Chapters 14, 15 and 16 Summary

These chapters contain more narratives of the author's experiences with the tribe, and the lessons learned from those experiences.

"Totems." The author and members of the tribe discuss The Real People's relationship with totems, "emblems that are reminders of ancestry." Each animal has specific lessons to teach. The soaring falcon teaches to look at the larger picture; the kangaroo teaches to always move forward; and the spider teaches that things of necessity can also be beautiful. The dolphin teaches joy, and the snake teaches the shedding of the old to make room for the new. The Real People draw the animal in the sand saying they understand it but have not seen it and they say it is her totem. The author recognizes the picture as that of a cheetah, an animal who "would put the welfare of her cubs before...