Every ship needs a rudder

Page 4

It was a beautiful day on the river; it was sunny and the water was clam. In their canoe, Okwir:se and Tiorahkwathe paddled at a quick pace in chase of a substantially larger and different vessel from theirs. After much time and effort they paddles alongside and kept pace with the large vessel.

At the sight of the strangers, the people on the vessel rushed to see who they were and the head man spoke about: "Who are you?"

"We are messengers sent by the Creator," answered Okwira:se.

The people burst out laughing and ridicule at his reply, but Okwira:se spoke to the people about the Great Law of Peace and why it was given to the Onkwehon:we people. How to live their lives in peace with one another and nature; how to help others and bring about peace amongst all nations.

Okwira:se spoke of how people should obey and give thanks to the Creator and respect his wishes. Next, he spoke of the importance of the ceremonies and how they, too, as part of creation, are involved in the cycle of life and the respect for it and others. Many simply paid no attention to his words; some ridiculed him an a few threw stones. Still others spat and cursed at him. And not one understood him.

When he had finished speaking, the head man stood up and replied, "We do not believe what you're saying is true. Why would the Creator send us two messengers in a canoe as small as yours? If it was the Creator who sent you, he would have given you a worthy boat such as ours. Go away, we wish to have nothing to do with imposters!"

Tiorakwathe stood up to reply but Okwira:se intervened, "It is no use to speak to them. We have given the message."

Suddenly, without warning, they came upon a set of rapids never before seen in the river. The current was too strong. The rush of water sounded like thunder - it was too late to avoid them. In a matter of seconds the large vessel was reduced to splinters and its passengers drowned by the turbulent waters. Miraculously, the canoe of Okwira:se and Tiorakwathe passed through unscathed. When they returned to the land of the Creator, Tiorakwathe asked, "Creator, why did we not perish like the others in the large vessel? Our canoe was not as big and sturdy as theirs."

The Creator replied, "What good is a ship if there is no rudder to guide it?"

(Michael Rice, 21, is a Mohawk Indian from Kahnawa:ke, Que. He is a first-year social science student at Dawson College in Montreal).