Salamanca
Today our Tribe got up very early to greet the sun. Everyone was
dressed in beads and deer skins. The girls and women have their hair in
long, dark braids running down their shoulders like snakes. The men and
boys had their hair short and running down their cheeks like fur. Two blood
red hand prints were on their chests, made from berry’s. Moccasins were
on every ones feet but mine. I had just gotten up. My deer skin skirt felt
warm next to my bare chest. As the chief put cold, ticklish hand prints
on my chest I could not laugh for it was our belief that you meet the sun
with a stern face. As you got to know it you smiled.
Every
year on June 20th we celebrate, for there is a new sun coming into the
world. Every June 19th an old sun leaves the earth. I’m excited about the
new sun because every year we name the sun after someone in the village.
This year it’s name will be Salamanca, after me. As the sun starts coming
up my Dad- the medicine man, the chief and I stand on the highest hill
in the village.
My father and
the chief say "How." To the sun.
I hold my Dad’s hand and say "How"
in a quivering voice, for my whole body was shaking, and I was afraid of
the new sun.
"Salamanca
don’t be afraid, the new sun has come to be your friend." My father comforted
me.
After the sun’s greeting
everyone went in to the valley. The grass grew high down there and on both
sides were giant groves of tree’s. The flowers were everywhere in red,
orange, violet, yellow and white. For the rest of the day the men will
sharpen arrows and knifes on a stone they found, the woman will prepare
a great feast, the girls will pick flowers and the boys will play games.
At the
end of the day we all went to the long tables to eat. The tables had been
pushed together to form one long table. Candles lined the middle of the
table. Wood utensils and plates were set at each place. Beautiful flowers
had been sprinkled around the table, In the center of the table, in between
the candles, were the most delicious assortment of food. There was corn,
apples, beans, deer, chickens, and giant loaves of bread. We all eat till
we were stuffed. The women gave all the rest of the food to the hill
so that the sun- Salamanca could eat it.
At the
end of the day everyone was smiling at Salamanca and singing themselves
to sleep. I stayed up late with Salamanca for it was my job to sing him
to sleep once the people were asleep. Good night Salamanca.
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