I’ve mentioned here before that we have a (pretty much) weekly get together that we call Winter Golf. It’s the part of our regular golf where we have a few libations and solve as many of the world’s problems as time permits. This past week, the meeting got off to a roaring start — there were five in attendance and within the first two minutes five completely unrelated conversations were in full swing — all at the same time.
It occurred to me that this group needed some organization and order to the proceedings. So, as I am prone to do, I employed an old Indian remedy —The Talking Stick. As luck would have it, since I didn’t have a “real” talking stick with me, the gathering was at an Irishman’s house and he had a Shillelagh. That worked out pretty well.
The talking stick has been used for centuries by many American Indian tribes as a means of a just and impartial hearing. The Talking Stick was commonly used in council circles to designate who had the right to speak. I think you can imagine how this procedure brought a bit of order to our gathering. It was also the first time anyone in the group had ever heard of a Talking Stick.
Even if you didn’t read the title, you’ve probably already guessed — this blog is going to be about the Talking Stick. I have the Stick, so here goes.
As I mentioned above, the talking stick is a tool used when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Sacred Point of View. The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person holding the stick is allowed to talk during that time period. The Answering Feather is also held by the person speaking unless the speaker addresses a question to another council member. At that time, the Answering Feather is passed to the person asked to answer the question.
Indian children are taught to listen from the age of three. They are taught to respect another’s viewpoint. That doesn’t mean that they may not agree, but they are bound by their personal honor to allow everyone their Sacred Point of View.
Anyone responsible for holding any type of council meeting is required to make their own Talking Stick. The Talking Stick may be used when teaching children, holding council, making decisions when disputes arise, holding Pow-Wow gatherings, during storytelling circles, or conducting a ceremony where more than one person will speak.
Each person making a Talking Stick makes a unique stick from a particular tree, using a particular skin and color(s) depending on what their council will be discussing.
Colors on the stick have meaning, like: Red for life, Yellow for knowledge, Blue for prayer and wisdom, White for spirit, Purple for healing, Orange for kinship, Black for clarity or focus.
The tree from which the stick is made is important: Birch for truth, White Pine for peace, Cedar for cleansing, Aspen for seeing clearly, Elm for wisdom, Mountain Ash for protection, Cherry for love or strong emotion, Oak for strength, Maple for gentlenesses.
If skins are used on the stick, they also are meaningful: Elk for physical fitness, Deer for gentleness, Rabbit for listening abilities, Horse hair for perseverance. Wrapping a snake skin around the stick prevents illnesses of the mind and spirit from adversely affecting the council.
The type of feathers used are also very important. The Answering Feather, if used, is usually an Eagle Feather, which represents high ideals and truth as viewed from the expansive eye of the eagle, and the freedom that comes from speaking total truth to the best of one’s ability. The Answering Feather can also be the feather of a Turkey, the Peace Eagle of the south, which brings peaceful attitudes as well as the give and take necessary in successful resolution of disputes. Some tribes see the Owl as good medicine, and they often use an Owl feather to stop deception from entering the Sacred Space of the Council.
As was apparent at our last meeting, many of us find listening to one another difficult — we want to jump in, interrupt or add pearls of wisdom. The Talking Stick addresses that problem in a rather unique way and teaches an important lesson — it’s a tool that teaches each of us to honor the Sacred Point of View of everyone.
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