Becoming a Hunter Part 2

continued from the book: The Wind is My Mother

So the animals told us how to cure the illnesses and allowed us to hunt them because they knew that we were not killing them for sport; our need was to feed hungry people, and we used every part of the animal for our survival. As long as we kept our word, no sickness came.

That's why our children were taught when they went out to hunt: "Never kill out of anger, nor for sport to see how many animals you can kill. Take just enough for survival and always be respectful of the four-leggeds. If you must kill, present an offering and talk to the animal, explaining, "I need you for my family."

Children were not allowed to hunt until they became skilled with their weapons. We were taught the anatomical structure of each animal and exactly where to hit so it would die quickly and not suffer more than what was needed. When we brought back the animal, even that was a ceremony. We gave an offering to the animal, honoring it and explaining why we took it's life.

Young boys were taught never to eat their first kill-they were to give it to an elder. If you killed and made a sacrifice, giving that meat to others, then the motive was based on generosity and respect. Those were the traits of a good hunter.

CheyFire