Everlasting and the Great River

by Bumppo

  The Déné and Yup’ik both had individuals in their tribes who spent their life learning about the spirit world. They were the wise men and women who used plants to help the sick, and listened to animal spirits to help with hunting and fishing.

  Winter was long and cold, but Everlasting was warm in the round, sod-covered house. Her new fur parka and winter mukluks insulated with woven grass socks kept her comfortable outdoors. She fished through holes in the ice on the frozen rivers for citegtaq, or tomcod. She learned songs and dances the Yup’ik performed in the community house. There were funny stories about people puffed up with pride who got into trouble, there were love stories, and exciting hunting stories. The women swayed their upper bodies and waved small fur fans. The men stomped their feet and made expressive faces to show they were hunting or at war. During important ceremonies the people danced with old masks that represented the spirits of animals and told ancient stories about the creation of the world when men and animals were one family and talked to each other.

  Spring finally came to the village between the two rivers. The Great River groaned as the ice broke apart. Soon the river cleared and Everlasting, her father and uncle, now healed and strong, prepared for the long journey up the river to their home.

  One day as they outfitted their canoe for three people, two strange kayaks arrived at the village from down The Great River. These kayaks were long, slender boats with covers across their tops and round holes to sit in. Each had three holes to sit in rather than the one or two-hole kayaks that Everlasting had seen in the village. A Yup’ik paddler with a double-ended paddle sat in the front and back of each boat. In the middle holes sat the strangest men Everlasting had ever seen. They were tall and dressed in black clothes that didn’t look like they came from any animal she knew. On their heads were tight-fitting black hats. Strangest of all were their faces. Their skin was the pale color of salmon bellies before they die. They had long black beards like yudesla, the black bear. When they arrived at the beach and climbed out of the kayaks, Everlasting saw that their eyes were blue like a blind person’s eyes, but with dark centers that let her know they could see.

  “Greetings, people of the village between the two rivers!” one of the black-robed men said in an odd type of Yup’ik the people could understand if they listened carefully. “We come from far down The Great River and across the ocean to bring you good news!”

  The people of the village gathered around to see this strange sight, but many children were afraid of the bear men and hid behind their parents. One of the men pulled a peculiar soft black box out of his long coat and held it up in the air for the people to see.

  “We bring to you the story of Cillam Cua, the Man of the Universe, the Creator, and how his son came to save the world.”

  At this, the people lost some of their fear, as they all loved a good story. The mysterious men told the people to gather that evening at the community house where they would hear amazing tales. Everlasting, her father and uncle, and the village people talked about these black-robed men. Some thought they might be dangerous enemies and suggested killing them. Others pointed out they carried no weapons and though they looked like big strong men, they had made no threats.

  Everlasting asked her father about them. He told her that Déné legends foretold of a new people with yellow hair and pale skin who would drive them from their hunting grounds. These men didn’t have yellow hair, but certainly had pale skin. They didn’t look like hunters. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to listen to their stories.

  Everlasting went to her teacher, the wise old Yup’ik healer, to ask his opinion. He said that knowledge about the world was good, but that there were bad men in the world who use their knowledge and power to fool people for their own greedy purposes. He would wait and listen before deciding if these men came with good gifts for the people.

  That evening all the people gathered in the qaygiq, the community house. The large room was lit by a fire in the center pit. Shallow stone bowls filled with seal oil with a twisted moss wick burned with a dull light. The tall men with their long black robes looked like living shadows. They took turns telling stories in their odd Yup’ik that made Everlasting think it was not their original tongue. They were both good story-tellers. They moved around the room acting out exciting parts and raised their arms in the air when they spoke of Cillam Cua, who lived in a world in the sky with many spirits who watched over the people. The villagers were amazed by the story about the first man and woman who lived in a land of plenty but were fooled by a creature with no feet who talked the woman into eating forbidden berries. This, the bear men said, is why people have suffered ever since.

  They told about a man who loved the Creator but whose faith was tested when a whale swallowed him. The Yup’ik loved and understood this story. The Great Spirit seemed to test them every day. After telling many such stories, the men told the most important story of all. They said that the Man of the Universe sent his son to the world to teach the people to love each other the way that he and his father loved them. The people nodded their heads, liking this story. But then, the black-robed man said, bad people decided that others should not hear this good story, and so killed the son in a horrible way. The Yup’ik moaned at this injustice.

  “But wait!” shouted the man. “The story doesn’t end there. After three days the son of the Creator came back to life! He walked among his followers and told them to spread his message throughout the world. And that is why we are here!” finished the tall man with his arms raised high. The Yup’ik cheered at this happy ending and all agreed it was a great story.

  After the village people returned to their homes, the two hairy-faced men spent a long time talking to the wise old healer. They told him they had come to bring their new spirit teaching to the people. The people must give up their old beliefs in animal spirits. The wise man listened closely and said he would think about this. They also asked the healer if there was anyone in the village they could train as a translator to help them spread their message to all the people along The Great River and to the tribes along the seacoast. The old healer said he would also give this serious thought.

  The next day, Everlasting’s Yup’ik teacher talked to her about the strangers’ request. He knew that although Everlasting was a young girl, she had a strong spirit and a thirst for knowledge. He also knew of her ability to talk with animals and people who didn’t speak her language.

  Everlasting missed her mother, sister, brothers and her home village but had a great desire to see the ocean. She knew there was much for her to learn in the big world. She told her teacher that she must give the idea considerable thought and pray to the Great Spirit for wisdom.

