Issue link: https://owlkids.uberflip.com/i/1542780
24 Chickadee "This is a retelling of the story of Turtle Island. This story belongs to the Algonquian- and Iroquoian-speaking Peoples and has been passed down since time immemorial. It tells the story of how North America came to be." —Willie Poll E very year, I would come to this spot with Nokomis. She'd tell me the stories of our past and say that within these stories, we would learn who we are and who we would become. Nokomis loved the calmness of the pond water. It was so still that we could see our reflections. She always told me that the pond holds surprises, and that it was not as still as it appears. We'd sit for hours and watch this little pond come to life with dragonflies, frogs, and herons. Nokomis told me that although she loved to tell stories, the land is the true keeper of our stories. She passed on to the spirit world this year, but I still come to this place to remember her. A quiet voice whispered near me. "Are you here to hear my story?" I snapped out of my thoughts of Nokomis and leapt off my rock. "Who's there?" I shouted. I could hear small movements rushing through the trees. They were probably the squirrels and chipmunks. "Now, now, no need to shout and shake the place up. I'm down here," the voice said. Sitting on a log in the pond was Mishiikenh. His neck was outstretched from his shell, and I could see the bright orange and yellow lines that ran along his feet, his legs, and up to his head. My eyes widened in disbelief. He spoke again, calmly. 24 Chickadee