By Chad Valdez (Diné/Navajo)
Once I was younger, I bear in mind my eldest brother telling me tales that felt lived in. They have been experiences, classes, leisure, and so they have been about our tradition. Once I consider oral conventional storytelling, it’s his voice that performs in my head. For some, possibly it’s their mom or their father, a buddy who might make up tales simply, or maybe that foolish uncle who solely got here round while you least anticipated it. On the time, I didn’t understand how essential these tales have been. These tales stayed with me, particularly the scary ones, which have been those I loved most, however I didn’t understand how a lot there was to study from them.
Once I was older, I turned enthralled with the concept of epistemology. What’s data, and the way will we come to grasp it? In a Western worldview, the query could be troublesome, burdened by philosophical “thinkers” who attempt to perceive the intricacies of what they often label as a “downside.” In an Indigenous worldview, it was easier. Expertise and storytelling. With a basis of this worldview and my very own cultural experiences, I started to assemble tales.
For a lot of Indigenous Peoples, passing down data and expertise got here by means of the automobile of orality in storytelling.
With Winter right here, the custom of storytelling is stronger. Once we are all gathered collectively, household, buddies, and group, it’s to be anticipated {that a} story can be informed to maintain us heat. So, it solely is smart to start considering extra about oral conventional storytelling with a narrative. In Dinè tradition, coyote tales are informed within the winter, which is considered one of my favourite kinds of tales. Under is one which my mom handed right down to me, “Coyote Brings Fireplace.” Whereas listening, I encourage you to think about the concept of information and expertise that was handed down by means of this story. I additionally invite you to hear for the voice of the storyteller in your life, the one who you bear in mind telling tales like this.
TRANSCRIPT
Coyote Brings Fireplace
After the solar, the moon and the celebrities have been positioned within the sky, days and nights have been made, in addition to the 4 seasons. The climate modified and it was now not agreeable. It turned too heat or too chilly. This was exhausting on the First individuals since they nonetheless lived in brush dwellings or in caves. The individuals began complaining concerning the climate however didn’t know what to do.
Coyote additionally felt the chilly since he lived in his too giant den. He would sit outdoors and heat himself within the solar however when he would return to his den, it was a lot too chilly. He turned indignant and stated, “What use is my home if it’s too chilly to dwell in!”
Then he thought of Fireplace Man’s Mountain. It was all the time heat there, possibly even generally too heat. However he thought if he might simply have a spark of that fireside, possibly that will hold him heat. However being the Coyote he was, he didn’t wish to make the journey to Fireplace Man’s Mountain. It was too far, and it was uphill, and Fireplace Man was a imply man. He additionally had guards that protected his mountain.
Coyote puzzled who he might entice to go up and produce hearth again down for him. He determined to go to his buddies to see how they have been doing on this chilly climate. He went to Badger Mesa first to see Badger. When he bought to Badger’s residence, he seen that Badger had put a stone slab in entrance of his door to maintain out the chilly wind. He moved the stone, and Badger yelled at him to place the stone again in place to maintain out the chilly.
Coyote seen that it was heat in Badger’s home as a result of it was small, and Badger, his spouse, and his three youngsters have been holding one another heat by being shut collectively. Coyote requested Badger if he seen it was getting colder and colder. Badger stated he seen and that he had collected sufficient meals for his household to hopefully final by means of this chilly season. He had additionally collected grass to placed on the ground to maintain it dry. Coyote was not completely satisfied, he wished Badger to be depressing with him. He requested Badger, “What am I going to do? My home is just too large and the chilly air goes by means of one door and out the opposite!” Badger informed him, “You’re the one who wished an enormous home, a small home would’ve been hotter.”
Coyote stated that he thought {that a} hearth would assist everybody and requested Badger if he would assist him get a spark of that fireside. Badger informed him no, he was completely satisfied and heat in his home. So, Coyote left in a huff and went to see Skunk. When he bought to Skunk’s home, he seen that Skunk had put a pile of leaves to dam his door. The coyote made a tunnel by means of the leaves and eventually entered the skunk’s den. The room was crammed with Skunk’s spouse and his 12 youngsters. He seen it was very heat within the den, however there was no room for him to take a seat, so he needed to stand within the doorway. He requested Skunk if he had seen that it was getting colder and colder. Skunk stated he seen, that was why he had collected leaves for his household to sleep on and to maintain the chilly from coming in by means of his doorway.
