Manataka American Indian Council
The One Great Chief
As told by Helen RedWing Wagner, Monocan
Many moons ago before
Europeans invaded the land of the People, animals talked to each other and they spoke with the
human animals too. All the animals, including humans, spoke with the
Standing Ones (trees), the Stone People, the Water People and the Wind
People. The land was open and free with no fences and barriers.
Animals and humans lived together
and all loved one another.
Mama Bear and Red-winged Blackbird were good friends. They were walking one day when they noticed the great Standing Ones with Many Arms, called trees, were no where to be seen. Shocked they asked how could this be? Where had they all gone?
Starting a search for the Standing Ones, Red-Winged Blackbird flew ahead as Mama Bear lumbered behind. Soon, Red-Winged Blackbird saw a big longhouse in a small valley. The two friends heard voices coming from inside the longhouse. Mama Bear went to the window and Red-wing Blackbird flew to her shoulder for a better look.
Around a table inside the longhouse sat several two-legged Standing Ones with many, many others standing watching those seated around the table. A big Standing One stood, coughed to clear his throat and began to speak as Mama Bear quietly lifted the window to listen.
In a deep voice he said, "I am Chief Who. I will tell all here what to do and you will do great things for me!"
Then another Standing One quickly stood and said, ”I am sorry Mr. Who, but I am Chief, not you. My name is Chief What.
Everyone around the table moved uneasily in their seats and looked at each other. Then another Standing One jumped up to say, "I am Chief Why. You others are not chiefs!"
Then another spoke up loudly saying, "You are not chief, I am! I am Chief Where."
Two female Standing Ones sat with their arms crossed looking very upset. Then one growled through her teeth saying, "You are idiots! I am Chief When. I am chief over everything you see." Then, the older of the two females gave the other a smack on the head and said, "No, you are not chief. I am Chief How, the greatest and most magnificent among all of you."
Everyone shook their heads, grumbling to themselves as they sat down. "Well, who is the chief among us?
"See there!!," yelled one of the Standing Ones, "I told you I am Chief Who and you have said Who is chief among us!"
"You know that is not what we meant to say," many said. They all waved Chief Who to sit down.
All this was very curious to Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird for in those days all the Standing Ones looked alike except for size and age. The two friends could not understand how one could become better than others. Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird guessed the self-appointed chiefs had been talking with humans and were imitating their ill ways by placing themselves above others. They had seen the same thing happening among the four-legged, winged ones and other life forms. They were sad to see some of the Standing Ones were talking in this way.
In the meantime while the argument continued, most of the Standing Ones who were observing the discussion, drifted away one by one from the longhouse. After a time, those sitting around the table noticed most their audience had left. Let's go find out where they have gone," said one. They all agreed and started out the door.
Mama Bear and Red-wing Blackbird stayed hidden, but they too wondered where all the 'common-folk' Standing Ones had gone. Red-wing flew high above and ahead of everyone and came back shortly to report to Mama Bear that the Standing Ones had gathered over the hill in a place of much water fruit.
Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird knew a short-cut to the place over the hill and arrived at the gathering long before the slowing moving, high-and-mighty chiefs.
The Standing Ones were gathered around two ancient Elders called, Cares Greatly and Big Heart, who sat inside a fire circle answering questions one by one. Cares Greatly was very old and knew many stories and the reason why things were. Big Heart knew the nature and ways of things and had also witnessed countless winters.
"Please tell us honored ones, where the grass came from and how does it grow from the soft brown earth," one of the younger ones respectfully asked.
Cares Greatly and Big Heart gently counseled with their brothers and sisters saying, "You must know that the One Great Chief made all things of the earth." For a long time the elders patiently answered their questions and spoke of the many blessings of the One Great Chief.
Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird smiled together as they sat quietly listening at the edge of the fire circle.
After many hours, the high and mighty chiefs found their way to the gathering of the Standing Ones. They listened a little while to the teaching of the elders, but they did not care for the how or why of anything. They showed no respect for such things. They were only intent on taking advantage of the bounty of the earth for the sake of themselves.
The chiefs soon began to complain about being tired and thirsty from the journey and they scolded others not to listen to outdated ideas. "We are the great chiefs. We will provide everything you need. We are powerful and will take everything we want because it is ours. An easy life will be yours if you follow our words."
They stepped away from the circle of the elders and refused to reenter. They ordered the young ones to bring water and find them a cool place to stand and rest. And so it was, the young ones carried water to the chiefs and they drank and rested.
Before falling to sleep, the chiefs decided they would not enter the fire circle of the elders as they believed it may not be worthy of their high station and would order a new circle be built to accommodate their wishes.
