Wild Woman Mask
Muxqueum paused from his singing to look out side the cave entrance to see if any fire burned at the base of the peak, but saw no light – just as he had not seen any since his vision. Tillicum was gone, but he felt his presence as never before. He would prefer to camp outside, except for the freezing cold wind that coated everything with a layer of ice.
However, it had not snowed since he left Bloodroot Bay. He withdrew back inside to lay down on the mat, grateful for the warmth of the glittering cave. Later he found many chips of hard, shinning rocks that could be fashioned into a new carving tool blade, as well as fine arrow heads, drills and even axes. The stone seemed similar to the blade of Tillicum’s spear.
When the wind subsided, he built a fire pit at the cave entrance to heat water melted from snow and cook his food. While hunting on the bluff he killed a large rabbit and cooked its tender meat over the fire skewered on willow sticks. The warm, soft flesh was satisfying.
One day while hunting he walked back to the top of the mountain in search of the sacred fire pit. But, he could not find the spot, or else the snow had covered it. Snowy Owl stayed for eight days at the cave and would have stayed longer, but his supply of food was running low and he missed the comforts of the hutch. From a piece of firewood, he carved a model of the bear design to bring back with him. The effigy was going to be perfect. Finally he began to prepare for the hike back down to the bay, organizing his gear and selecting the best rocks to take with him. He would leave the next morning.
But he was curious how deep the cave went and decided to explore it more carefully. He took his candlefish fat lamp – as well as the clamshell and some fire start in case the flame was snuffed -- and crepted back into the depths of the cavern. Sometimes he crawled on his stomach to squeeze though narrow passages – pushing the lamp ahead of him. After bumping his head a few times, he moved more cautiously. The long channel snaked like a river cutting through the rock underworld, opened to other channels and large rooms.
The farther he went down into the blackness, the warmer the floor became and the smell of the burning candlefish fat mixed with a putrid sulfur odor. He saw many glittering walls covered with crystals and long formations that looked like drill heads or spears hanging from the ceiling. Except for his tiny burning lamp, darkness filled every space with the thickest blackness imaginable all around.
He moved carefully so as not to slip off into a hidden ledge. He found holes in the path before him and dropped small stones down to hear that the passages seem to go on forever into the underworld. He felt a cold breeze blow softly into his face from one of the holes, sucking away the warmth of the rocks he laid upon. Perhaps down there is the place where lost souls are drawn after death? Any spirit here was peaceful, like the dead bones of a cemetery – silently waiting to be called into life when World Changer appears to make all things right.
He knew that such stories told to him by his mother and the other old Kaw-Seth women when he was a child were true because the glory light had transformed his own body. He had entered the Great Spirit Lodge and saw the glory light for himself. He was not afraid of death or the power of the rebellious spirits now. Not even Babakawquit in all his vicious power frightened him and he vowed again to return to defeat the monster and free his people just like his vision showed.
He bent down and peered into the blackness of the narrow, endless pit below him. He took a breath and yelled with all his might into the hole, “Setko, you rebellious thief, may the Father of Spirits banish you to this place forever!”
Then he spit into the hole, hearing the echo of his curse repeat many times. It was thrilling to shout at the darkness without fear. He felt more powerful than ever before.
Continued
However, it had not snowed since he left Bloodroot Bay. He withdrew back inside to lay down on the mat, grateful for the warmth of the glittering cave. Later he found many chips of hard, shinning rocks that could be fashioned into a new carving tool blade, as well as fine arrow heads, drills and even axes. The stone seemed similar to the blade of Tillicum’s spear.
When the wind subsided, he built a fire pit at the cave entrance to heat water melted from snow and cook his food. While hunting on the bluff he killed a large rabbit and cooked its tender meat over the fire skewered on willow sticks. The warm, soft flesh was satisfying.
One day while hunting he walked back to the top of the mountain in search of the sacred fire pit. But, he could not find the spot, or else the snow had covered it. Snowy Owl stayed for eight days at the cave and would have stayed longer, but his supply of food was running low and he missed the comforts of the hutch. From a piece of firewood, he carved a model of the bear design to bring back with him. The effigy was going to be perfect. Finally he began to prepare for the hike back down to the bay, organizing his gear and selecting the best rocks to take with him. He would leave the next morning.
But he was curious how deep the cave went and decided to explore it more carefully. He took his candlefish fat lamp – as well as the clamshell and some fire start in case the flame was snuffed -- and crepted back into the depths of the cavern. Sometimes he crawled on his stomach to squeeze though narrow passages – pushing the lamp ahead of him. After bumping his head a few times, he moved more cautiously. The long channel snaked like a river cutting through the rock underworld, opened to other channels and large rooms.
The farther he went down into the blackness, the warmer the floor became and the smell of the burning candlefish fat mixed with a putrid sulfur odor. He saw many glittering walls covered with crystals and long formations that looked like drill heads or spears hanging from the ceiling. Except for his tiny burning lamp, darkness filled every space with the thickest blackness imaginable all around.
He moved carefully so as not to slip off into a hidden ledge. He found holes in the path before him and dropped small stones down to hear that the passages seem to go on forever into the underworld. He felt a cold breeze blow softly into his face from one of the holes, sucking away the warmth of the rocks he laid upon. Perhaps down there is the place where lost souls are drawn after death? Any spirit here was peaceful, like the dead bones of a cemetery – silently waiting to be called into life when World Changer appears to make all things right.
He knew that such stories told to him by his mother and the other old Kaw-Seth women when he was a child were true because the glory light had transformed his own body. He had entered the Great Spirit Lodge and saw the glory light for himself. He was not afraid of death or the power of the rebellious spirits now. Not even Babakawquit in all his vicious power frightened him and he vowed again to return to defeat the monster and free his people just like his vision showed.
He bent down and peered into the blackness of the narrow, endless pit below him. He took a breath and yelled with all his might into the hole, “Setko, you rebellious thief, may the Father of Spirits banish you to this place forever!”
Then he spit into the hole, hearing the echo of his curse repeat many times. It was thrilling to shout at the darkness without fear. He felt more powerful than ever before.
Continued
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