the purpose about to unfold.”
“I do honor this gift given to me by You, but the pain of seeing generations disappear is hard to bear. Now, this final thing that You are asking me to do will be the most painful. However, I will finally get to meet You, Creator and be with my old family again.”
He stirred in his seat as if feeling unsettled. There was a small pouch hanging around his neck. Keo fingered it as he examined the patch of hide. Slowly he began to open it and gently pulled out four claws of an Eagle, placing them on the table in the four directions. Then he reached in and produced a small leaf of an oak sapling. This was Mother Earth. Once more he reached into the pouch and this time out came a small feather of a bird. This was Father Sky. The leaf and feather were placed in the center of the claws. Underneath his breath, Keo began to chant in an old Indian tongue. He was calling to all the sacred spirits to hear his words.
As he kept the song going, he pulled out of the pouch a cloth wrapped package. Setting the package to one side, he slowly unwrapped it to reveal some tobacco. Pinching some pieces in his fingers, he quickly sprinkled some upon the west claw and circled around finishing in the center. He stopped his song and sat quietly as he fell into a trance.
Tears began to roll down the old man’s face. Suddenly, with his right arm, Keo angrily swept the mess off the table, as his cracked and trembling voice cried, “Why!”.
The Captain stood in the archway of the sanctuary, quietly staring at the disarray of things on the floor. After a long moment of stillness had blanketed the room, the Captain entered, while dropping the drapes of animal hides closed behind him.
Only then, did Keo sensed the Captain’s presence. “Forgive me, Captain, I...I do not know what came over me”. Avoiding the Captain’s eyes, Keo continued in a shamed voice, “I became angry with the spirits. They sometimes show me things I do not want to see.”
As quickly as Keo spoke he regretted what he had said. All spiritual leaders are to be looked up to and not to be seen in a bad way and yet here he sat confessing to the Captain of his weakness. He was being human.
As another moment of silence passed, it was soon broke by Keo’s heavy sigh of self understanding, “Ah, yes, it was not the spirits I was angry with, but my own self for not wanting to believe the message of the Creator. He has laid a heavy stone in my heart. I simple did not look beyond the meaning like I should have.”
“Keo”, the Captain gently spoke, “you are the Spiritual Leader of our People. I know you pride yourself on being ageless and yet full of ages.” The Captain sat himself down next to Keo. Before he continued, he placed his strong hand on the arm of Keo’s. “Keo, I am also your friend, and if the load becomes so heavy upon your shoulders, then please let me lighten that load.”
Keo broke into a smile with a small chuckle from his old throat. He clasped his dry brittle hand upon the Captains and said, “Yes my friend, the load is too heavy and all in due time you will be sharing this load. Also in due time, the load will be lifted from all of us.”
“Well, for now, you can let me help you pick these things up.” As the Captain rose to help Keo, he was guided to sit back down by the old, but surprisingly strong arm of the great Elder.
“No Captain, those things can wait. There are some things of urgency that I must discuss with you now.”
A concerned look crossed the Captain’s face. Lately, he had experienced a nagging feeling of dread or doom. Now, as he searched deep into Keo’s eyes, that nagging feeling was flooding back through his veins, making his heart pace faster. Drawing in a long breath, the Captain said, “Yes, Keo, you have my complete attention.”
Keo stared for a moment into the dancing flame of the candle that managed to remain on the table before them. He drew in a deep breath and began with the composure of a great leader instead of an old tired man losing control.
“Captain, all the people aboard this ship have learned of the great reverence that we must have for Mother Earth. Mother Earth and the Creator are now asking us to give them the most precious gift of all. We must now prepare our souls. We must give ourselves back to Mother Earth. There are many ceremonies we must do over and over again before the sweet world we once knew can begin again.”
A bewildered look fell across the Captain’s face. “Keo, Grandfather, Tunkasila, you have spoken in riddles before and I have always found guidance in them. This time, I am at a lost. What do you mean by giving ourselves back to the Earth? Do you mean it is time to return?”
“Ah yes, Captain, I do tend to speak in parables or riddles. Life is a mystery for us to seek the answers to! I can not paint the picture clearly for you because you reaction will be much like mine was just moments before you walked in here. It is someone else’s job to finish painting that picture for you. However, it is my job to prepare all of us for the awakening.”
A long still silence passed between the Captain and Keo. Both stared at the flame of the candle. The Captain placed a hand on the Elder’s shoulder and softly said, “It is miraculous that you have lived for 250 years! You have guided many generations. It is not my place to question you or Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit. We are here to save the Mother Earth and our People. Let me know when the first ceremony must begin and I will prepare our nation.”
With that much said, the Captain rose and quickly left the room. Meanwhile, Keo gathered his things from off the floor. Each item felt heavier than before. How could he tell Captain, that the People will have to prepare to meet their Maker. This was the only way the sweet Earth will live on. Keo must prepare the People to die in order for all to live again!
