Spirit Drifter

Again Jonathan was helping his raving Grandmother Anne back to bed; it’s the fifth time this month.  He’s starting to speculate on potential mental illnesses at this point. She keeps ranting about the spirits she’s constantly seeing. He doesn’t know what to do. Being almost 16 years old is stressful enough.  Not only is he struggling to get homework finished but there’s the pressure of his coming of age feast as well.

Being First Nations in British Columbia he is expected to follow the traditions of his people.  After Jonathan gets his Grandmother back to sleep, he himself returns to bed as it is 2 in the morning. For an hour he concentrated on getting rest before the test the following morning and finally drifted away into a dreamful sleep. Being Friday it was a slight relief that it was the last day of the school week.

 Jonathan was walking in a forest when a wolf came to him. The wolf spoke to him, in a deep, powerful, resonating voice; “It is time for you to know who you are.” He woke with a start. “What on earth was that?” he thought, as he shook it off remembering his test this morning he got ready for school.

As he entered the classroom, the pressures of passing dawn on him. It is his grade 11 English provincial exam. This grade will be permanently recorded in his academic record. It’s got to be a decent grade. After the teacher pronounces the time to start he begins. An hour and 45 minutes later, the 4th student to finish his test, he hands it in. He always was a bit faster at finishing his test then the rest of the students. As he’s on his way to his locker he runs into his best friend: Steve. “Hey what’s up Steve?” he asks. “Ah, not much man, just got a free block before lunch. You done your test already?” he replies. Jon and Steve decide to head downtown to hang out at the mall.

Steve asked him about the test and Jon tells him that it was pretty simple. Confident he did well, he changes the subject; “Dude, I had this tripped out dream.” Jon starts. “Really? What happened?” Steve distractedly responds. “Well, this wolf came up to me and spoke to me, I can’t help but think it’s important... it said ‘It is time for you to know who you are.’ What do you think it is?” Steve shrugs, “Dunno dude, maybe it’s because that feast is coming up and you’re thinking about it a lot.” Jon agrees with his answer. Relieved a little he finishes the day at school. 

When he gets home, his Uncle Dan was just leaving. Normally Jon’s Grandma Anne has no problems during the day. They sit and talk while Anne makes him dinner. Lead by an odd urge, Jon asks his Grandma Anne about the creation story. It could have been the dream that had him suddenly curious but he has to know. “Ahh, the creation story, I’ll tell you after dinner okay dear?” “Okay Gigi” He agrees calling her his grandmother in his native tongue.

 The Creation

After finishing dinner Gigi Anne and Jon moved into the living room. “So now that we are comfortable let’s get on with the story.”

In the beginning, The Chief in the Sky lived in the heavens with his family; two sons and a daughter and a large tribe of followers. There was no light in the sky though. The smarter son, The-One-Who-Walks-All-Over-The-Sky was most upset by the lack of light. So to solve this he made a circular mask and lit it, then began to walk east. The people were amazed to witness the light coming from the east. The-One-Who-Walks-All-Over-The-Sky had to keep moving however or the mask would burn up. He took the mask off in the west at night, but he repeated this pattern every day.

The people were upset that they didn’t have longer with the light. In response to this the daughter; Support-Of-Sun, decided she would slow him down since he said it is impossible to slow down without the mask burning up. So every day she would call out to him to wait up, she would catch up and hold him. This is the reason for the sun staying in the middle of the sky during the day.

The father was upset with his younger son; Walking-About-Early, for not being as smart as his younger brother. So he fell to the ground and wept. Walking-About-Early devised a plan. He disguised his face as fat and charcoal, and when his younger brother got home Walking-About-Early had his servant ready to announce his rising. When The-One-Who-Walks-All-Over-The-Sky’s bright face let some light escape through the smoke hole, Walking-About-Early’s charcoal disguised face reflected that light and when his servant announced his rising from the east, the people were amazed to discover what we know as the moon.

Later the sky chief created the animals in the land below the sky (our world). In council the animals decided that the path of the sun was from east to west, and began to talk about the moon’s cycle, the dogs suggested a 40 day cycle. The porcupines argued that a 40 day cycle would make the year too long and suggested 30 days, the council agreed. Annoyed with the dogs’ stupidity they cast the dogs out of the council, and from then on dogs would hate all other animals of the woods, especially porcupines. The council then began to name the months of the year.

Meanwhile as The-One-Who-Walks-All-Over-The-Sky slept, sparks came from his mouth and these created the stars. This disappointed Support-Of-Sun because she had such a small role compared to her siblings. So she went to the water in the west and became all wet, cold she returned to her father’s fireside and created fog dulling the sun’s heat. Pleased with his children’s roles he established their roles forever.

So is that what you wanted to hear dear? “Yes gigi, thanks.” Jon replied with satisfaction. Jon now knew about how his world was created but he hasn’t heard what he’s really looking for yet. He thought it’s best to wait another day before asking more about his culture. Exhausted, from the test and sitting quietly listening to his gigi he went to bed. Gigi Anne being exhausted from telling the story went to bed too.