by Paul Telegdi
A little later Chaiko saw Tarue in the press and waved to him but the man only returned a sour look. What was eating him? Was he not at all glad to see a living relative?
Chaiko found the shamans in their customary huddle, standing about like some weather weary birds turned into the winds of time. Tomakon had kept a place beside himself for the shaman of the Standing-Rock Clan. It seemed that he considered their newest member to be under his tutelage. But so it should be, to pass wisdom from the old to the young. Chaiko had barely time to greet the old man and wave to Lefay, before Corrigan swept in and claimed all their attention. He had gotten wind that the leaders of the clans were arguing about selecting a Chief. Corrigan was against any such idea of course. He saw no need and ranted vehemently against the plan. “What need do they have for a Head? Surely not for thinking? Let them bicker then maybe they will stumble into wisdom. It is preposterous! If they lack wisdom, let them ask! I will set them straight...” The big man strode up and down, agitated by such an affront to his authority. At the very least they should have consulted him and asked for his blessing!
The Council reserved its thoughts on that or any other subject. When a thunderstorm passed overhead it was not the time to contemplate standing against lightning that was looking for a place to land. Chaiko felt regret again; other people were enjoying themselves, celebrating, while the shamans were listening to biting venom oozing from the Head-Shaman. But like all things this too passed, finally, and Corrigan stormed away leaving behind an oppressive gloom. Chaiko’s stomach was tied in knots and it took conscious effort to repress all the bile churned up by the great man.
For some time no one talked, satisfied with the peace of silence. Then each sought out his favorite crony to share what remained of the meeting.
Tomakon asked Chaiko what he had made of Bogan’s teaching. “It was rather obvious,” Chaiko replied.
“Obvious is good if it teaches something of value. What have you learned?” Tomakon insisted.
“That the man grew lazy living with such a great hunter and when the hunter died, he no longer knew how to take care of himself. Was there something more?” Chaiko asked, still a little vexed with the simplicity of the story.
“There is always something more,” Tomakon said in a tone that implied Chaiko had missed the point altogether.
“That being full is a poor teacher, and being hungry is better?” Chaiko asked with irony but Tomakon shook his head and said, “Even a simple story has many lessons to offer. Study it!” But Chaiko was irked too much to do so; why was Tomakon playing with him thus?
“Well then, tell me another story, to reinforce the first,” Chaiko demanded.
“Very well, I will find one for you to fit the other.” Tomakon nodded, hiding his amusement behind his many, many wrinkles. “This is as Bogan told me. There lived a man again with a very famous man of great reputation and ability. But the man was deeply unhappy, knowing that he could never reach the measure the great man. Noting his sadness and the cause of it the great man told this story: ‘There was on the bright horizon a small tree growing in the shadow of a great tree, and the great tree held the winds at bay and the anger of the sky above. The young tree boasted to the world his great good luck for having such a protector. The years passed and both trees grew older. Then one day lightning struck the great tree and it came crashing to the ground. From then on the young tree had no one to guard him. The winds blew unchecked and the tree did not have the strength in its branches to resist it. The rain pelted down and washed the roots free, having only shallow hold on the soil... And so the young tree toppled and perished. It would have been better if the young tree had grown sturdy on its own and not have been so overshadowed by its protector.’ Then the great man sent the man away to harden him and to find his own way.”
Chaiko indeed saw a certain theme emerge but could not prevail on Tomakon to expound on it. “The words were given to your ears, let they be like worms eating into wood, find meaning in your mind.” With that odd encouragement Chaiko had to be satisfied.
Chaiko was about to leave, but then turned back. “Why is it that no one knows of Spirit Seed and its effects?”
“It’s a secret that shamans keep to themselves. It… it bends the mind so to speak, much too dangerous for the uninitiated. Hope you didn’t give it away?” Tomakon frowned anxiously.
“I asked the women to look for it, that’s all.”
