Running With the Wolves!

The Wolf is held in the highest regard by my people The Nuu-chah-nulth. The Wolves are naturally territorial. It’s that devotion to home and family that puts the wolf in such high regard. This is a belief of my family and my people, and this is my dream, where I was "Running With the Wolves!"

          The best part of dreams is using ones imagination. This dream in particular was quite short yet very powerful. It’s like I awoke from natural reality, I could hear the ocean waves flowing through the pebble beach of Ma’acoa a small village located adjacent to Toquart bay. The full moon shone ever so brightly, and it was especially nice to see reflecting off the ocean water. It was then I heard the howling of the wolves they were all around me. I then stood, and the wolves stood as well. I sat and the wolves also sat. They were playing a game so from my sitting position I leapt and hit the ground running. The wolves also ran at my side, it was like we were racing. So I ran as fast as I could and the beach was coming to an end I could see the trail. I then thought to myself, Follow my lead!

          I too wanted to play a game, I started to run as fast as I could through the parts of the woods I knew best . The wolves could not be shaken.  Then I let the next wolf lead and I went to the back of the pack. I think they thought it a challenge and they too ran through the woods using the trails and terrain that they know best, but I could not be shaken, I was Running With the Wolves. This carried on with different wolves taking the lead, I soon found myself in the middle of the pack as we ran through the woods. I was having a moment of a life time. It was then I awoke, awoke feeling alive full of happiness and joy for I was surrounded by the ones I admire the most. The Grey Wolf

We the Nuu-chah-nulth are from the western side of Vancouver Island, and our wolves are a sub species of the Grey Wolf! The Vancouver Island Wolf (canis lupis crassodon) is not only, the only species of wolf we have, but they are also apex predators. The top of the food chain predators with no natural predators of their own. The Alpha pair that leads will have grown adult  children, juveniles and pups a multi generational pack life. The Wolves would do anything for pack and the pack’s territory. One way they mark their territory is singing, or should i say howling letting others know this is my house.

          It was with that inspiration of wolf’s devotion to family and territory, that I decided to share the story of my dream with my uncle and mentor. I said t him uncle I had a dream i was running with wolves. He asked, Were they chasing you? I replied No, and he said good now tell me the rest of your dream. I told him as I told you all here and he was smiling and nodding through my story. He then said it must have been on that beach where you found your wolf spirit.  He also said it was time I started to teach the other wolves to lead, and then maybe then will your dream continue. I certainly hope so, for that moment Running with the wolves before I awoke was truly amazing!

I woke up one morning thinking about wolves and realized that wolf packs function as families. Everyone has a role, and if you act within the parameters of your role, the whole pack succeeds, and when that falls apart, so does the pack. ~ Jodi Picoult



     Photo Collage Courtesy of FaceBook page:  The Beauty of Wolves!