At this time, I ask all those gathered here tonight who are first year summer campers to come forward in silence and sit before me to listen to the story I am about to tell.

IN SILENCE.

Many winters ago, before the white man came upon this land, the buffalo, deer, and elk ran freely across the great prairie. And many great nations of Indians followed. For they depended on these animals for their food and for their shelter. And they thanked the Great Spirit for the abundance of these animals, their brothers.

But, alas, greed and self-desire overcame these nations. Each nations wished to control the hunting grounds, refusing the other nations their right to live, their right to survive. The nations began to use their hunting weapons against their brothers of other nations. The hunters became warriors, finding the blood of their brothers upon their hands and upon their weapons. And it is told that the plains of our Mother the Earth turned red with blood.

The Grandfathers looked down from the heavens where the White Eagle flies and saw their sons killing each other. Knowing that this was not what he had taught his sons, the Great Spirit caused the buffalo, the deer, and the elk to disappear from the Earth. Son the human beings were starving and were without shelter. And the Grandfathers sent visions to the leaders of the many nations. Each vision showed a place where the buffalo, the deer, and the elk could be found, but only of the nations traveled together as brothers.

The Leaders of the many nations called their people together to form one great hoop. The people looked into each other's eyes and found the truth and the brotherhood of the Great Spirit. The nations traveled together for many moons, the line of people greater than two days. Many hardships were found upon the trail, but together, as brothers, they overcame these.

At last they came to this valley where you shall spend the next week. A great hoop was formed with the chiefs of the many nations at the center. After giving thanks to the Great Spirit and the four corners of the Universe, the chiefs passed a sacred pipe to each other, each pledging peace and brotherhood to the other.