TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Hibdon Makes Team at Haskell
Many-Scars
by Mom, Dad, Gy r rad, and Heidi
by Clifford Case, Jr.
Congratulations,
Lynette
Hibdon,
making
the
for
Haskell
Indian Nations University
women’s basketball team.
We’re all very proud of
you and we’re excited to
see you play. See you soon.
Lynette Hibdon and her
cousins Jasmine Aguilar,
Tristan Rilatos, and
Jaylee Rilatos
Katrina Reis, Jr. Miss Siletz, and
Ashliegh Ramirez, Little Miss Siletz,
participate in the pow-wow at
Che maw a Indian School (below) and
in the Restoration Pow-Wow at
Chinook Winds Casino (right).
16
□
Siletz News
□
December 2003
Grandfather, it is I, Spirit Feather.
How can a man respect another man
when this man has no respect for me or
my surroundings. I want to hurt this
man for the disrespect he has toward
me and my circle.
Spirit Feather, this man has no
respect for you or anybody else, all he
cares is about himself. Spirit Feather,
do not let this bother you. If you do,
you lose respect from yourself and from
everyone else too, as this big warrior did.
He came out from nowhere. He was
a big broad-shouldered Cree Indian
named Many-Scars.
He wore many scars up and down
his body from many battles that he
fought throughout his journey. He stood
above our village with his war club and
knife in hand, letting out a war cry that
echoed throughout the land and let
everyone know that he came to fight.
I then heard three calls from three
different warriors, nine cries in all. They
jumped on their war ponies to go face
this man who wore many scars. Each
one in turn had tried to take this man’s
spirit, but all three failed to do so.
Again, three more warriors gave
their battle cry and each one in turn lost
his spirit to this man of many scars.
People couldn’t believe what strength
and swiftness he carried. They also
wondered why he came here to die,
when his tribe is three moons away.
The chief spoke up and said, “I will
go and fight this man of many scars. I
will let his spirit at peace.”
“No my chief, you have many
people to lead to happiness with your
words of command. Our people would
be lost without you. I, Stands-Alone,
will go see this man of many scars.”
The chief waved his arm for me to
keep going. I then looked at this giant.
As I looked, I also looked toward the
skies, asking for guidance from Grand
father and the Great Spirit above to help
me defend myself against my enemy.
I had no protection or any weapons
of any kind. All I had was my faith in
the Great Spirit and Grandfather above.
I gave no war cries nor did I have any
war paint on. I didn’t even jump on my
war pony.
I walked toward this man of many
scars. The people were trying to hand
me war clubs or knives to defend
myself. I motioned with my hands that
I didn't need them.
As I came close to the mighty
warrior, he started to scream his war cry.
My heart felt at ease for some reason.
He then said, “What kind of man are
you to die with no honor?”
I spoke loud and hard toward this
man of many scars. I said, “I am Stands-
Alone. Are you not happy with the lives
you already have taken? What brings
you to this tribe to take spirits that have
no meaning to you? Can you not see
the hurt and pain that you have given
us? Let us be, mighty warrior. We have
no quarrel with you.”
Again he let another war cry. I then
started to sing a song. As I was singing,
the warrior gave a laugh and said,
“Stands-Alone, my heart bleeds for
your death song that you sing. I can also
hear your people singing for you. That
is all right. Stands-Alone, maybe you
will die with honor.”
The mighty warrior came running
down the hill with his war club and
knife in hand, ready to take my spirit.
The voices of the tribe became louder
as he got closer. He then began to fall
and by the time he hit the ground, the
song that we sang was finished.
He then stood up with the knife
stuck into his heart, asking me, “What
strong medicine do you have to make
this happen to me, when there has been
no man from hundreds of mountains
away to take my spirit?”
He began to get weak as he came
closer to my body. I looked at the
mighty warrior and said, “The song that
we sang was a song of honor, not death.
I knew in my heart that the Great Spirit
would protect me from all bad spirits
such as yours. You would have known
if you knew our language and ways. I
am sorry for your ways of life. May the
Great Spirit and Grandfather watch over
you now, my brother.”
A-Ho
Thank you, Grandfather, for that
story and lesson for how I will not let my
heart be broken by bad spirits. To make
them stronger, I will walk with honor.
Spirit Feather