A story of courage and faith

At the beach with my grandmother who always was teaching it was the most memorable time of my life granny would be cooking fish on the fire the traditional way; “Grandson you can never learn less, only what does not work”. Then she would smile and my soul would warm up she could hug you with just a look. Grandson you must learn to pray in your own language so the Creator Na-us hears you better.

A long time ago a Chief Haa we had ten sons’ TEN Hi-uu! His oldest son was a renowned hunter and gather; and known for his bravery and being the one who was at the front of the whaling canoe chup-its.

A time came when the Chief decided to host a gathering for his people he went to his eldest son and asked him to get a whale to feed the community; this son was proud and puffed up his chest and said I will have the greatest whale by the end of the day it will be most fat and full of blubber to feast on; he set out on the Chup-its and searched all day but with no luck he came back and his father the Haa we was disappointed. The Chief went to the second son and asked him; he was a good hunter but not a good whaler; the older brother who just failed started to laugh at his younger brother; “hhha you’re not a whaler!” The young man said by two suns I will have a whale for the community.

He came back and the canoe was not bringing a whale; the father was sad and went to the third oldest son and asked him to get a whale and the two brothers who were unsuccessful started to laugh and pick on their brother “He is not a hunter or a whaler! He is just a gatherer like a little girl”. This young man gave his word he would find a whale to feed the community; but he too failed in this task; the Chief went all the way to his youngest son; “Son you’re my last hope to get a whale to feed this community” the son said with a smile I will feed the people. All nine brothers started to laugh and pick on this there youngest brother.

The young boy paid no attention to his nine brothers taunting him; the young boy went up the river to pray; there he went into the water and started to pray for the whale; just then a he saw something in the water come to him; it was a Serpent a Hia-kleet! A Hia–kleet had special powers; the serpent spoke to the boy and said; “Put me around your shoulders and I will help you”; the boy did and he turned into a Thunderbird and flew off; from up high he could see where the whales were and he swooped down to pick up the whale and he flew back home and put the whale on the beach and he then turned back in to his human form in front of all his community.

Prayer is powerful grandson learn to pray in your own language; it will give you courage in hard times and give you compassion in good times. Having the courage to change your life can be hard, but in the end you will be a better person; as a young person I took control over my life and picked up a book that encouraged me to explore my life; and soon after a reading my first book , I found myself reading another and found joy. My Grandmother who never went to school taught herself to read by picking up the newspaper; in her last years of her life she was an avid reader and always said to me, “Grandson you always learn, till you breathe your last breath.”

Collaboration by Michael J McCarthy & Dr. Joshua Guilar Traditional Story from the Nuu-chah-nulth