“Good. Hopefully they won’t find it and in time will forget about it.” Then Tomakon made a gesture, equivalent to “Let it be so.”
“Can you get me some?”
“Why?” the other asked, focusing on Chaiko’s face. “If you ingest it, you will find more questions than answers. It’s a bright flash, but is it the spirit world, or just a shadow of it? No shaman I talked to was ever certain.”
Preoccupied Chaiko left, chewing on a new puzzle. Next, he sought out Lefay, likewise to question him. The shaman saw him coming and smiled cheerfully. “Here comes the shaman who would learn, instead of teaching his ignorance.”
“I would learn but you refuse to teach me,” Chaiko said jesting. “You talk to me in riddles, cloaking great simplicity in implied mystery.”
“Yes, that way my wisdom cannot be challenged. If I were to explain it to you, you would surely find fault with it and uncover my ignorance. No, no. We shall stay with puzzles instead.”
“Good then, tell me another.”
“Now?” Lefay was reluctant. He was watching some young girls practicing dance steps and did not like to mix his pleasures.
“Now, let not the sun go down on my ignorance,” Chaiko returned lightly.
Lefay chortled. “You are a strange shaman you are. Most would rather speak than listen and teach rather than learn.” He screwed up his face briefly and started to speak in his teaching voice, “There was in the great mountains to the west, a cliff that overlooked a fertile valley. It felt naked, its rock face exposed, like the bones of the earth. It looked at the deep bottom lands and the lush vegetation that grew there and wished it had such a mantle of green. A little way below a bush grew out of a crack in the stone wall and reached for the light of the sky. The cliff hovered over the bush protecting it from cascades of rocks unleashed by slides and the weather. Time passed and the cliff gloried in the little green it protected. But one day a violent earthquake shook the world, and the earth danced and the sky trembled. The cliff shivered then swayed, finally crashing down below. The bush somehow survived the quake, but not for long, for the next avalanche of rocks swept it away. This story have I told to your ears.”
Chaiko was thunderstruck. Again the same teaching. With different words, but the same meaning. This had to be more than just blind coincidence.
“Do you and Tomakon talk often?” Chaiko asked when he recovered somewhat from his astonishment.
“Frequently,” the other answered. “We are members of the same Council.”
“About me even?”
“Especially about you, now that you sit among us,” Lefay said with that lightly mocking grin of his.
The shamans slowly dispersed, one by one drifting away to some much needed pleasures. Chaiko wandered among the people pausing here or there, to take in different points of interest. His mind was again preoccupied. Gone was the lightness of the morning, though he kept his sense of balance without reverting to his brooding. But like water flowing downhill, he soon found himself back at his campsite, and spotted his brother already there. Baer was visibly agitated and soon confirmed that the Leaders were hotly debating the issue of choosing a Chief. Turbold and Solenex seemed the most likely aspirants, each with a coterie of loyal proponents. Passionate arguments raged back and forth, but both sides split about even with no consensus likely at present. Baer had argued against it, voicing that together they were stronger than any one of them would be alone.
“Maybe so,” Lessu had objected, “if we would all pull together instead of each going their separate ways; just like in the
Spider-Wars, the more people that pull, the less the web moves. This way the Chief would decide and the rest of us could just follow.” The others had nodded in some agreement; “It would save so much time and put an end to the constant bickering where nothing gets done.” People then lobbied hard for their chosen candidate, but still the sides remained about even.
As was usual, any conflict of the higher ups soon spilled over into the general population. The various arguments were loudly debated with each adding his own twist of opinion. This threatened to usurp all other topics of conversation and the women rolled their eyes, exasperated with their men. “We should have accepted you into the motherhood or sisterhood when you asked, and maybe then the Chief could have been a woman.”