Coyote requested Skunk if he would go together with him to Fireplace Mountain to get a spark so that everybody may very well be heat. Skunk was mad and stated, “I don’t wish to go to Fireplace Mountain, I don’t want hearth to maintain my household heat!” Coyote knew he couldn’t change Skunk’s thoughts, so he shuffled by means of the leaves and went to see Gopher. When he bought to Gopher’s home, he couldn’t discover a door. There have been simply mounds of unfastened sand. He knew Gopher and his household have been residence as a result of he might hear them crunching on nuts inside. “Gopher, let me in, I want to speak to you.”
Gopher informed him that he couldn’t let him in from his aspect, in any other case the sand would fall into Gopher’s home. Gopher informed him to dig his approach into his home if he wished to come back in. Coyote was too lazy to dig, so he yelled at Gopher, “I’m not going to dig my approach in, however in the event you get chilly and freeze to dying, don’t blame me. I used to be solely attempting to convey you a spark of fireside!” Gopher laughed at Coyote. He stated, “I will not freeze. I’ve moss to maintain my household heat, and I’ve loads of pinon and seeds to maintain us fed till it will get heat once more. So, Coyote turned away and left. Was he the one one who didn’t have a heat mattress and meals saved away? Now he was going to see Mole, however Mole could be sleeping, and no quantity of yelling would wake him. So, visiting Mole could be ineffective. He puzzled who else he might discover to assist him get a spark of fireside from Fireplace Mountain. He wanted somebody who might run. He knew he might outrun anybody, however he didn’t really feel like operating. Perhaps somebody who might fly by means of the air. Then he thought, why didn’t I consider this earlier than, the birds are the messengers I can use. They will fly to the highest of Fireplace Mountain and snatch an ember, and return earlier than it burns out.
So he left to hunt the Fowl colony and discover somebody who was keen to go. He trotted south to the Fowl individuals. The Fowl individuals weren’t ready for this chilly climate, however their nation within the south wasn’t as chilly because the northern half the place Coyote lived. Owl and Eagle didn’t thoughts the chilly, however the songbirds have been very involved, in order that they known as a gathering. Hummingbird, Bluebird, Finch, Canary and all of the summer season birds have been there. All of the summer season birds have been at this assembly, and far noise was made as all of them have been speaking on the identical time.
Coyote heard this racket from fairly a distance, and he made his method to the noise. As he walked up, he requested what the ruckus was all about. Finch answered and informed him that it was getting colder and colder and the times have been getting shorter. Coyote informed Finch he was involved about the identical factor. He informed the Fowl folks that if they may assist him, he would assist to maintain them heat all through this chilly season. The summer season Birds have been so excited and gathered round Coyote to learn the way they may assist him. He informed them there was just one heat place, and that was close to Fireplace Mountain. If they’ll get a dwell ember, they may be capable of hold their properties heat.
The Fowl individuals thought of this however they didn’t suppose this was a good suggestion as a result of their homes have been fabricated from sticks and dry grass. Some left, however some nonetheless stayed to take heed to Coyote clarify get the fireplace. He informed them it might take somebody who had robust wings and will fly very quick. He should be capable of carry a stick and put one finish of the stick into the flames and, as quickly because it lit up, carry it shortly again earlier than it extinguished. Flicker stated it didn’t sound too troublesome, and so they wished to be the one to strive it. Coyote was excited. He went again to the First Individuals to inform them that he had discovered somebody to convey again hearth to start out their fires. The individuals gathered and determined it couldn’t be only a single stick, a bundle could be higher. They took dry reeds and made a bundle of tight reeds woven collectively. The individuals stated it might mild simply however burn slowly.
The individuals went with Coyote to see Flicker begin his journey to Fireplace Mountain. First Girl informed Flicker to be very quiet when he flew near Fireplace Mountain as a result of Fireplace Man would get very indignant if he noticed somebody attempting to steal his hearth and would shoot hearth arrows at him. Flicker was scared however knew he couldn’t flip again. Flicker flew to Fireplace Mountain however seen there have been two guards that have been positioned there to guard the mountain. The guards regarded like large flies. They’d eyes and smaller eyes inside the larger eyes.
