by Franks Busch
“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 w
ith 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.
Some of the other dancers caught the man as he fell forward. They whooped and cheered in honour of his sacrifice. The wooden pegs were found and returned to the man as a token of the day he walked with the buffalo.
After a short rest, the drum sounded and the dancers got up again and danced, picking up one foot and then the other. They started to feel the effects of physical fatigue combined with thirst and hunger from fasting. When the sun began to set, the drum beat stopped and the dancers lined up to be marched back down to the sundance campsite. The sundancers changed out of their ceremonial garb and re-entered one of the four sweat lodges for another two rounds, completing the ceremony and the first day.
Although tired from the day’s ordeal, the sundancers took some time to catch up with old friends and distant relations from other villages. Many were connected through blood or marriage. They reminisced about old times and learned about who had gotten married and who had been blessed with children. The conversation was kept positive. They avoided speaking of those who had passed away as well as any reference to the Red-Eyed demons. As Father Sky darkened, the sundancers made their way back to their tents and settled in to sleep.
33
nistomitanaw nistosāp
The second day dawned and the hunger and thirst began to gnaw at the sundancers.
“Tansi, sundancers!” called the Crane clan warrior, “Wake up and get ready!”
They entered the four sweat lodges for two rounds, still in good spirits but moving a little more slowly. The second day of the sundance ceremony represented the years of a person’s youth. The sundancers donned their ceremonial garb, gathered their sacred items and medicine bundles, and formed a line. The drum sounded the shake beat as the sundancers marched up the hill to the sundance circle. Today there would be piercings, buffalo-skull dragging, and flesh offering. When the dancers were ready, Painted Turtle Man signalled the drummers to begin. The sundancers responded to the steady beat with their whistles and their feet. Grandfather Sun rose and began to radiate his heat upon their faces and bodies.
A helper brought the first four sundancers who had pledged to ‘go to the tree’ to the buffalo hide. This time, pegs pierced the chest. Long ropes attached to the top of the tree were secured to the harness, which in turn was attached to the chest pegs. One by one and to the beat of the drum, the sundancers were taken back and forth to the tree four times. Each time, the sundancer was walked backwards away from the tree. When the sundancer reached the end of the rope, they would be encouraged by the sundance chief to lean back and stretch the skin. On the fourth time the piercer was taken to the tree, they would run backwards as fast as they were able and at the end of the rope would jump back in an attempt to break free.
Once in a while, the piercer would be unable to break free. If they were willing and able, they would try again. Although it was not a contest, it was believed by some that if a sundancer could not break free, it meant they did not truly believe in their purpose. It was a foolish superstition, but most of the sundancers worried about it nonetheless. On this day, the four who went to the tree were able to break free. When the drum stopped and the round ended, the dancers gathered to acknowledge them and their suffering.
During the break, anyone who wished to make a flesh offering could approach one of the sundance chiefs and offer tobacco to be cut. If the sundance chief accepted the tobacco, the sundancer would present their arm and the sundance chief would use a needle to poke the sundancer’s outer arm just below the shoulder to draw out a very small section of skin and cut it off. This would usually be done four times. The sundancer making such an offering would be left with four small holes, barely the size of a drop of water, on their outer arm. The tiny pieces of flesh would be put into a small section of hide or fur and given back to the sundancer to offer to the ceremonial fire.
Little Grey Bear Boy and his age mates would not be required to make such an offering until the third day of the sundance ceremony. Three more sundancers walked with the buffalo on the second day and about forty fulfilled their oaths of going to the tree.
During the last round of the second day, one of the sundancers pledged to ‘fly with the eagles.’ This was the most difficult and severe form of self-sacrifice and was a rare occurrence. Only a senior warrior could make this particular pledge as it required the sundancer to have earned two eagle wing fans in his lifetime, a difficult task for anyone. The fact that this warrior pledged to fly with the eagles on the second day was remarkable as it would make it more difficult for him to complete the ceremony.
To fly with the eagles, one of the sundance chiefs (Painted Turtle Man in this case) again pierced the chest, this time gathering more flesh, piercing deeper and with a larger peg. Instead of being attached to the Tree of Life and running back and forth to break free, to fly with the eagles the sundancer would hang from it. When the sundancer was in the air, he would have to flap the eagle wing fans, which were tied to his wrists. The senior warrior was in the air for what seemed an eternity and his flapping had begun to slow. Painted Turtle Man signalled the warriors to let him down, feeling his pledge had been fulfilled by his suffering.
Little Grey Bear Boy watched as the dancer was lowered. From where he was standing, it appeared that one of the sundance chiefs was questioning Painted Turtle Man. Little Grey Bear Boy knew this was unlikely—it would have been completely out of order for a visiting sundance chief to question his host—but there seemed to be some sort of disagreement among the Sundance chiefs.
As Grandfather Sun became merciful, beginning his descent for the night, the sundancers were marched back down to the sundance campsite and cleansed in one of the four sweat lodges. Many of the sundancers went directly to their tents this time, especially those who had been pierced. Only a handful stayed out to socialize and even those went to their beds much earlier than the night before. The hunger of two days’ fasting was now more intense and the sundancers found it harder to sleep. Eventually, the physical exhaustion won out.
34
nistomitanaw niyosāp
Grandfather Sun began his journey much earlier than usual on the third day, or so it seemed to the sundancers when the Crane clan warrior woke them up.
“Tansi, sundancers!” he called reluct
antly. “It is time to get ready!”
This would be the most difficult day of the ceremony as it represented the years of a person’s adult life. Hunger became an afterthought compared to the dryness in the sundancers’ mouths and throats. The same dryness could also be felt in their joints and muscles. While they were waiting to go into their sweat lodges for the usual two rounds, one of the young sundancers began to vomit a bright yellow liquid, and the sundance chiefs decided his sundance was finished. It seemed by the smaller crowd a few others had also completed their sundance early. There was no shame in leaving early. When sundancers had given all they could give, their oath to Kitchi Manitou was considered fulfilled.
The senior warrior who had flown with the eagles was still there, though his eyes were droopy and he looked pale. When anyone went over to check on him, he would straighten up and nod that he was fine. As soon as they walked away, his smile faded and he found something to lean on.
After the sweat lodge, the dancers donned their ceremonial garb for the third time. The strain of the previous days showed in their faces. This day, they would be tested.
The drummers began the shake beat and the sundancers lined up and began the long walk up the hill to the sundance circle, the slope steeper than they remembered. Each sundancer was taken to the Tree of Life to reiterate prayers and oaths. By now their tiny spot on Mother Earth felt like a second home. Their feet had worn ruts in the ground. When every sundancer was in place, Painted Turtle Man signalled the drummers to start singing the sacred sundance songs.
Grandfather Sun threatened to be relentless on this third day of the ceremony. Little Grey Bear Boy was especially nervous as this would be the day he and his age mates would be expected to ‘go to the tree’ or make a flesh offering. Most of the boys his age had pledged the latter but he was one of four boys who had received serious interventions by Kitchi Manitou. As far as Little Grey Bear Boy was concerned, Kitchi Manitou had spared his cousin’s life the day the Red-Eye warrior came and he was determined to repay the debt. In his heart he knew a flesh offering would be insufficient. He would have to go to the tree.
