Mountain Eagle Woman

Mountain Eagle Woman was born in 1922 to a Mississippi Choctaw sharecropping family. Grandmother Mountain Eagle Woman knew exhaustion, hunger, loss, and grief to be her constant companions as a young child. Growing up in a world that treated her like she was invisible, you would think that would have made her bitter, resentful, and hard. But instead, it made her quiet, soft, and sweet. Mommi was as strong as she was soft, and never bit her tongue, when truth needed revealing, but never tried to hurt anyone either. Having lost her mother at a young age, she was more determined to remember the teachings of her bloodline, and follow in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps as a Sacred Medicine Keeper. Very early, acknowledging  a deep connection with  Spirit, she grew to know the Earth and Nature as her only mother. Receiving a mink coat or hearing the nightingale sing, gave her the same amount of pleasure.

She was not afraid of hard work, racism or sexism.

Mommi said," joy is everywhere, and it is your birthright to experience it each and everyday, in the silence is where you find yourself, and in that peaceful state, you will realize that there is no separation between Creator and you". We carry Great Spirit inside in our breath. And each day we honor Chihowa by taking time to slowly breathe, by smiling at one another. And by getting up each day with the intention of being as creative with our minds, and hands as possible.

Mommi said creativity and sadness don't live in the same house, just like faith and fear. She showed us by example to be as open, kind hearted, and helpful to each other as we can. She said, “Get as much as possible out of daylight in the way of service to others, and you'll never have time to be sad." Her motto was, “If you are carrying a basket full of sorrow, sadness, and regret, sit it down for a minute and engage yourself in writing, painting, sewing, beading, dancing, teaching, and selfless service to others. When you catch your breath, and go back to get your basket, it will be empty of woe-is-me, and full of sweet smelling flowers.”

For sixty years, Grandmother Mountain Eagle Woman committed her life to teaching the importance of prayer, song, family, kindness, art, and the practice of traditional Native women's ways.  Grandmother Mountain Eagle Woman always said," your culture will save you when nothing else can". With this strong philosophy and belief she proudly passed the sacred wisdom of traditon and medicine to her daughter    Wapajea Walks On Water who is now passing the music and the medicine to her daughter's Mahatara 3 Buffalo's Woman, and Maimouna Luner Eclipse Youssef.

From the Spirit Realm, I hope  Mountain Eagle Woman is very proud to see how the traditons have carried on for 5 generations and still going strong.  She had a very personal relationship with Great Spirit Chihowa, and she drew you into it thru her songs, prayers, laughter, and food. One of her favorite and most powerful prayers was “ Oh, Great Spirit, you have been better to me than I have been to myself, you kept me out of harm's way, when I didn't even know I was in danger, you have provided a roof over my head, and food for my family, and if I had ten thousand tongues, I could not thank you enough. Whenever any of her children had a problem, she would recomend fasting, prayer, honesty with self, and listening to the quiet wisdom of Spirit, before sending them on their way. She never did for you, what you were capable of doing for yourself.

When Mountain Eagle Woman went to Spirit in 2000, she took a piece of all of us with her. And, she left a piece of her with all of us. Today we are building a Spiritual and Healing center in Honor of her legacy.

I Am Here

Don’t grieve to long for me

I am not gone

I am the rustling of trees

I am the gentle voice in the breeze

Don’t miss me too long

I am not gone

I am the grass beneath your feet

I am the sunset that makes your day complete

Don’t cry for me too long

Because now there are no earthbound chains to hold me here

No more pain, worries, or fear

My spirit has been set free to fly

To circle the moon

To dance through the night sky

To bathe myself in moonbeams

And if you listen, you will hear my voice in a new born baby’s cry

I am here.........

By Nataska Humminbird aka Wapajea Walks On Water