Babakawquit Mask

N’ha-itk then told him everything that happened on his journey to Skull House with his father.

“Immediately after my father banished you, the men sent to drown you reported the incident of the pod of killer whales appearing suddenly to stop them and Chah-nulth was troubled that the animal protector of your clan would come to rescue you. It was a bad sign. For five days he only ate a portion of fermented whale fat each morning and kept on chanting until he went into a trance. Each night my father had the same bad dream that he had asked you to interpret.

“Then midday of the fifth day the spirit of Babakawquit entered into Chah-nulth and spoke in a strange language that was interpreted by Chah-nulth’s daughter Nishga, an apprentice shaman. She said that the ghost was angry that Namquaw had mercy on the offender and let him go instead of killing him on the spot. The ghost followed your canoe and saw that you made your way to the Lost Islands of winter stories and was very angry that a human had escaped the lure of the sea monsters and supernatural otters meant to protect the islands from human habitation. He demanded that Namquaw come to his lodge to face judgment by a council of spirits.

‘As punishment for your weakness, you must bring your only son and give him up to be our slave,’ said the interpreter.

“Father was tormented by the dream repeating vividly each night so much that he feared sleep. Chah-nulth strongly urged him to obey the voice of the spirit and abandon me to the jaws of the monster.”

At this point the young chief paused and tears came to his eyes as he continued, “Then my father ordered that I be bound and forced to make the journey. My mother objected so strongly that Namquaw ordered her beaten and tossed from the lodge. I was deeply distressed and shocked, but father seemed controlled by some spirit, moving about quiet and pale and determined to obey. The sun was still warm when we set out and we didn’t hit snow until we began the ascent up the last of four passes. Fifteen braves and Nishga, daughter of Chah-nulth, traveled with us and I prayed constantly to the Changer that he would rescue me somehow.

“On the fifth day we made camp at the Crater Tarn in sight of the rock spire at the base of Icy Peak. We could see the roof of Babakawquit’s lodge covered in snow. That night before the fire, Nishga had the men shake frog-raven rattles and sing a protection song to keep Crooked Beak away. Then she went into a trance and spoke first in the voice of the ghosts, then in human language saying that the first thing in the morning my father should crawl up to the lodge, offers his gift of deer meat in the Green Frog Bowl and beg for his life.

"The next morning father did as he was instructed and made his way slowly to the rock lodge and we could see him disappear into the door. He never returned.

"We waited the entire day, then at sunset the quest party led by Nishga also walked up chanting a protection song to the door of the lodge, looking overhead fearing an attack by Cannibal Bird or Crooked Beak. When we arrived we saw my father’s head added to skulls used to decorate the doorway of the rocky lodge. His lower jaw was missing, but we recognized the raven feathers and charms in his hair.

"Nishga began screaming in a strange language, dropped to her knees and went into another trance, rolling her head so that her hair tossed back and forth. We felt the cold wind of the ghosts moving among us like they do at funeral services. We were too frightened to move any farther and squatted in a circle with our heads bowed.
Continued

0 Comments:

Post a Comment