Welcome.

I’ve read a most interesting book lately entitled, “He Walked the Americas” written by L. Taylor Hansen and first published in the 1960’s. Though I didn’t agree with all written content, I would still rate the book as valuable and informative.

In short, it is a collection of very ancient legends from sundry tribes throughout America, the islands, and Central and South America, all of whom speak of a prominent figure who came among them. Each ancient nation had their own name for Him, among them the following: Prophet (used in every nation), The Healer, Pale God, The Lord of Wind and Water, Waicomah, The Fair God, Wakea, Emeeshee Totl, Ee-seeco-tl (of note, tl meant Lord), He of the White Robe, Tah-co-pah, Wis-ab-co, and the Great Azoma.

Interestingly, the overwhelmingly majority of these legends thus described this Prophet: brown hair with reddish highlights, curly, shiny hair, lofty features, eyes the color of the deep sea or by other accounts, with grey-green eyes, a voice of magic, one that “tamed the enemy with love,” a “musical voice.” This was a being whose “very touch revealed divinity,” “a man very holy,” one who was “kindly disposed” and although living in the present, the “future was about Him.”

He always came with his feet shod with golden sandals and wearing a long, white toga or robe. Most accounts related black crosses across the hemline of his spotless mantle.

Always He came with twelve followers, and always he taught a “peace religion of one God.” Before he departed, He chose twelve disciples in every nation and a chief leader in His place when He was gone.

Many legends mentioned “strange palm markings,” “hand with a T-cross through the center,” or in Central America, it was called “The Hand Kabul (or Kaboul).”  His hands were often described as healing, and He walked on the water at will. He abhorred war and child sacrifice (which nearly every tribe practiced). He was remembered to have said things like these:

“I must be about my Father’s business.”

“Love one another.”

“In my Father’s land are many lodges.”

“Other tribes need me, so I go.”

“Do not scold little children, but instead let them come to me, for such is the will of my Father in Heaven.”

Many legends said He taught them better gardening and showed them plants and herbs for healing and medicinal purposes. He stopped child sacrifices and healed afflicted ones such as dwarfs and hunchbacks.

And always He addressed the Priesthood and some accounts say He taught secret signs and a secret language.

The animals, in His presence, laid down and let Him caress them. Out of Guatemala came this remarkable story:

“Once on entering such a village, a little child came running to Him crying. Its clothes were torn and its body bleeding, clawed by the sharp claws of the jaguar. He picked the child up, and turning to the stream bed, knelt and washed away the blood stains. The people following in consternation saw no more the marks of the tiger. The child was well and clean and smiling. But when He held the baby to them, the people backed away in terror.

“It is accursed! Balaam is angry!”

“Nay it is blessed, for I have blessed it.”

Then as the people still backed from him:

“Think you the anger of this creature is greater than My Father’s goodness? Your Balaam is not so powerful; he must be fed the blood of children! My Father needs no man to feed him, yet He gives plants to feed a mortal. Plant seeds I bring you that ye may flourish…”

But the very man He was rebuking pointed with trembling finger backward, and the Healer turned – to face the jaguar.

Standing in the golden sunlight half dappled in jade from the overhead branches stood the tiger’s silken body, its lemon eyes upon the Healer.

Gathering His robes about Him, and placing the child on the ground behind Him, the Pale One stepped toward the great cat and held His arm up in the Peace sign.

“Soft-footed Chief, in thy jungle setting, come close to receive My Father’s blessing. Forgiven thou art for the pangs of thy hunger. Go and claw no more little children.”

Then the people, standing awe-struck at the bravery of the Healer, saw a heavenly miracle happen, for the tiger lay down before Him, and rolled cat-like, to show its pleasure, inviting the caress of those slim, pale fingers.

The people, watching, fell down to worship.

To this day, among the wild tribes within the canyons and the mountains of the land called Guatemala, the story is oft-repeated.”

Out of the western seaboard (including Washington, Oregon, and California), comes this about the Prophet who came among them:

“…If He heard of war, He went there, called the chieftains into conclave, divided up the territory, gave them seeds and taught them gardening. ‘Do not kill unless you are hungry, and then ask the animal’s forgiveness, and explain your great need to him before ever you pull the bow-string.’ This was a rule that never a Red Man would be so rash as to violate. So before the hunting each tribe holds a prayer-dance of olden ritual.”

Coming out of Washington, this was particularly interesting:

“To the Chinooks, the Prophet came. Once, when leaning on his long staff, He pointed to the plain below them. ‘Down through the cycles…I see below us spread a city which shall be named Tacoma. It is a city of the White Man.’

‘What are you saying, Master? Your name is Tla-acomah meaning Lord Miracle Worker. The Great White mountain…bears your name, Tla-acomah – not the plain below us.’

‘Yea, but the mountain bears another name, and few of the men who live in the city and use the name Tacoma will understand the olden meaning.’”

Also of fascinating attention, “China had similar legends and also India…There is a Wako-yama mountain in Japan – the last word being Japanese for mountain. [Dr Buck] concluded “that the ships which brought and left the Fair God had already toured the Orient, undoubtedly in His company.”  

These two illustrations mapping a guessable journey of the Prophet are fun to consider:

Almost all of the nations said something to this effect: “After he left, we forgot his teachings,” or “Our memories of the Prophet are dimmed by the ages.”

Many old tribal leaders remarked that their people needed to “look up and remember.”

These ancient nations, whose skill and beauty were probably far superior to our modern day, are long gone. With conquering and destroying armies, climatic changes, altered landscapes, valleys that are now deserts, deserts that were once valleys, highways now covered in jungle, erosion by streams and rivers, and cities lost to our knowledge, vanished is so much that was not only formerly believed but actually known. Interestingly, pilots in the air are still sometimes able to see evidence of “ancient terracing.”

Among the wild jungle tribes, I believe these legends and truths probably live on. And thank God they do.

Elder Maxwell, in 1986, stated, “…Lost books are among the treasures yet to come forth. Over twenty of these are mentioned in the existing scriptures…There will be ‘one fold and one shepherd’ (1 Nephi 22:25) in a welding together of all the Christian dispensations of human history.” (see Conference Report, Neal A. Maxwell, October 1986)

Nephi said he saw “other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb…[to prove] that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.” (1 Nephi 13:39)

I’m so grateful to know that additional records will come forth, that peoples who were no doubt visited by their Lord, too, will have a voice of such a ministry among them to the world in a coming day.

Can’t wait.

For now, I’m so grateful for brave ones who still tell their children stories of a very holy one among them. Special veneration to “the brave medicine man of the Seri who was blinded for telling the legend of The Healer without the permission of the tribe.”

Until these voices can be heard across the globe via written records, bless those who keep these legends alive orally!

Unto all the world: may brave ones speak on!

(All quoted portions come selected portions of the book, He Walked The Americas,” L. Taylor Hansen, Legend Press, 1963)