Miriam Moore reads TheWalkingPeople:ANativeAmericanOralHistory, by Paula Underwood.

Three days of cold made the People more anxious to begin! 

Snow on Top releases her earth body to allow us to go on.  Daughter of Wisdom is well protected by our strength, for now she takes a double place.

We waited, patient, watched unhurried steps approaching.  She who comes and goes approached us, yet Daughter of Wisdom now stood before us. 

We sit at the edge of our path to the Great Island that lies beyond.  Snow on Top seeks her own peace.  We talk to one another.  We have everything to hand, tied, wrapped, waterproofed, wind proofed, our purpose will warm us on the day we begin our walk.  

and our mutual counsel guided our hands.

She Who Came and Went rose and met their anger with her own compassion.

Another whom no one recognized came walking from this ocean path.  A look was on his face which many saw and understood.

The Place of Honor at the highest point, we gave to Snow on Top So let us learn to be a people who seek the wisdom of ordered council.

she is showing us the answer is near at hand but must be sought.

let us send the young ones to listen to Snow on Top

"We are a following people and we have learned to follow you." Those who always follow learn only the shape of another's back

"Is it YOU who will lead US?"  It became so quiet, the rustling of grass was apparent.  Then someone laughed, and more until we had to sit on the ground for laughing.  "At last we know who will be first among us!"

Not moving at our approach, we go inside. dwellings like a turtle shell, we see a hole on top for smoke. We hasten away.  Some people are friendlier than others.  We hear thunder on the earth!  Some fall to earth: Earthquake!  Some run: large herds running!   Coming over the horizon, we see walk to legs.  Underneath is a Great Beast with a strong head and hooves...

Another learning of our People. Water carriers are a technology the women know about, and create. Eating raw food gives more moisture, and walking by night allow us to at last reach the grasslands with very few fatalities.  We learn to respect Wisdom that lies under snow, needing our listening to become apparent.  

of the published telling of the Walking People to her grandfather's grandmother.

chose to follow ancient wisdom.  As a great admirer of Paula Underwood, from the instant I met her, seeing a mind honed and a kindness grown with it, I was deeply relaxed and intrigued by her knowledge.  At the Circle School in the early 90's, I was pleased to be able to enroll my children, and follow the art teacher as she taught classes.  My ears were open to follow these leaves t...

At the edge of the dessert, we are stunned by grief at the destruction of our people and our wisdom.  after three days, one who was not first asks if any of us are first.  We decide to walk West and find water.  Here we rest and regain strength.

Great changes in earth along the fault lines where we still love to live, when our land will throw rocks, roll us up like a carpet of heaving ground,  crush us into bits with water, then drag us out to deep ocean is a story for all.  When this happened to us, we had to leave.

This description of how we succeeded at living together shows cooperation as a prehistoric value.  Cooperation like this is how we continue to thrive.  It is our specie superpower: this story is a delightful description of a successful people.  

I record Paula's introduction in the forward to the Walking People and respond to it. I intend sharing this wisdom with all earth's children who listen this Podcast, and at the beginning, a watercolor.   The rhythm  inside the words selected, printed, heard and reheard of Paula's ancestors, this one listener and hungry recipient mulls over and over.  These kind thoughts may com...

The largest area of the cave is given over to the men and their leaders for the teaching of hunting skills.   One man, First Among Us,  is captivated by the idea of Great Bear standing still against the wall for all to see, to teach the young in greater safety. His thoughts turn humorous, and cannot be ignored.  Mother Earth shows him her colors, and he finds a way. 

she who is, and her two Learners.

many women together is most effective, even when each of the many have less individual strength.

These are descriptions of ice ages.  We send parties of go and see to the north to discover the land around us.  The descriptions of the great bests are gleaned from the Rouffingnac cave mural in France.