Dove Spirit Mask
The next morning she was awakened not by the birds, but by the sound of her brothers who called, “wohee, wohee, woha,” as they danced around her blanket.
“The moon is turning her face away from us now. You are free to take your place with the women,” her father said taking down the curtains from their supporting poles.
“Young woman,” said her step-mother, “get up and put on the white deerskin dress and your woman-moccasins. You need to sing the goodbye song with us for the mother-greeting party about to depart down at the beach.”
She followed her family to the shores of the bay as a large canoe was being loaded for departure. One white bearded man wore a headdress showing that he was of high rank in his tribe. When the seven visitors had packed their last provisions, she heard the sound of wood scraping against gravel and watched as the men pushed the canoe down the beach, shouting “hue-u-u-u-iee!” all the way until they jumped in and the sleek craft cut out into the water’s surface to glide like a seabird across the sky. Dogs barked and a crowd of women and girls sang the goodbye song of protection as the men paddled off into the far end of the bay.
That morning her stepmother Klee-wik explained that she had given permission for her father to smoke the pre-engagement pipe with the uncle of a young brave seeking marriage.
“He is the son of a sea-lion hunter and carver, Uma-kwee, and would make you a good husband. His father sent a large box of smoked octopus and shark fins as the first gift. They say that his uncle dreamed that his nephew was on a long hunting trip to the south and one day found a mountain lion cub hidden in the grass. When he picked the kitten and stroked its soft fur, it transformed into a beautiful woman. He had the dream the day before visiting traders had told his chief that several of our older girls were being initiated into womanhood this summer. Because you are of the Green Heron clan living here far to the south and came of age at the proper time they consider you a perfect match.
But, your father is not sure that you would approve of this suitor. So, he instructed the party to bring the young brave to a summer potlatch that our chief will host on Kwath-killum Island at the next full moon. Your father will ask our chief to put the young man to a test to judge his merit and you can advise me what you think. If you accept him, the engagement will last two years then a marriage potlatch will be held at the village of his people who live in the far north islands.”
Uma-kwee was astonished by the news of her pre-engagement and the possibility of choosing to accept the marriage proposal. Most of her older friends had no say about the man that their parents chose. If all went well, in only two years she would be a wife in a new lodge built by her new husband come to live among her people.
“What is the name of this son of a hunter and carver, our-mother?”
“His name is Hayoqwis Sea Champion of the Kaw-Seth. He is of the proper clan and linage and is respected as a hard worker. They say that he is bigger than all of the other braves and the carver of fine house poles. He can build you a lodge behind ours near the spring house.”
Engagement and marriage to Hayoqwis sounded better than she could imagine. For the next days as the family prepared for the annual voyage to Meet-in-the-Middle Island, she tried to learn all that she could about the young brave who might be her husband and the customs of his tribe. She learned that long ago they say that the Duwam'ha and the Kaw-Seth were once one people who shared a village to the south near Big River. A feared warrior tribe envied the much smaller tribe and sent a large war party to raid and destroy the village, killing most of the people -- except those that they took as slaves and those who escaped into the forest.
Continued
“The moon is turning her face away from us now. You are free to take your place with the women,” her father said taking down the curtains from their supporting poles.
“Young woman,” said her step-mother, “get up and put on the white deerskin dress and your woman-moccasins. You need to sing the goodbye song with us for the mother-greeting party about to depart down at the beach.”
She followed her family to the shores of the bay as a large canoe was being loaded for departure. One white bearded man wore a headdress showing that he was of high rank in his tribe. When the seven visitors had packed their last provisions, she heard the sound of wood scraping against gravel and watched as the men pushed the canoe down the beach, shouting “hue-u-u-u-iee!” all the way until they jumped in and the sleek craft cut out into the water’s surface to glide like a seabird across the sky. Dogs barked and a crowd of women and girls sang the goodbye song of protection as the men paddled off into the far end of the bay.
That morning her stepmother Klee-wik explained that she had given permission for her father to smoke the pre-engagement pipe with the uncle of a young brave seeking marriage.
“He is the son of a sea-lion hunter and carver, Uma-kwee, and would make you a good husband. His father sent a large box of smoked octopus and shark fins as the first gift. They say that his uncle dreamed that his nephew was on a long hunting trip to the south and one day found a mountain lion cub hidden in the grass. When he picked the kitten and stroked its soft fur, it transformed into a beautiful woman. He had the dream the day before visiting traders had told his chief that several of our older girls were being initiated into womanhood this summer. Because you are of the Green Heron clan living here far to the south and came of age at the proper time they consider you a perfect match.
But, your father is not sure that you would approve of this suitor. So, he instructed the party to bring the young brave to a summer potlatch that our chief will host on Kwath-killum Island at the next full moon. Your father will ask our chief to put the young man to a test to judge his merit and you can advise me what you think. If you accept him, the engagement will last two years then a marriage potlatch will be held at the village of his people who live in the far north islands.”
Uma-kwee was astonished by the news of her pre-engagement and the possibility of choosing to accept the marriage proposal. Most of her older friends had no say about the man that their parents chose. If all went well, in only two years she would be a wife in a new lodge built by her new husband come to live among her people.
“What is the name of this son of a hunter and carver, our-mother?”
“His name is Hayoqwis Sea Champion of the Kaw-Seth. He is of the proper clan and linage and is respected as a hard worker. They say that he is bigger than all of the other braves and the carver of fine house poles. He can build you a lodge behind ours near the spring house.”
Engagement and marriage to Hayoqwis sounded better than she could imagine. For the next days as the family prepared for the annual voyage to Meet-in-the-Middle Island, she tried to learn all that she could about the young brave who might be her husband and the customs of his tribe. She learned that long ago they say that the Duwam'ha and the Kaw-Seth were once one people who shared a village to the south near Big River. A feared warrior tribe envied the much smaller tribe and sent a large war party to raid and destroy the village, killing most of the people -- except those that they took as slaves and those who escaped into the forest.
Continued
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