Manataka American Indian Council
A New Legend For The People
A Cherokee Story
Many,
many years ago, when animals could talk, they were divided into tribes, bands
and clans, much like we are today. The Hawks were some of the proudest of all
animals. They were strong and great in number. Each year they would
hold tribal councils and dances. The sound of their drum and wings would
fill the earth.
As time went on a great enemy came. A large and powerful bird which they had
never seen before. When this bird would fly overhead, the whole sky would
be as if it were night in the middle of the day. This bird passed over and
caused many of the Hawks to be driven away from the land Grandfather had given
them. He passed over again and caused many of the Hawks to die. Finally,
he passed over and caused many of the Hawks to be separated from others into
many different places. Over time, these separated Hawks lost all contact
with their brothers and sisters. They began to live with the other birds; the
red birds, the blue jays and others.
As time passed, the children of the separated Hawks grew up thinking they
belonged with the other tribes. Sometimes their parents would even tell
them they belonged there. Many years passed and the great, great
grandchildren of the Hawks began to feel different from the other birds they had
called family for so long. While the other birds wanted to search for
worms, they wanted to soar in the air. When they saw game in the fields,
they would be overcome with the desire to capture and eat it.
Slowly
the separated Hawks began to know they were not the Red Birds or Blue Jays or
any of the other birds they had been living with. Slowly they learned that
they were Hawks and that there were other Hawks like them, living in other
places. They learned of the Hawk Drums and Dances. These things stirred up
the spirit of the Hawk inside them and they knew that they had to return to
their families. One day all the separated Hawks got together and started out on
the long journey home. After a long time, they reached the land of their
Grandfathers. They found the other Hawks who had been left behind. This
was the place they belonged and they knew it. Something inside told them
so.
The Hawks who had been left behind were not interested in the new arrivals.
"Who are you?", they asked. "What makes you think you are
like us?" "We are Hawks", replied the new arrivals. "You may
say you are Hawks but you are not part of us". Sadly, the separated
Hawks left. They felt as if they had no other place to go, so they
returned to the lands and tribes they had lived with for so long. The
separated Hawks remembered the song of the Hawks they had learned and the dance
they had seen. They began to sing the songs and dance the dances.
Yet their hearts were heavy for their brothers and sisters.
One day the separated Hawks learned the old enemy of the Hawks had returned. He
was once again making war with their brothers and sisters. Now however,
the Hawks who had remained were smaller in number. The Hawks who had
remained, it was learned, would most surely be destroyed this time by this great
bird. The war cry went out among the separated Hawks. They gathered
together. They made arrows, they fasted, they danced; they mad ready for
war.
When the time was right, the separated Hawks set ambushes for the enemy of their
fellow Hawks. The war was on. Because of the help of the separated Hawks,
the enemy was defeated and all the Hawks once again lived together.
This story was published in the Southeastern Cherokee Council's newsletter, "S.E.C.C.I. Talking Leaves". The issue it was printed in is May, 1998. Our thanks to Blue Panther Keeper of Stories blue_panther@mindspring.com