Prayer Tree
15" X 20" acrylic on illustration board and is framed.
$495.00 certified check or money order. Price includes shipping in the continental U.
S.
Contact me at: finelinegallerymail@gmail.com if you are interested.
When I lived in Missoula, Montana in the 1990's, I used to drive south
on U.S. 93 to Lolo Pass to cross-country ski. I always passed an ancient
Ponderosa Pine that had colorful cloth and other items hanging from
its branches. It is called the Medicine Tree and is sacred to the
Salish Tribe. The cloth and other items were offerings from tribal
members and others.
A storm blew the tree down in 2001, but the pine cones were retrieved to
plant and grow a new tree by the Salish. Tribal leaders decided to
leave the remaining 16 foot snag standing and people continue to leave
offerings and pray on the sacred site. For my painting I placed my
iconic tree, decorated with prayer flags, in the Bitterroot Mountains,
with Trapper Peak in the background.
Below is a short history of the original Medicine Tree from the State of Montana web site:
MEDICINE TREE
This
Ponderosa Pine has been standing guard here on the bend of the river
for nearly 400 years. Somewhere, imbedded in its trunk, a few feet above
the ground, is the horn of a Big Horn ram, the basis of a legend which
across the centuries has established the historical significance of
the pine as a Medicine Tree. Once upon a time, when the tree was small,
according to Salish Indian lore, a mountain sheep of giant stature and
with massive, curling horns, accepting a challenge from his hereditary
enemy Old Man Coyote, attempted to butt it down. The little pine stood
firm, but one of the ram's horns caught in the bole, impaling the
luckless sheep, causing his death. A Salish war party chased the coyote
away from his anticipated feast and then hung offerings of beads,
cloth, ribbon and other items on the ram's horns as good medicine
tokens to his bravery and to free the scene of evil. Countless
succeeding Indian tribes followed the practice until, less than 100
years ago, the horn disappeared within the tree. But the Indians
continue to regard it as a shrine an even the white men honor its sacred legend.
U.S. 93, MP 20, south of Darby, Montana
