This Earth Is Our Right Of Passage

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The Story Of A Cherokee Boy's Right Of Passage

Chea Sequah was sitting on a branch of his favorite tree, forbiddingly smoking the tobacco that was beheld for the elders, as all youths who think they are men do.
"Aren't you scared" He heard the voice of his best friend and cousin Koatohee.
Chea Sequah acted like he didn't know what his cousin meant.
"What are you talking about, and why are you sneaking up on me like a squirrel?" But he knew exactly what Koatohee was referring to. Tonight was his night, the night he would become a man, he had just turned 13 years old and tonight was his rite of passage, the night he would leave his childhood behind and turn into a cherokee warrior
"Scared? I've been looking forward to tonight since 13 years you little coward."
Koatohee laughed out loud because he knew his cousin was bluffing and then passed him some tobacco he had rolled in a leaf. "I may be a year younger than you brave warrior," pausing to laugh again "but I still know that I am terrified of my rite of passage, and I know that you are too right now."
Chea Sequah tried to look seriously for a second, but then his face turned into a smile while his gaze fixated to the distant lands in front of him, cherokee land, their land. For generations and generations, brave cherokee warriors hunted, protected their kin, and fought off other tribes. To do so, they each had to pass their rite of passage, prove their heart, prove that they were fearless, that they were able to lead the tribe, defend the tribe, and if necessary, die for the tribe. When a boy turns 13 in that year he must spend a whole night in the deep forest, on his own, blindfolded, sitting on a stone, and must not move nor take the blindfold off or run away. It sounded childish at first thought, but only at first thought, he would be deep in the forests, a dangerous place full of wolves, bears, snakes, maybe hunters of other tribes, or even these white men who are from a place far away and could not speak the language of the lands. On his own, and far away from his tribe, he would have to prove that he had it in him, and what he didn't tell his cousin Koatohee was that he was terrified to the bone, but he didn't have a choice, it had to be done, and his father had chosen tonight, the night of the big moon. And he would also be the one who would lead him blindfolded into the forest, and then leave him there overnight. Once the boy survives the night he is a man, he cannot tell the other boys of his experience, each boy must come into his own manhood.
Two hours later the sun started to go down, and his father met him in front of their tent. Usually affectionate and kind, he suddenly had a serious and unforgiving face and stood there nodding his head in approval as he saw his son approaching. Chea Sequah saw his mother and saw tears in her eyes, but stopped looking at her after a few seconds, afraid that he too would shed a tear. The whole tribe had gathered, he saw Sequoyah, his uncle and father of Koatohee. Attakullakulla, the big chief of the tribe was there, and he also recognized his friends, waya and atsadi.
With a firm grip, his father held him by the shoulders and blindfolded his eyes. What struck him the most was the silence, and how seriously everyone took this occasion, making his heart beat even more, Chea Sequah was now so scared like never before in his life, and just prayed to the gods in the sky that he would survive the night, and become a warrior. Yes, a warrior! Wasn't that what he wanted to become? Make his father proud, his mother proud, and make the whole tribe look up to him. The thought of wearing the mark of the warrior on his face made him happy for a while, and clouded out the negative thoughts he had had the days prior.
After walking for what felt like eternity, his father told him to turn around and sit, he did just as he was told, and there behind him was the big stone of the warriors where he would spend the night. Without saying a word, his father disappeared, and after several minutes he knew he was on his own. The boy was terrified, he could hear all kinds of noises, beasts were all around him, maybe even some human would hurt him. The wind blew the grass and the earth, and it shook his stump, but he sat stoically, even as he heard the wolves howl he stayed there blindfolded, and didn't move an inch, when he heard the grizzly breathing down his neck, he didn't flinch, as he heard voices of other cherokee, who he knew they were from another tribe, he sat quietly and determined. As the rain came, he let it touch his hair and body without moving, he felt a snake crawling on his arm, and was fearing death but stayed vigilant, and a warrior at heart through out.
Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared, and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he saw his father, sitting on a stone next to him, at watch the entire night.
"Father." Chea Sequah said. "Congratulations, son. Now you are a cherokee warrior." he said with a smile on his face, as he passed him some tobacco rolled up in the leaf. Chea Sequah couldn't believe his eyes.
"What? You thought I didn't know you were smoking secretly upon your tree?" his father said "But don't tell your mother I gave you this."
Chea Sequah had to fight the tears, so emotional was this moment. His father had been there all night, watching out for his safety, and he, Chea Sequah, had been brave in front of his father's eyes. And even got offered the tobacco of the elders and grown men.
"Now Chea Sequah, we are more than father and son, we are two warriors of the same tribe."
Chea Sequah couldn't wait any longer, ran up to his father, and gave him a grizzly bear's hug.


(Note: I could not find the original author of this particular story. This story as it is written above is from the transcription of a YouTube video which did not cite the source, so this version may not be a word for word match of the original source material.
If you know where this story is from, or the original author, please let me know.
Thank you.)