IKASHA
AN ANCIENT LOVE
Ikasha’s Love Song
Since millennia the Salish people have the cultural tradition that when an important ceremony or event takes place that the involved person experiencing the rite can or will receive a “Spirit Song” either as a gift from an ancestor, Elder, dream or Fasting quest to guide them through and give the necessary strength and vision to successfully complete the ceremony.
I was blessed with a dream including such a song.
In my dream a lady dressed in black from head to foot in flowing cloth came towards me humming a tune but did not speak to me. I knew, even though no words were exchanged, that she was Bulgarian and I instantly remembered the Salish Elders truism “We cannot question or criticise that which comes from the Spirits”.
Bulgarian is a culture and people I have had no contact with other than I have heard a handful of traditional instrumentals and songs from them that are absolutely amazing and breathtaking.
I listened intensely to the Melody to remember the tune and kept very strongly in mind what the elders once said to me.
I awoke with this very urgent desire to share my dream with my wife and just like in my dream I hummed what I had heard.
My Wife laughed when she heard the melody and said “That’s The Streets of Laredo”!
I did not know what the song “The Streets of Laredo” was but did a bit of research on the internet and found that it was a western ballad (Cowboy song in an Indian dream!) but dug deeper and found the melody had travelled over to America from Ireland 150 -200 years ago but that versions of it were throughout Europe possibly originating from the far east through Turkey. Well maybe my Bulgarian dream woman was giving me a song that had once circled the globe and we just do not know of its true origins and anyway I remembered again our elder’s truism.
Humming my now accepted dream melody (Blood Enemies sometimes become the deepest of friends - Re: Cowboys and Indians - Reconciliation) within about an hour or 2 I had written the words to Ikasha’s song and recorded it. If I stopped for a second humming I heard no more words but if I continued humming the Bulgarian woman’s melody the words flowed like from a waterfall. This all took place not in a sound studio with professional sound engineers but at home in Grand Forks on my old Toshiba Laptop.
That is what you will hear and read in the text below.
It is our Shining Raven Woman Project “Ceremonial Dream Song”
“Simple is best and less is more”
The rocks so hard and the path so long
My friend the wind passes over my cheek
Remembrance tickles my mind and I see you
Eternal Journey to seek you my love
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
I’ve been travelling the stars since the birth of time
Always a wondering where I will find you
Dreamt of our valley our distant sweet valley
Our home of two rivers yearning to be one
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
Simple the dream being clouded by tears
Ages of toiling numbing my will
Many have lost the sound of dear silence
And fell on the stones never going home
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
The drum of the waves wake their deep slumber
Dawn’s a rising and ending night’s reign
My hope lives on and is the last to perish
I see the sun setting on our old trek
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
I know the course passes this very dark evening
Eager I tread our final league home
Stumbling and reeling deep through the bushes
Catching a glimpse of your sparkling blue gaze
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
Guiding me onwards to a life I’ve yet known
I hear white raven calling your name
No need to rush on but follow wave’s rhythm
Hold my hand and hear my plea
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
Touch my heart with love and tenderness now
What can I do for my ancient girl?
Need we not a lodge of earth and stone?
Down at the river’s enchanted edge
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
There we’ll dance and sing our hearts’ love
Finding the peace which we all deserve
The darkness is gone and light abounds
Ending this voyage of being apart
Drink freely of my water so cool and pure
Star blessing sweeping my furrowed brow
White Wings of beauty tell her of my heartache
Carrying my hope of seeing her again
David Seven Deers - July 11, 2020
