Grey Eyes (21 page)

Some of the other dancers caught the man as he fell forward. They whooped and cheered in honour of his sacrifice. The wooden pegs were found and returned to the man as a token of the day he walked with the buffalo.

After a short rest, the drum sounded and the dancers got up again and danced, picking up one foot and then the other. They started to feel the effects of physical fatigue combined with thirst and hunger from fasting. When the sun began to set, the drum beat stopped and the dancers lined up to be marched back down to the sundance campsite. The sundancers changed out of their ceremonial garb and re-entered one of the four sweat lodges for another two rounds, completing the ceremony and the first day.

Although tired from the day's ordeal, the sundancers took some time to catch up with old friends and distant relations from other villages. Many were connected through blood or marriage. They reminisced about old times and learned about who had gotten married and who had been blessed with children. The conversation was kept positive. They avoided speaking of those who had passed away as well as any reference to the Red-Eyed demons. As Father Sky darkened, the sundancers made their way back to their tents and settled in to sleep.

33
nistomitanaw nistosāp

T
he second day dawned and the hunger and thirst began to gnaw at the sundancers.

“
Tansi
, sundancers!” called the Crane clan warrior, “Wake up and get ready!”

They entered the four sweat lodges for two rounds, still in good spirits but moving a little more slowly. The second day of the sundance ceremony represented the years of a person's youth. The sundancers donned their ceremonial garb, gathered their sacred items and medicine bundles, and formed a line. The drum sounded the shake beat as the sundancers marched up the hill to the sundance circle. Today there would be piercings, buffalo-skull dragging, and flesh offering. When the dancers were ready, Painted Turtle Man signalled the drummers to begin. The sundancers responded to the steady beat with their whistles and their feet. Grandfather Sun rose and began to radiate his heat upon their faces and bodies.

A helper brought the first four sundancers who had pledged to ‘go to the tree' to the buffalo hide. This time, pegs pierced the chest. Long ropes attached to the top of the tree were secured to the harness, which in turn was attached to the chest pegs. One by one and to the beat of the drum, the sundancers were taken back and forth to the tree four times. Each time, the sundancer was walked backwards away from the tree. When the sundancer reached the end of the rope, they would be encouraged by the sundance chief to lean back and stretch the skin. On the fourth time the piercer was taken to the tree, they would run backwards as fast as they were able and at the end of the rope would jump back in an attempt to break free.

Once in a while, the piercer would be unable to break free. If they were willing and able, they would try again. Although it was not a contest, it was believed by some that if a sundancer could not break free, it meant they did not truly believe in their purpose. It was a foolish superstition, but most of the sundancers worried about it nonetheless. On this day, the four who went to the tree were able to break free. When the drum stopped and the round ended, the dancers gathered to acknowledge them and their suffering.

During the break, anyone who wished to make a flesh offering could approach one of the sundance chiefs and offer tobacco to be cut. If the sundance chief accepted the tobacco, the sundancer would present their arm and the sundance chief would use a needle to poke the sundancer's outer arm just below the shoulder to draw out a very small section of skin and cut it off. This would usually be done four times. The sundancer making such an offering would be left with four small holes, barely the size of a drop of water, on their outer arm. The tiny pieces of flesh would be put into a small section of hide or fur and given back to the sundancer to offer to the ceremonial fire.

Little Grey Bear Boy and his age mates would not be required to make such an offering until the third day of the sundance ceremony. Three more sundancers walked with the buffalo on the second day and about forty fulfilled their oaths of going to the tree.

During the last round of the second day, one of the sundancers pledged to ‘fly with the eagles.' This was the most difficult and severe form of self-sacrifice and was a rare occurrence. Only a senior warrior could make this particular pledge as it required the sundancer to have earned two eagle wing fans in his lifetime, a difficult task for anyone. The fact that this warrior pledged to fly with the eagles on the second day was remarkable as it would make it more difficult for him to complete the ceremony.

To fly with the eagles, one of the sundance chiefs (Painted Turtle Man in this case) again pierced the chest, this time gathering more flesh, piercing deeper and with a larger peg. Instead of being attached to the Tree of Life and running back and forth to break free, to fly with the eagles the sundancer would hang from it. When the sundancer was in the air, he would have to flap the eagle wing fans, which were tied to his wrists. The senior warrior was in the air for what seemed an eternity and his flapping had begun to slow. Painted Turtle Man signalled the warriors to let him down, feeling his pledge had been fulfilled by his suffering.

