The Mountain's Got a Spirit

 

"It is very important that we be connected to the elements as a human race.  As a Native person, I am connected to these elements, because I can hear their voices.  I hear all their songs and everything else.  I'm asking each thing to continue on in a good way.  I have to do something so that all of the elements continue on . . .  For example, I bless the mountain . . . I ask the Mountain to continue to have a voice, to have songs . . . If the mountain doesn't have a voice, then we as a people are not going to have a voice pretty quick.  All the living things are not going to have any voice, because the mountain is where the voice comes from.  The mountain is where the people are, the little people up there, the mountain people, as we call them, or the rock people - they're up there listening to us.  They're the ones we have to pray to; they're the ones who take care of the mountain . . . We have to ask what's out there, the rocks, the land, the living things, to unite together; everything has to work together.  Long ago, the land, the mountains, used to have more voice, a clearer voice, clearer than what it is today.  The land, the rocks, they used to continue to tell us over and over again to take care of them and to ask us to do those things.  But today, we're lost, and I think it's the reason we're not concerned with anything; we just look at a mountain as if it's just there, nothing more.  But the mountain's got a life to it.  Everything's got a spirit; the mountain's got a spirit, and all the living things on the mountain have got a spirit . . . One of the reasons why their voice is not clear and loud anymore is because we haven't been taking care of them."

Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone Elder

Photo: Sunset alpenglow on Skinny Fish Lake; Flattops Wilderness, CO; June 13, 2014

The rocks can only continue to have a voice if we speak to them and pray to them.

"It's very important that we be connected to the elements as a human race.  As a Native person, I am connected to these things, because I can hear their voices, coming from all these elements.  I hear all their songs and everything else.  I'm asking each thing to continue on in a good way . . . I have to DO something so that all this continues on.  In order to connect with all these things, our forefathers had to have ceremony and pray.  That was our duty . . . I think everyone is now coming back to realize that the Indian people have the authority to talk about the right way to care for the earth . . .  I talk to rocks in my prayers.  I ask the rocks, "Make sure that you ARE in such a way that we hear from you.  Make your voices heard, make sure that I hear what you're saying . . . Mountain, make sure the water comes out clean from you . . . And now I ask you, today, Mountain, to continue to have a voice, to have songs" . . .

If the mountain doesn't have a voice, then we as a people are not going to have a voice pretty quick . . . The mountain is where the people are, the little people up there, the mountain people, as we call them, or the rock people - they're up there listening to us.  They're the ones we have to pray to; they're the ones who take care of the mountain . . .We have to ask what's out there, the rocks, the land, the living things, to unite together; everything has to work together.

Long ago, the land, the mountain, used to have more voice, a clearer voice, clearer than it is today.  The land, the rocks, they used to continue to tell us over and over again to take care of them, and to ask us to do those things.  But today, we're lost, and I think its's the reason we're not concerned with anything; we just look at a mountain as if it's just there, nothing more.  But the mountain's got a life to it.  Everything's got a spirit, the mountain's got a spirit, and all the living things on the mountain have got a spirit . . . It's one of the reasons why their voice is not clear and loud anymore - because we haven't been taking care of them."

Corbin Harney, 
Western Shoshone Elder

Photo: Vedauwoo Rocks, Medicine Bow National Forest, WY; November 3, 2012. "Vedauwoo" is an anglicized version of an Arapaho word meaning "earth-born."  Notice the "face" in the rocks.

The Mountains Will Only Have a Voice if We Ask Them to Speak to Us

 

"It is very important that we be connected to the elements as a human race.  As a Native person, I am connected to these elements, because I can hear their voices.  I hear all their songs and everything else.  I'm asking each thing to continue on in a good way.  I have to do something so that all of the elements continue on . . .  For example, I bless the mountain . . . I ask the Mountain to continue to have a voice, to have songs . . . If the mountain doesn't have a voice, then we as a people are not going to have a voice pretty quick.  All the living things are not going to have any voice, because the mountain is where the voice comes from.  The mountain is where the people are, the little people up there, the mountain people, as we call them, or the rock people - they're up there listening to us.  They're the ones we have to pray to; they're the ones who take care of the mountain . . . We have to ask what's out there, the rocks, the land, the living things, to unite together; everything has to work together.  Long ago, the land, the mountains, used to have more voice, a clearer voice, clearer than what it is today.  The land, the rocks, they used to continue to tell us over and over again to take care of them and to ask us to do those things.  But today, we're lost, and I think it's the reason we're not concerned with anything; we just look at a mountain as if it's just there, nothing more.  But the mountain's got a life to it.  Everything's got a spirit; the mountain's got a spirit, and all the living things on the mountain have got a spirit . . . One of the reasons why their voice is not clear and loud anymore is because we haven't been taking care of them."

Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone Elder

Photo:  Medicine Bow Peak at sunrise, Snowy Range, WY, August 28, 2011