| ASANTE PAPA and the KEEWAYDIN WAY- - the Northwest Wind
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PAUL D. HAMMERSTEN " I brought to my reading of * True At First Light * an attitude of love and thankfulness for Ernest Hemingway and his work. ' In a flash of perception ' to use one of Papa's favorite sayings,while reading * True At First Light * I ' saw ' that Hemingway ,the great gift giver,both in life and in his ' Hemingway character ' in the book,had given us in his * Africa Book * his greatest gift. With his writing board on his lap and pencil in hand,while adrift on what he called ' the Great Blue River' that he loved,Papa created the grand design and a new prose style for his greatest book...* The Big Book * . My training in historical research and my background of Biblical studies helped me to stay afloat on and in the main current of * True At First Light * that concerns itself with one's journey with God. As I went on safari with Ernest Hemingway,he led me into and out of ' the dark night of the soul '. I followed him far enough along the path of shining light to allow him to bring me nearer to ' the True Light ' and a safe soul's harbor. " from Asante Papa! by Paul D Hammersten "...THE TRUE LIGHT THAT GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN WAS COMING INTO THE WORLD. " Prologue to the Gospel of John Holy Bible old King James THE NORTHERN CHEYENNE MOCASSINS WHERE MADE BY HAND FOR THE AUTHOR. WITH THE BEADWORK,TRADITIONAL CHEYENNE DESIGNS WERE CREATED THAT WERE IN USE AT THE TIME PAPA TRADED HIS EAGLE FEATHER IN LAME DEER AND ACQUIRED HIS MOCASSINS.
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THE DARKEST HOUR IS JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THERE IS A DAWN OF A NEW DAY. THE MORNING STAR SHALL SHINE. THE SON OF RIGHTOUSNESS WILL RISE WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS. GOD WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART AND A NEW START. . * True At First Light * is Papa's farewell valentine to the Africa that he loved. The story of his first valentine * Green Hills of Africa * begins on Valentines Day February 14th,1933. * True At First Light * concludes with what Papa loving wrote on Valentines Day Eve of 1956. * ASANTE PAPA! * is the first and only book to reveal the depth of Papa's heart for the Africa he loved. The defining moment for Papa and the ' Hemingway character ' in his * Africa Book * took place in Africa. For the very first time * ASANTE PAPA! * wonderfully brings to light this moment of truth. " I CAN SEE MYSELF RELAXING IN MY WEATHERED CANVAS SAFARI CHAIR. MOUNT KILIMANJARO LOOMS BEHIND ME AS I FACE TSAVO. ITS GLACIAL DOME WILL SHINE WONDER WHITE IN THE MOONLIGHT JUST AS IT DID WHEN PAPA,IN THE END,IN * TRUE AT FIRST LIGHT * WALKED HIS AFRICAN LAND. WHEN ONLY THE CREATURES OF THE NYIKA AND THE STARS ABOVE VENTURED FORTH,PAPA WALKED ALONE...ARMED ONLY WITH A SPEAR. HE USED THE SPEAR TO SWISH BEFORE HIM THE GRASSY SWALE THAT GREW ALONG THE SMOOTH DUSTY TRAIL. THE BLADES OF GREEN GRASS HUNG LOW WITH JEWELS OF DEWDROPS. THE SLOW SWINGING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF HIS SPEAR,THAT NIGHT MORE SHEPHERD STAFF THAN WEAPON,LET THE 8 FOOT COBRA KNOW THAT HE WAS APPROACHING. .WITH THE MOONLIGHT CRESTING THE SHOULDER OF THE MOUNTAIN BEHIND HIM,PAPA WALKED NORTH,THE GLASS BEADS ON HIS SOFT NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN DEERSKIN MOCCASINS GLISTENING AND SPARKLING IN THE LIGHT OF THE NIGHT. WET FROM THE DEW SOAKED THROUGH THE BRAIN TANNED,SNOW WHITE,BUCKSKIN. THE WATER WAS SO COLD ON HIS BARE FEET THAT HE DIDN'T NOTICE IT. ALONG THE TRAIL WERE FRESH TRACKS OF ANIMALS NEAR AT HAND. HE HOPED HE WOULD NOT RUN INTO ANYTHING HE WOULD HAVE TO KILL AS HE HAD OLD KITE. " from * ASANTE PAPA! * by Paul D. Hammersten |