The guards noticed Flicker, however they didn’t transfer till Flicker bought near the flame along with his bundle. They flapped their large wings and this induced sparks to fly into the air. The sparks burned the underside of Flicker’s wings and he dropped the bundle. He hid from the guards and eventually made his approach again to First Individuals, who have been ready for him. They didn’t acknowledge him as he flew over them as a result of the underside of his wings was pink.
First Girl was involved for her individuals and informed the Fowl Folks that they wanted somebody who had excellent sight and really highly effective wings to attempt to get hearth. First Girl seen Hawk standing off to the aspect and requested him if he would strive. Hawk was very useless, he had stunning feathers with lengthy wings, and a stupendous white tail. He was really happy that First Girl requested him. He strutted and preened in entrance of the opposite birds and stated he would go. He stated he wouldn’t convey again a tiny spark, he would convey again considered one of Fireplace Man’s hearth arrows. He wasn’t afraid. So Hawk flew to Fireplace Mountain and flew approach above it, in search of the 2 guards, however couldn’t see them anyplace. Out of the blue, sparks began to fly in direction of him, however he couldn’t see the place they have been coming from. So he bought decrease and decrease, nonetheless not seeing them anyplace. Then, the guards appeared out of nowhere and have been so stunned at their look that he slowed down. However as soon as he slowed down, they have been capable of shoot sparks at him.
Hawk shortly flew away and again to First Individuals. As he bought nearer, he might hear them shouting and pointing at him. He couldn’t hear what they have been yelling till he landed. They got here operating to him and yelled, “Your tail is pink, your tail is pink!” as they pointed at his tail. When Hawk regarded again, he noticed that each one the 12 stunning white feathers he had had been burned to a yellowish pink. From that day on, he was generally known as the Purple-Tailed Hawk. When Hawk informed his story to everybody, they didn’t know what to do. Hawk informed them that the guards’ eyes have been unusual.
Then Coyote got here up with an thought. He went to First Girl and requested to make him a bundle and tie it to his tail. Then he ran to the salt marsh and grabbed salt crystals and positioned them inside his mouth, inside his cheeks. He additionally discovered a number of bright-colored shells. Then, he trotted off to Fireplace Mountain. It was night by the point he bought to Fireplace Mountain. He began singing softly earlier than he bought too near the guards so he didn’t spook them. “I’m Coyote, I wander, I wander round. I’m Coyote, a troublemaker I’m, a troublemaker I’m.” The guards heard the singing and the tinkling of the shells. They have been very curious to see who was courageous sufficient to get close to the mountain they guarded.
They noticed Coyote and yelled at him, and informed him that they might burn him if he bought any nearer. Coyote informed them he got here as a buddy and that he introduced them items. The guards yelled that they didn’t have buddies and he higher not get any nearer. Coyote stood nonetheless however saved singing and shaking the shells. He informed them it was magical singing, and he was bringing them chilly water to drink and mushy sand to face upon since they stood on exhausting rock on a regular basis. The music was good to take heed to, and chilly water and mushy sand was very tempting to them. They requested Coyote what he wished in return for these items. He informed them nothing, simply to face by their heat hearth if that was okay because it was a really chilly night time. They informed Coyote they noticed no hurt in permitting him to face close to the firepit, so he made his method to the fireplace along with his again to it. They demanded their items. Additionally they noticed Coyote was standing too near the fireplace and informed him to again away from it.
Coyote informed them to come back close to and get their items. As they crept nearer, he spit the salt crystals into their eyes. They screamed. Then Coyote swished his tail, which had the bundle tied to it. It went by means of the fireplace, and he began operating down the mountain as quick as he might. Fireplace Man heard all this commotion and ran out and began throwing hearth arrows at Coyote, however Coyote zigged and zagged as he ran and the arrows missed him. Coyote lastly made it again, out of breath, to First Girl and collapsed at her ft. He informed her she wanted to shortly lower the ties to his tail or else he would absolutely mild on hearth. Squirrel shortly ran up and used his sharp enamel to chop the binding, however sadly, the tip of Coyote’s tail, which was once white, was now tipped with black from the fireplace.
To at the present time, Coyote’s lengthy, bushy tail remains to be tipped with that black. It was a small worth to pay to maintain all people heat, and Coyote had one other story to inform.
–Chad Valdez (Diné) is a 2023-2024 Cultura Survival Indigenous Writer in Residence.
Picture by Tjflex2.
