Ghost Mask

The Kaw-Seth braves watched and considered ambushing the deceivers. The ancient law of spilled blood urged Wountie to avenge the taking of his brother and father -- even if it meant clubbing to death the white haired elder. The dead bodies could be tossed off the cliffs to sink to the seabed like all the those betrayed by Selawik trickery at this place.

Skilled hunters of all animals, the cousins had never killed men before. Although Hayqwis and his brother had killed men one night during an ambush while on a trading voyage to top of the world the summer before.


Wountie hated the Selawik. It would easy to kill them now. He wished that he had never agreed to bring his father to this demon Isle.

As Mowa'kek walked nearer, Wountie gripped his club more tightly and envisioned an attack -- at the right movement, leap out to hit the deformed monsters from behind.

They certainly deserved to die.

How simple for Hayoqwis to thrust the spear tip into the crazed shaman's chest, then push it all the way to squeeze out the madman's last foul breath.

Narrowing his eyes, Wountie communicated to his cousins with a nod and squinted eye that using the ceremonial spear -- taken from the hands of the shaman's own spirit guide -- would be perfect justice. With two quick blows, they could club down the chiefs like beached seals.

But, what Wountie in his anger failed to realize, Hayoqwis knew.

"That kind of revenge will fade away before it takes hold. The three elders would be missed. A search party will come. Don't forget Tokwish," whispered the Suitor displaying his typically cunning insight.

Eventually the Selawik would tie the disappearance of the missing chiefs to the Kaw-Seth braves. That would stir the powerful tribe to war against Kaw-Seth allies in the region, if not a way party all the way to Island Home. Hayoqwis also feared for the life of his brother Tokwish -- already enslaved by the tribe's matron who was also the mother and wife of two of the men he longed to kill.


Spe-eth had spoken of the Selawik punishment of staking the hands and feet of a condemned man spread eagle on the ground, cutting open the stomach and inserting white hot rocks to bake him alive.

Putting the image out of his mind, Hayoqwis remembered his better plan and quieted the fury of his emotions. He gestured to the cousins to remain invisible and watch as the flat faced Selawik walked past the hiding place and passed into the shade of the burial grove beyond.

"They speak of a lodge and ghost feast tonight," whispered Hayoqwis slowly moving back to become one with the shadows of the brush.

"That means that there must be a house mounted on the cliff wall facing east. Tonight they will offer food for the ghosts as is the Selawik way. We will find that house and make a unexpected visit," he said as softly as a chickadee's whistle.

"Then appearing as drowned men come back from the waters -- we will convince them to help us gain restitution for the crime against our family."

The men waited in silence knowing that while Mowa'kek chanted the chiefs with him would fill their leather pouches with fresh underworld fruit that grew among ferns under the decaying bodies hanging in the trees.

It was not long until they again heard the chanting and the three Selawik re-appeared walking faster and seemingly pleased with such a large harvest of mushrooms. They continued to the mortuary house and Mowa'kek placed the basket of herbs on the ground where he and the others had knelt. Singing about the power of the sea lion, he backed away and joined the others as they proceeded toward the beach.

Instead of returning to their camp on the shores of the inlet, Hayoqwis realized that the Selawik men were headed for the secret Ghost Feast Lodge mounted somewhere on eastern ledge half way up the cliff facing inland. Except for smoke from the fire, such a house would be obscured by trees and remain unseen from the beach. And judging by how steep the cliff looked, the house could probably only be reached by ladders and steep trails.

"This must be the feast house that father visited when he was cut to receive Raven's blood," whispered Kalis who began to remember details of Spe-eth's initiation story.

"Father said that a chief shaman had spent many hours alone in a lodge mounted on a cliff chanting for the spirits to fill his neck and shoulders with powers to see the future and kill his enemies with thoughts."

Kalis went on to explain that according to Selawik lore, the founder of the Raven Society discovered a secret cliff on a sea rock where he built a large house to commemorate the end of the coastal wars among the tribes. Later Great Raven appeared to him and commanded that the rock should be dedicated as a place of refuge for offenders to escape punishment for insulting noblemen or spirits.

"Father said that he saw both men and women guilty of great offenses were absolved just by touching foot on the place of refuge. In mid summer, shaman brought their apprentice initiates from each of the spirit societies to worship their animals and commune with departed heroes. It must be the same house where father had his fearful vision."
"We won the right to be guided on a bear hunt," Wountie cried, lifting his thick eyebrows emphatically.

"Tokwish paid a year of his life for that right!"

Hayoqwis gestured for Wountie to speak more quietly since voices might travel far in the ocean wind. Wountie moved close to the faces of his brother and cousin standing in a tight huddle under the shelter of the forest.
"Listen to me," he said in a strained whisper. "How can we continue to live in a world with out Tiska or Spe-eth as long as those deformed bullfish-that-look-like-men still walk in pride? You heard what they said about capturing the Butterfly Woman as a wife for Somkin. What kind of copulating dogs are these crazed Selawik? The bone game blessing of the chief has turned into a curse for our family. Let us go to the house and obtain our revenge -- even if it means that we die."