We will be known forever by the tracks we leave…

Contemplating the events of the last week, I am drawn to that old Native man who called me Whitefeather. I talked a bit to my cousin Coni & she encouraged me to embrace my Native name, that it wasn’t done by mistake. So I started researching symbolism of a white feather.

On eHow.com is says that “To Native Americans a white feather represents purity and wholesomeness of heart. A Native American Indian given the name Whitefeather is translated to mean the bravest of the brave.” Bravest of the brave? Really? I was given this name when I was 6 or 7 years old… how could that man have given me this name?

In Texas there is a legend, a white feather if seen was a prediction of death. Oh wow! That’s comforting that I’ve never seen a white feather in person… LOL! Some places show the white feather as a show of cowardice. There is a movie entitled “WHITE FEATHER” Robert Wagner in it, about the story of the peace mission from the US cavalry to the Cheyenne Indians in Wyoming during the 1870s (Yeah right)! I found a book called Whitefeather about a young girl named Whitefeather who, along with her family, are taken on the Trail of Tears. There is a women who is an author named Sheri Whitefeather…. hmm that’s interesting!

I found a quote somewhere on the web that I wrote down, “We will be known forever by the tracks we leave!” I believe this is a call to arms for me. I believe it’s the echo’s of my ancestors that are calling out for me to find them & learn about the “tracks” they left for me to find. Also, it’s a challenge for us, to leave a legacy for our children, grandchildren & beyond… a legacy of purity, wholesomeness of heart & bravery.