Spiritual traveler finds new life in journey

Timothy “Leaf N TheWind” Mariano has led a hard life. After serving two tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Air Force, the Navajo man returned to his home in California. Soon thereafter, his 8-year-old son died and his home was foreclosed, which led him to a life on the streets.

Mariano, a member of the Salt Water Clan, coped by turning to methamphetamine and heroin, but the drugs consumed him.

Mariano finally found the strength to get off the drugs using the spiritual teachings of his people as a guide. He has been clean now for about eight months.

“I did it with Native American perspectives, and now that I am doing it I feel that Creator is on my side,” he said. “I feel great. This is the first time I have been clean in a long time. I've never been so close to Creator. I feel blessed that this was meant to happen and I am happy this calling has come.”

After cleaning up, he became part of the Occupy Wall Street movement in the San Francisco area. Then he decided he would make a journey on foot from San Diego to Washington D.C. to bring attention to the plight of his people. He began his long walk on Jan. 9 during a full moon.

He passed through the Yuma area recently on his way to Navajo lands in northeastern Arizona.

“I'm not just walking for myself,” he said while taking a break on the side of Highway 95. “I am walking for all of the things that have happened in our generation. Even if it takes one man to do this — one man can change everything.”

He believes the federal government, and other private organizations, are chasing the Native American people off of their land.

“They want us to move out of the reservation,” he said. “It is kind of like an ‘Indian Giver.' They gave us the reservation but now they want it back. I am going to fight this even if it has to kill me. I am here to change things. I am doing this for my people and the younger generation who are still addicted to drugs and alcohol.”

Mariano doesn't have an expected date of arrival to the East Coast.

“How long it takes me to get to Washington, D.C., doesn't matter,” he said. “I am going to get there. It is a journey. I consider myself a traveler, not just some person on the streets. This is what I want to do and I am happy. I am a spiritual walker.”

He lives out of a hiking back pack and often sleeps wherever he can find a safe location on the side of the road.

“I have a tarp just in case it snows or rains. I have a roll-out thermal mat and a military sleeping bag,” which keeps him warm, he said.

Besides a pair of comfortable running shoes which were given to him as a gift, he uses a special wooden staff to bring comfort on his long journey.

The staff was blessed by a peyote medicine man, and is decorated with four colored ribbons that represent the four sacred mountains. There is also an arrowhead embedded in the staff, and two eagle feathers. A red rope is wrapped around the staff to represent the “red road,” the concept of the right path of life found in a variety of Native American spiritual teachings.

Mariano is looking forward to seeing his native lands in the near future.

“I haven't been home to Navajo lands in almost 20 years,” he said.

Mariano is posting video excerpts and photos of his journey on his Facebook page. To see them, send a friend request to Leaf N TheWind.

He is accepting donations of food and safe places to sleep while on his quest.

For more information about how to help Mariano, call 510-239-9215.