Mitos y leyendas: A Lakota Legend

Mitos y leyendas shares a brief Lakota legend with you.

An expert hunter recalls magical moments from when he was young.

A message that it is important to remember that we didn’t always know what we now know.

Mathó, a tiny bear, came into the world in a deep cave, a place where light barely filtered through. His mother named him Mathochikala, in the language of the Lakotas.

When he woke from his long winter sleep, his mother took him outside, under the warm spring sun.

«Who is that creature flying so high above us?» Mathó asked.

«It is Wanblí, the eagle,» his mother replied in her husky voice. «From her, we learn dignity in our lives. Her eyes see farther than ours, and we always heed the signs she sends us from above.»

Childhood Memories

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Together, mother and son explored the fragrant prairie until they reached the riverbank, where she would teach him to drink. Mathó tasted the clear water, and its freshness filled him with alertness and attention.

Years later, when he grew up and became a respected warrior, he would remember that moment.

Diving into the river always prepared him for the hunt or for clearing his thoughts.

Mathó fondly remembered those early days. His mother had been a wise guide, protecting him from dangers and teaching him the secrets of wildlife.

Lakota Legend

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He learned to search for larvae in rotten spruce trunks, to distinguish the sweetest flowers and the most delicious fruits, as well as the roots that would make him strong and the berries that would help him through the winter.

She taught him to fish for red salmon, to wait patiently among the slippery stones as the fish leaped against the current.

In a special spot between two rocks, surrounded by foam, she said to him, «Keep calm and patient. Here, the big red salmon will jump straight into your mouth.»

Mitos y leyendas bids you farewell for now and hopes that this Lakota legend has pleased you. Until next time!