Two Canoes
Told by
Richard Clark Eckert
{Note: The following is an adaptation of a teaching story told to Richard on the Bad River Reservation, Wi.
The original identified the two canoes as *traditions* and *Christianity*..Ish}
- Reminds me of a story about a man/woman who thought they could paddle two
canoes at the same time, standing up no less. One foot in the one canoe
and the other foot in the other canoe. When the waters were smooth and
calm they was actually able to do this. Of course it was more difficult
than walking and chewing gum at the same time, but it was not impossible
either. After following the creek meandering through the rez s/he
came to the outter boundaries. Everything would have been fine but years
back the Army Corps of engineers decided to build a recreational area and
installed a damn, a marina, and a few other items of national insecurity.
Because of the dam s/he was faced with the dillemma of having to portage
two canoes at the same time. Fortunately they decided to do one task at a
time, but exactly in exactly the same way. They then managed to get the
two canoes in the water again. Again they put one foot in one canoe and
one foot in the other. But before too long the waters got rough.
Navigating became impossible. Picking one canoe over the other was an
option, but then the other canoe would be left to drift aimlessly.
Getting ripped apart was another option, and of course grabbing the life
jacket and jumping ship was a last resort. I stood on shore watching
this. Somewhat chukling -- thinking that the person must have been able to
see that this would happen. Who with any marbles left would take such a
course? I would love to think that I was able to find the answer myself,
but I was not. It wasn't until I saw the names of the canoes that it
occurred to me. S/he was already well on their way to drowning and the
empty canoes had painted on the side "Natives and Native Nations" on
one and on the side of the other canoe it read "BIA". Then I noticed that
the paddle was floating towards the shore where I stood. Reaching down I
grabbed it. Do you know what words were engraved in that paddle? I bet
they used a wood burning tool. On the side of the paddle it read,
"Political Apppointee."
Richard C. Eckert
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