Wyandotte Indians
the peninsula dwellers
Iroquois speaking
their sign is turtle
the world was created
on the turtles back
I live in the wilds of Kansas
in the middle of an oak forest
tree-lined and incredibly hilly, like the Ozarks
when we first arrived here, I planted flower gardens
geraniums, roses, lilies, cone flowers, hollyhocks
queen Anne’s lace and wild strawberries were already here
I kept these gardens pretty for about fifteen years
then I got older, and more interested in other hobbies
for the last three years I have not had flowers
allowing the land to grow naturally
back to the way it was when Wyandotte Indians lived here
renegade honeysuckle trees have taken over my prior garden spots
They bring more wildness to this wilderness, delighting me.
what kind of parrot is he? We wondered, Chickasaw, Wyandotte or Crow?
His war paints of turquoise, pink, and yellow had been applied just so.
He was talking nonstop, but in tweets, whistles, and noises from a beak.
Possibly an Apache or one of those odd tribes south of east Chesapeake.
I am an Apache brave, the preteen rat said.
He had always wanted to be one, this critter, Ed.
Why not a Wyandotte, an Osceola or a Sioux?
This confused the rat, who did not know what to do.
I guess any Indian culture in the USA will be okay.
For I am tired of being a preteen, Ed said right away.
You will still be a preteen, said his wise grandmother.
Don’t worry about it then, just get rid of my brother.
Wolf Heart has a noble soul
his tribe reveres him
Apache, Cherokee and Wyandotte fear him
only three see his tender side
his power animals and his wife Eagle feather
Wyandotte princess sent her favored owl out to the camps
she trusted his council, he would come back with a plan
a link between her ancestors and her offspring,
an ancient wise entity, in the form of a hoot owl
he would be full of ideas,
she allowed herself to dream
knowing this is how he would convey
the plan to save her tribe from the marauders
Wyandotte shaman's medicine bag was new
but had the feeling of old soul spirit
someone had spent hours fashioning it
I felt undeniable power as I held it in my hands
the stones had been especially selected
to induce hope, fertility, and a happy dream state
I fingered the long strands of leather, understanding
loving the feeling this medicine bag gave me
wondering about the medicine women who had gone before
feeling spirit arriving in the way of visions of the night
it was a fabulous feeling, bringing me peace and joy.
Wyandotte woods has a secret place for many to go
The fox, the squirrel, rabbits and deer, for they know….
They are hidden away from those who would do harm.
They get along well here, playing neck to neck, arm to arm.
my neighbor Vi is a personable woman with determination in every action. The day I met her she came over, introduced herself, and told me that where I know live is land that was called "Indian Village" fifty years ago. The Wyandotte came down here in the summers, and all you could see was Indian tents, she informed me. She proceeded to point out a variety of plants, naming them one by one. One day, she said "I turned and my blood ran cold". I jumped when she said this. "What was it?" I asked, barely breathing. "An iris," she told me. "I knew it was from a bulb salvaged by an Indian maiden." I never fully understood her story, but I have never forgotten the fear that I felt as she told it.
renegade plants
iris planted by natives
my blood turns cold
Spiritual beings
Caretakers of land
Legends and stories
Lovers of children
Saviors of settlers
United States
Cherokee nation
The Paute Tribe
Crow and Lakota
Apache
Wyandotte
Mohaw tribe
Native
People
Home
sickly stickly thickly tree
No one to strike you down
Axes about but no woodcutters
And me with a sore finger
You are unsightly in my garden
an ugly renegade tree
I tried to rid myself of you last year
Yet here you are stronger than ever
An owl hoot begs me for mercy on your behalf
Lucky for you Native American ancestors have just saved you
Maybe next year I will chop you down; this year you are safe.
Thanks to the love of the Wyandotte who used to traipse this land.
if owls were as wise
as our wyandotte indians
how would we approach
I live in a magical forest
Tall ferns greet me on the east
Along with frothy Queen Anne’s lace
And a purple lilac tree with dainty blossoms
I live in a beautiful forest
With a snowball bush and an apple tree.
Walnuts drop onto my driveway
Trees hiding me from the neighbors
I live in a mystical forest
Deer come nearly to the house to eat my flowers
Foxes and wolves merrily prance around,
Raccoons and opossums are on my porch nightly
I live in an amazing forest
Cardinals, robins, and wrens fly in
Overhead I see hawks and eagles.
There is a marsh to the east of me.
I live in a wonderful forest
Fifty years ago this land was known as Indian Village
The Wyandotte tribes pitched their tents here in the summer
And planted wild iris that still grows with wild daisies and wild strawberries.
I live in a magical forest.
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