The Sleeping Lady overlooks Ft. Richardson with a juvenile bald eagle in the foreground."When the earth was new, people were different. They were bigger, stronger, and smarter. The animals spoke to them. The earth spoke to them. They knew how to behave, knew their place in the world, and all the other creatures shared the world with them. The Dena'ina were People of Peace.
Farther north there were other tribes. They did not know their place in the world and were not respectful of life. Wars raged amongst them, but still the Dena'ina lived in peace.
Among the Dena'ina, a young woman planned to marry a young man. The wedding day approached and the families were happy. The wedding would bring them together and make an even larger clan, and more people would be brought into the peaceful, respectful life.
Just before the wedding day, raiders came from the north, burning Dena'ina villages and killing families. Soon, they would reach the village of the young man and the young woman. The elders held a council to determine what the Dena'ina should do. Some said that they should fight. Others thought that they should flee. But the young man had another idea: that the Dena'ina should send a peaceful delegation to the invaders and offer them gifts. Why would the raiders harm the People if the People do not resist, but instead treat them with kindness?
The elders thought this was a fine idea and on the day that should have been the young man's wedding day, he set out north to meet the raiders and offer them gifts.
The young woman and her friends were heartbroken that their plans had been ruined, but they hoped that the young man would succeed. The wedding would merely be postponed and there would be years of happiness afterwards.
On the first day, the young woman and her friends busied themselves by picking berries and cutting beach grass.
On the second day, they sat more quietly and wove grass.
On the third day, the young woman sat even more quietly, but anxious and unable to sleep as she worried about the young man.
The young woman sat facing north for days. Days became weeks, and finally, exhausted, she lay down and slept.
Only after she had fallen asleep did news arrive that the raiders had refused the gifts and killed the Dena'ina men. All had perished.
The young woman's friends tried to wake her, but realized that the news would only grieve her. So they left her to sleep on.
Snow fell, covering the young woman in a white blanket. Still she slept on.
Spring came, green plants growing all around. Still she slept on.
Autumn turned the greens to reds and yellows. Still she slept on.
Centuries have now passed, and still Susitna, the Sleeping Lady, sleeps on. People are much smaller now, so she seems to be a giant, lying on her side. She will awake, some say, when the people of the world recall what it is to live in peace. And the young mand will return as well, and their marriage will be celebrated by all the nations of the earth."
Farther north there were other tribes. They did not know their place in the world and were not respectful of life. Wars raged amongst them, but still the Dena'ina lived in peace.
Among the Dena'ina, a young woman planned to marry a young man. The wedding day approached and the families were happy. The wedding would bring them together and make an even larger clan, and more people would be brought into the peaceful, respectful life.
Just before the wedding day, raiders came from the north, burning Dena'ina villages and killing families. Soon, they would reach the village of the young man and the young woman. The elders held a council to determine what the Dena'ina should do. Some said that they should fight. Others thought that they should flee. But the young man had another idea: that the Dena'ina should send a peaceful delegation to the invaders and offer them gifts. Why would the raiders harm the People if the People do not resist, but instead treat them with kindness?
The elders thought this was a fine idea and on the day that should have been the young man's wedding day, he set out north to meet the raiders and offer them gifts.
The young woman and her friends were heartbroken that their plans had been ruined, but they hoped that the young man would succeed. The wedding would merely be postponed and there would be years of happiness afterwards.
On the first day, the young woman and her friends busied themselves by picking berries and cutting beach grass.
On the second day, they sat more quietly and wove grass.
On the third day, the young woman sat even more quietly, but anxious and unable to sleep as she worried about the young man.
The young woman sat facing north for days. Days became weeks, and finally, exhausted, she lay down and slept.
Only after she had fallen asleep did news arrive that the raiders had refused the gifts and killed the Dena'ina men. All had perished.
The young woman's friends tried to wake her, but realized that the news would only grieve her. So they left her to sleep on.
Snow fell, covering the young woman in a white blanket. Still she slept on.
Spring came, green plants growing all around. Still she slept on.
Autumn turned the greens to reds and yellows. Still she slept on.
Centuries have now passed, and still Susitna, the Sleeping Lady, sleeps on. People are much smaller now, so she seems to be a giant, lying on her side. She will awake, some say, when the people of the world recall what it is to live in peace. And the young mand will return as well, and their marriage will be celebrated by all the nations of the earth."
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