KEEPERS OF THE SACRED FLAME

Keepers of the Sacred Fire are usually alone and they  focus on keeping the fire alive until the next keeper: arrives. But,  at times one may have  to give our youth the responsibility for the generations that follow the honor of a fire keeper.

The following is the story of honoring an Elder.

I was sitting at a sacred fire as a keeper and a young man came to sit with me.

 He said... "You're alone?".

"Yes" I said.

He replied  "Then could I sit and you could teach me what do and what all  this  means?"

I said "Yes my son". I call all the young men, who come to me to learn.  my sons.

As the evening to the West  drew it's last shades, I started to teach the young man how to place wood on the fire.  I told him he would be the keeper of the fire until the sun rises.

"First"  I said  "you should light the sweetgrass and smudge, and pray while you are doing such a sacred ceremony"  .I told  him this is to cleanse you five main senses  and cleanse you spiritual , physical,  and mental  being.

The young man was so proud.

"Now my son, you have to offer tobacco to the sacred fire and pray for what ever is in you heart in the four directions."

All that night I taught  young man different teachings along with a few stories.  I could see before the sun was going to rise he would get tired. He did, and  dosed off a few times,  but he kept  the fire going all night and prayed as he offered tobacco to the sacred fire.

Before dawn  he decided to go home and he thanked me ever so much.

About hour later this man I could see coming to the entrance holding something in his hand .

"Good morning" he said  "I've come to pray".

"Yes" I said .

He offered tobacco to the sacred fire ,still holding something under his arm. He came a sat down and said to me "I have some thing for you, a gift for you for helping my son to understanding things about the sacred fire and other thing you've taught him ,"

The young man who had been  with me that night was his son.

"I  would like to honor you with this whale hip bone. Our family got it  from the beach here in Flat Bay.This is from our family and community for your help as keeper of the sacred fire and you kindness and your time you give to our people.."

By then there  were  tears in my eyes and this was a man I had gone  to the same school with.

I accepted the sacred gift and asked "What will  I do with it?"

Well, I still carry it  with me in my sacred objects. Some times I use it for a smudge bowl, and teaching about  the great whale travailing our oceans.