Bear learns some new things and gets a name
Welcome round the fire. We have some new stories to tell.
Maybe you find something there – maybe not. That’s ok. There will be balance
overall – in the unfolding of time. This is one is a new story. So maybe
you gonna see where things been joined together. That’s ok. We can make it
better together.
So it must have been some time back as Bear was smaller and
it was afore questions even had answers. Same as everyday Bear went out
walking. The same path can brings new adventures if you find the right companion.
Well it was a very fine day of the kind that needed a fine companion. We was
bored and wanted new friends to taste and juggle questions with. We had played
with the winged ones but they got bored when we could not join their flying
games. We often frolicked with the four footed but we were too similar and the
games were getting boring. We looked to the ground, perhaps a small one? They
could see what we could not. They could
go where we could not.
But how to attract the company of such a relative? Our sizes
could make it difficult. Maybe we were too scary? Maybe they would not speak
Bear? Maybe they did not even like questions. As we sat to think we remembered
the teachings of the Grandmothers – we were all equal when we meet in respect. Luckily
we was prepared. Like Grandmas always said. Still sticky from an earlier
adventure we rescued honey stuck to the side of our nose and set it a little
away on a nice bit of soil – a respectful distance - to wait to see if our gift
would be accepted.
At first, we could not find the Manicôs[1] (little insect) their body well camouflaged to the soil.
We heard the voice – as smooth as the honey gifted. We told them about our
people and lands in the good way. Honey still on their tongue we started to
play and Manicôs knew so many ways to play with questions. We stayed so late we
heard Nôsemaskwa[2] come
to gather us home. “Manicôs – you can meet our Kin” but when we turned our little friend
was gone but stomach hungry we hurried towards Nôsemaskwa.
The next day we hurried, with extra honey to the same spot hoping to
meet this knower of unknown delights. Again we spent the day playing new games with
these old questions. Manicôs was very wise and ever so clever. But they were
also very shy and did not want to share about their kin. When we asked Manicôs
why, they responded in their honied voice, “This story is much too scary for a
young Bear. No no no. But… maybe if I
had some of the courage of a strong young Bear…”
Well of course! Bears always like to help and share. So each sun we
helped Manicôs by moving a little closer. Manicôs said that was helping – That we
were helping and each day they told us how clever and brave we were. So we
wanted to be seen to be seen as even more clever and brave so we asked Manicôs
what we could do next. Manicôs looked sad and was quiet for a long time “you
could….nevermind…” We leaned closer “We are brave enough – we can do whatever
you need.” So Manicôs told me that we could more easily share our bravery with
them if we were much much closer. “If you look me eyeballs to eyeballs you could
share lots of courage with me and I can tell how I learned all those question
games you love.”
We thought about the Grandmother teachings before we replied, but what
Manicôs proposed made sense and they were very small while Bear was big so we
did not think they could hurt us even if they tried. That settled we brought
our face close, even with my bear nose to the ground, but Manicôs was still
far. “Close your eyes Bear and I will come the rest of the way to you.” We
closed our eyes and heard some rustling. When we opened them again it was dark
and our fur felt wet. “Manicôs – Mother will be angry that it is dark and we
are not home. We need to go.” But there was no reply from our friend and when we
tried to get up and leave we could not. “Manicôs, friend Manicôs” but there was
no answer and we worried for the little friend lost in the dark.
Then we got scared and
cried out but there were no answers only silence. We tried to
find a way out of this WHEREVER. But all we could feel were rocks in shapes we
never felt before. Between tears, and finding some bonus ear honey, we figured
out that by stacking up these rocks we could make steps to escape the wet and dark.
Step after step we stacked those rocks until we could see light in the
distance. “We will put together enough of these rocks to escape and find the
light.”
9€₃₭₊₇₲₲₢ᾳ2ꓶ√ ₮⑦₾∏⑩ὂΣ Ɐ
9ȇ⑱ꓞ∞2ꓶ√ ₮⑦₾∏⑩ὂΣ Ɐ
9ȇ⑱ꓞ∞2ꓶ√ ₮⑦₾∏⑩ὂΣ Ɐ
9ȇ⑱ꓞ∞2ꓶ√ ₮⑦₾∏⑩ὂΣ Ɐ
Last step in place, we exited into the light and took a
few disorientated steps. We turned around not to see a cavern or spring had
captured us, but that the rock stairs exited through the mouth of Misi-kinêpik[3] (enormous
snake[4]). We fell back in fear and
cried out for Nôsemaskwa. She guided us home and brought us before the old ones
who exclaimed with concerns as we were marked from those strange magic rocks. No
amount of medicinces or baths could remove these marks. So we were given a new
name “Maskwa Akihcikewin” (Data Bear) and it was only much later that we started
to understand the symbols was left upon our fur, what changes Misi-kinêpik left
on our insides or what they took from us. Ho
[1] Cree - Manicôs little worm;
crawling insect, bug
[2] a female bear, a mother bear ᓅᓭᒪᐢᑲᐧ nôsemaskwa
[3] large
snake, serpent ᒥᓯ ᑭᓀᐱᐠ misi-kinêpik [NA]
[4] “The
snake cannot be captured, it cannot be tied, it cannot be tortutred or hung or
crucified” – Shane McGowen
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