The Cusp, Part X

The woman’s parents rose to greet the stranger. They treated her with deference. The hunter had risen and waited a respectful distance. The stranger was introduced as a shaman of the tribe. The hunter approached her and gave his full formal name. He did not clasp forearms with the shaman because she was a woman and he had never met a shaman before. The shaman would be presiding at the wedding. It was not necessary for a couple to be wed by a shaman, but some families considered it lucky to have the union blessed. Smaller bands just did a simple ceremony with the couple and their families. The woman joined the hunter and the rest of the camp near the shaman. The woman’s father, as head of her family and the group, invited the shaman to share the meal. She accepted, sat down and removed the head dress. The shaman spoke.

“That thing is heavy, wearing it gets annoying, but people have expectations from me.”

The young ones had gathered at the edge of the fire and stood behind the adults. They were uncertain about the strangely dressed person sitting at their fire. The shaman spoke.

“Come forward young ones. There is nothing to fear here.”

A toddler, braver than the rest, approached and began to touch the beaded designs on the shaman’s outfit. She took her onto her lap and laughed.

“The beads are pretty aren’t they. They represent the work and skill of a craftsman who has gone to join the ancestors. I am proud to wear them.”

The shaman spoke to the hunter.

“You do not turn your eyes away.”

“I mean no disrespect. I was taught to look people in the eye. You are the first shaman I have ever met.”

“You have not breached custom. I have heard about you and your woman. I wanted to meet you and your betrothed before the ceremony.”

“What have you heard?”

“I have heard that you are a hunter who wears responsibility well and cares for others. I was told about the lion and what you did for the elder on the trail to the gathering.”

“This woman stood with me against the lion. We did what was necessary. As for the elder, I just reminded him of what he was, he had forgotten the best parts of himself. Neither thing was done to impress.”

The woman spoke.

“He will not brag.”

“Is that why you wear his band?”

“One of the reasons. There is a steadiness in him that comforts those he chooses to share the quiet parts of himself with. I am safe within it.”

The shaman spoke to the hunter.

“Why do you choose this one.”

“She is a woman, not a silly girl. She completes me.”

“What do you know of shamans?”

“Only what I have heard. That they can bless or curse. That they can speak with the ancestors. That some have spirits move through them. That some can see the future. That they can command the lightning and the rain. Other things that are hard to believe.”

“There are many shamans. They have different gifts. I began studying as a girl, before my moon blood. It has been a long journey and I am still learning. I gave up having a husband and children. I live to be of use to this tribe. What do you believe hunter?”

“Some say shamans are just tricksters who have an easy life because others hunt and gather for them. It is hard for me to believe what I cannot see, but I have seen things in the forest and on the plains that I can’t explain. I like to believe that the ancestors watch over us and that the animals have spirits. I keep an open mind and am willing to learn.”

“Your open mind will serve you well. Hold onto it.”

The first of the fish were done and passed to those seated at the fire. When the clay was cracked open the aroma rose up on a cloud of steam. The smell of fish and herbs filled the space around the fire. When the clay was removed the fish scales stuck to it and by holding onto the fins the bones could be lifted out of the flesh. The tubers and steamed greens were cooked perfectly. The meal was a testament to the skill of the hands that head prepared it. There was silence around the fire as the meal was eaten.

The shaman stayed for a while then took her leave. The wedding would be at midday. Everyone at the family’s camp retired early. He and the woman lay together on their sleeping mats talking little and listening to the sounds of the camp as full darkness settled. They woke early and the wedding preparations commenced. Custom required that he and the woman not see each other until the ceremony. He went for a walk along the river. He had brought his bow and shot blunt arrows at various targets as he walked. He had neglected his practice, and it felt good to be part of the bow again. When he returned to camp the woman, her female relatives, and the girl cousin had relocated to her sisters shelter for the final preparations. His father and uncle met him at the campsite. He changed into a new tunic and, even though it was warm, new trousers. The clothing was simple and clean. He wore a clean leather band across his forehead to hold his hair back and trimmed his beard with a stone flake using a quiet place in the river as a mirror. His personality was not ostentatious.

