Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Spirit Moose

alaska.com image

For 500 years,
we have been telling you
the Spirit Moose
is a sacred animal.

He comes to us
with a message
from Spirit.

He comes to us 
as a connection
between
us and Creator.

He is never to 
be killed.

His hunters
only saw meat,
and a trophy.

Now we will
never know
what he came
to teach us.

The recent killing of an albino moose in Cape Breton is causing distress among the Mi'kmaq people, and other First Nations people across Canada. Albino animals - moose, bear, buffalo, lions - occur rarely and need to be protected so they can continue to breed. They are considered spirit animals to many of us, whether aboriginal or not. 

Perhaps he came to teach us what we already know - that too many of us have forgotten our connection to the wild, and to Spirit.

The three hunters involved have apologized and said they "did not know" they should not have killed the moose. Though the chance of encountering a white moose during one's lifetime is so rare, that might have been a clue. They have removed it from the taxidermy store and  offered its hide and horns to the Mi'kmaq tribe in reparation. There will be a blessing ceremony for the slain moose.

My heart is saddened by the death of one more rare and beautiful animal.

5 comments:

  1. I admit that I have been waiting for your thoughts on this tragedy, and a poem is even better. Your poem is also a sacred ceremony, a teaching one. Some say that we would likely not heed Jesus either if he came walking toward us in this day...

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  2. it saddens my heart as well...i hope to one day see a moose in person...it does not even have to be albino...

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  3. What a SAD situation. How could they not have known not to kill an albino moose. Some apologies are not worth much, after the fact! Tragic.

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  4. Humans are always after money and trade, only if we all could do something.

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  5. Shocking, and so dumb. The Ottawa police shot an elk here yesterday.

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