Sacred Medicine Waters (Caddo Nation)
The favor of the Creator was placed on the Caddo Nation, on abundant forests, flowers, the birds big or small, and big or small animals on these quiet hills, that was our home land. But then a fierce Dragon devastated the land. Bringing disease, pestilence and hunger on our people. The Indian Nations pleaded with the Creator to subdue and defeat the Dragon. The Creator and his forces from above decided to bury it deep under the mountain, where it shakes the Mother Earth even today. After that the Creator reclaimed his favorite place, and decided that it be held as a neutral meeting ground, used by all Indian Nations for healing and trading and that all can use and share the power of its healing waters.
Since that distant and unknown time thousands of years ago, when the first Indians discovered the steaming waters of Arkansas’ hot springs, its fame spread far and wide on Turtle Island. Since that time many Native Nations used and looked to the thermal waters and healing mud baths to restore health to the sick and infirm. From the times passed long ago, to these days, Nations come far and wide (like the Crow, Blackfoot, Comanche, Quapaw, Sioux, Mohawk, Osage, and the Choctaw Nations) gathered together, to hunt and trade, and take the power of the healing waters. Even when their people were at war, warriors of opposing sides would come together there in safety and peace.
The rain water falls on the mountain and sinks down into the warm rock, the minerals dissolve, and underground heat sterilizes and filters out the impurities in the water. Then the water seeps slowly through the porous sandstone on the lower west side of Hot Springs Mountain, until it flows out, through the cracks in the rock. Such is the power of the Creator. Looking after all his Nations by providing Steam and Sacred Medicine Water.
People of the Caddo Nation also believe that the birth of their Ancestors came from these powerful healing waters.
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.
