Remembering Chief David Salmon

I awoke this morning looking out the window to a glowing light from the sunrise. A golden light color from the clouds and fog that had enveloped the dark green on the boreal forest here on the Permafrost Ranch. Sitting here in my chair thinking of todays events to come with a memorial to Chief David Salmon and remembering the past.

The year was 2007, it was July and the out look for the weather that day was Rain, Windy and Cold. The Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwows second day events were about to begin. The morning had been just as predicted, cold wet and windy. Chief David Salmon was on hand for the days activities. Knowing Bob Maquire had a Athabascan Rain Chaser, I asked if Chief David would use it to chase the rain away. He agreed, and soon was in the circle explaining about what he was going to do. He made small joke about the rain chaser he was using. I guess it didn't have the correct end to hang on to attached, but nonetheless he commenced to swing the rain chaser in the four directions and said a prayer to chase the cold and rain away. There wasn't many people there in the stands, and people were just starting to filter in the gate. Still, you just got to believe it will work, that's what Chief David Salmon had just said about the rain chaser. You got to believe.

Believe it, or not within 10 to 15 minutes after his prayer and the swinging of the Rain Chaser. The clouds lightened and begin to lift, the sun came out and within an hour the weather turned warm and beautiful. We had a great Powwow that year and that day was so special.

Remembering that day, the day Chief David Salmon chased the Rain Away.