Grey Eyes

by Franks Busch

  As the drum sounded, the sundancers picked up one foot and then the other while tweeting their eagle bone whistles with dry mouths. Most of the sundancers were falling behind the beat of the drum, but most of the sundance chiefs overlooked this. One Sundance chief, the same one who had appeared to be arguing with Painted Turtle Man, was not as kind. He pointed at a sundancer’s feet and gesticulated with his hand or eagle wing fan to dance harder or faster.

  After the first break, Grandfather Sun was merciless, and some of the dancers started to fall. Whenever one of the sundancers collapsed or fainted from the heat, the helpers ran over and dragged them down the hill, ending their sundance ceremony. The Nehiyawak had gathered from all around and had been brought up the hill to the sundance circle in order to seek healing. Those who were sick or suffering would be brought to the large buffalo robe at the base of the Tree of Life. One of the sundance chiefs would administer healing with their rattle, whistle or by laying of hands.

  There seemed to be a delay with the first batch and people were looking and pointing at Little Grey Bear Boy. After talking to Painted Turtle Man and the other sundance chiefs, a helper went to the spot where Little Grey bear Boy was dancing.

  “You are needed at the tree,” said the helper, reaching for Little Grey Bear Boy’s white sage wrist band. The boy held out his arm and the helper grabbed onto the wristband and guided him to the tree. Little Grey Bear Boy thought it must be time for him to go to the tree and fulfill his pledge. He was nervous and his heart was pounding, but he had made an oath to Kitchi Manitou and he was determined to fulfill it.

  Painted Turtle Man approached his adopted grandson. “The Nehiyawak…want you to dance for them as they receive their healing.” Little Grey Bear Boy removed the eagle bone whistle from his mouth with some effort, it stuck to his lip and he had to pull hard to release it.

  “I am not brought here to pierce?”

  “No, my boy that will have to wait.”

  Little Grey Bear Boy was puzzled.

  “Will you do this for the Nehiyawak?”

  “Tapwe, Moosum,” answered Little Grey Bear Boy. “I will perform any task the Nehiyawak require of me.”

  Painted Turtle Man smiled with pride at his adopted grandson and pointed at a spot near the great buffalo hide. The strict sundance chief folded his arms across his chest in disapproval at this irregular occurrence. The Nehiyawak who had come seemed happy with this—they clamoured about for a place in line. Clearly, word that a Grey-Eye was participating in the sundance ceremony had spread.

  A woman carried a large child whose body was strangely twisted and whose eyes seemed to see things no one else could. The child was placed upon the buffalo robe and the woman wiped the foaming saliva from his mouth and chin.

  “What do you need?” asked Painted Turtle Man.

  “My son was born this way,” whispered the woman. “He was touched by the spirits. It is not that I am ungrateful to Creator, it is just that he is too big for me to carry anymore.”

  “You wish the spirits to leave him?”

  “Tapwe,” answered the woman, placing her tobacco pouch down with tears in her eyes. “No one has ever accepted my tobacco…”

  Painted Turtle Man placed his hands on the crippled boy’s chest and closed his eyes. The boy continued to look about with his leg twitching and his breathing laboured. Someone in line for healing cleared their throat impatiently. Painted Turtle Man removed his hand slowly and sat back on his knees, eyes still closed. The woman reached for her tobacco pouch but the old man opened his eyes quickly and stopped her with his gaze. He reached down and picked up the small pouch.

  “For the love of life,” said Painted Turtle Man, holding the woman’s teary gaze.

  Painted Turtle Man lit a ball of white sage and placed it in his abalone shell. He used the smoke and his moonstone rattle to work his healing medicine. Little Grey Bear Boy danced hard and his grey eyes began to glow. The ground started to vibrate and the air around him seemed to buzz. The old medicine man’s hands glowed with a blue light and the stones inside his hide rattle flickered green, red, blue, and gold. He placed his glowing hands on the child and his body jerked. The boy cried out, moaning loudly as three spectral figures emerged from his screams. The figures flew about wildly but were bound to the Tree of Life. The sickness was drawn into the tree and absorbed into the earth.

