“Raccoon” Raton Laveur (Rat Washer)

By Raven Nicolé (Singing Bird)

{And it was at that moment I knew she was fearless.}

One of my most fondest of memories that I have, as a little girl, is of my Mother, stampeding outside in the middle of the night, wrapped in her baby blue robe that she had owned for years, wearing her house slippers, with her jet black hair tossed up in a messy bun, ready to go to war with the “dumpster pandas”. The whole neighborhood was getting bullied by these fearless creatures. They owned the night and took claim to every trash can they could get into. They dared us to try something.

We were all sick and tired of waking up to the aftermath of their filthy wreckage…..but too scared to confront the fluffy gang.

However, my Mom and the Native warrior in her got tired of being cornered and pushed around by the beasts. She got tired of coming home after her midnight shifts at the hospital, waking up to seeing trash sprawled everywhere. So one night, she grabbed her BB gun, went outside, aimed it at the giant oak tree in our yard……where generations of raccoons were head-quartered, as she loaded up, the tree became decorative like a Christmas tree in December , adorned with white lights. Only, the white lights were countless glaring eye balls, curiously threatened by the lady dressed in skin. The next thing I heard, was…….”POP¡ POP¡ POP¡ POP¡ POP¡” Next I heard scattering. No raccoons were harmed in the process…….that I could see. Fed up? Understatement. Crazy? Quite possibly. On PETAS favorite list? Heck no. But one thing was for certain….It was at that moment that I knew she was fearless!

A life lesson that I learned from that scenario, was to face my fears. Face my bullies and conquer them. Suit up and become that Indian warrior Woman that I was born to be. Stand circumspectly in the presence of danger and never back down. One of me, with God on my side, can face an army of rabid vipers, and win.

(John 1:9)

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”