Short Foot (se-HA P’ TEH-chey-nah)

Jon the helper was the first to reach Hector, just as the sun began to light up the morning horizon. There sat, Hector, with a blue starquilt covering him from head to toe, Jon heard his low singing,  it was barely audible, a sundance song, he recognized it, “I cry for my people”… “Hey, Champ, rise and shine, time to leave this clambake”, he chuckles, at his own humor, Champ, because, Hector, always wins at the pow-wows, in fact, almost unbeatable for the past two years and clambake, a shared joke he had with Warrior Tommy, they always used when ready to leave some place. But, Hector, a shy and reserved type, just smiled and grunted a reply of “Yes”. Jon asked him, is  it okay to call you, Short Foot, now, everybody is already, you, your dad, grandfather and greatgrandfather all look so much alike. “Sure” was the answer. The house of MovesCamp was just down the step hill the land of Richard the medicine man, who asked the young man, “Did you get a vision?” He was surprised to get a immediate response of “Yes!” “Tell me what you can, remember any of the songs or what was said and happening.” “It was so cold that first day and night, he was shivering and praying hard to not think of the cold, when a fire in shape of human came and sat by him, it warmed him, it stayed close, and soon he forgot about the cold, and next to him, fire, only whispered, it was a peaceful sound. like what the sun must make everyday. And, then the next day, thrist started to get him, at first he said, i kinda thought of the golden arches, but, i wanted something to drink more. Right before his eyes he saw a pool of water singing sweetly, “Get the loving from the skies, mni wiconi, mni ki wakan, mni wo waste”…it was like shadowy waterfall, and it quenched his thirst, he thank the water, it sang more and asked him to join him, so he did, they sang all day and night, it moved all around him, constantly and he felt so refreshed. Then the third night, he saw this vision, it was like a colored movie, going on ,right before his eyes, he open and close them and still could see it, the same, flaming arrows flying over Japan, he saw fires and storms with buildings destroyed and a nuclear reactor crushed, out of there, rose prayers and cries, for land and life, asking for peaceful ways to return. He prayed and prayed as he hear a prayer, there were so many, it just kept him aware, it was like each was a phone call with all of them speaking at the same time, a huge buzz. And, they early in the morning of the fourth day, he saw a figure walking up the hill towards him, it kept coming, and he recognized the walk it was his great grandfather, Hector Short Foot, waving and saying, this world is full of Hectors, ha, ha, takoja, i will visit with you for awhile, teach you some things, that i didn’t get to before i left this world, Hector was crying, and said, “I love him, so much, there is no better relative for him, the one who always knew what to say, what to do, got him what he wanted, told him the answers to the questions he had, before he could even realize them.” A miracle dream come true, it was so exciting and fun, he joked and teased me, told me, to get ready for Hollywood and the suspenseful life of CIA agent, for I would have to do extreme things, then, I heard, Jon, joking just like my Great Grandfather, the last thing, he said, was, you are now, ‘Short Foot’ healer of many, knower of the unknown.
The families all came together for a meal, Grandmother hollered, “There he is, Shorty, ladies and gentlemen!” They all smiled and stood up for him, he was embrassed by all the attention. So, he just kept eating, “A hungry and thirsty machine”, his Mother teased. Jon hollered, “Rocks are Hot!” They all headed off to the two sweat lodges (inipi) to be followed by a yuwipi ceremony for a elder and him. The darkened space and with the healing songs and prayers made this a grand event. Everyone notice a presence in the room, yet, no one address it, there was singing and movement going zooming around and stopping to make one smile and laugh, everyone knew who it was, he flapped eagle wings over Hector. Richard at the end, She is well, talking about the ill elder and young Shorty would tell them some things from his hanblecia, slowly he began, “Climate Change is real, we are what is causing it, we must change to change that, fire, water and short foot would help with that. Here is some of the songs, sing them, when you need them,and, just say the Hok sina okiyapi (Helped Him Boy) and things would start to get better in our mutual struggle to save Mother Earth. And, it’s okay to call me shorty, even if i am six four…they all laughed…