by Jan Beaver
I was doing my first fast at the Petroglyphs Provincial Park one spring many years ago. I had my lodge set up inside a cedar circle under a beautiful white pine tree. After a few days, I was disappointed that I had not been visited by a bear or deer or had any amazing spiritual experiences. I must admit I was feeling sorry for myself. I got a bit weepy and was feeling miserable.
As I sat there, I suddenly began to hear a song. I thought it must be one of the other fasters but they were far away and this song sounded very close.
I got up and walked around inside my circle and the song seemed to be getting closer. I looked down and saw a white marble stone on the ground. Crouching down, I discovered the song was coming from the stone. I began to sing along with it, slowly feeling better. Soon, I was singing the song with gusto and my heart was overflowing with happiness and gratitude.
[start-knockout-box]
Rock Song Lyrics
Vocables:
Way ah hay hah
Way ah hay hay ah
Way ah hay hah
Way ah hay hay ah
Way ah hay hah
Way ah hay hah
Way ah hay hay oh
(sung in groups of 4)
[end-knockout-box]
Later in ceremony, when those who fasted were being welcomed back from the Spirit World, I shared that song with everyone. It wasn’t until many years later, when the Kogi Mamus from Colombia were coming to Canada, that I discovered the true power of this song.
We were planning to do a special ceremony at the Petroglyphs with the Kogis. In the spring before their visit, I was visited in dream time by one of the Kogis. He asked me to begin waking the rocks up. I didn’t know what he meant. I kept thinking about this for weeks, asking the Kogis how to wake the rocks up.
One day, I was sitting in my office at Ogemawahj Tribal Council and a Kogi Mamu was suddenly sitting in front of me. He looked at me and said “Wake the rocks up! Sing to them!” I finally understood that this beautiful honour song for the rocks also had the power to awaken them.
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