I Carry C'anupa

Aho! Hello all those who read this BLOG.
Last night I took the plunge. I finished making C'anupa and I brought it to the Inipi Ceremony last night. I had the honor of being the Firekeeper for the ceremony, and it was a test to say the least. The wind was howling all day, and we were considering not having the sweat. At 4:30 P.M. the wind suddenly died down enough that I thought it safe to light the fire and get the Grandfather Stones ready for the Inipi. As soon as I got it lit, 'ol Ceyote poped his trickster head up from the clouds and the wind began it's onslaught once again.
Keep in mind that whaen an Inipi fire is lit, there is no turning back, and that had a direct relationship with the entire evening.
Our Sweat Leader was suddenly out in a town 60 miles away looking over a horse that he in considering buying, and the wood for the fire was burning fast. It was like a blowtorch from the wind. At about 8:00 P.M. the people began to show up, then came the time to put the C'anupa on the sacred mound. Before I did this, there was a Sundancer from the Porcupine Reservation, who asked me if I was going to do a Blessing Ceremony for that C'anupa. I gave it a little thought and said yes. I made a tobbacco offering to the Sweat Leader and requested the ceremony. He agreed to do it.
We loaded the C'anupa and placed it on the mound, and I hauled thsoe rocks in. 65 of them. Then I went in and was the Door Keeper as well. It was a man sweat, as there were no women in attendence at this sweat. A very rare occurance. On top of it all, there was this tremendous full Moon witnessing the entire ceremony.
After the 3rd round, The Sundancer told the Sweat Leader to tell me to get the C'anupa, and bring it in.
I will not tell you what was said in that lodge, as it is Wakan, and should not be discussed outside the lodge, but I will tell you this. I was given the opportunity to put C'anupa back on the mound and not be a carrier. But this I cannot, and will not do.
I am a C'anupa Carrier.
I will not do drugs EVER AGAIN! I will not drink alcohol EVER AGAIN! I will not lie EVER AGAIN! And when I am asked to do something in a good way I will do it. I will not be a violent person in any way. I will carry that C'anupa in a Wakan manner. I will pray with that C'anupa, and let others who have the right to pray with it do so as well.
The C'anupa does not belong to me, I belong to it, and I will walk in that manner on this C'unka Luta Was'te.
I will do this for the rest of my entire life, and I will do it with humility, and respect for the White Buffalo Calf Women who gave it to the Lakota people.
I AM LAKOTA!
Mitakuye Oyasin! Aho!