Storytelling enriches life, teaches respect

Native American shares stories at Life-Living Series

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Native American storyteller Colin Wesaw of St. Croix entertained a crowd of about 200 at New Ulm Middle School Monday night with his unique style and humor.

Wesaw, who is originally from Chicago, is part Pottawatamee and part Mohawk. He has told stories for 18 years to people of all ages. His focus was "Learning Respect Through Storytelling."

"My mother told me it's important that you know who you are," he said. "I grew up hating non-Indians. I'm part white. I had to come to grips with that. I am proud of everything I am."

He received his storytelling ability from his parents who passed on their traditions before they died.

"We are all storytellers in some way," he said. "We miss a part of our society today by not telling stories to our children. Television is why our children are the way they are. You can always learn from a good story."

Wesaw's stories are Native American and describe a way of life.

"You're going to hear what you want to hear from these stories," Wesaw said. "You will hear things that can change your life."

As an example, he asked audience members for an interpretation of the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Five different people gave different interpretations of the same story.

"What that story says to me is how lonely life will be if a person continues to lie," Wesaw said. "His only friends will be other liars."

He told a story about a boy who picked up a snake, which eventually bit him. Although the boy knew the snake's potential danger, he picked up the creature anyway. The story is about right and wrong, Wesaw said.

"Although we know the harm of things, we take them into our bodies, and teach our children to do the same things," Wesaw said.

Another story told of a man who requested that his son take his grandfather into the forest and leave him against a tree. The boy said he would do the same thing to him when he got older. The father told him to bring the old man back.

"If you want respect from your elders, you must treat them with respect," Wesaw said.

The story of a beautiful girl who picked up a frog in a pond and criticized him for being the ugliest frog she had ever seen illustrated the consequences of negative criticism. That night, the girl was awakened by a sound outside her tent. It was a good looking man who asked her to marry him. They went into the lake and disappeared. She ended up on an island surrounded by frogs.

"How many of you have ever called a name, or been hurt by a name?" he said. "Words cause so much pain they can cause wars and hate. Stop and think about that pain before you call a name. It starts with each one of us. You have the power to put people in a box. That's the story about the girl and the frog."

Another story focused on a man with three dogs who went on a hunting trip. The dogs started to lag behind as the man continued following an ever-widening trail. He found an old tree surrounded by bones. A huge beast came out of the tree. The man ran as two of the dogs stayed to fight the beast. Led by the third dog, he made it back to the village.

"Everything has a purpose on this earth," Wesaw said. "Animals need love. Believe in animals and their love will come back to you someday."

Wesaw was the first presenter for the annual Life-Living Series, sponsored by United Way, District 88 Community Education, and Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth. The presentations continue at 7 p.m. each Monday through Feb. 5.

The next program will be 7 p.m. Monday when Joanne Ardolf Decker presents "Making the Moments Count, "addressing the importance of leisure as a balancing force in life.

Continuing education credits are given to child care workers and adult care providers who attend the sessions.