He and his relatives walked toward the shaman’s shelter. It was in a small clearing. They entered from the east and waited. Soon the woman and her party came into the clearing from the west. The women wore jewelry and dresses. The woman wore a deer skin dress that was decorated with geometric designs in red ocher, yellow ocher, and charcoal mixed with fat to make durable pigments. Her hair had been braided and styled on top of her head. Flowers were woven into her hair. She walked with the grace that he had first seen when she stalked a gazelle. She was a stunning picture of tribal womanhood. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. The girl cousin wore a clean dress and the boar tusk bracelet. Her breasts were growing and she had gotten her moon blood. She looked shy but proud as she stood beside the woman. She would grow into a striking woman in time. The woman’s mother and sister also accompanied her and wore new dresses and strings of beads. The parties stood on either side of the shaman’s tent. The woman’s male relatives stood facing the tent closing the rectangle of people.

When everyone had gathered the shaman’s apprentice began to play a flute made from the wing bone of an eagle. Other musicians shook rattles made of hooves and beat time on a hoop drum with a rawhide top. The shaman appeared in her full regalia and the music stopped. The shaman spoke.

“What do you seek?”

He spoke.

“I seek this woman as my wife with the blessing of the mother and the ancestors.”

“Does this woman consent to this union.”

The woman spoke.

“I wear the betrothal band this man placed on my wrist. I consent.”

“Who gives this woman?”

The woman’s father spoke.

“I do not give this woman.” There was a murmur in the crowd. He continued.

“She is not mine to give. From before her naming day, she was her own person. Her heart is kind. She is wise. She has agreed to wed this man and I do not object.”

“What do you know of this man?”

“He is a hunter and a tool maker. He treats my daughter well. He has spent time at my fire and with my sons. We have found him to be one who puts the needs of others ahead of himself, shows respect to elders, and does more than his share. He is good with young ones. We are proud to welcome him into our family and band.”

The shaman spoke to the hunter’s relatives.

“What do you know of this woman?”

His mother spoke.

“She has spent time at our fire and with our band. She works hard. She fits into our band. When my son was injured, she walked two days without sleep to be with him and stayed beside him until he recovered. She opened things in him that he kept closed to all but a few of his family. Other women were interested in my son. He chose this one. I trust his choice. We met her family and have come to know them. She was raised well.”

The shaman spoke to the woman.

“You may remove your betrothal band.”

The woman untied the band and passed it to her sister. The shaman motioned the couple forward. They stood side by side before her.

“Join your right hands.” The couple joined hands. The shaman began to chant and invoked the blessings of the earth mother and the ancestors. Then she told the story of first man and first woman. When she had finished, she bound their hands together with a cord dyed with red ocher.

“This cord will be removed soon. What the cord symbolizes, the unity of two into one, will remain. I have called upon the ancestors and the mother to bless this union. May there always be love between this couple. When life is hard may they always lean on each other and remember why they chose to be bound together.”

The shaman untied the cord. The ocher remained on their skin.

Their familied came forward to congratulate them. The hunter’s uncle brought a hide wrapped bundle and the hunter took it from him. He motioned the woman’s brothers and father forward. He unwrapped the bundle and presented each of them with a bow reinforced with horn and sinew. They were his beautifully crafted and had taken months to complete. Each bow was an individual and matched the age and build of the man it was made for. Any hunter would trade much to own one. The hunter presented each of the women in the woman’s family with small ivory earrings. They were carved and carefully polished. The hunter’s uncle approached. He looked solemn. He had a hide draped over his arms as if he were carrying something. He spoke to the hunter.

“I made these for you.”

The hunter removed the hide and saw only his uncle’s arms.

“There is nothing here.”

“What? You don’t recognize the finest invisible arrows ever made? I worked on them for half a moon. I am insulted!”

The uncle’s performance was met with eye rolls and groans. The hunter spoke.

“They are amazing. I can’t wait to shoot them in my invisible bow at an invisible auroch. We can feast on invisible meat.” Everyone laughed.

The rest of the day was spent with family and friends accepting congratulations and gifts of food. The tribes were generous and practical. Gifts that couldn’t be consumed or easily transported were a burden to people who carried all they owned on their backs or on drags. As darkness fell, they retired to their robes and consummated their union. The time they had spent together had let them learn each other’s bodies. The hunter and the woman were considerate lovers, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.