The Legends of Wandering Bear

By Moyel Tukwaa

Thousands of years ago in the first native village in North America live the people of Earth Mother, led by Gray Wolf, a great leader, hunter, craftsman, and father. His son, Wandering Bear is a spirited, sometimes rebellious twelve-year-old who has been without a mother since he was young and enjoys playing with his four close friends more than anything.

After Wandering Bear decides he wants to become the finest hunter to provide for his family and people, his father does his best to make his son happy by traveling to find materials to create a bow and arrows and fashioning a knife and other tools. Wandering Bear, who opts not to help his father, is soon counseled by the Great Spirit Bird who begins teaching him valuable lessons in honor, respect, and consequence. But as he sets out to fulfill his thirst for adventure and matures into a young man, now only time will tell if Wandering Bear will ultimately come to understand the sacred truths that bind all people to Earth Mother.

The Legends of Wandering Bear is the tale of a Native American boy as he is guided to build good character and become connected to Earth Mother.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Aug 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665711128

Moyel Tukwaa

Moyel Tukwaa (Moon Lion) is a clan and ceremonial leader of the Acjachemen Nation who also holds a sacred position within his tribe. He is a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and legendary storyteller of the Eagle/Dove clan. The Legends of Wandering Bear is inspired by the stories he tells around the fire.

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Copyright © 2021 Moyel Tukwaa (Moon Lion).

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written

permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in

this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-6657-1113-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-1111-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-1112-8 (e)

Archway Publishing rev. date: 08/26/2021

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1     The Great Spirit Bird

Chapter 2     The Feather Medicine

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I am dedicating this book to the two women who made this possible. First is Toni. She encouraged me to put these stories in writing for all children to enjoy and learn from. Second, and most importantly, is our Star Mother. She was my teacher and mentor, as well as the spiritual leader of our tribe. It was during my twenty-five years of training that I learned most of the stories I use in this book. I am so grateful to have had the chance to have both of these women in my life before they left this physical world.

Introduction

My name is Moyel Tukwaa (Moon Lion). My people are of the Acjachemen tribe. These are the stories of the birth of the spiritual community. It is through oral tradition that we teach the young ones the ways of our spiritual beliefs. As we gather around the sacred fire at night, the old ones who are the storytellers share the stories and legends of how all things both physical and spiritual came to be.

It is with a happy heart that I now wish to share with you the way my people became strong in the ways of the Creator.

In these stories you will find the lessons we learned many thousands of years ago. These lessons guide my people even today.

Through the eyes of Wandering Bear, you will come to understand some of the sacred truths that bind all people of Earth Mother. As such, there should be no prejudice or division between us. This is what we must teach the young ones to make a better world for them. In my stories, you will see that I often make references to Native beliefs. Most of these references are general knowledge. The details of our spiritual beliefs are always altered when written. I do this to protect beliefs that are considered sacred to my people. We follow the oral tradition. Sacred knowledge is never written.

The Legends of Wandering Bear come from the stories I tell my grandchildren as we sit around the fire each time our family has a gathering of any kind.

I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you. May you always be blessed by the Creator.

Moyel Tukwaa (Moon Lion)

CHAPTER 1

The Great Spirit Bird

Long ago, in the first native village, lived the people of Earth Mother. These people were the first people to walk the earth. They lived a very simple life next to a grand lake in lodges made from willow branches and cattail reeds. All of this took place many thousands of years ago, long before my people understood the spiritual world and how it would govern their existence.

This is the story of the chief of the first village, Gray Wolf Speaks, and his young son, Wandering Bear. The chief was not only a great leader; he was also a great hunter, craftsman, and father. His son, young Wandering Bear, had four very close friends: Sun Eagle, Standing Elk, Yellow Wolf, and Running Bear. These friends were to become much more meaningful to Wandering Bear than he could ever imagine.

Young Wandering Bear had lost his mother after the first winter of his birth when she mysteriously