Michial Garvin was told stories by his aunt & uncle, Roberta and Tony Engavo. His uncle told him the story of Old Man Cedar. Thousands of years ago, an old medicine man asked the Creator to stay on the Earth when it was his time to go on into the afterlife. He told the Creator he needed to stay behind to watch over and protect the people of his tribe. Creator allowed this old man to stay behind, turning him into a Cedar tree. Michial shares how the cedar is used for prayer and medicinal purposes. When cedar is used, it is the old man helping his people.
Indigenous people are labeled the keepers of the Earth because of the knowledge held and kept by them. By living in balance with nature, this knowledge helps protect and heal what they know as Mother Earth. Plants must be collected and used with respect and prayer. It is only by utilizing these resources in the proper manner that they bestow their gifts upon you.
All living things are sacred. They live in harmony with one another. The healing of all people and beings is possible by living with one another in balance and harmony.
The Wyoming cedar has many important uses for the Shoshone, but many types of cedars exist and are important to their local tribes. Indigenous people were able to thrive by utilizing the gifts of their natural surroundings.
NOTE: There are no true cedars native to North America. True cedars grow in Europe and Asia and are in the Pine family. “False cedars” here in America are also called “New World Cedars” and botanically are in the Cypress family. Technically Michial is referring to Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper)
