Legends of Our Nation

Our Parents Story “Why Indians Must Speak Their Native Language”

This is a story about a man and a woman who were married and how they learned of a message from the Creator on how we are to raise our children.

This man and woman wanted very much to be blessed with a child. They were poor, but they knew that a child would bring them much happiness. Finally, after eight long years, the woman happily announced to her husband that she was going to have a child. This brought them much joy. When the great day arrived, a baby girl was born.

The mother and father both agreed that their knew that their child would not be raised the way they were. They remembered that their Indian ways were slowly dying out, and only the old people still attended the ceremonies, however, they still knew the sacred songs and dances. They knew that people were beginning to change and were slowly losing respect for the language that was given to them.

Because they had only one child they began to spoil her. They loved their daughter so much that everything else was put aside, and all the attention and love went to her. The father bought and gave his daughter many toys and gifts that they really could not afford.

They promised themselves that they would still carry on their Indian ways, but their little girl would learn ways of the white man, for it seemed to them that this is the only way that the Indian people would survive.

When the little girl was old enough to attend school, she was sent to a boarding school in the city. They bought her clothes that they really could not afford and they also continued to buy gifts and toys that they could not afford.

They thought they were doing the right thing, but when their little girl was eight years old, she became very sick. She stayed in bed for a long time. Her health did not improve any and one day the Creator took her life back. Her parents were deeply saddened by the death of their only child. They wept and asked the Creator why he took their only possession.

Ten days after they had buried their daughter, she reappeared and delivered a message from the Creator. She told her parents that she met a man on her journey who asked her what her Indian Name was. “What is your Indian Song?” he asked. He asked her if she knew how to speak her Indian language, and if she knew her sacred laws. She told him that her parents had never taught her any of her Indian culture.

She told her parents that this is why the Creator had sent her back to remind them and all the other people of the Indian race: that he made us who we are for a purpose; he gave us many gifts which we are to enjoy during our life cycle. He gave our Indian nations a language which we are to communicate with him. He gave us ceremonies by which we express our thanks. We were given our native names. This is the name our Creator will recognize. He gave us songs to pay tribute with to all of the life cycle. He gave us a way of dance to express our joy of living. He gave all this to our people. He also gave us sacred laws which we are to use during our life cycle.

The little girl brought the following message which tells us not to stray from the original teachings. She said, “I will leave you now, for the Creator has taken me home. He has accepted me because it is not the fault of the young ones if the parents do not teach them of the Creator’s laws. Tell our people if we are to live as a people, then it is our Creator’s sacred laws that we must carry in order for our nation to survive.”

This story I have heard many times from my grandparents and other elders. When this story is told today, our elders cry because many of our young people are lost and they have no one left to guide them back to their original teachings.