Miriam Moore reads TheWalkingPeople:ANativeAmericanOralHistory, by Paula Underwood.

We may learn from skimmers, swimmers, flyers...yet those who walk on two feet are closest to us physically, and easiest to learn from.

leaving our river bend home

they judge him uncomprehending, they judge him safe.

The two year learning that the Great Earth dance will not cause the bringing forth of young, but is essential to it.  This is a great learning to us and we have kept it ever since.

The People have found their first edge of ocean home in this new land, and are being asked to leave this ocean edge home by the Water Walking people.  Before we leave, our very oldest decide, and are given permission by that people, to stay.  We sit and listen to all the stories each contains.  These very early stories of our beginnings on the island we left behind are sung, and we are astonished and grateful.

  flowers bloom, yet not all females bring forth young.  We learn the great earth dance between women and men is requisite toward bringing forth young

314-21

The People lived contented for time beyond time, until the world began to change.  Tall trees had been our refuge, now became our great danger.  Life on ground was very difficult, and searching for water became our great need.  We move Northward in loose groups.  We learn to save some water, and save some of the food we gather.  This, for us, is a great learning.

300-05

We explore this edge of bitter water and discover two sweet water rivers, and decide while this sweet water could be obtained, if survival was as easy here as elsewhere, this would be our center place for living.

extended arm returns with ripened fruit