Cherokee Indian Youth

 

A hewed out rock that natives implement for cooking

I shot this on the Snake River

Cherokee Indian Youth’s Rite of Passage—the Legend

When it becomes time for a young brave to prove his manhood, he must follow his father into the deep, dark forest. When the desired place is reached, the father locates a stump. Then, this proven, wise warrior, commands his son to sit on the rough dead wood. He then blindfolds his youth and callously abandons him.

The young brave’s virility is achieved if he survives the night, never moving. He must not peak. He must never remove the blindfold until the rays of dawning light shine through the mask. He cannot cry out for help if danger seems to be lurking, as that would proclaim cowardice—leading to endless shame.

He sits there alone, determined, adhering to the wild noises resounding in this darkened world. He frightfully feels and hears the wild wind waving the grass and earth, shaking him upon his stump. Brutal beasts are surely near! Maybe some enemy is spying and will prance upon him at the right moment to kill—he is unarmed and blinded. What chance has he?

Finally, the sun begins to rise. He thought the endless, velvet blackness would never lift. He pulls off his blindfold and holds it in his clenched fist. He turns his head and peers for predators. Shock consumes him. His father is here, sitting on the stump beside his. His knife in its sheath sewed to his garment and a bow with two arrows, at arm’s length, is lying beside him. He was there the entire watch, guarding his brave from the wilds of the night. What protecting love—what proven love!

Born again believers, are never alone. Even when they don’t know it, their Heavenly Father is watching over them, always sitting beside; Psalm 139—the Bible. When trouble arises, all they need do is reach out to Him, in faith, while standing on the truths of God’s holy, sacred, immutable, infallible and inerrant Word.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 and 1 John 5:10-13 ~

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