b"THE OLD STORYTELLERThe Spirit WarriorBy Hank Sheffer, The Old StorytellerA s it occurred so oftenThankfully, although perhaps not what was desired back in those days, itor expected, an answer came quickly as an Indian was my job to tell storieswarrior on a tall painted war pony appeared out of the surrounding the famousdarkness. He held a long, feathered staff in his hand Superstition Mountain thatand then he let out a loud cry that caused a cold shiver loomed up behind us. Thisto roll up and down my spine. I suspected I was not particular evening was cool, though windless andalone in that shiver. It was as though a ghost from an quiet. The many curious faces gathered around theungodly past was standing before us. He dismounted brightly glowing and crackling campfire listened toand walked toward our group into the campfire light. the stories I shared about the infamous SuperstitionHe was unmistakably a warriorpaint covered his Mountain. That, of course, led to talking about thechiseled featureshe stopped before us and through hardships the prospectors and pioneers faced whilepiercing eyes looked at each one of us as though seeking out her treasures and ambitions to tame thepeering into our very souls. It was then that his voice vast wilderness. I had captured their attention asbroke the silence as he began to speak:they seemed to listen closely to every word I said. It was then that the tension of the moment was brokenYou do not have to fear me for I mean you no harm. by the sound of hooves echoing in the darkness justIt is from the mountain that I bring to you our story, a outside the glow of our campfire. A shared feeling ofstory which reaches into the spirit which dwells within apprehension could be seen in each persons eyes thatthe shadows of what once was. You have come many questioned what was going on. miles to reach this sacred place, but yet, you do not know the true secret which lays here. and return our Mother to the way she was before our Grandfathers time. We did not know just how wise this Standing tall and gray as the dark rolling clouds layman was, nor did we realize the insight that the Great over her scraggly peaks, we looked upon her. LightningSpirit had given him.flashed and thunder grumbled down through her canyons. She spoke aloud to our people and told to usAs years passed our people grew strong. Rumors of through our elders that this mountain was the homethe strange people were passed to us by neighboring of the Great Thunder Spirit. To enter into his realmtribes, and even to those of us who hunted in the time. without invitation was not permitted. Those who wereThey called themselves men of the mountains. These chosen to lead our people were shown the secrets of lifemen, would, at times, barter with the tribes and seemed and death. Within this realm the secrets of surviving into live in harmony with nature only taking what was this new land were revealed to our spiritual leaders; toneeded to survive. It was not long, though, that many live within her fortress was to experience every knownothers followed. Before we knew what was happening, force of nature. To respect her teachings was to openthey came in wagons pulled by horses and began to one's inner self to the knowledge of the universe, andsettle into our hunting grounds. Attempts by others all the secrets once withheld. to befriend such people were tragic. People from both sides suffered great losses until it could not be tolerated. The mountain chose her students wisely and saved ourWe had no choice but to defend our land from these people from the harsh and un-giving land. Those whointrudersand so we did.returned to our tribe talked of great visions. It was told to us at one time of the ways that were yet to come,Into our lands were brought great armies whose un-but it was not accepted by the people. The old one whokept promises brought death and despair to the land. brought to us the news of our fate was banished by theThey built great forts to protect themselves from us and tribenever to return. put iron under the feet of their horses so they could dance upon the rocks. They came to our villages and The coming of the strange new people which pushedmassacred our women, children, and elders. When us far from our homelands was told to us to be ourwe returned home we found our villages burnt to the downfall. That they would come across the face of ourground and the mutilated bodies of those we loved Mother and destroy all that we claimed sacred. Theyscattered about. We became fierce in our rage and The Spirit Warrior is the alterwould deface the Mother and upon her remains buildfought to see those suffer for what was done. The white wickiups that touched the sky. He spoke of birds ofman tells tales of horror that my people have brought ego of Shenandoah Blackfeather.stone soaring through the skies. Our people and manyupon them, but he does not tell of his own deeds of She was my friend whose life wasothers whose homes and families would be taken fromhorror which brought to him his own fate at the hands tragically snatched away far toothem would become like a whisper in the wind. of our warriors.He told us that within time our Mother would becomeOur people soon became tired of fighting. Most were early. However, Shenandoah didangered and shake the scabs which scar her body.herded like cattle to places they called reservations. Many starved, took ill and died.Those who lived lost leave behind a legacy that trulyThat the wounds of time will spit forth its infectionthe meaning of life and became no more than a dog and again cleanse the disease this new tribe of people belongs to the legends and lore of thehas put upon her. The Thunder Spirit shall take hisawaiting its master to throw it a bone. Many of the wrath upon the land and send fires and winds fromyounger men of our tribe escaped the reservations and Superstition Mountains. Hank the heavens in his anger. Those who remain will watchwent renegade upon the territory. Those in touch with from the mountainsides as the fires fall upon the earththe Great Spirit knew that nothing could be done to 10 November 2019"