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Council Tree
By Roland McCook, Sr.,
Northern
Ute
(Great-great grandson of
Chief
Ouray and Chipeta)
As a young tree I watched the Utes come and go,
I have heard the laughter, the
singing,
the tired groans
and the crying of the little ones,
I have witnessed the young ones
as they
played and
jumped from my young branches,
I have listened to the songs of
the elders
as the winters move
on and give way to the spring and
the
happy sounds
of the spring Bear Dance,
I have sheltered the Utes as they
hold
Council beneath my
branches, the leaders speaking with
wisdom
and foresight,
the young warriors talking of war to
protect
their
hunting grounds and the Ute way of
life,
I have stood here by the river
for many
winters since the
sounds of anguish and sobbing of the
Utes
as they
passed under my branches for the
last
time
leaving the Shining Mountains,
I have stood here listening and
watching
development
grow around my branches,
Then,
I hear a familiar sound of long
ago and
strain my
branches to hear more,
I hear the sounds of Drums long forgotten in this valley,
I hear the singing of the Flag
Song, Round
Dance, Bear Dance
and songs that make my leaves
flutter
in the wind,
I again see and hear the sounds
of laughter
and talking
of the Utes,
I am overjoyed to see the Utes
are back
dancing,
singing, and visiting with relatives,
I stand proud as do the Elders
who watch
from
among my old branches,
I am the Council Tree.