"You are in the mouth of the creek, a
breeze from the open sea is tickling your back, you sit upright in your log
boat. Your sleepy eyes rest on the flat black back of Winding River, it is she
who will guide you safely home. So now lift your dear carved, decorated
paddle and stir the heart of female river snake. Its easy to propel your
craft along her sinuous length. Your log-boat slides easily over the dark
waters as you lift your arm and let your paddle drop creating galaxies of bubbles.
The river is overhung by the lower
branches of enormous trees. Leaves whisper to each other while white egrets and
black cormorants watch you pass. A beaver slips from the bank and pale rocks
grow suddenly out of the trees, rearing up now, to form an impressive cliff. Your home cove swings into view and pulls you in close.Dip your
paddle one more time, and you power your boat out onto gritty red sand.
Chattering children fill the cove with
their delight as they heap drift- wood kindling from the large pile in your
log-boat into their woven baskets lined with resin tar. They are laughing as
you watch them lift the baskets onto their heads and head off into the forest.
So drag your log-boat to the top of the
beach, roll it over just as you always do in that special spot out of reach of
the flicking tongue of female river snake. Enjoy the tingle of sand on the
arches of your feet and feel for the warm smoothness of the mud trail home.
Follow laughter up the narrow path between Red squirrel pines, but don’t get
distracted.
You must remember to leave your paddle,
just here in the shadow of Great Red Boulder Man Sharpener of Blades. But first use
your paddle blade to deepen the grooves on Great Red Boulder Man’s face. Know that
he will keep your sight sharp and your hearing
keen. His tattoes will show you the patterns of the world in sounds and shapes
and your blades will always be sharp.
Now scramble upwards over the loose stones
and big white boulders on this
final slope and spring up onto the close turf of the friendly red soil.
Woodsmoke and fish drying on racks
is the sweet scent of home.
The flap of the big tent is up, so now
duck your head and follow the dark shapes of your cousins into the interior,
dance your legs around the red hot fire pit, you must greet the charcoal embers
for they are alive and will bite if you forget to do this just one time.
Now sit down on a cool fresh woven mat of iris leaves and wait. You have
waited a long time for this moment and now it is close. Enjoy this
tranquil moment.
You have made your special journey to the
island in search of the fingers of the white ash tree washed up on the shore
there. You have heaped them in your log-boat and brought them back home as a
gift for Wiry Uncle who will give you your first talisman.
You have remembered to leave your paddle
in the shade of Great Red Boulder Man Sharpener of Blades and you have traced the
pattern of tattoes on his face. This action has keened your eyes and ears.
Now you have entered the tent that breathes, with reverence, you have saluted
the threshold fire and now you wait expectantly on that fresh green mat for the
ceremony to proceed.
Small Wiry Uncle, with his head of shiny
ringlets steps forward, his brow is marked with ochre and he has a sharp canine
at his throat. He's really young to be an elder and today he is wearing an
armlet of red fox fur on the top part of his arm. Turn your palms skyward ready
for White Ash talisman. Your eyes are shut. This talisman is named for your
tribe and it will be your guide. When the ceremony is complete you will have the authority to
make talismans for yourself and others.
Wiry uncle takes a pinch of ash and
sprinkles the light fluffy powder into your palm. and you smell soft fire. He blows
hard and ash puffs into the air, leaving your palms streaked with grey.
This is the moment White Ash Talisman
chooses to jump into your palm. Let him rest there a while and get used to your
smell. Open your eyes and be still for a moment waiting while Talisman looks
back at you. Know that White Ash talisman gives you
extraordinary vision and keen hearing.
This talisman is a guide to worlds
distinct from your own and helps you live right."
