The City
An old man sat on a hill overlooking the city. His eyes were far away and happy. He sat cross-legged. A smile stretched across his wrinkled face. His hair fell in two silver braids and rested on the ground on either side of him.
Not far from where the old man sat a little girl stood peering at him from behind a tree. Her eyes were big and curious. She followed the old man's gaze to the city. Seeing only the buildings and streets of the city she tip-toed closer.
The old man's smile spread even larger. He felt the little girl coming up behind him. He waited until she was just behind him before he spoke to her:
"Come, Takoja. Sit here with me. Let me tell you about that city."
She sat beside him waiting for him to speak again.
"Look out there Takoja. Out there where the sky and the earth meet. Do you see it my child?"
She shook her head. "The buildings are in the way."
He put his arm around his granddaughter. Still gazing out in that same direction he spoke again:
"Close your eyes. Now do not see with those eyes, see with this one."
He touched his chest where his heart is.
"Now do you see it child?"
She nodded
"Take away all those buildings, streets and powerlines. Take away the pollution and trash. Do you see the land? Do you see how it is still there? Do you see how it has always been?"
She nodded again.
"Before all of that was there, before all the buildings and construction, Before the pollution and cars that land was all like this where we are sitting. It was all dirt and grass and trees. There were wamakaskan everywhere. People lived here too. People raised children here. Perhaps another man sat in this very spot and spoke of these things to his Takoja. Do you see this Takoja?"
"Ohan" she nodded. He continued.
"Listen carefully Takoja. Do you hear it there? Theres a faint drumbeat coming from the trees over there. Imagine it my child. Listen as the drum beat grows louder. Do you hear their voices joining with the drum? Listen child. Feel your heart beating with the drum. Feel your skin dancing with the drum. Hear them getting louder. Do you feel it Takoja? Do you feel the music surrounding you? Do you feel Unci Maka's heart beating with yours, beating with the drum? Listen and feel my child. Do you hear the wind dancing with the leaves of the trees? Do you hear the voice of the rolling thunder? Do you feel the movement of wamakaskan around you? Do you hear them singing with the people and the drum? Do you feel how all of these are connected? Do you feel how you are a part of all this? Do you feel it in your heart? Do you see it with that eye that these are your relatives?"
He looked down at the girl. Her eyes were closed and tears fell down her cheeks. Her lips stretched in a smile across her cheeks. She nodded and whispered:
"Ohan." He smiled and hugged her close.
"Takoja, this is the meaning of Mitakuye Oyasin. Le Lila Wakan. Do you understand?"
She nodded to full of the lesson she had just learned to speak.
