When I was a kid my Kookum Emily talked about what will change when I become a woman.

 

She told me once I’m a woman I need to help out the people. She told me I would now be attending wakes and funerals to cook and clean and help the families. So I started going to wakes with her. She would sit down with all the other older women. And motion me to head to the kitchen and serve the people food and drinks. She would motion too me to start cleaning. She told me the elderly  ladies job was too sit and pray and stay awake the last night of the wake and pray.

 

Sometimes I’d sit with them and I didn’t know what to do cause I wasn’t old lol I’d fall asleep n she would wake me up. She told me this work for the Creator in helping the people you are getting blessings for your children n grandchildren.

 

My late dad did the same, every year we would go cut wood and pick rocks for the sweat we attended. He would see me getting annoyed and I ask "why we cutting wood for someone else?" He told me that "Sweat, where we go pray that’s our home too. We need to take care of our home and we need to give back. Our prayers and the place we pray are important, that’s why we take care of it. We will be blessed in our family by helping out. The work is for Creator not that man who runs the sweat, it’s for Creator."

 

So I shut up and quit complaining and went to help the people.

Sad in this time what I see, some don’t believe in working for Creator and helping the people for blessings of life and love. It’s good for your spirit and family to help out those who are hurting.

 

I encourage the young ladies go cook and clean at wakes. Cook a pot of soup for feast go help where you can.

I encourage the young men, go help cut wood haul rocks go pick medicine for the ones who are getting old. Go hunt and bring meat for the wakes and funerals.

 

You go along ways by helping, you’ll learn a lot and it will help you grow.