Bashar - Vision Quest
Süžeeskeem Tekst
- Splitting The Clouds: A Vision Quest
- Published: 2023/11/13
- Bashar Alkhayyat
- Tsaone laa uuzhe. I'm from the Dane-zaa tribe. I'm 13 years old, and tomorrow marks the beginning of my first vision quest. A journey to seek guidance and unlock supernatural abilities!
- Tsaone laa uuzhe - my name is Tsaone (greetings)
- In the heart of Denendeh (the Land of the People)
- Here, along the winding Peace River in British Columbia, our community of 40 thrives amidst mountains, forests, and bodies of water. It's time for dinner infront of the communial fire, Hatl’edzę naanawísch’esę!
- Hatl’edzę naanawísch’esę - see you tomorrow (singular)
- Day 1
- Tsaone's community lives in tipis surrounded by rolling hills, forests, and river valleys.
- Tsaone, it's a new day. Rise, my child.
- Tipi - a tent made of skins, cloth, or canvas on poles. Used for portability.
- Náánaz̲at - Get Up
- Tsaone, Náánaz̲at... You have to go into the sweat lodge to purify yourself and prepare for your journey. I'm so proud of you for choosing to participate in a vision quest!
- Tsaone, you see the stones being heated in the fire? They carry the wisdom of our people, and in the sweat lodge, they become a bridge between this world and the spirit realm. This will cleanse you and prepare you for your journey!
- Day 1
- The stones heated in the fire in front of the sweat lodge are brought in and put in a pit.
- TSSSSSST!!
- TSSSSSST!!
- TSSSSSST!!
- Water is sprayed over the hot rocks causing it to turn to steam. The structure of the sweat lodge preserves the steam and creates a hot environment.
- TSSSSSST!!
- I feel pure. Everything negative has been shed away and I can clearly see my way. I truly am ready for my vision quest.
- Day 1
- All of Tsaone's tribe members say goodbye as he departs, showing the sagnificance of his departure and mission as well as the sense of community.
- Day 2
- Tsaone remembers this place from a dream. He walks towards the sunrise because in his dream, a song came from that direction.
- This place looks familiar...I think I've seen it in a dream.
- Day 3
- I'll bring back powerful visions for our tribe, they'll be proud
- Tsaone is hopeful. He continues walking along the river valleys and rolling hills in the night.
- Day 4
- Tsaone Continutes towards the sunrise, approaching a forest.
- I'm getting thirsty. I've been training for this journey along my grandfather since I was 7. I must stay strong.
- Caribou, rabbit, deer, moose, fish... I'm so hungry I could eat all of those animals that my tribe has hunted for centuries.
- GROWL
- GROWL
- PITT
- PITT
- Despite his training, Tsaone is very thirsty and his sleep deprivation is catching up to him.
- PITT
- PITT
- Its raining and foggy. I could just take a small nap.
- Tsaone takes a short nap on the moist grass. Some rain water gets into his mouth as he dreams of a place.
- CHIRP
- CHIRP
- CHIRP
- Tsaone continues on his way. Fear begins to build up in his heart. He doubts if he was ever truly ready for this journey. He stumbles along the way, using trees as support.
- I have to find that place I dreamt of last night. I can barely walk anymore...
- The humidity from last night's rain still lingers in the atmosphere. Tsaone feels confident about this spot.
- This looks identical to what I dreamt of. Something feels good about it.
- Tsaone rests, his back against the rough texture of the tree. He has prayed constantly these past 4 days. He continues to pray, ensuring to include Yagesati and Saya in his prayers.
- Yagesati - Creator of Earth Saya - The one who made everythingright in this world
- It's been hours, I really was never ready to have a vision. But I cannot go back to my tribe without a vision, everyone before me was successful.
- Night time arrives as Tsaone loses hope. Tired, thirsty, hungry, and sleep deprived, his physical state influences his mindset. He lies down to rest further, unsure of how to proceed into the next day.
- As time passes, Tsaone hovers between wakefulness and sleep. He opens his eyes but cannot move his body. A ringing sound plays in his ears.
- Tsaone sees a man with a bow in the night sky. The main aimed the bow directly at him, and shot. Tsaone, unable to move an inch, screams but nothing comes out.
- The arrow lands beside Tsaone. In the corner of his eyes, he can see a rabbit running. It becomes clear that the hunter was aiming for the rabbit.
- The sun begins rising. The hunter continues to shoot the rabbit, using all of his arrows.
- Finally, with his last arrow, the hunter manages to hit the rabbit. Tsaone feels weak and afraid. He has a feeling the hunter will go after him next. He continues to try to scream and move.
- A pack of wolves emerge - Tsaone's biggest fear. His heart beats fast and he sweats. The wolves tear apart the hunter as he has no arrows left, having spent them all on the rabbit.
- SWOOSH
- Tsaone then sees the cloudy sky split apart, revealing an eagle flying behind it. He can also hear a song coming from the other side of the clouds.
- SWOOSH
- Tsaone then physically moves his neck and looks down towards his lower body. He sees a plant with 2 leaves - one holding a rock and the other holding a regular feather. The eagle flies above it as it stands in perfect balance.
- Tsaone then sees himself under a big tree. He holds the stone and feather in each hand as the eagle flies over him. The Sun finally fully rises.
- Finally... I had my vision. I'm so happy, I have to rush to the elder to explain my visions to him. I can't wait to hear what my visions mean.
- I shouldn't eat or drink too fast. My grandfather taught me that after fasting for long I should slowly adjust to food.
- Along the way back to the village, Tsaone ate berries and drank river water.
- Tsaone's tribe welcomes him back. He goes to visit an elder right away so that he can tell everything he saw in his vision.
- Tsaone, your vision is among the most powerful visions I've heard. The hunter you saw in the beginning hunting the rabbit teaches not to spend all of your resources on small things. As then, you wouldn't be able to handle the bigger things, just as he couldn't handle the wolves without his arrows.
- Tsaone tells the elder everything he experienced from beginning to end. He also manages to perfectly recite the song he heard when the clouds split.
- The clouds opening and the song represent your ability to see and travel to heaven. You are destined to be a dreamer. Dreamers are those who leave their bodies (die), go to Heaven, and then come back. They can do this by grabbing onto a song that carries them forward to Heaven and back to earth on the same trail. They are religious figures - prophets.
- The eagle represents your connection with the creator. The small plant in perfect balance represents our beliefs, the heavy rock being struggles and hardships and the light feather being joy and goodness. You inherent our beliefs, and through you, they will grow just as the plant grew into a big tree. It is honorable to have a dreamer in our small community, you must begin training to control your shadow (spirit) as you dream. From now on, you will always sleep facing the sunrise, so that your shadow returns to you with the dawn of a new day. You will also inherent the name "Makenuunatane" from the first Dane-zaa dreamer. Meaning "on the trail,” “the eoorway” and “he opens the door.”
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