literature

The Gift of The Spirit Guide, (Revised) Part 4

Deviation Actions

Jacobite1's avatar
By
Published:
601 Views

Literature Text

                  The Gift of The Spirit Guide, an American Christmas Story.

                    By Jacobite, a Secret Santa gift for Miyu-dreamer

Part Four

We spent many weeks together, and our conversations often went long into the night. Alo told me much about his people and how long ago they had been a great nation looking after the land and helping many different tribes. Alo had watched over the land to the north and west of Santa Fe for 800 years.  Many of his people had left the lands they dwelt in as the cities grew and the suburban sprawl spread out and man took claim of more and more land in the last hundred years. Many of his people moved to the remote northern regions of Canada. Some returned to their ancient dwelling place within the mountain of Aaloosaktukwi, to sleep in wait of the fifth world, a new age where the survivors of Man and the Spirits will live together in Harmony with the Land. You would find this mountain marked on your maps today as Humphrey's Peak, in Arizona. But Alo would not leave and volunteered to remain as a caretaker to look after the animals and to hear the Prayers of the People and do what he could for us. He lived a very solitary life which, while it made me very sad to think on how lonely such a life would be, it also gladdened my heart that I had found him, I wanted Alo to stay with me forever.

Sometimes my parents would hear me and come into my room to ask who I was talking to. Even though Alo told me not to mention him, I could not lie to my parents. “I am talking to my friend Alo.” I would say. When they asked me who Alo was, I told them truthfully. “He is an Eagle Kachina, and he protects the land around us.” At first, my parents would smile, and would look around the room and give Alo their welcome to our home. Of course, Alo, who always sensed them coming before they got near to the door of my room, would simply vanish and so my parents never saw or heard him. Although he had told me not to tell my parents, his attitude surprised me when I apologized to him afterward.

“It was not for myself that I was concerned Lomahongva, but for you.” He said with an expression of deep sadness upon his face.

My mother soon became worried about me and my “imaginary” friend and she called upon my Grandmother, a wise elder of our community to visit. It was said she had a connection with the spirit world and was a keeper of our lore and customs.

When she first came to my room, she stopped at the threshold as if the open door was closed in front of her. She finally stepped in slowly and closed the door behind her, so that we were alone, my parents staying downstairs.

“I can feel the Spirit in this room.” she said looking at me. “He is very powerful. Tell me about him my granddaughter.”

I told her about how I found him, and when I told her how small he was, her eyes went wide for a moment and then she smiled broadly. “Kachina's come in many sizes, but only a few of us know or speak of the small ones. You have been touched child and you will do something wonderful one day that will help the world when it is most needed, and then one day, you will take my place among the Tewa and keep the knowledge of our past and our future.”  She looked about the room one more time slowly and then spoke. “HEY YA HEY OH HEY YA HO HEY YA YAHAH! I thank you Eagle Spirit for watching over my granddaughter.” And then she turned and left the room. She told my parents only that they should not worry and that in time, the conversations would cease. While my mother would still worry over the next months, she accepted my behavior without anymore questions.

Alo soon asked me to take him outside when I had finished my chores and school work, or on weekends and we would roam the arroyos or climb up to the mesa. One day as I was lying on the long grass, looking up at a sky filled with many small fluffy white clouds gliding lazily across it's field of bright blue I saw a hawk soaring. “I wish I could fly Alo. Like that hawk, or like you.”

Alo was sat upon the ground, his back resting upon my cheek. “Humans cannot fly like that. You have no wings Lomahongva.”

“Humans have created wings!” I said. “We have aeroplanes, machines that can take us into the air. I have seen pictures of them in books.”

“I have seen them.” He replied. “They make too much noise and you are still detached from the true feeling of flight.” I felt him get up to stand and I turned my head to look at him. He smiled at me. “I will teach you the Eagle Dance. Through it you will know how the Eagle feels as he soars and swoops through the air, with only the noise of the wind beneath his wings.”

“The Eagle dance? But girls are not allowed to dance as Kachina. I can dance with the other girls for our own dances or in support of the boys and men who dance in praise of you, but...”

“Who is the Kachina here? I am Alo! I represent the Spirits of this land and as such it is for me to give permission to whomever I choose.” He said in an authoritative voice, with his arms now wrapped across his chest. “Now, pick me up and set me on that old ruined wall over there, so that you may better watch me and I shall teach you.”

And so I carefully picked him up and set him on the wall, and he began his dance. He sang a song as he danced upon the wall, his movements were beautiful and mimicked the actions of the great Eagles as he danced.

“In the summertime we will come again.
We will come as clouds from the west, the south, the east, and the north to bless the Hopi people and to water their fields and crops.
Then the Hopis will see their corn plants majestically growing.
They will be so happy they will joyfully sing praises to us, the spiritual beings who brought moisture.
At the edge of the cornfield a bird will sing with them in the oneness of their happiness.
So they will sing together in tune with the universal power, in harmony with the one Creator of all things.
And the bird’s song, and the people’s song, and the song of life will become one.”

We went to the Mesa every chance I got for the next two weeks, to practice the dance until he was satisfied that I had learned the movements to perfection.

The month passed and the time of the Plaza dances came. My parents had made me a beautiful dress, and my mother began teaching me one of the dances young girls were allowed to partake in. Alo's new wing had almost grown back into it's full shape, and I realized that he would soon be leaving me. For several days I struggled and kept my sadness bottled up tight within me, but there was no hiding my thoughts from my clever friend, as we were exploring the Arroyos one afternoon and Alo had been teaching me about the ways of the plants and animals, the beauty and fragility of life as we watched the Monarch Butterflies stopping to mate as they were migrating north once again.

Alo explained that for these butterflies, their journey would soon be over, but that their surviving children would continue it, until they reached their ancestral homes in the far north. Then, yet another generation would begin the journey back south once again, and the cycle of their lives, and of all the flowers, plants, and other animals these simple yet beautiful creatures interacted with, a fragile balance of nature, would continue.

As I listened to his voice, so full of love and caring for the life around us, I could no longer hold back my tears at the thought of losing my friend.

“Little one, I know it hurts your heart that I must soon leave you. But I must return to the land I am charged to watch over. I will always...”

“Please Alo, you could stay with me and still..”

“No, as I told you before, it is not yet the time for Kachinas to live openly in the Human world. I must return to the Veil. And you must live your life and grow up and find your way in this world. Through the spirit within you that cried out your name, you will find the purpose of your life Lomahongva. One day you will truly touch the clouds.”

I could not stop my tears, but nodded to him in understanding. “Will you at least stay to see me dance in the plaza before you leave?” I asked in a shaking whisper.

“I will stay to see you dance.” He said with a smile.
Hope you like this, There are several changes and additions in this part of the story.
© 2013 - 2024 Jacobite1
Comments2
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Kindii's avatar
I lied. THIS is the chapter with all the cute. owo