Its cyclical transformation echoes the cyclical narrative of the novel, and the abiding possibility of regrowth and change. The waxing of the moon thus parallels Saul’s path on earth, and symbolizes healing and growth. When he reaches Gods Lake, and has his second vision of Shabogeesick, the moon is full. After he sees Shabogeesick, and his family walks out of the bush, the moon appears in the sky as a narrow arc. When Saul sleeps in the bush while at the New Dawn Centre, he focuses on the stars-the moon is absent.
It is a distant form, high in the sky, but its light scatters over the earth and cuts through the darkness of the night. The moon represents a force both totally distinct from the world and intimately related to it. Throughout Indian Horse, Saul refers to the moon and describes its place in the sky. Shabogeesick, a shaman, uses the eagle wing fan to heal Saul. Eagle feathers are also used in Ojibway healing ceremonies, with the eagle carrying sickness out of the body and into the sky. By passing his fan on to Saul, he tells his great-grandson that he has followed a hard path and earned respect.
Someone with an eagle feather is a respected person who worked hard to earn a feather from a noble and powerful creature it makes sense that Shabogeesick would have a fan, given his well-respected role in his own community.
When Shabogeesick appears to Saul he is holding an eagle wing fan.
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