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Animated
Here in the den you are part of the pack.
In the pack there is a ranking system,
from alpha(first)to beta(last).
The alpha
leads the pack,all other's follow.
The beta
does what all other pack members tell it to do
and if you are new to the den
you are the beta and so on.
Early American Indians and settlers
existed together in harmony with the wolf.
Respected as a wise and cunning hunter,
many of the wolf's ways were adopted by these pioneers.
It wasn't until the white man became a "shepherd",
later to be known as the rancher;
raising livestock for food instead of hunting wild game, that the wolf became a threat to him, and therefore his enemy.
The inherent nature of the white man is to
control that which he does not understand,
otherwise destroy it.
As he began to hunt wild game as a sport,
this further decreased the wolf's popularity. As a result,
he set out to destroy the wolf and nearly succeeded.
As civilization rapidly progressed,
he continued to distance himself further from the wilderness,
while the wolf remained a wild predator.
Today,
the wolf represents the symbol of our wilderness,
a world which man has long since forgotten.
We are just now making the attempt to protect and preserve the wolf as an endangered species.
The future survival of the wolf depends on whether
this mystical creature can been seen at last,
for what it really is - an exceptionally interesting
part of our wildlife heritage and an outstanding representative of that wilderness,
which we are belatedly trying to preserve.
One must understand the wolf in the wild to truly appreciate his inherit right to exist.
In their own world,
wolves can maybe teach us to see their species in a new light.
Have we waited until it is too late to learn to
understand this mysterious yet highly controversial animal and give them the acceptance they deserve?
Do we dare take a new look at the wolf,
to see what is really behind that mask of the myths formed from our own fear of the wilderness,
a world yet untamed?
Man is only just beginning to reach a simple knowledge of the wolf.
The secrets remain hidden beneath a veil of misunderstanding.
Man does not see the world of the wolf
in it's proper perspective and does not know how to come to terms with it.
Instead, he believes that we are the masters of creation and he
refuses to accept that the animals are the ones
who are constantly in touch with the realities by which we live and die.
But, the wolf can teach us.
With it's uncanny perceptions,
and a social structure that closely resembles our own,
wolves challenge us to be wise.
We need a wiser and perhaps more mystical concept of wolves.
Man surveys the wolf through the glass of his knowledge,
and sees a feather magnified, and the whole image is distorted.
We patronize them for their incompleteness,
for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves.
And therin we err.
For no animal shall be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours,
they move finished and complete,
gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained,
living by voices we shall never hear.
They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations,
caught with ourselves in the net of life and time,
fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.
On Knowing The Wolf
There are still too many people in this world who hate wolves.
Most would change their minds, if they could share my experience.
One must understand the wolf
in the wild to truly appreciate the animal.
We humans judge wolves by our own standards. However,
in their own world, up there in the high arctic where human standards are sparse,
this wolf pack can maybe teach us think about their species in a different way.
By sharing the life of this pack
that I have had the extreme privilege of knowing,
I hope I can help other people to see the wolf for what it is:
One more magnificent species,
superbly adapted to contend with it's harsh environment,
and highly deserving of our understanding and acceptance.
Cheyenne
Marlene Elder

 

My best friend is truly misunderstood
She comes from nature like the earth and wood.
All the misconceptions about her, she must defend
They can't see, she has the gentleness of the wind. My friend is mischevious; that's not just a rumor
But it's only her way of showing a sense of humor.
She has love and respect for the human race
Which never seems to be returned; what a disgrace. My friend has a heart full of loyalty and love
Her grace and beauty were gifts from above.
She loves to frolic and run just for fun
Otherwise it's shade she seeks, to be out of the sun. There are times you may not see her standing there
But, of your presence, you can bet she is aware.
When I look into her eyes, I see age old intelligence
When others see her, in fear they wince. I love to watch my friend as she runs so free
Because my friend is a beautiful grey wolf, you see.

The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness
Now halt your minds
and listen to their cry
From northern alters
formed of snow and ice,
Beneath celestial curtains
in their sky,
The wolves give evensong
of sacrifice.
All creatures stop-
transfixed
by somber hymns
Which rise from frozen
mountains to the stars
To one whose understanding
never dims,
Who walked with man
and also bears the scars.
The howling joins the wind
which sweeps the earth
Angelic zephyrs sing
like flute and fife
And reach the ears of one
who from his birth
Has dared deny
the sacredness of life.
This man, now trembling,
sees upon his wall
A young wolf's head he shot-
to his distress,
That prophet's head brings
judgement on us all,
Like one who also cried
in wilderness.
So listen now-
we may not have so long;
Please listen to the crying
voice and care,
And pray that we may never
end the song
Of wolves and wind
that fills the arctic air.
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