  Everlasting rolled up her caribou sleeping bag in her pack and climbed into the hills far behind the village. She found a sheltered spot high on a hill surrounded by large rocks. She decided to stay there and ask the Great Spirit to help her decide whether to go with the bear-faced men or return to her village.

  Everlasting brought no food with her because she knew that fasting helps clear the mind for the spirit to enter. For two days, she sat and considered her situation. On the third day, she awoke just as the sun rose over the hills in the east and shone brightly on her face. Her body grew light and rose into the air. Looking down she saw the sun sparkle on The Great River as it wound far to the east toward her village. Turning, she saw where the river made a sharp bend and ran south toward the ocean. Rising higher in the air, she saw mountains with snowy peaks in the north. As she rose higher still, she saw great ice-covered peaks piercing the clouds to the south. Between these great mountain ranges were rolling hills, wetlands, and tundra drained by many rivers. This was the homeland of the Déné. Far to the west she saw a sparkling expanse of deep blue water she knew must be the ocean.

  Clouds formed around her and soon she was in a thick fog. The fog cleared and the sun shown around her and within her. She felt she was made of soft golden light. Far below on The Great River she saw a
strange boat with a large white house on it. Something round revolved at the back of the boat, pushing it up the river. Black smoke poured from a branchless tree planted in the center of the house. People in tight-fitting dark clothes lined the sides of the boat. Along the shores of the river where creeks ran out through the bluffs, she saw big black boxes shooting powerful streams of water at the hillsides, washing gravel into ponds. A series of connected baskets scooped up gravel and dropped it into a box where people removed shiny golden rocks. She didn’t know why the black thing was eating the hills, but she felt its purpose was not for the good of her people.

  Her vision was keen as an eagle. She looked down and saw villages of the Déné afflicted with coughing sickness and other bad things. She saw some of her people drinking from clear boxes that contained a poison that made them sick and crazy. She heard a loud roaring noise like water flowing over a cliff and saw a great bird with unflapping wings flying across The Great River. She saw a gleaming black trail that crossed the wide river on a huge log hanging from ropes. Fast moving boxes moved along the trail and crossed the river. Everlasting looked down carefully and saw her own village not far downstream from the bridge. She saw that the people were still healthy and happy and that a golden light spread out from her village and along the river and even along the black trail.

  Again a mist surrounded Everlasting and she became aware that she was back in the circle of rocks on the high hill. She knew she had seen far, as an eagle sees, land and ocean. She had seen the future of The Great River and her people. She felt that the people in the big white boat would bring sickness and greed to her people but the glowing golden light would eventually spread out and heal their sorrows, even the sorrows of those who invaded Déné lands.

  Everlasting returned to the Yup’ik village. The wise old healer saw the glow still shining from within Everlasting. He knew she had come to a decision about her future. She told him of her vision. “I do not want to, but Spirit has shown me I must go with the tall bear men to learn their ways. Someday when I have learned many lessons I will return to my people and help them through the difficult years to come.”

  The wise elder suggested she not tell the blackrobed men about the power of her stick unless she felt comfortable doing so. “And, Everlasting, you will need your father’s blessing to leave with the bear men.”

  Everlasting found her father at the community house carving a paddle from a tough, black spruce tree.

  “Father, I have come to ask your permission to travel with the black-robed men and serve as their translator to the Yup’ik and other peoples along the river and the far away ocean. I know I am your youngest child and you worry about my safety, but the Great Spirit has given me both my magic stick and a vision that tells me that I need to learn the ways of the wide world so that someday I can return to our village and help our people.”

  “Oh, Everlasting,” said her father, “your mother, sister and brothers will be very sad if you don’t return with your uncle and I. But your mother has always known that you have a special mission to accomplish in your life. She will understand your need to travel with these strange men. I will miss you terribly, my youngest and dearest child, but I see from your face that you have chosen to go and learn what you can. Your choice is sacred. I give you my blessing and will pray for your safe return.”

  At that Everlasting flew into her father’s arms. They both cried and then spent as much time together as they could before her father left to travel up The Great River to their home.

  Bumppo’s Biography

  Bumppo grew up in North Dakota and Minnesota, spending summers on rivers and lakes. After high school, he followed his dream of going to Alaska, the ultimate land of hunting and fishing. Midway through college (University of Minnesota, anthropology and history), Bumppo succumbed to the call of the North and returned to Alaska. After trapping in the Alaskan Interior near Fairbanks, Bumppo staked out five acres of state land on a five hundred foot bluff overlooking Kachemak Bay, mountains and glaciers.

  Lured by the ocean, he moved to a protected cove across Kachemak Bay, moved into a log cabin, delivered his daughter in the log cabin, and restored a 1929 Bristol Bay sailboat into a commercial fishing boat. Bumppo and his wife raised their son and daughter by fishing for halibut, shrimp and crab, and growing, hunting and gathering 75% of their food. Eventually they moved their family to the fast-growing town of Homer, where Bumppo continued to fish and do carpentry. He acquired a coast guard captain’s license and ran halibut charter and freight hauling boats.

  At the ripe old age of 50, Bumppo returned to college to get his teaching degree; he taught grades kindergarten through tenth in remote native villages. Bumppo now lives with his life partner Lindianne, a writer and musician, on a self-reliant homestead in South Central Alaska.

  The Everlasting stories began as bedtime stories for his children. Bumppo’s son, North, now a father with two daughters, asked Bumppo to write out the Everlasting stories so he could read them to his girls. North said it was difficult to find stories for children that were exciting but not violent and had a positive message. We hope you and your children enjoy the Everlasting stories.