He was praying to his God, The Wakantanka. It was the fourth night of his vision quest. He was lying in a grave-like shallow pit. The pit was covered by a buffalo skin, staked down tight to the ground by his wife, Jane. He was alone and naked in the darkness. He had been without food or water since beginning the quest. The earth's good spirits had been talking to him since the first night. He had been visited by different spirits the entire time.
As he prayed for guidance and wisdom, the good spirits were leading him in a different direction than ever before. This was his sixteenth vision quest, in as many years. He was keenly aware of the spirit's power and wisdom.
Suddenly, the buffalo skin covering the pit was torn away by some unseen force. He wasn't afraid. It had happened before. He knew Wakantanka was going to talk to him now. The man in the pit stopped praying, awaiting God's message.
A bright white light filled the pit. The message thundered in his mind's ear. “Wasake Tatanka, you have done well following my advice and counsel, by curing the sick and healing the desperate. You have learned the Shaman ways very well. You have progressed in wisdom and power in just sixteen years, one fourth the time of other Shamans before you.”
Allan held his breath as Wakantanka spoke, concentrating on every word. His heart was filled with love for his God. His mind was totally open to his instructions.
“You must lead your people to the Black Hills of South Dakota. I will send all of the true believers, of all the Aboriginal tribes of the United States, to join you. You will peacefully stage a sit-in. You will request land from the United States Government to form a Sovereign Nation for all Aboriginal Americans, of all the tribes. It is my wish the new nation will end the constant turmoil and fighting between the red and white races. This will renew the hope and prosperity of the red race which they have lost.”
“You have been conditioned, trained and guided by the spirits to lead this new land through its difficult transition into a society of the old ways. There will need to be many compromises between the various tribes. They already respect your power as a Holy Man. You are their natural leader. I will assist you as I always have. I see confusion and questions in your mind. Look to your dreams for the answers. Have faith in me, Wasake Tatanka.” The light faded and went out.
The man lay there, his mind reeling.
~~~
OK…right up front, I want to say that I enjoyed this novel. I read most of the time to escape reality, for entertainment and enjoyment. This novel provides all three. I am an Ozzie and Harriet kind of guy (showing my age now) and the aboriginal families portrayed in this novel all have an Ozzie and Harriet; Ward Clever kind of quality to them. That is to say, “They are happy in their skins.”
Set 102 years into the future, Shaman Allan Bridger, acting as a “hollow tube “ for God (Wakantanka) is drawn with one and a half million Aboriginal Americans into the sacred Black Hills of the Dakotas.
There, the holy man through a series of Wakantanka predestined events, seeks to right an over 500 years old wrong.
Major characters include The President of The United States, a senate mole and the Don of the Mafia.
While in reality, the plot has about as much chance of succeeding as Karl Marx’s belief that a government could be administered completely by “the people”, Mr. Nelson’s story is the kind that all freedom loving people everywhere wish ‘could’ come to pass.
This novel is well written. Readers are given a basic history concerning the white man’s mistreatment of Aboriginal Americans throughout the centuries. This novel is a very good read, and I highly recommend it.
Jonathan David Masters at:
www.booktrees.com
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