Little Grey Bear Boy watched as the dancer was lowered. From where he was standing, it appeared that one of the sundance chiefs was questioning Painted Turtle Man. Little Grey Bear Boy knew this was unlikely—it would have been completely out of order for a visiting sundance chief to question his host—but there seemed to be some sort of disagreement among the Sundance chiefs.

As Grandfather Sun became merciful, beginning his descent for the night, the sundancers were marched back down to the sundance campsite and cleansed in one of the four sweat lodges. Many of the sundancers went directly to their tents this time, especially those who had been pierced. Only a handful stayed out to socialize and even those went to their beds much earlier than the night before. The hunger of two days' fasting was now more intense and the sundancers found it harder to sleep. Eventually, the physical exhaustion won out.

34
nistomitanaw niyosāp

G
randfather Sun began his journey much earlier than usual on the third day, or so it seemed to the sundancers when the Crane clan warrior woke them up.

“
Tansi
, sundancers!” he called reluctantly. “It is time to get ready!”

This would be the most difficult day of the ceremony as it represented the years of a person's adult life. Hunger became an afterthought compared to the dryness in the sundancers' mouths and throats. The same dryness could also be felt in their joints and muscles. While they were waiting to go into their sweat lodges for the usual two rounds, one of the young sundancers began to vomit a bright yellow liquid, and the sundance chiefs decided his sundance was finished. It seemed by the smaller crowd a few others had also completed their sundance early. There was no shame in leaving early. When sundancers had given all they could give, their oath to
Kitchi Manitou
was considered fulfilled.

The senior warrior who had flown with the eagles was still there, though his eyes were droopy and he looked pale. When anyone went over to check on him, he would straighten up and nod that he was fine. As soon as they walked away, his smile faded and he found something to lean on.

After the sweat lodge, the dancers donned their ceremonial garb for the third time. The strain of the previous days showed in their faces. This day, they would be tested.

The drummers began the shake beat and the sundancers lined up and began the long walk up the hill to the sundance circle, the slope steeper than they remembered. Each sundancer was taken to the Tree of Life to reiterate prayers and oaths. By now their tiny spot on Mother Earth felt like a second home. Their feet had worn ruts in the ground. When every sundancer was in place, Painted Turtle Man signalled the drummers to start singing the sacred sundance songs.

Grandfather Sun threatened to be relentless on this third day of the ceremony. Little Grey Bear Boy was especially nervous as this would be the day he and his age mates would be expected to ‘go to the tree' or make a flesh offering. Most of the boys his age had pledged the latter but he was one of four boys who had received serious interventions by
Kitchi Manitou
. As far as Little Grey Bear Boy was concerned,
Kitchi Manitou
had spared his cousin's life the day the Red-Eye warrior came and he was determined to repay the debt. In his heart he knew a flesh offering would be insufficient. He would have to go to the tree.

As the drum sounded, the sundancers picked up one foot and then the other while tweeting their eagle bone whistles with dry mouths. Most of the sundancers were falling behind the beat of the drum, but most of the sundance chiefs overlooked this. One Sundance chief, the same one who had appeared to be arguing with Painted Turtle Man, was not as kind. He pointed at a sundancer's feet and gesticulated with his hand or eagle wing fan to dance harder or faster.

After the first break, Grandfather Sun was merciless, and some of the dancers started to fall. Whenever one of the sundancers collapsed or fainted from the heat, the helpers ran over and dragged them down the hill, ending their sundance ceremony. The
Nehiyawak
had gathered from all around and had been brought up the hill to the sundance circle in order to seek healing. Those who were sick or suffering would be brought to the large buffalo robe at the base of the Tree of Life. One of the sundance chiefs would administer healing with their rattle, whistle or by laying of hands.

There seemed to be a delay with the first batch and people were looking and pointing at Little Grey Bear Boy. After talking to Painted Turtle Man and the other sundance chiefs, a helper went to the spot where Little Grey bear Boy was dancing.

“You are needed at the tree,” said the helper, reaching for Little Grey Bear Boy's white sage wrist band. The boy held out his arm and the helper grabbed onto the wristband and guided him to the tree. Little Grey Bear Boy thought it must be time for him to go to the tree and fulfill his pledge. He was nervous and his heart was pounding, but he had made an oath to
Kitchi Manitou
and he was determined to fulfill it.

