LDS Freedom Forum

More heartland lore.

...unlike any seen by the Puans, flowing backward like rippling water; their costumes were made of colored cotton embroidered with gold, with pearl and emeralds and even their sandals were shining with beauty. Proudly they walked behind their honor guard as they made their way to the Great Temple, where framed in the painted great-log doorway the Prophet stood quietly waiting with His shining hair and wearing His snow-white mantle embroidered with crosses about the hemline. He walked the Americas

In August of 1918, the chief of the Chippewa, Dark Thunder, once was talking with a college student whom the tribe had affectionately adopted. He, the student, had learned to look through the tribal eyes on the reservation, as the Ancient Ones and keepers of the Olden Knowledge.

The chief told the student of a prophet that had come long ago and had asked the tribe to name him "for to Him names meant nothing." They named him Wisahco and always covered his paths with flower petals. The Prophet had told their people that He would do the same for the spirits who left them-"for those beyond the sunset." To use the old chief's answer of what He was like:

"He was bearded, and pale of feature-without doubt a White Man. His eyes were as gray-green as still green water, and just as changeable in their color. He came to us one day at dawning and the light touched His hair with the sheen or red-gold until it shone like newly-mined copper. Yet He was not as the men of your people. This one was a god, with high soul-stature. If He touched a man who was wounded, that one became healed.

"His robe was long and white down to the hemline which almost hid His golden sandals. Everyone wished to make Him white robes, for then He would leave behind the old ones, and all that He touched was enchanted with His god-like power of healing.

"He came alone. He organized the churches, changed the temples, taught the priesthood. Some say He taught them a secret language with certain signs of greeting. I know not.

"(when asked why He was called a prophet)] Because He not only walked among us, He also walked the realms of the future.

"(when asked why He couldn't have been a Black Robe) I am sure. He came to us when we had cities more than a thousand winters before the days of the Black Robes and the Long Knives. (where are the cities?) Below the cover of the forest...”You do not believe what I am saying. You think I speak to you with a forked tongue."

"(asked to tell of the location of one city) The which we call the Sacred is not far from here. Its history is longer than that of England's London."

The student asked to find one who would tell him more of these cities. But the chief was afraid the white men would just laugh and speak lightly of the things that they didn't know of. However, the student assured him that he just wanted to write it down so the stories would not be lost forever. The chief's reply:

"My child, you speak with the tongue of the Red Man, and knowledge beyond your number of winters shines from your words. Once we had books and priests to read them, but those were times long distant in the past. Books are of stuff which can be swept to oblivion. Since then we have placed our stories in the chants of our people, but now even these are being forgotten. Your oldest books to us are but of yesterday, and how long may last these papers of your people? Yet, you are right. The chants are dying. I too would like to reach other tribes of our people and share with them our ancient history... This is one (chanter of legends still alive) ... there may be more than one, and then there will be translators so that you may not miss the beauty of the language."

The student was new to the lore, but he found out quickly that 13 was the number of the Prophet, twelve disciples plus Him, and eight and five were also important. Soon the chanting came about. Many proud old men were there, of different languages, their names long forgotten but the drama of the movements and poetry were remembered. Following are their stories, thought in poor translation, as told to this young man (also the Dakota had helped with putting together the stories of the Prophet)--- Same source as above