There was once a boy who came to an old Holy Man, and asked to be taught. The Holy Man asked the boy, “Why do you want to learn?” The boy responded, “I want to become the greatest Medicine Man who ever lived. I want all people to respect and honour me, as you are respected and honoured.”
”The path you seek is an arduous journey,” replied the old man. “I am willing. How long will it take?” asked the boy. The Holy Man thought for a moment and said, “Five years.” Jumping up, “I am willing,” the boy responded enthusiastically. The old Holy Man smiled and said, “I will teach you. Come back tomorrow morning, early.” The boy was elated.
The boy arrived early, and they began their training. The first thing the revered old man taught was to face east and sit still. They spent the entire sunrise sitting still.
All that week the boy arrived early, sat facing east, and sat still. Finally the boy cracked, “I want to learn how to be a great Medicine Man, and all you have me doing is sitting still. When are we going to heal people? When will you teach me the herbs? I want to be powerful and help people!” The old Holy Man did not answer a word, just sat still watching the sunrise. Impatient, the boy left.
The next morning, the boy arrived early to find the old Holy Man already sitting in the same spot as he was yesterday, in the same position, quietly waiting for the sunrise. The boy meekly sat beside the old man. It took about two hours for the sun to completely rise, and the boy sat still most of that time.
After the sun was clear of the horizon, the old man began to stir, and so the boy spoke gently, “Why will you not teach me?” The Holy Man answered, “We must first learn to sit still, even on the inside, and to appreciate each moment Gitchi Manitou gives. For, He will only entrust his power to those who love His people, and truly appreciate His gifts.”
From that moment on, the boy began to follow the old man, learning the herbs, the ceremonies, becoming one with the Great Manitou and all nature. The boy would spend every hour of the day, and many times most of the night, in the forest, picking herbs, drying them, and getting ready for the day that he would finally be asked to heal someone. He spent so much time on his Medicine Man studies that he neglected school, and would not bring his mother firewood, nor help with the chores. His friends seemed to speak with him less and less, until they hardly even asked about him anymore. ‘This does not matter’, thought the boy. ‘Soon they will respect me, and honour me. My five years are almost up.’
The day finally came. Early one morning, the boy arrived at the place where he and the old man sat each morning for five years. The revered old Holy Man was not there. In his place was a turkey feather and a simple wooden bowl. In a rage the boy screamed, “Is this all I get? After five years of service, all I get is the feather of a bird that can barely fly, and a piece of common wood? Where is my Eagle Feather? Where is my conch shell from the ocean? Where is my new ceremonial vest that represents my power? I am not a boy anymore. I am a man, and need the tools of a man.”
The young man, still upset, searched until he found an Eagle feather, and traveled to a far city where he was able to acquire a fine brass bowl, and a new doe-skin vest, then returned to his village. He went in to see the village council, told them that he was now a fully trained Medicine Man, that he had been training for the last five years under the great Holy Man, and showed them his fine brass bowl, eagle feather, and new ceremonial vest. The village council told the boy that they would tell people about him, so the people could choose to go to him for healing or not.
Five months passed, and no one came. The young man thought the old Holy Man must have said something to turn the village council against him, that maybe the old Holy Man was filled with pride, and did not want any competition.
Feeling betrayed and ashamed the young man moved to a village far away. He met with the village elders and told them that he had been trained by the great Holy Man, and that he was now ready to take his place among the great Medicine Men of the people. The elders agreed to let the young man live there, and counseled him to get to know the people, to be friends with them, and soon enough he would earn their trust.
In this new village, the young man found lodging with an elderly grandmother who had no relatives to take care of her. The young man told the old grandmother all about his training, and how he was now a great Medicine Man. The old grandmother smiled, and told all her old friends, who came to the young man with their aches, and pains, and colds. It was not prestigious work, and so the young man thought he would not become a famous Medicine Man treating the old women. He put away his fine brass bowl and eagle feather. The simple wooden bowl and turkey feather were good enough for the old women. He would save the good brass bowl and eagle feather to treat the Great Chiefs and people who were important, so that his reputation would grow.
With time, the old grandmother grew weaker and was getting close to death. The young man became sad, for over the almost five years he had been in this new village, he had grown to love all the old grandmothers, especially this one. This old lady had become as his own grandmother, and his heart was moved with compassion toward her.
Day in, and day out, the young man worked feverishly to keep his grandmother alive. He took care of her not only with medicine, but he chopped wood and kept her fire going, he brought her food, he did her laundry, he cleaned her house, he talked to her and sang her songs long into the night. Ceremony after ceremony, the young man would not rest. And when the old grandmother died, for four days the young Medicine Man danced around her funeral fire, cried, offered prayers, and sang songs of grandmother’s valiant life.
The next morning, the young man was called to come meet with the village elders. The young man thought perhaps they were going to ask him to leave their village now, since he could not even keep the old grandmother alive. He did not care though. He would not dishonour Grandmother’s memory by arguing with her people. If the village elders wanted him to leave, he would leave without incident.
Entering into the great hall, the young man saw every elder of the village, even the old Chiefs from other villages. They waved to him to come in and sit down. The chief of the village rose and spoke to the great council, telling them of the old grandmother, and of all the care that the young man gave her, not only her, but all the grandmothers of the village. Tears came to the young man’s eyes, still tender from the loss of his adopted grandmother. The Chief announced that this young man has proven himself a defender of their grandmothers, and caretaker of the old and infirm. Turning to the young man, the Chief then asked him to stay in the village, and become their Medicine Man.
Then, from the back of the room, another man came forward. It was the revered old Holy Man. The ancient man stepped forward and placed in front of his young protégé, his own pipe, bowl, and eagle feather, which he used for the most important ceremonies. These he now passed on to the young man. Then finally, the old grandmothers of the village stepped forward, presenting the young man with a full set of new ceremonial clothes, which they had sewn themselves just for him.
At home, the young man carefully hung all the extravagant gifts in his closet, and getting out his turkey feather and wooden bowl, began to serve his people with a new heart, and a new understanding.
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