Stoney Discoveries : Stoney Stories : Iktomni and Bear

Our summary of "Iktomni & Bear" told by;
Teagan, Kegan, Peter & Jenna

It is just about winter and Iktomni is sleeping in his bed. The big October winds are blowing outside and the autumn moon is big. Iktomni is sleeping in his lodge. He dreams of walking and singing with the Sleep Spirit Istumah Tata. Bear comes along and wakes Iktomni up. Bear chases Ikotmni and Iktomni chases Bear over the hill until they are both very tired. They both go back and fall asleep in Iktomni's lodge as the October winds keep blowing.

What did we hear in this story that we have heard in other stories?

• We have seen Iktomni, Waka Taga and bear in lots of Stoney stories. Sometimes as a trickster and sometimes serious.
• We heard about a bear and in lots of the stories there are lots of bears.
• We read about Old Man Moth a Sleep Spirit who lives under the earth and comes to Iktomni in his sleep and dances in his dreams. We hear a lot about spirits who come to visit or talk to people and do the same things. There are other Stoney stories that have dreams.
• Mother Earth is in lots of the stories.
• The moon is in the story to tell it is October and we think that it is used by the Stoney to tell time. It is very important

Why was this story told? We think...

• This is an entertaining story told to the children so that when they are adults they will be able to hunt.
• This story was like our bedtime stories for children.
• The elders liked passing this story on so that the children would learn and be safe