light
cigarettes. The charcoal is then put back on the fire. They all take
puffs of cigarettes and utter prayers to the Unknown and this is the
seal of the relationship between the "greats" and the "humans."
Of these great gods are three. One is Do-moi-ung-daki, the earth god,
sometimes known as mother. When they pray to the earth mother
they reach down and touch the earth and pray, "Mother, look upon
me and have mercy. May our Indian life prosper and be better in the future."
The second is Be-ger-daki. Spirit god - sometimes Sun God. The third
is "In Between God;" this is the god who joins the Earth and
Spirit Gods and is in between them, is also known as "messenger
god." The winds and birds are part of this "In Between God"
and help join the Earth and Spirit. When the prayers begin the messenger
gods begin to weave back and forth. They begin to lay designs, the
prayers are designs. Out of the prayers new designs become visible. "Take
my prayer, Oh 'In Between God' and hold it in the palm of your hand.
Help my life," one might pray. Or to the Earth God, "Take
my life and nourish me. Look after me and give me the right food for
my life. Take me back again after my life is over." Or to the Spirit
or Sun god, "Watch over me and save my spirit." The messenger
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