Grey Eyes (20 page)

32
nistomitanaw nīsosāp

S
ummer. It was a special time for the people of
Nisichawayasihk
, as it was their turn to host the sacred sundance ceremony. There was much work to be done as pilgrims from the surrounding villages would be coming to participate. The people of
Nisichawayasihk
would feed them and care for them for seven days. Little Grey Bear Boy had twice the responsibility of any boy his age. Not only did he have to make his own preparations for the sundance ceremony under the guidance of Many Fish, but he also had to assist Painted Turtle Man prepare the medicines. The old man would serve as the host sundance chief, though he would be assisted by sundance chiefs from other villages.

White Willow Woman was accorded the honour of choosing the centre pole for the sundance. The pole, also known as the Tree of Life, would serve as the focal point of the ceremonies and all prayers and intentions would be made to the tree. She paid no heed to the rumour that she had only been chosen for the honour because of her Grey-Eyed son, a rumour perpetuated, she had no doubt, by the meddling Eagle twins. Whatever the reason she was selected, she was honoured, and set about selecting a white poplar tree in a manner befitting a mother of the
Nehiyawak
.

She walked the forest for four days, one day in each of the four cardinal directions. On the fifth day, she made a selection after careful thought, prayer, and consideration. The warriors set about the task of relocating the great white poplar to the sundance grounds. Every effort was made to save the tree from too much damage, but they had to cut many roots.

“I hope you picked the right tree,” said Singing Doe to her sister when the work was done. “We don't need to give the Eagle twins any reason to find fault with us right now.”

“It is
Kitchi Manitou
who selects the tree,” said Painted Turtle Man. “Long before any of us were born. White Willow Woman's job was only to determine which tree Creator intended for us to use.”

“
Tapwe
, Uncle,” said Brown Shield Man. “Besides, the Eagle twins have never needed a reason to find fault with someone.”

Singing Doe and White Willow Woman laughed, but Painted Turtle Man cleared his throat and continued with his work.

“I don't like the idea of people from other villages finding out about our son,” said Blue Elk Man. “Too much attention will be brought on him. We already know the danger this might pose.”

“I never thought of that,” said White Willow Woman. “Perhaps we should wait until next year.”

“That is, of course, up to you,” said Painted Turtle Man. “Though he would then be the oldest boy in the village to not have sundanced. He is after all, twelve summers.”

“He is a good boy,” said Singing Doe. “He will understand.”

“And what will we do when it is time for him to earn a name?” asked Painted Turtle Man. “How long will we put it off?”

“He can't remain a child forever,” said Brown Shield Man. “It's been three years since the Red-Eye warrior came. I believe he acted alone and we are safe.”

“
Tapwe
,” said Blue Elk Man. “It would not be right to allow our own fears to intrude on his life's path.”

“
Tapwe
…” said White Willow Woman, not attempting to hide the reluctance in her voice.

Pilgrims and their sponsors began to arrive at
Nisichawayasihk
and for a time there were many more lodges than usual. The participants did not sleep in the village but in a special campsite at the holy grounds. The sundancers who lived in
Nisichawayasihk
slept at the sundance campsite as well.

The night before the sundance ceremony the
Nehiyawak
served a great feast—the sundancers' last meal for four days. Little Grey Bear Boy had completed all of his preparations, thanks to his sponsor Many Fish. Singing Doe made the boy's ceremonial garb, a grey shirt trimmed with black and red lines and a matching apron with a yellow sun painted on the front. She had painted a small grey bear cub across the back of the shirt. Around his neck hung the eagle bone whistle on the leather strap. Tied around his head like a laurel he wore bundled white sage wrapped with red leather lacing. Wrist and ankle bands of the same kind adorned his hands and feet. When it was time to leave the village and walk to the ceremony grounds, Many Fish was waiting to take Little Grey Bear Boy to present him as his sponsor.

“I think you are ready,” said Many Fish when it was time. All of the preparations and teaching came down to this moment. Many fish was carrying a rolled up hide with 4 poles under his arm.

“Thank you for everything, Uncle,” said Little Grey Bear Boy as they began to walk. Others were leaving the village as well, some accompanied for the first time by their sponsors.

“Remember, the sundance ceremony is the time when the
Nehiyawak
give back to
Kitchi Manitou
for all blessings. We believe the only way to know Creator's bounty is to go without it for a short time. That is why sundancers must suffer themselves by dancing in the hot sun for four days without food and water.”

“I'm ready. I will make you proud.”

“Are you nervous?”

“I am prepared to dance, but I…”

“You are worried about piercing?”

“
Tapwe
.” Little Grey Bear Boy lowered his eyes as he walked.

“You are not obligated to pierce,” said Many Fish. “It is only for those who have special intentions. They give of their flesh and blood in honour of
Kitchi Manitou
's intervention in their lives. You will see people piercing themselves through the chest or back and by offering small pieces of their own flesh to the sacred fire.”

“But won't people think I am scared if I don't pierce?”

“Piercing is not about other people or what they think. It is about you and
Kitchi Manitou
. Everyone knows you are afraid, so don't worry about that. I was afraid at my first Sundance too, it's natural. Your father was with me and he was scared too.”