As the chiefs slept, the People softly sang the ancient songs and waved their many arms to the beat of the heart of the Mother Earth brought to them by the drums of the Wind people. They built a fire and offered quiet prayers to the smoke that drifted slowly upward into the arms of Father Sky and the Great Mystery beyond.
After ceremonies, they all ate from the bounty of the land served to them by Mother Earth and they drank from the clear babbling waters. Long after they had fallen asleep from heavy stomachs, the fire in the circle continued to burn and the smoke danced in memory of the beautiful words of the elders and the prayers of the People.
When the chiefs awoke several hours later, it was dark and everyone was asleep with no one around to serve them. So, the chiefs made their own fire and began to loudly proclaim their greatness to Grandmother Moon and her Star People grandchildren.
It was not long before the smoke of the two fires began to mingle high in the night sky. At that moment, a soft but powerful light surrounded the chiefs and they stood stiffly against the night sky as their mouths hung open in awe. The smoke began to take shape and formed into a huge ancient face. The Thunder People came with lights of sharp points and a great voice began to speak.
"You claim to be great chiefs among the two-legged, four-legged, the winged ones and all that crawl and swim. You claim dominion over the earth and all that is on it."
Then there was silence. The chiefs were shaken and astounded by the powerful message. Timidly, they began to whisper to each other.
Chief Who said, "Aho, now we have confirmation of my greatness brothers and sisters." Chief What interrupted saying, "That was not about you the voice spoke about, it is I," Then like a chorus of geese, all the others honked and screeched their claim to the message.
Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird were amazed at the clamor and knew that a great lesson would visit these so-called chiefs.
With a great clap of the Thunder, the great voice of the smoke spoke again.
"The People of the Land wish you to listen. Listen, for your One Great Chief speaks to you now. The waters you drink were created with the sound of this voice. The air you breath was brought forth from the firmaments of the sky created by this voice. The food you eat is not yours, but a gift of your Mother Earth, who was given life by our spirit. All beings, all things were given existence and life by these hands."
A long silence followed the powerful voice in the smoke of the two fires.
Almost at once, the high and mighty chiefs began to nod their heads in sheepish agreement with the voice of the One Great One, but they still clung to their self-appointed positions and rights of dominion over the earth and its peoples.
Then, another louder clap of Thunder shook the ground and the roots of the chiefs as a giant whirlwind of smoke and fire swept around them. The smoke grew bright as sunlight and the great voice once again filled the night.
"Until eternity there will be but One Great Chief among you. From now on and forever into the ages you shall be different from each other to show that none are above the other. You will love all things and share your gifts."
"You, the Standing Ones and other creatures of earth have learned some of the ill ways of the humans through your ability to speak. Thus, from this day forward into eternity, the Standing Ones will be silent in speech. The four-legged, winged ones and all that crawl and swim will be silent among the humans, except you may speak with each other."
"The Standing Ones will gather the wisdom of all things into your bosom and keep them silent, except to those who come with respect and love in their heart for all things of creation and the Great Mystery. Then and only then may you speak."
The great light surrounding the chiefs slowly turned to darkness as the two fires began to die down. The smoke drifted away upwards into the night sky, past Grandmother Moon, higher and higher until it was all gone from sight. The sky filled with the shining lights of the Star People and everything was quiet.
Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird smiled together again. They knew they were given a great gift by witnessing these things and learning of the beautiful lessons of the Elder Standing Ones and the powerful spirit of the One Great Chief.
As the light of morning came with the appearance of Grandfather Sun, the chiefs and all the Standing Ones looked at each other with surprise and awe. Not one of them looked like the other anymore. All were so very different with hundreds of different colors, shapes, fruits, nuts, leaves, medicines and other special gifts. And, they were all silent.
All the Standing Ones, including those who once thought of themselves as chiefs smiled at each other and silently prayed, "Thank You Great Chief." The chiefs were no longer and the all the People were happy.
From that time on, the Standing Ones remain in one place their entire lives and stand silently with their arms outstretched eternally upward in thanks to the One Great Chief.
Mama Bear and Red-Wing Blackbird were also different. From that time on, the Bear Clan was gifted with special medicine of the spirit and the Red-Wing Blackbird and all his people carry the messages of spirit throughout the earth.
Helen Wagner lives in Memphis, Tennessee and will soon be married to Joseph Graybeard Vinson, also of Memphis. Helen is a member of the Monocan Tribe of Virginia, Native American Indian Association of Memphis and the Manataka American Indian Council.