How the Fire came to the Mohawks
Mohawk Story
Three Arrows was a boy of the Mohawk Nation. He had not yet seen fourteen winters, but he was already known amongst the Mohawks for his skill and daring. His arrows sped true to their mark. His name was given to him when with three arrows he brought down three geese from the same flock.
He could travel in the forest as softly as the South wind and he was a skilful hunter, but he never killed an animal or bird unless his clan was in need of food. He was well versed in woodcraft, he was fleet of foot and a clever wrestler. His people said:” Soon he be a chief, like his father.”
The sun shone strong in the heart of Three Arrows because soon he would have to meet the test of strength of endurance through which the boys of his clan attained manhood. He had no fear of the outcome of the dream fast, which was soon to be taken by him.
His father was a great chief and a good man. The boy’s life was patented after that of his father.
When the grass was knee high Three Arrows left his village with his father.
They climbed to a sacred place in the mountains and found a small cave there. Three Arrows decided that it will be the place for his few days of prayer and vigil. He was not permitted to eat or drink anything during the days and nights of his dream fast. He had no weapons and his only clothing was his breach cloth and moccasins.
His father left the boy with the promise that he would visit him, every day at dawn, for how ever long his ceremony lasted.
Three Arrows prayed to the Great Spirit to allow his clan spirit to appear to him in dream time.and tell him what his guardian animal or bird was. When the vision came he would be allowed to go back to his village and his people. If the dream did not come by the sixth day, he would have to return to his village in disgrace. No more chances for him to do it again, he could not be a chief, a hunter or a warrior. On the night of the sixth day, Three Arrows, weak from hunger, wide awake for six days and nights, cried out to the great Spirit.
” Oh Great Spirit, have pity on me. I stand humbly before you. Let my clan Spirit or a signal from beyond the Thunder bird come to me before the sun shines tomorrow, if it be your will.”
All of a sudden a great wind came and with the wind came a great big Bear .So Three Arrows thought to his self: ” Aha…Bear is my Spirit Animal.” But before he even finished the idea a great lightning and sound of thunder shook the mountain, then lightning in the form of a flaming arrow struck a pile of wood beside him. It started to smoke, then a flame appeared from the middle of it. Then he knew that the Blazing Arrow from the sky was to be his totem and his name would be: ‘ Blazing Arrow ‘. As he was thinking about that, he watched two dead trees rubbing together in the wind and after a while they started to smoke, then a little flame started, then more and more bigger flames. So he tried rubbing two pieces of dried wood together. It took a while and then it worked for him too.
In the morning he climbed down from the mountain and went back to the village. He showed the members of the Clan how to make fire.
And that is how the fire came to the Mohawks.
I work with Muskwa International Foundation Inc. which is an entity that was formed to assist the street children in the Philippines, mostly in Manila and Davao, the two largest cities in the Philippines. You can find out about their projects here Street Children and Natural Disasters.
The stories I tell here I learned from the Elders and Story tellers and I am passing them on with their blessings. These stories can be anything from 4,000 to 5,000 years old.
