Council House Stories I

Posted on Wed 3rd Oct, 2018 @ 8:59pm by

872 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Deck 1551, Desert Hills
Timeline: MD 17, 1645

The girl sat next to her father in the warm sand, legs crossed, a thoughtful look on her face. "E do da, is this the day?" she asked.

"Usti waya, this is the day," her father confirmed. He, too, sat with legs crossed, hands upturned on his knees, and face toward the warmth of the afternoon sun.

"And I will be allowed to listen?" the child persisted.

A smile almost lurked around her father's mouth, but he remained grave as he responded. "You will be allowed, uwetsi. Have I not said it is so?"

The girl nodded, satisfied. She looked out over the desert in front of them. Desert was not their native home, many places in the past, but it was their home here, in this place. They were content to have it so, for there were no wars nor arguments against their habitation of the land.

"E do da, how long have the stories been with us?" she asked, with the continued curiosity of one attaining a more advanced standing in the clan.

"You know," her father chided her. "E dus ti has told you, igohidv, as long as the people have been."

She knew he referred to her mother's elder brother, the one who had punished her brother for his mistakes, scratching his skin with gar fish teeth. Indirectly, he had also taught her many things, allowing her to listen as she beaded clothing near her brother's instructions.

"Igohidv. It is a long time," she reflected.

In the background, the sun was setting, and a bell began to ring. They both stood, understanding it was time to go to the council house, not needing to exchange more words now.

Shortly, entering through the door to the large council house, the father and daughter took their places with the mother's family, for society was matrilineal, and family was the mother's side. When all were seated, it was silent.

After a moment, the eldest woman of the tribe entered, dressed in ceremonial red, and took the center seat on the small platform where the Peace Council sat. The fire in the center of the council house was lit and, when it burned well, the woman began.

"Long, long ago, so it is said, a great island floated in a giant ocean. This island hung from four thick ropes from the sky, which was solid rock."

She paused, and the women seated around the fire echoed, "So it is said."

"There were no peoples, and it was always dark. The animals could not see, so it is said. They got the sun and put it in a path that took it across the island from east to west each day." She paused again.

This time, it was the men who echoed the words, "So it is said."

"The animals and plants were told by the Great Spirit to stay awake for seven days and seven nights, but most could not and they slept. Those plants that did stay awake, such as the pine and cedar and those few others, were rewarded by being allowed to remain green all year, so it is said."

The men and women echoed together, "So it is said."

"All the other plants were made to lose their leaves each winter. Those animals that did stay awake, such as the owl and the mountain lion and those few others, were rewarded with the ability to go about in the dark, so it is said. Then the people appeared."

Everyone in the council house agreed, "So it is said."

Again, there was silence. The girl sat very still, waiting to see, waiting to hear.

The council member to the left of Eldest Woman intoned, "The new people were told what to do and what to eat. 'Here are plants', and the creator pointed to squash and beans and to corn. 'You will harvest them, cook them, and save them to eat in the winter.' So it is said."

Only the women echoed, "So it is said."

The council member to the right of Eldest Woman said, "The creator said, 'Here are the berries that will ripen in the summer. You will eat them, and you will dry them for use in winter." He pointed to blueberry trees, to tiny strawberry plants, to raspberry bushes, and to blackberry bushes, so it is said."

The men picked up the refrain, "So it is said."

Finally, Eldest Woman spoke again. "There are fish in all the rivers. You will cook them and eat them when they come up the streams. And you will dry them to eat in the winter. There are deer and turkeys in the forest. You will hunt them and eat them. You will wrap your daughters in the deer skins and your sons in panther skins. You will save the feathers of the turkeys and decorate your clothing. So it is said."

"So it is said," everyone echoed.

Throughout the evening hours, until the moon was high overhead, the people told the stories of the ancestors, the stories that could only be told on this night of all nights. As it had been for 3000 years, in a place far distant, so it was still among the AniYvwiya.

 

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