CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Briella had, of course, attended many of these annual medicine ceremonies, the observance lasting four days. But, she had never participated in any of them, since her faith was different from theirs.
Because the Medicine Lodge Ceremony was usually held during the serviceberry season, Briella added her efforts into helping the women. She accompanied them into the woods and gathered pounds and pounds of the berries. Then, she threw all her energies into helping the women mash the berries until there was a great amount of juice. This juice, she knew, would be passed around from person to person during the ceremony.
As she assisted the women in the camp, she laughed along with them, the topics of much gossip bringing about some laughter; often these topics concerned the men. And, when Briella said, "The men in the East wear whiskers on their faces and cut their hair so short they have to wear many scarves and hats covering their heads and ears in order to keep their ears from freezing in the winter,"Tsss!was the response from the lips of most of the women, many of them placing a hand over their mouth to show their surprise.
"And," continued Briella, "many of those men do not openly carry a weapon of any kind…no rifle…no gun."
Tsss! The sound again was voiced by the women, one of them commenting upon the Eastern man's neglect of their womenfolk, family and tribe. After all, how was a family to survive without a strong man to protect them?
"Are they cowards?" asked one of the women.
"I fear many are," responded Briella. "Not all. But many, I think."
One of the women made a rather crude comment about the Easterner's ability to even produce a family, to which a chorus of laughter and bit of vulgar sign language was the response.
"Those Eastern men were certainly different," responded Briella.
"It is good you have returned here, where the men are strong and able to defend what is theirs."
"Áa," said Briella. "It is good I have come back to my country, at last."
The talk then turned to the topic of the ceremony to come, and Briella was dumbstruck when one of the women commented that a tribe of the Lakota had sent a messenger to say they would be attending the Blackfoot ceremonial this year.
"The Lakota?" Briella asked. "Are you certain? They are our enemies. Why are they coming here?"
No one answered. No one seemed to know the reason for the enemy, who was not on the war path, to take this long journey. But, indeed, scouts had reported they were already come into the easternmost part of Blackfoot country…and there were many of them. Also, attending the ceremony this year were the Northern Pikuni and the Káínaa band of the Blackfoot tribe. It was why so many of the serviceberries were being picked and made into juice. Soon the people would be entertaining many guests. Some would be enemy visitors, true. But, guests they would be all the same, and the entire tribe was awash with excitement. Most of the young unmarried men and women were already shaking out their best clothes, as well as taking the pains to add to their paints and their jewelry. Indeed, this would be a summer ceremony to remember.
****
"Red Fox, do you know why an enemy tribe of the Lakota are coming here for our observance to the Creator this year?" Briella asked her husband after he had returned to their lodge.
"I do," he answered simply, returning his attention to a piece of wood he was whittling.
"And…?"
"It is a surprise."
"Yes, I can safely say it is a surprise, but why are they coming here?"
"They are attending our celebration at my invitation. The chiefs of all the bands have agreed to welcome them."
"Your invitation?"
"Áa," he answered simply.
Briella waited for her husband to elaborate. When he said nothing further, however, she asked, "Why did you invite them here?"
"To return a favor."
"Oh, that's right. You spent some time with them, didn't you?"
"I did," he answered.
"Where will they stay?" she asked.
"They will be welcomed in the lodges of many of the people, including ours."
