HOW THE FEMALE EAGLE CHOOSES HER MATE

This lovely story is told by the Wintu Tribal Elders of California

In Our Society, women were given a revered place, whether it was moontime

or choosing of mates and important decisions were taken by women of the

Grandmother’s council even with regards to battles and treaties.

When it comes time for the female Eagle to choose her mate,

she prepares herself for many suitors. And many come before her.

She looks them over quite well and then picks one to fly with for a while.

If she likes the way he flies she finds a small stick, picks it up

and flies high with it. At some point she will drop the stick to see if the male can catch it. If he does, then she finds a larger stick and flies with it much higher this time. Each time the male catches the sticks, she continues to pick up larger and larger sticks. When she finds the largest, heaviest stick that she herself can carry,

the stick is at this point almost the size of a small log! But she

can still fly very high with this large stick.

At any time in this process, if the male fails to catch the stick,

she flies away from him as her signal that the test is now over.

She begins her search all over again.

And when she again finds a male she is interested in,

she starts testing him in the exact same way.

And she will continue this "testing" until she finds

the male Eagle who can catch all the sticks.

And when she does, she chooses him, and will mate with him for life.

One of the reasons for this test is that at some

point they will build a nest together high up and

will then have their Eaglettes.

When the babies begin to learn to fly,

they sometimes fall instead. It is then

that the male must catch his young.

And he does! The female Eagle and their Eaglettes have

depended on him to be strong for them. Just as

we Native women and children need to depend upon our Native men.

So what I would like to offer to you my friends is this.

Sisters, how well do you "test" your suitors before you allow

them into your life? And my Brothers, how well have you

caught the "sticks" for your women and your children? – Dollie Assinewe

lovers by nancy ferguson

I didn't know this about the Eagle People. I understand it deeply in my bones. Sadly, the way I, as a man, employed my 'tools' one of the best connections to my soul couldn't 'catch one of the logs.' It broke my heart, if you follow the path of my words. I learned some dark things about myself and the host of women from whom I sought a mate in this Eagle's process. It is not the practice of the weak of heart, the shallow or pretentious. I hesitate to share all I learned online, but this short story you've shared is a part of me, and I will share it in sacred circles. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories