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The Legend of Wesoomi:
One, The Husbandmen:
March 4, 2002:
This is the first episode of the Legend of Wesoomi. Hence, a
bit of explanation is in order. Wesoomi Publishing was first
established in 1996. At that time, we wanted to give our potential
customers some notion of the philosophy which guides us. To that
end, we created a myth about a fictional person called Wesoomi.
What else? Our philosophy is posted at our website along with
the myth. It is not necessary to reiterate it here. It is called
About Our Company. You can find it listed under About Wesoomi.
Now we find it appropriate to present the complete legend of
our fictitious hero. So, let us proceed.
In the beginning, the Great Spirit created the earth and the
Big Water. He also created the wind and the rain. Upon the earth
he made a special land to which he gave the name Fertileland.
It was a place of flowing waters and large forests, with flowering
fruitful valleys and plains. He populated the waters abundantly
with many kinds of fish and the land with many kinds of animal
life. And for the air above the earth he created his flying creatures.
Unto each creature he assigned a bit of his own spirit, thus
to keep it true to its own nature. Also unto the trees, the flowers,
and even the blades of grass he gave a spirit life. Even unto
the earth, the stones, and the flowing waters did he impart a
spirit nature. To the Big Water he gave a large and robust spirit,
sometimes playful and sometimes cruel. It was a spirit to be
respected. The same nature he gave also to the wind and to the
rains; sometimes gentle and sometimes beast like.
Then the Great Spirit created a man creature and a mate for him.
And he placed this pair in Fertileland and he nurtured them until
they multiplied into the Nation of People. And the Great Spirit
gave into the keep of the Nation of People all of the land and
waters of Fertileland. And the Nation of People became the caretakers
of Fertileland. In this land the people multiplied and prospered.
They wandered the land and divided into many and varied tribes.
Thus they established many dwellings and villages in Fertileland.
One such village was the village of the Husbandmen which lay
at the head of a very fruitful valley. This village was a bit
more than two days journey South and West of the Big Water. Unto
their valley, the people gave the name of Happy Valley, and so
it was. They tilled the rich earth, fished the flowing waters,
and hunted the nearby forest to provide the village a rich and
bountiful harvest. With the generous gifts of the Great Spirit,
no cub of the Husbandmen ever wanted for nourishment.
The elder of this village was a wise man of many summers whose
name was Silent Stalker. In his time, he had listened well to
the Great Spirit, whose messages were only for the sensitive
ears and eyes of respectful men. Indeed, rash and boisterous
men did not notice the messages of the Great Spirit, for they
were subtle indeed. A bent twig could be a meaningful message
for one who is watchful. For one who is not, there is no bent
twig and disaster salivates in waiting.
Because he listened and watched, Silent Stalker became a successful
hunter, fisherman, and Husbandman. He consulted, not only the
Great Spirit, but the lesser spirits of the creatures and things
around him. Thus he learnt the ways of the creatures and the
secrets of the land. And when others sought advice they sought
the advice of Silent Stalked. In the wisdom of his age he became
the elder of the village. That was well.
As elder, Silent Stalked no longer hunted, fished, or tilled.
Indeed, he was offered the first part of each kill, catch, and
harvest. In the honor of the Great Spirit and his own, he accepted
only that which he used. He took enough for himself, his two
wives, and his cubs, of which there were two not grown. He also
accepted some parts of the offerings which he distributed to
those who had been unsuccessful in the hunt. As caretaker of
the Great Spirit's people he did these things.
Though he had but two cubs not grown, others, who had been his
cubs, were grown. They had made the rite of passage and had cubs
of their own, for Silent Stalker had survived many summers. Six
grown cubs were the pride of his first wife, now the senior wife
of his lodge. His younger wife, he took in his later times. She
bore him the two young cubs, first a female, Snowflower, then
a male, Son of Silent Stalker.
His young wife served his first wife well and his lodge was a
happy place. Silent Stalker could have taken as many wives as
he wished, being the elder of the village. He took but two for
he had no wish to have more wives than he could know. Also, he
had fathered enough cubs to bring him joy and make him proud
in his years.