A woman Chief? The idea was preposterous! The factions found unity in a common stand against such an irreverent suggestion. But instead of backing down as they had done all their lives, the women embarked on a campaign of their own, canvassing support for a Head-Woman. Primed by the former uproar so recently negotiated, the women seized upon this ambition with renewed zeal. The two power brokers among them, the Society of Mothers and the Sisters of the Moon, were careful to approach one another, and engaged in an equally passionate debate. They soon discarded the idea of one person; that was a man’s model, let them stick to it. The women agreed to elect a Council of Women that would not ask permission of any man. Three was the number they settled on. Two would have promoted conflict by setting one against the other too often, but three allowed for a majority and a minority opinion to be expressed. Not surprisingly, Tanya was considered as a likely candidate to this council.
This had not occurred instantaneously. It had been brewing under the surface and people were only now becoming aware of it.
The men were thus looking for a Chief, the women for three of their own. The older people were not used to this sudden upwelling of consciousness and shook their heads gloomily, “What is this world coming to?”
Among the Standing-Rock Clan, the issue also came to a head. “Why is it that we are so willing to stampede one way then change course to go down some other path? This is the most contentious Gathering I have been to,” Baer complained in a plaintive voice to Chaiko, Ushi and Cosh. “We are looking for a Leader of Men and now Leaders of Women? Everyone is bickering, everyone is on edge.” Of course he could not carp too much; after all, the women were considering Tanya for the honor.
Chaiko looked at his brother both with sympathy and slight sarcasm. “A leader complaining about the following?” He was more concerned that the men were concentrating power in the hands of one man, who could easily turn into another Corrigan. Also he was concerned that the women were defining themselves again in opposition to the men. He applauded their overall aim but suspected that it was also in reaction for being left out of the mainstream. Chaiko did not want the tension between men and women to grow again. He chewed his lips in consternation.
Ushi seeing this consoled him. “Look it is only for a short time, once every four years. We then go home and it matters not who the Chief is.”
But Chaiko shook his head. “No, here is where we define ourselves as people, as Clan, different from the Tolmecs and different from the Ekulan. That awareness we take home with us. A Chief could make himself be heard, anywhere, anytime. You’re mistaken if you think it’s only for the Gatherings.” He took a smoldering branch from the fire and waved it around, washing himself with smoke to discourage the insects pestering him. “The trouble is we have a Head-Shaman who doesn’t listen to people and who has awakened this need for a Chief and Head-Women to even out the imbalance.”
They lapsed into silence, the smoke swirling around them. The day was uncomfortable with humidity and they all fanned themselves with broadleaves to get the air to move past their sweltering faces. Dawn came back to camp, struggling with both twins. Fire-Dancer was towing both boys, Wild-of-Wind and Yael, who were reluctant to return because they had wanted to stay to watch the frog jumping contest. Chaiko hurried over to his mate to relieve her of Sun. The boy immediately sensed the changed circumstances and stopped his complaining. Already he had learned that his father paid little attention to it.
Dawn was full of the latest gossip regarding the Council of Women. “There are only five women who really come into consideration. Tanya is sure to be elected. She is a mother of two and the head-woman of her clan, used to leading, yet gracious and gentle at all times. What I do not understand is that cow-eyed choice, Umbata. The girl has no wisdom, she’s brash and inconsiderate. Perhaps it is because she is this way, and thrives on conflict, that she is considered at all. Sadly, the sharpest elbow often wins. But do we need all this drama and commotion? And why? To compete with the men?”
Chaiko was concerned too, over the very same point. How could he defuse a potentially destructive situation? He could not interfere with women’s issues but maybe he could deflect some of the antagonism that was creeping back into the relationship between the sexes. It was a puzzle, but at least worthy of his consideration.
Ruba found to his surprise that he was summoned by the shaman. What could the man want with him? Hopefully not some onerous task? But the shaman was always interesting though at times uncomfortable to be near. He presented himself at Chaiko’s fire.
“How goes it with you Ruba?” the shaman asked, his look piercing the young man through and through. Ruba had this uncomfortable wish to hide; what could he say? He was still suspicious of the shaman’s motives. People rarely called him for his own good, just when they wanted something. But what?
