Quiet Turtle Society-Chapter One; The Gathering of the Holy

(The Author has asserted his moral rights. This story is entirely a work of fiction, based upon historical facts with some cultural information and a lot of creative fantasy.)
This is a true story, I am eyewitness to all of the events, but, I was sworn to an oath of secrecy. But, this has been altered by cruel acts…I am a devoted lifetime member of the Quiet Turtle Society, so, therefore, will not reveal my identity. But, we are in jeopardy from a evil and dangerous group, which has the intention to neutralize or exterminate us. Somehow, they have learnt of our powers, that is why, I have decided to speak publicly. We are a peaceful spiritual society of Dakota people. No one was suppose to know of our existence, at least, that is what we had thought prior to September, 1991. Since, then there have been numerous cure attempts to stop us, with attacks increasingly becoming more vile. But, our powers have matured and we are ready to come out into the light of reality. We do know, whom is doing this, but we will not retaliate. I pray that when you know more about us, you too, might help us or even join our society, which is now, open to all Indians and all races, who have gone thru the selection and approval process.
To the Dakota anything that has a birth must also have a death. The wakan or holy has no birth, therefore has no death. The spirit, what is unseen and invisible energy of the humankind, is not born with them, but given to them at the time of their birth and departs upon their death. To us life is a sacred mystery. We say nothing lives long but the rocks and this a story about time, human time. Are you one that must hear, feel, or experience it to really know time? Like the tick of a alarm clock, or the ringing of bells or do you need to see the hands of a timepiece move to help you tell the time? Have you ever heard the sun rise? Every day it does with its own noise and it really is possible to hear it! If you are quite still and can be very quiet. I simiply sounds like many birds singing sweet greeting songs. One can feel it by touching the misty fog ascending or witness it as the deer takes the first drink from the water. That will bless it, which is a natural sunrise ceremony performed daily. The time when darkness and lightness change places is a mystical moment. Then it is possible to experience the spirit that is everywhere and giving life and motion to everything that lives and what moves. It you watch the sun closely, you will observe that it stops three times on its perpetual path, first when it goes up, at its zenith, and when it departs from view, within the spiritual side of things, it is known that nothing is impossible and that everything is possible. Time is infinite and human time, is merely a moment of that time. Something is going on down there somewhere inside those rolling little hills called the ‘Coteau des Prairie’ on the Lake Traverse Reservation which is the home of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Oyate. That is where the yellow grassy plains of the buffalo weds the green trees and blue lakes of the bears domain. (to be continued)