Snowflakes, messengers of the ancestors
Snowflakes: Messengers of the Ancestors
In Atikamekw culture, winter is a sacred time when nature rests under a blanket of white. Snowflakes, far more than mere ice crystals, are seen as messengers from the ancestors . According to this legend, each snowflake carries a blessing or message for the living, bringing comfort, protection, and wisdom during the harshest months.
The Legend of the Snowflakes
Once upon a time, in a time when humans lived in harmony with nature, there was a village nestled in the heart of vast, snow-covered forests. Winter, in this corner of the world, stretched on, enveloping everything under a pristine white blanket. The nights were silent; only the branches creaked under the weight of the snow, and the stars twinkled in a deep black sky.
The elders used to tell the children, "Each snowflake is a messenger. It carries with it a blessing from the ancestors." It was said that beyond the visible world, the spirits of the ancestors lived in a luminous place, where cold did not exist and time stood still. From there, they watched over the living, especially during winter, when the earth seemed asleep and hearts sometimes grew dark in the face of the silence.
Kaskina and the Secret of the Snowflakes
One evening, a little girl named Kaskina sat by the fire with her grandfather. Outside, the snow was falling gently.
"Grandpa, why does it always snow in winter?" she asked.
The old man, wrapped in a blanket, smiled and replied, "Because winter is a sacred time, my dear. The snowflakes, so small and delicate, are the spirits of our ancestors who come to speak to us. When a snowflake touches your cheek, it whispers a message to you: don't forget that you are never alone ."
Kaskina listened, her eyes wide open. "And what do the ancestors say?"
The grandfather raised his hand towards the window, where the snow danced beneath the moon. "They say we must take care of each other, be patient, and stay connected to the earth. Every winter, they remind us that after the cold always comes renewal."
A message passed down from generation to generation
Kaskina looked at the snowflakes with new eyes. She now remembered what her mother often told her: "When you walk in fresh snow, leave light footprints, for the snowflakes have crossed the sky to come to us."
That night, as she drifted off to sleep under her blanket, Kaskina dreamed of a vast sky filled with snowflakes that shone like stars. Each one carried a message of love, peace, and protection, gently descending to earth to warm human hearts.
A teaching that remains alive
And ever since, in the villages where winter reigns, children go out to play in the snow with respect and wonder. They reach up to the sky to catch the snowflakes and whisper: "Thank you, my ancestors, I hear you."
Thus ends this legend, passed down by the elders to remind everyone that in the silence of winter, snowflakes are more than a natural phenomenon. They are messengers from the ancestors , come to remind us that life, even in its greatest tranquility, is full of love and promise.
Sources and references
- Hébert, M. (2020). Legends and stories of the First Nations . Hannenorak Publishing.
- Oral legends collected from the Atikamekw elders of Manawan.
- Dumont, R. (2018). The sacred knowledge of indigenous peoples . Montreal: Écosociété.
