The day is coming to its end for this special feast time. The harvest has been plentiful, the hunting’s successful, and the village is content with the thanksgiving celebrations. Songs full of stories of how the people and the buffalo have come to live in balance together, how the prayers for food and well-being have been met through the sacrifice of brother and sister buffalo. Praise and thanks also to Creator Father for His wisdom and watchful eye as He peers over the tops of the clouds pleased with the people’s offerings of love, respect, and honor.

Special care and attention is being given to Buffalo Woman by the Guardians, the Warrior, and the Elder, no one is allowed to know where she resides. If her life should come to an unfortunate end the existence of the buffalo on the earth would come to an end as well. In fact, not even the Warrior knows where this special place is, no one can find it by looking for it, the only way to go there is to listen to the Spirits’ leading. He may take the wrong path by relying on his visual senses, so he prayerfully closes his eyes and trusts with his whole heart that listening to the Spirits voice will lead him to the sanctuary of safety. Making time of personal fasting and consecration, the Warrior can be led in this mystical way, a prideful heart could not respond to the whispers of the wind. The Warrior’s most significant role in life is to lead while being led.

This image of the warrior is also a self portrait of the artist. He desires to be in that place of humility to find his role, to find the path and to find peace and safety for others. To live contentedly in the tradition of his ancestral heritage with love, respect, and honor.

Written by Fernando Padilla, Jr. © 1989 Padilla of San Felipe