Painted Turtle Man approached his adopted grandson. “The
Nehiyawak…
want you to dance for them as they receive their healing.” Little Grey Bear Boy removed the eagle bone whistle from his mouth with some effort, it stuck to his lip and he had to pull hard to release it.

“I am not brought here to pierce?”

“No, my boy that will have to wait.”

Little Grey Bear Boy was puzzled.

“Will you do this for the
Nehiyawak
?”

“
Tapwe, Moosum
,” answered Little Grey Bear Boy. “I will perform any task the
Nehiyawak
require of me.”

Painted Turtle Man smiled with pride at his adopted grandson and pointed at a spot near the great buffalo hide. The strict sundance chief folded his arms across his chest in disapproval at this irregular occurrence. The
Nehiyawak
who had come seemed happy with this—they clamoured about for a place in line. Clearly, word that a Grey-Eye was participating in the sundance ceremony had spread.

A woman carried a large child whose body was strangely twisted and whose eyes seemed to see things no one else could. The child was placed upon the buffalo robe and the woman wiped the foaming saliva from his mouth and chin.

“What do you need?” asked Painted Turtle Man.

“My son was born this way,” whispered the woman. “He was touched by the spirits. It is not that I am ungrateful to Creator, it is just that he is too big for me to carry anymore.”

“You wish the spirits to leave him?”

“
Tapwe
,” answered the woman, placing her tobacco pouch down with tears in her eyes. “No one has ever accepted my tobacco…”

Painted Turtle Man placed his hands on the crippled boy's chest and closed his eyes. The boy continued to look about with his leg twitching and his breathing laboured. Someone in line for healing cleared their throat impatiently. Painted Turtle Man removed his hand slowly and sat back on his knees, eyes still closed. The woman reached for her tobacco pouch but the old man opened his eyes quickly and stopped her with his gaze. He reached down and picked up the small pouch.

“For the love of life,” said Painted Turtle Man, holding the woman's teary gaze.

Painted Turtle Man lit a ball of white sage and placed it in his abalone shell. He used the smoke and his moonstone rattle to work his healing medicine. Little Grey Bear Boy danced hard and his grey eyes began to glow. The ground started to vibrate and the air around him seemed to buzz. The old medicine man's hands glowed with a blue light and the stones inside his hide rattle flickered green, red, blue, and gold. He placed his glowing hands on the child and his body jerked. The boy cried out, moaning loudly as three spectral figures emerged from his screams. The figures flew about wildly but were bound to the Tree of Life. The sickness was drawn into the tree and absorbed into the earth.

The child lie still upon the buffalo robe and his body relaxed. The woman went to him weeping loudly and fearing the worst. The child reached out his arm and pushed himself into a side sitting position. His body was shaky and weak as he looked around. His eyes met the woman's and he reached his other hand out to her.

“Mother?” he said as he took her hand.

The woman burst into tears and hugged her son. The people nearby stepped back and murmured to each other.

The tree itself was glowing with an ancient magic and its light was connected like a rope to each of the remaining sundancers. The sundancers danced hard for the
Nehiyawak
. For many of them it was the first time they had felt the Grey-Eye magic. Soon the entire Sundance ceremony had been imbued with the ancient power of the ancestors.

More of those who came before Painted Turtle Man would receive miraculous healing as their sickness would be drawn out of them right before the very eyes of all who had gathered. Sometimes the sickness would manifest itself as a smoky black worm or insect while more serious ailments poured out as dark smoke or demonic figures. The sickness would be drawn to the Tree of Life as though it was a great magnet, absorbing the spectral figure, whatever its manifestation.

The sky began to cloud over and the Grey-Eye magic began to subside. Everyone who had come to find healing had been miraculously healed of all that ailed them. To Painted Turtle Man's knowledge, this was the first time in which the helpers had to drag some of the spectators down the hill. The power of what they had witnessed was overwhelming to some. The sky began to darken and the drum stopped its rhythmic beat, signalling the end of the third day. The weary sundancers whooped and cheered, they had passed the test, thanks in part to the Grey-Eye magic.

Although they were all exhausted, many of the sundancers clamoured around Little Grey Bear Boy wanting to hug him, shake his hand, and thank him for using his magic on them. He did not know what to say or do. He wasn't even sure he had done anything. His fellow sundancers admired his humility in performing such wondrous miracles. Eventually, the helpers had to shoo away the sundancers so the exhausted Little Grey Bear Boy could sleep.