  The child lie still upon the buffalo robe and his body relaxed. The woman went to him weeping loudly and fearing the worst. The child reached out his arm and pushed himself into a side sitting position. His body was shaky and weak as he looked around. His eyes met the woman’s and he reached his other hand out to her.

  “Mother?” he said as he took her hand.

  The woman burst into tears and hugged her son. The people nearby stepped back and murmured to each other.

  The tree itself was glowing with an ancient magic and its light was connected like a rope to each of the remaining sundancers. The sundancers danced hard for the Nehiyawak. For many of them it was the first time they had felt the Grey-Eye magic. Soon the entire Sundance ceremony had been imbued with the ancient power of the ancestors.

  More of those who came before Painted Turtle Man would receive miraculous healing as their sickness would be drawn out of them right before the very eyes of all who had gathered. Sometimes the sickness would manifest itself as a smoky black worm or insect while more serious ailments poured out as dark smoke or demonic figures. The sickness would be drawn to the Tree of Life as though it was a great magnet, absorbing the spectral figure, whatever its manifestation.

  The sky began to cloud over and the Grey-Eye magic began to subside. Everyone who had come to find healing had been miraculously healed of all that ailed them. To Painted Turtle Man’s knowledge, this was the first time in which the helpers had to drag some of the spectators down the hill. The power of what they had witnessed was overwhelming to some. The sky began to darken and the drum stopped its rhythmic beat, signalling the end of the third day. The weary sundancers whooped and cheered, they had passed the test, thanks in part to the Grey-Eye magic.

  Although they were all exhausted, many of the sundancers clamoured around Little Grey Bear Boy wanting to hug him, shake his hand, and thank him for using his magic on them. He did not know what to say or do. He wasn’t even sure he had done anything. His fellow sundancers admired his humility in performing such wondrous miracles. Eventually, the helpers had to shoo away the sundancers so the exhausted Little Grey Bear Boy could sleep.

  35

  nistomitanaw niyānosāp

  “Tansi? Sundancers! You have done it!” cheered the Crane clan warrior. “Come and celebrate your final day!”

  The exhausted sundancers, including Little Grey Bear Boy, emerged from their tents slowly but enthusiastically. They had been reborn of spirit in the night and felt as though they had awoken to a fresh new world. They could sense the spirit within everything around them and felt a connection to all of creation. Every rock, tree, and insect felt like an old friend being met after a long separation. The senior warrior who had flown with the eagles was no longer among them, but the remaining sundancers were not discouraged by this. Once again the sundancers clamoured around Little Grey Bear Boy and flocked to Painted Turtle Man’s sweat lodge until he was forced to turn most away for want of space.

  From his nearly empty sweat lodge, the strict sundance chief scowled, barking at his helpers to close the door. When the sundancers had completed two mild rounds in the sweat lodge they donned their ceremonial garb one last time. As they lined up, they were given a medicine tea that Painted Turtle Man had prepared to help ease the breaking of their fast at the end of the day. After three full days with no food or water, this bitter medicine seemed to be the best thing they had ever tasted.

  The drummers began the shake beat and the sundancers lined up.

  “We did it!” shouted one of the su
ndancers and all the rest whooped and cheered. They were led back up the hill to the Tree of Life.

  When the drum started, Painted Turtle Man walked over to Little Grey Bear Boy and said, “You and three of your age mates will go to the tree, but not until after the contraire dance.” He spoke loudly, so as to be heard over the drummers.

  Little Grey Bear Boy nodded at his moosum, the whites of his eyes the whiter against the dark circles under them.

  They danced through the first round and Grandfather Sun was gentle on them by hiding behind the occasional cloud. During the break, Little Grey Bear Boy felt dizzy and tried hard not to faint. He had come so far in the ceremony—he wanted to see it through.

