It’s a dog’s life

By Jolene Banning

Chaga is a traditional medicine used by my ancestors forever and a day. It is known for curing cancers. It is smoked in the pipe. It is used for fire ceremony. We find it in the forest.

Dogs, too, are medicine. In my case, my dog Riley has brought me much health and healing. Sure, I often moan about her. From the get-go she had issues— a bum hip. I was faced with making the choice to keep her or trade her in for a new model. I choose to keep her and let her live her life out with me as her keeper.

I asked Riley to bring me medicine while out for a walk one day, and she brought me Chaga.

Not long into our walk, I decided we were getting off the beaten trail. I saw a cut in the road that someone must have cleared for driving. As I step off the main road and onto the forest road, I give thanks to Creator for all I have and the land. I also talk to my dog, for two reasons: she’s the only one around to talk to and I want all animals nearby to hear us, to know we’ve entered their territory.

I told Riley that chaga grows on the side of birch trees. I showed her some mushrooms to say this is what I mean when I say it grows on the side of the tree. We veer off-trail and circle the birch we come across. I tease Riley about getting lost and I laugh. Sometimes I think I have real comedic skill. Then again, my audience is a dog. As we make our way out of the bush, I say to Riley, “Well my girl, we didn’t find any this time but we will. Creator will show us.” She then does this head tilt and looks at me the way she does. I continue, “Oh? You know the way out of here and you know where the Chaga is? Okay—I should just follow you, eh? Okay— go on then—go show me the Chaga.”

Riley goes down the main cut log road and veers down another path and another. She turns around to look at me to make sure I’m keeping up. I say, “Did you find the Chaga? Did you find the medicine?” and catch up to where she is sitting. I look to the tree in front of where she is sitting and see Chaga.

I once read a Facebook story by artist Isaac Murdoch. He wrote about how strong the connection is between the Creator and animals—everything is spiritual and animals play a role in spiritual interaction. I often think about that when I’m with my dog. She’s not here to just keep me company or bark when someone’s at the door. She has a spirit, she has a right to love and respect and to live a full life. I need to honour her. By doing so, I also get honoured by asking for what I need and receiving it. Together, we are spending time on the land, getting our medicines. Afterall, we are our own medicine.