Many moons ago, in a time before our forefathers were born. Things were a lot different than they are now days. There were no televisions or radios, video games or even microwaves to heat your food. But there was running water, in fact it usually ran by the edge of your camp.

I am reminded of a story about a young Indian boy, much the same age as most of you. Now the Indians did not measure time as we do in terms of years. They measured time by events... for instance, three moons past the roll of the great rock down the mountain. Just before the tree fell. The most popular time measurement however was that of a harvest or planting time. Another thing most of the tribes did was watch...They watched the heavens, earth, weather, animals, birds, etc. Why, you may ask did they do that? Well believe it or not that is how most of the Indians got their names. Just like your name may be John, or Billy, Andy or Mike, it remains with you all of your life. The Indians however gave each person a chance to change their name, depending of course on a particular event or feat that had taken place in that person's life.

One mild fall night an average Indian mother named Moon Glow gave birth to an average baby boy. There was no real labor involved in the childbirth. The child did not cry or misbehave like others did when they were born. No wolf howled at the moon, no comet streaked across the sky. There was absolutely no out of the ordinary signs that could be used to name this boy-child. Puzzled by the situation the mother asked her husband if this could be a curse. Angry Pony the baby's father was just as puzzled as Moon Glow. Not to be stifled though by his son not having a special name, he told his wife that his son's name would be a question to the Gods. The boy’s name would from that day forth be named "Why". A question which Angry Pony fully expected an answer very soon.

Well, as usual we don't always get an answer that we want in life. Why grew to average stature, neither large or short, not overly muscular, yet not scrawny as some of his playmates. In the games the children played, he neither excelled or failed. He was.....average. One very cold afternoon his family sat huddled around the fire inside their wigwam. When Why asked if he could go outside and play, his father said "No." Now I don't know how much you know about the Indians respect for their elders, but if your father said no then it was no. Well here comes the hitch, "Why not?" demanded Why. His mother drew her blanket tighter because she knew what was about to happen. Her husband didn't get the name Angry Pony for no reason. No answer did Angry Pony give his son, "Well father, why not?" again he questioned his father's authority. Finally Angry Pony gave a wave of his hand as if to say go ahead I don't care. You see, all the other braves had been giving him a hard time because his son was so very average. Angry Pony was very, very discouraged.

Unaffected by his father's discouragement, Why wasted no time in departing for the great outdoors. His friends were surprised to see him, because they knew how their parents had talked around the cook fires every night. Angry Pony had a bad reputation for being a very strict taskmaster. A new freedom, a new power over people, this is how Why felt. There's nothing I can't do or have by simply saying "Why not" thought Why. Well as it will,time passed and Why progressed up the ladder of importance simply by asking "Why not". One day his father was made chief of the tribe due to the death of the old chief, his brother Tall Pine. One of Why 's friends remarked behind his back one day that he wondered if Why would ever become chief. Of course he said it loud enough for Why to hear. Why calmy turned around and loudly responded so that everyone could hear, "Well, Why not?".

I'm not sure whether ole Why ever became chief or not, but history tells of a tribe upriver from where he was born called the Whydots. And that's a fact! There's an old saying that goes something like this " Actions, good or bad, speak louder than words" Remember what you say because others will, but most important never forget what you do because others won't.