The Medicine Clothes that Look at the People

Book excerpt: An ancient epic of the United States Pacific Northwest Coast Samish people, transcribed from a live event delivered by spiritual teacher and healer, Johnny Moses, whose traditional name is Whis.stem.men.knee, 'Walking Medicine Robe'. Johnny, a Tulalip Native American, master storyteller and oral historian, carries the Si.Si.Wiss, 'Sacred Breath, Sacred Life' teachings of his peoples. Here, he shares the story of a woman who wears beautiful Medicine Clothes. The woman wears different kinds of clothes when she visits the many different medicine people she is going to get help from, or those she will help. '...Since the beginning of our culture, the First People (Native Americans) have maintained our tradition of storytelling. This was the primary tool for passing on information, for educating, for teaching the philosophy of our culture, for encouraging memory, for highlighting our humor, for focusing on our most talented historians. Johnny Moses brings to this generation the combined gifts of the best of our ancestors...To my knowledge, Johnny is the only individual gifted to relate these ancient stories. He was selected by his elders to listen and to remember each story and their accompanying songs.' Vi Hilbert, Skagit name: Taq.Se.Blu (Excerpt taken from early, self-published edition, by permission of distributor Bear Song Creations, 2014)