“You will become a hunter soon.” Ruba shrugged as Chaiko stated the obvious. It was not a sign of disrespect, for he sensed a mutual affinity and even liked the shaman, but he was not born yesterday and knew that sooner or later some request would be forthcoming. The two regarded each other knowingly, both relishing the moment of suspense of unspoken words.
Finally, Chaiko yielded, “Nah good. You know of course where all the boys your age congregate?”
“One of two likely places.” Ruba wondered where this was leading. “One, on the meadow by the lake, where we wrestle or play some other game. Two, on the other side of camp, by the Old-Willow to muster the fresh crop of girls...” His feet shuffled a little awkwardly before the shaman.
“And why are you not there? At one of those places?” Chaiko asked with good-natured briskness.
“I would be but you called me...” the boy defended himself.
“Good, then listen well and do exactly as I ask...” Chaiko then went on to explain to the frowning boy what he wanted. Shortly the frown cleared and even some enthusiasm crept into his face. By the time he left he was smiling with glee. He hurried on his way, eager to do the shaman’s bidding. Chaiko, what are you up to? Ushi asked himself, having caught the last part of this exchange.
Laars the Lesser-Bear-Claw leader was visiting with Baer and Tusk. Afterwards he came over to Chaiko and requested a formal audience with the shaman of the Standing-Rock Clan. Chaiko bade him sit. Dawn offered a few dried sweet fruits and then discreetly withdrew as did the others.
“It is a nice day for the Gathering,” Chaiko started in a formal, roundabout way.
“Yes, it is a nice day for many things,” Laars replied according to protocol, but his answer indicated that his concern was not with the Gathering.
“Yes, the sun smiles on us all,” Chaiko nodded, trying to look as sagacious as his tender age allowed.
“Yet there are clouds on the horizon.” Trouble, but how much trouble?
“Indeed, my eyes cannot make out whether they are storm clouds or not,” Chaiko formalized in the same unhurried almost disinterested tone.
“There might be a few rumbles in them but no lightning storm,” Laars mimicked the tone. So not too-too much, in other words.
“Would a bird need to fly around them or dare he risk flying through them, do you think?”
“A strong bird would venture to fly through them, I expect,” Laars sa
id nodding in the direction of some very hypothetical clouds. So then some negotiations would be appropriate.
“Well then, if a storm approaches we would best get ahead of it and find shelter, don’t you think?”
“Indeed.” The man took a deep breath and was obviously choosing his words carefully. “You might not know it, but I am a relative of Chandar on the maternal side and I come at his parents’ wishes.” He paused to allow Chaiko to adjust to this news. “It has come to our attention that you paid a bride-gift to Tara’s father. We would like to recompense your cost and trouble.”
Chaiko considered carefully. This was not a trivial matter indeed and he must proceed most carefully not to cause any offence. According to protocol, it should have been handled a long time ago and they were thus already in the shadow of an insult. “The formalities were performed according to Tolmec customs, very different from our own. They sell their women there. They demanded a bride-price for her and haggled over it as over a common trade item. Loud and in the open, praising her beyond measure, devaluing loudly the offer made for her. Imagine that! There were no civil courtesies, no discreet offers of a gift of thankfulness to the parents of the girl. It was an exchange of ownership, from the father onto me.”
“Unbelievable that such barbaric customs are still practiced by people! But then the Tolmecs have a very uncivil reputation,” Laars commented, truly horrified.
“Indeed.” Chaiko bit his tongue; one problem at a time. “But you can see that the price they demanded, and I paid, could not be equated to a gift.”
“No, no. I understand completely,” Laars hurried to reassure. “A price can never be a gift. Out of the question!”
Good! One difficulty thus negotiated. “So I hope you can see my dilemma. I could not broach this subject for it had been contaminated by such crass conduct. But there are other considerations weighing on the matter.”
