Camp
Memories 1994
THE LEGEND OF THE LAUGHING BIRD
It was a time of desperation for the Tomahawk Tribe. The land around them
was slowly dying. For many months the tribe had only been able to find
enough food to give each family one meal a day. They traveled many miles
in search of a land with healthy soil and forests full of wildlife. Their
searching always ended in disappointment. Every evening the tribes Medicine
Man and Chief held a Pow Wow with the elders of the tribe and they prayed
to the spirits for help. One evening during a Pow Wow, the Medicine Man
said that he had seen a loon flying circles around the village. He suggested
that this loon may be a spirit who had come to help them. Later that evening
the tribe held a ceremony of song asking the loon to lead them to a land
of freedom. After their song was done, they all listened closely to the
loons reply. Moments later they saw the loon flying over them and heard
it's song. The decision was then made that the next morning they would
break camp and follow the loon wherever it flew.
As the sun rose over the horizon, the tribe set off after the loon. Their
journey took them many places. They walked over the great plains, canoed
across wide lakes and portaged around thundering waterfalls. Though their
path was hard, they never gave up in their search for a happy and peaceful
home. The loon led them very carefully. He seemed to be watching out for
them and knew when it was time to stop for a nights rest. The members
of the tribe called the loon their spirit guide and held many ceremonies
in its name.
After many moons of travel the tribe stopped for a day of rest on the
banks of a large river. They set up their teepees and sat down for a small
meal of berries and dried corn. A small prayer was said for the loon and
they lay down to rest. They all awoke abruptly to the sound of laughter.
To their amazement they realized that it was the loon singing. They took
this a 5 a sign and quickly packed up their belongings. The loon had disappeared
while they were packing and they all waited patiently for its return.
At first, they could only faintly hear it, but as its call became louder
and louder they anticipated its arrival. On the other side of the river
was a large cliff rising for what seemed a mile. The tribe all looked
up to the cliffs edge and saw the loon perched on the edge. Continuing
its song of laughter the loon dove from the cliff and glided down towards
the water. It appeared that it was going to dive into the water, but it
suddenly swooped up and started to fly down the river. the tribe quickly
set off and followed the loon. They flowed down a stream of white water
and then broke free into a lake that rippled like a fan. They spotted
the loon on the other shore of the lake circling above the trees. They
paddled across the lake with the swiftness of the wind. In front of their
anxious eyes they saw a clearing with long waving green grass. the soil
was rich and dark and the trees were full of singing birds. The Medicine
Man and Chief declared that this was to be their new home, a home that
was full of the beauty of life.
They named the land WAPOMEO, the land of the laughing bird. The loon stayed
and watched over the tribe from the air and the water until it was too
cold and he had to fly south. The following spring the loon returned to
find the tribe living happily on their new prosperous settlement.
Wapomeo truly is a happy place and the land of the laughing bird. it is
said that on a clear starry night you can see the spirit of the loon dancing
on the shores of Lake Farming.
Patricia Lemon
Wapomeo 1993
Sweet Home Wapomeo
