5 and a half years ago I arrived at South Indian Lake in northern Manitoba and was immediately given an eagle feather and a bear tooth. I was told that it was illegal for a white man to have an eagle feather and truthfully it didn't feel right to have it and I never understood why it was given to me in the first place.
Then shortly after the death of Elijah Harper,I met 3 people connected to him in 2 days. The first was his chauffeur who I have known for many years. I was walking down the street and he happened to be at the corner I was approaching. He said you look sad. I was on my way to visit a dying friend. He said a friend of his had died 2 days ago. We wished each other well. The 2nd was a woman who I hadn't seen in about 5 years. An old lover. She had had conversations with Elijah. The last one he reminded her of the many obstacles in life. The 3rd was an uncle of my dying friend. He told me that he had gone to residential school with Elijah. I didn't know this before.
The eagle feather is a symbol of spiritual strength. It is given to us to HELP us gain spiritual strength...not as a representation of our strength...especially of governments who used military might to kill the people who know the true meaning of it.
Hats off to Elijah.
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