Long ago, before your kokums and mushums were even born, the Elders told a story — a special story, like a flame passed from hand to hand, heart to heart.
They said one day, there would come a time when the world would stand at a great fork in the path — two trails winding through the forest of life.
One path would look broken. The trees along it would be tired, the rivers would run dry, and people would forget how to listen to the birds, the wind, or even each other. That path was made by forgetting.
But the other path?
That one would be green and glowing. The trees would whisper again. The water would sing. That path would be made by remembering.
“That time is now,” said the Elder by the fire, his voice soft like the smoke rising to the stars. “The old ones call it the time of the Eighth Fire.”
“What’s the Eighth Fire?” a child asked, holding her braid in her hands.
The Elder smiled.
“It’s not just a fire. It’s a choice.
It’s a promise we made long ago.
It’s the light inside your heart that knows how to care for the land, how to love one another, and how to walk in a good way.”
The children leaned in.
“Who will light the fire?” they whispered.
“You will,” the Elder said, touching each of their hearts with his feather.
“The young ones. The ones who dream in two worlds — one old, one new. The ones who speak the language of both sorrow and hope. You will carry this fire, and the ones who came before will walk beside you.”
“But we’re just kids,” said the boy in the red shirt.
The Elder nodded.
“Even a small spark can light the way when the night is dark.”
And so, the children looked at each other. They saw courage in their eyes. They felt the footsteps of their ancestors behind them. And in their hearts, something warm began to glow.
They would learn the old songs.
They would protect the land.
They would speak the truth, even when it was hard.
They would walk the green path — together.
And in doing so, they would not just follow the prophecy.
They would become it. 
—Kanipawit Maskwa
John Gonzalez
Standing Bear Network