  When the drum sounded on the second round, the singers began the windigo-con song. Unknown to Little Grey Bear Boy in his weary state, some of his fellow sundancers had snuck off down the hill to don the ceremonial garb of the contraires. From all directions, they emerged from the forest, yelling and waving branches, descending on the sundance circle in disorder and folly. The contraire dancers harassed the singers at the drum, painted the other sundancers with mud, and even mimicked the strict sundance chief, who seemed less amused than most. Little Grey Bear Boy could not help but laugh at their antics. His laughter refreshed him in his mind and spirit, though his body was still weary. As the round ended, the sacred clowns disappeared back into the forest to the sound of cheers and whoops from all.

  Little Grey Bear Boy’s heart began to beat faster. It would soon be time for him to fulfill his oath to Kitchi Manitou by going to the tree. It reassured him to know he would not be going alone and he could tell by the expressions on the faces of three of his age mates which of them were going too. In addition to the sundancers, hundreds of Nehiyawak had gathered to bear witness to what was about to occur. Spectators were allowed to observe from outside the sundance arbour, though they were required to stand while the singers were drumming.

  The drum sounded four times and felt like a knock of dread inside Little Grey Bear Boy’s chest. Father Sky had begun to cloud over, threatening rain. Little Grey Bear Boy could feel the familiar vibrations of the magic in the air and he tried to clear his mind of doubt. He sincerely hoped it was not his anxiety that was causing the sky to cloud; this was after all a ‘sun’ dance ceremony.

  Little Grey Bear Boy and his age mates were not dancing for very long before the helpers came to get them one by one. For a fleeting moment, when the three others had been taken ahead of him, a thought crept into Little Grey Bear Boy’s head: perhaps he would be forgotten. His heart dropped when one of the helpers came back, walking towards him. The helper reached his hand out towards Little Grey Bear Boy and grasped his white sage wrist band, which had raised itself without his knowing. With a gentle tug, the helper led Little Grey Bear Boy to the great buffalo hide next to the Tree of Life.

  The first of the four young boys was about to be pierced, as he had pledged himself to do. As the thin, sharp bone tool pierced the boy’s chest, the boy stiffened, then scowled. The chief inserted the wooden peg, tied it off with sinew, and looped the rawhide thong over it. The boy was brought up to his feet and the harness was attached to the rawhide thongs. The boy seemed in good spirits.

  The second boy was different. He shook from head to toe. The sundance chief who was piercing put down the piercing tool and rubbed white sage on the boy’s chest, chanting an ancient medicine prayer. This calmed the boy down. He winced for a moment when the chief pierced him but remained calm while the chief pegged and harnessed him and led him to the tree.

  Painted Turtle Man pierced the flesh of the third boy. Little Grey Bear Boy felt it should have been his adopted grandfather who pierced him, but then changed his mind. It would be strange to have the old man cause him pain. Little Grey Bear Boy shook these thoughts from his head and tried to remain focused on his pledge.

  Now it was Little Grey Bear Boy’s turn. The strict sundance chief would do the piercing—perhaps not Little Grey Bear Boy’s first choice, but such things did not matter. The sundance chief rubbed white sage on Little Grey Bear Boy’s chest as he prepared for the piercing. Little Grey Bear Boy felt some anxiety but was determined to face his pledge with courage. He reminded himself of the night his cousin Flying Rabbit Boy had been hurt and the miracle that had saved him. He wanted to repay Kitchi Manitou for his many blessings and this was the best way he knew how.

  Little Grey Bear Boy looked up into the sky, which had begun to grow quite dark indeed. He tried to think of happier thoughts so as not to ruin the ceremony. He felt the strict sundance chief’s hard and calloused hands upon him and a hard pinch as the hand gathered skin between the finger and thumb. There was a hard pull which lifted him slightly off his back, then a stab that was stronger and more painful than he had anticipated. The pain intensified when the chief shoved into his flesh the hard wooden peg. Little Grey Bear Boy gasped and his eyes burst open as the sundance chief pinched the other side of his chest to repeat the process.

  “Oh settle down, young warrior,” growled the man.

  Little Grey Bear Boy took a deep breath as he was again stabbed hard in the chest and another wooded peg rammed in.

  “Ekosi. That was not so bad, was it?”