“My father was afraid?”

“
Tapwe
.”

“I didn't think he ever got scared.”

“Like I said,” smiled Many Fish, “it's natural.”

They continued their walk in silence. Little Grey Bear Boy thought of how strange it would be to sleep somewhere besides in a lodge with his family. For the four days and nights of the Sundance ceremony, he would sleep in a simple tent that Many Fish provided. It wasn't much more than a moose hide to be laid across elevated set of four poles. When they arrived at the Sundance grounds, Many Fish gave him the rolled up hide and poles.

“This is it,” said Many Fish when they arrived at the ceremony grounds. From this point onwards it was sundancers and helpers only. The villagers would not be allowed to enter until the third day.

“I want to thank you for everything,” said Little Grey Bear Boy.

“Don't worry about it; I am glad to be able to do it. To tell the truth, it is I who should be grateful to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You are letting me repay a kindness that Painted Turtle Man showed me a long time ago. All you need to do for me, is to do a kindness for someone else when the time is right.”

“
Hiy, hiy
.” Acknowledged Little Grey Bear Boy.

“
Ekosi
,” said Many Fish as he turned and went back to the village.

////

Early on the morning of the first day, a Crane clan warrior woke the participants by announcing in each of the four directions: “
Tansi
, sundancers! Get Ready!”

Day one represented the years of a person's childhood experience. Having only just begun their fasting, the sundancers were quick to emerge from their tents and begin the day. They laughed and talked as they made themselves ready for the special sweat lodge ceremony.

There were four sweat lodges, each hosted by one of the four sundance chiefs, including Painted Turtle Man. After two rounds of the sweat lodge, the four groups quickly donned their garb and lined up, senior dancers at the front and junior dancers, such as Little Grey Bear Boy, at the rear.

They marched into the sundance circle to the shake beat of the drum, a series of short, quick taps, where they would be presented to the Tree of Life. When they reached the tree, they gave their offering: an arm's length of light hide encasing a handful of tobacco tied in the middle with rawhide. Each sundancer hugged the Tree of Life and spoke his intention into the tobacco. The tobacco he then handed to one of the ceremony helpers, who tied it to the tree. By the time it was Little Grey Bear Boy's turn, he could hardly see the bark of the tree as nearly one hundred offerings had been tied to it. At the base of the tree, a great buffalo robe had been laid on the ground. Here, the sundance chiefs would do their work.

“Oh
Kitchi Manitou
, I am your servant Little Grey Bear Boy of the Bear clan,” he whispered into the tobacco through the deer hide. “I give thanks and praise for all of creation. I have come to this sundance ceremony, having reached the proper age under your guidance, prepared to repay my debt to you for saving the life of my cousin, Flying Rabbit Boy. May your will be done. All my relations,
ekosani
.”

He handed the offering to the helper who tied it along with the others to the Tree of Life. Little Grey Bear Boy was then ushered by another helper to his place in the sundance circle. The lead drummer hit the drum four times bringing to life the steady, heartbeat rhythm as they sang a sacred sundance song. The dancers placed their eagle bone whistles in their mouths and tweeted in response to each beat of the drum. They picked up one foot on one beat and placed it down on the next. This was as much dancing as they were required to do, a relatively easy task on the first day.

Daylight was divided into four segments between which the dancers would take a break by sitting down for a short time. The dancers who had earned a peace pipe were required to smoke during the break and offer prayers.

During the third round of the first day, one of the senior dancers had chosen to ‘walk with the buffalo,' as it is called by the
Nehiyawak
. He would have a small section of the flesh of his back pierced below the shoulder on both sides. A wooden peg, about the size of a child's finger, would be placed through the flesh and a rawhide thong strung over the flesh and under the peg in a loop. Sinew would be tied around the flesh of the pierced area to keep it in place during the ordeal. The thongs were then attached to a harness, which was tied to seven brightly painted buffalo skulls with jawbones removed. Walking with the buffalo entailed dragging these skulls around the circle. The senior warrior pledged to do this in repayment to
Kitchi Manitou
for healing his wife of sickness.

The
Nehiyawak
believe one must suffer to show gratitude to the Creator. The sundancers whooped and cheered as the man struggled to drag the seven buffalo skulls around the circle while the upper teeth clawed at the ground. The skin of his back was pulled back tightly, stretching far from his body. A trickle of blood ran from the wounds. When the man had dragged the ceremonial skulls all the way around the sundance circle, one of the sundance chiefs from another village stopped him.

The man embraced the sundance chief, weeping not from the pain, but because he had fulfilled his oath and proven his gratitude to
Kitchi Manitou
. His tears were tears of joy and he wept loudly and unashamed, but his ordeal was not quite over. Seven of his friends and family held down each buffalo skull, still attached to his back. Some even sat on the brightly painted buffalo skulls as the man was backed up towards them, with one of the helpers guiding the rope. When he was ready, the sundance chief shouted and the man ran at full pace away from the skulls. When he got to the end of the length of rope, the skin stretched and broke and the wooden pegs went flying.