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THE STORY OF GINITSI SELU - CORN MOTHER OF US ALL
by Susan Bates
In Native American society, our Creation Stories teach us our spiritual truths - the laws Creator gave us to live by. Told and retold around ancient fires, our ancestors took in the wisdom of the stories, thought them through carefully, and applied the lessons to their own lives. When our own stories are taken away and replaced with stories from another culture, we lose part of ourselves. For those who are serious about reclaiming their lost heritage, relearning our own Creation Stories is of the utmost importance. Until you understand your own laws, your own culture, you will only be a white person trying to be Indian.
Many tribes have stories about how Creator gave us corn. I am going to tell you one version of the Cherokee story of Selu, the Corn Mother. Read it, study it, use it as a compass point to get the bearings on your path.
In the beginning, Creator made Mother Earth. Then he made Selu, the Corn Mother. She had two sons, one was her natural son and the other was a wild boy whom she had adopted. One day the boys came home from hunting and had no meat to give their mother. They were very hungry and anxious because there was nothing to eat. Their mother told them not to worry. She would fix them something.
Selu took her basket and went into the empty storehouse. When she came back inside, her basket was filled with something she called corn, which the boys had never seen before. The corn was sweet and good and the boys liked it very much. Every night from then on Selu fixed corn with their meat.
The boys soon got curious about where their mother was getting this corn. So one day, when Selu went to the storehouse, they followed her and peeked inside. They saw their mother sit the basket on the floor in front of her. She leaned over and rubbed her stomach and corn poured out of her body and into the basket. The boys were horrified and decided they wouldn't eat any more corn.
That night Selu fixed supper but the boys wouldn't eat. "What's the matter?" Selu asked. "Don't you like me any more?"
"We're tired" the boys said.
"No, I don't think you like me. Or maybe you saw something you shouldn't have," said their mother. She got up from the table and took to her bed. She told them that she had to die now and after her death, they should bury her in front of the house where the sun shone all day. They were to put a fence around her grave and keep watch over because a plant would grow out of her grave. The plant would be tall and green and ears of corn would grow from it. They were to let the ears dry and save the kernels of corn until spring and plant them. In this way she would always take care of the people.
What did you get from this story? Is it just a quaint tale of how corn came into the world? Or did you take time to think on it....digest it like you do the corn? If you did, you will understand the lesson. When the boys didn't show the proper respect for their mother, Selu had to leave. But she gave them a second chance to survive. If they would obey her and take care of the seed she would send them, then they could eat and live. And because they obeyed, there is plenty of corn for everyone.
Is anybody listening?
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Ceremony
by Leslie Silko
I will tell you something about stories, [he said] They aren't just entertainment.
Don't be fooled.
They are all we have, you see, all we have to fight illness and death.
You don't have anything if you don't have the stories.
Their evil is mighty but it can't stand up to our stories.
So they try to destroy the stories let the stories be confused and forgotten.
They would like that. They would be happy.
Because we would be defenseless then.
He rubbed his belly.
I keep them here [he said]
Here, put your hand on it
See, it is moving.
There is life here for the people.
And in the belly of this story the rituals and the ceremonies are still growing.
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If you would like to learn more about Cherokee Creation Stories, Selu and yourself, I urge you to read "Selu: Seeking the Corn Mother's Wisdom by Marilou Awiakta.
Susan Bates
Hill & Holler Column
September 19, 2001
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Bates. Visit Susan's website, Native American Journal, dedicated to helping people rediscover their heritage. She has helped thousands of people reconnect with their beloved ancestors and features insider tribal news. The Native American Journal is a truth-seeking, truth-telling website honoring everyone's path and preparing all for the Great Earth Changes. The Native American Journal supports Leonard Peltier, the Dineh, and Mother Earth.
E-Mail: susanbates@webtv.net
Website: http://members.tripod.com/-susanbates/nativeamericanjrnl-index.html
(We are all related)
WORDS FROM 'TWEEN
We are very grateful to know Susan as our friend, and now we have the opportunity to share her words of wisdom and messages from the ancestors, with you, Dear Reader. Please join us in welcoming Susan to 'tween, stop by her website or send her an email. |