  “I am fine,” lied Little Grey Bear Boy. “I can do this.”

  Little Grey Bear Boy was helped to his feet. His legs shook. The sundance chief attached the harness to the rawhide thongs with as much care and grace as a grizzly bear might have used. The sound of a Thunderbird flapping its wings echoed in the distance. Little Grey Bear Boy’s harness was attached to the rope and he lined up beside the third boy, who dropped his eagle bone whistle from his mouth when he saw Little Grey Bear Boy’s chest. He fumbled with his whistle, getting it back into his mouth, before gluing his eyes to the Tree of Life as he had been taught.

  One by one each of the boys was taken back and forth to the tree four times. Little Grey Bear Boy felt every vibration of the ropes and it seemed like his entire chest was on fire. He knew he must endure. He knew he was suffering himself for the good of the Nehiyawak. He never thought it would be this hard or that the pain would be quite so intense. The first two boys broke free of the ropes in their turn amid the cheers of the sundancers and the assembled crowd. The third boy again looked at Little Grey Bear Boy’s chest with wide eyes before being taken back and forth to the tree.

  Painted Turtle Man was there to make sure the third boy did not trip over his rope or lose his balance when going backwards. On the fourth time going to the Tree of Life, Painted Turtle Man shouted for him to go fast. He was smiling as the boy ran back and broke free. It was then he turned to Little Grey Bear Boy. His smile faded and for a moment Little Grey Bear Boy thought he had done something wrong.

  “What have you done?” shouted Painted Turtle Man, turning to the strict sundance chief.

  “What?” asked the sundance chief.

  “You have used the wrong pegs. Those are for flying with the eagles!”

  Little Grey Bear Boy looked down at the pegs. Blood streamed freely down his chest and torso.

  “Oh no,” said the strict sundance chief casually. “I must have grabbed the wrong ones…My eyes are not what they used to be.”

  The strict sundance chief chuckled and shrugged his shoulders at Painted Turtle Man. The old man was not amused. The singers were no longer singing and some were craning their necks to try and see what was going on.

  “Should we just pull them out?” suggested the strict sundance chief.

  “And have all the Nehiyawak think he was too weak to fulfill his oath? Awas! You have done enough.”

  The chief grumbled something and walked away, leaving Painted Turtle Man to tend to his adopted grandson.

  “I am sorry this happened, my boy. This is not how it is supposed to be. I must pull out the pegs. Even a grown man could not break free of these. You saw the warrior who flew with the eagles. He did
not even break free while hanging with all his weight.”

  “Everything happens for a reason, Moosum,” said Little Grey Bear Boy. “I must at least try to fulfill my oath.”

  “I do not understand why this has happened at our holiest ceremony. But I know in my heart that it was not the will of Kitchi Manitou. I will pull out the pegs and we will tell all the Nehiyawak about what that fool has done.”

  “Motch, Moosum.” Little Grey Bear Boy was close to tears now. “I will not bring dishonour to our clan.”

  “There is no dishonour, my boy. I cannot bear to see you suffering.”

  “I suffer for good of the Nehiyawak.”

  The old man prayed. “Oh, Great Spirit, hear my plea. Forgive me for what I am about to do.”

  Painted Turtle Man raised his eagle wing fan and led Little Grey Bear Boy to the Tree of Life. Every step felt like knives twisting from the inside of the boy’s chest. He hugged the Tree of Life and concentrated hard on his pledge.

  “You must run back quickly and pull hard at the end of the rope,” Painted Turtle Man told him. “You will need to try to break free all four times in order to loosen the flesh up enough to break.”

  Little Grey Bear Boy heeded the old man’s advice and ran back quickly and got to the end of the rope. The roped jerked him forward and he nearly lost his balance. Painted Turtle Man caught him and tried to act as though nothing had happened. The old man’s eyes were glassy. He looked over at the strict sundance chief, who appeared to be smirking. Painted Turtle Man led his adopted grandson back to the Tree of Life for another try.

  “That was a good attempt, my boy,” he whispered. “But you will have to try much harder than that.”