The female cub of Silent Stalker, Snowflower, had lived for thirteen
summers. She had come of age and was preparing to undergo the
Rite of passage. In the ten days before the harvest festival
she and seven other girls would go into seclusion with the senior
women of the village. She would enter a special lodge of passage
at the edge of the village. She would enter that lodge a child
and emerge as a woman, prepared to take her place as a wife.
Her father would decide which man would be suitable for his daughter.
Many had already courted his attention. Only one would be selected.
Snowflower was excited and somewhat anxious about the rite. She
consulted one of her older experienced friends, Raindrop.
Snowflower asked of her friend, "What will befall me in
the lodge of passage?"
"It is a dreadful ordeal," replied Raindrop knowingly.
"How is this so?" begged Snowflower.
"I cannot speak of it. All women of age are sworn to silence."
"But you are my friend," reasoned Snowflower.
"I am also a woman of passage and I cannot speak of it."
Again Snowflower pleaded, "Can you not even suggest what
might occur?"
Raindrop looked furtively about She leaned toward Snowflower
with a conspirator's eye. "There are not just the women,
but older men," she whispered. "They make you submit
and use you. Even your father."
Snowflower's eyes enlarged with alarm.
"No!" she exclaimed.
Her friend simply smiled and said, "You will see."
Snowflower did not want to believe her friend. She suspected
the older woman of teasing her. It would not be the first time.
Snowflower knew that the older ones often teased younger ones
of the tribe. It was an expected thing done in jest, not for
harm. Also, she was sure her father would never send her into
such a dire adventure. Still she knew her father did attend the
last day of the rite.
Thus, Snowflower was anxious. She consulted her father to be
sure.
"Father, what will befall me in the lodge of the passage?"
she enquired.
"I know little of it," replied Silent Stalker. "It
is a good thing."
"A good thing father?"
"Indeed. You will enter a child and emerge a woman."
"You will be there?"
"Indeed, I come on the last day to sing the praise of the
Great Spirit and beg his favor for the new women. I know nothing
more than that."
"Will they use me, there?"
Silent Stalker laughed heartily. "You have been listening
to the prattle of fools," he smiled. "It is a good
thing and I shall be proud to present you to the people on the
day of the festival."
One of the very pleasant duties of the elder was the annual presentation
of the new adults on harvest festival day. It was a ceremony
in which the elder gave the full name and the lineage of each
new adult. He was also proud to boldly predict the future wondrous
deeds to be expected from these new adults. Of course, men were
presented first, and then the women. This was the way of things.
Somewhat calmed by her father's words, Snowflower could only
await the rite with excitement and still some anxiety. She had
but two days to wait.
In truth, no men except the elder attended the female rite of
passage. The entire thing was conducted each year by the senior
women of the village. For ten days they taught the girls how
to become women. The girls were stimulated, but only by the older
women. In that way, they were taught to know their own bodies.
They were taught the proper responses to the husbands they would
know. They also learnt the many duties of managing a lodge and
serving their men. They learnt the methods of preventing conception
as well as causing it. In the end, they were taught to be women
of the village of the Husbandmen.
Most importantly, they learnt the ways of the Great Spirit who
gives all things to those who honor him. They learnt the ways
of honoring the Great Spirit by honoring his creations and his
gifts. There are always offerings to be made, of words and acts.
So they learnt to honor the Great Spirit, the Nation of People,
and the village of the Husbandmen.
In the same week, the young men coming of age would undergo a
similar rite of passage in another lodge. This lodge, of course,
was on the opposite side of the village. In the male rite, the
elder did participate, but most of the initiation was carried
on by the lesser elders of the village. As the women learnt to
honor, so did the men. And they learnt to honor the women who
gave them hearth and cubs.
Thus, the traditions of the people were observed and the village
grew and prospered. Everyone knew their role and their duty.
Everyone belonged and the village was a happy place.
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