When we went to Bosnia, a conversation about gypsies in Europe meandered its way to a conversation about the reserves and reservations for indigenous peoples in North America. Our hosts were quite surprised to learn that there were such things and wanted to know more than we could tell them about the histories, cultures, and politics of these peoples. To learn that many are still referred to as "Indians," perpetuating Christopher Columbus' historical mistake, was even more surprising.
Yesterday I attended the annual powwow at the
Mattaponi Reservation in Virginia. It included people from across the continent presenting Native American dancing, drumming, food, and crafts. We had a delightful time among wonderful hosts. On the way home we listened to a recorded radio program featuring Sharon Sun Eagle, a member of the Mattaponi community, whom we met at the powwow. You can listen to the hour-long program yourself, including stories and songs, by going to the archives of
Revolutionary Radio in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Forty minutes into the program, Sharon Sun Eagle tells the story of how the turtle got its beautiful shell. Although you should really listen to the story yourself, here is a quick synopsis:
When the world was created there were many streams and rivers that blessed the land, the people, and the animals. Everyone had a gift and everyone was grateful for the gift they were given. One day a turtle was napping on a log, in a stream, when suddenly a blue jay came, swept down, and drank from the stream. Seeing the turtle, she started to laugh at the turtle because of its plain, ugly shell. Blue jay showed off her pretty colors and said, "Turtle, I am so glad that I am a blue jay and not you, a turtle."
This made turtle feel very bad about being himself, a turtle. This happened again and again with other animals, each of whom compared their appearance and abilities to the turtle. That made turtle feel even worse about being himself, a turtle.
Turtle was known to be a dreamer because he spent so many hours sleeping on his favorite log in the sun. He started to dream about who he could be, since he no longer wanted to be himself, a turtle. He dreamed about blue jay. He dreamed about red fox. Then he awoke to see a beautiful butterfly who was not mean and who was happy to have a conversation with him while enjoying the warmth of his shell.
Turtle told butterfly about how he wanted to be anything but a turtle and he asked butterfly to come every morning to tell him how wonderful it was to be a butterfly. Butterfly was happy to agree, with only one requirement. "I will be happy to tell you how wonderful it is to be a butterfly, but only if you also tell me how wonderful it is to be a turtle. You can go places under the water that I cannot go. You can see fish and plant life that I cannot see. You can feel safe and warm inside your shell when the hawks come. And you have such a strong heart beat that it can last three days after you pass into the spirit world. If I tell you the gifts that Creator has given me, each day, you will have to tell me how special it is to be a turtle."
So every morning turtle and butterfly would visit. When fall came, the butterfly announced that she would have to leave. Turtle was sad but butterfly said that, "My spirit would always be with you." Turtle didn't understand, but he knew that butterfly would never lie. The next morning turtle was lonely without butterfly, but when blue jay and red fox came they both stopped and marveled at how beautiful turtle had become. The pattern of butterfly's wings had been imprinted on his shell, and from then on all turtles have had the pattern of butterfly on their shells.
Butterfly left turtle not only with beauty but with a powerful teaching that we should all remember: in Creator's world all of us have different strengths and different gifts. This makes up the beauty of creation. We are all very different but we are all very special. So when you see someone different, look for their strengths and the special gifts that Creator has given them. We must honor and respect our differences; then we can be strong together in the sacred circle of life.
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