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Archer: Story of a Mik’maq
by Tristan
“Dashing Lynx.” The chief spoke my name and gave me a small smile. “I know of your great skill with a bow. And, I have a question for you. Have you ever killed a human with your bow?”
“Uh...no.” I was surprised to hear such an odd question.
“ I...I guess what I’m trying to say is...” He stammered. “Will you?”
 Click play to hear my story |
I awoke to the sound of a loud commotion. It was a windy day; I could tell by the
flapping sound of my wigwam door. Why, I wondered, did my ancestors choose such a strange
spot to make our village? We, the Great Wind Band, were settled on a large mountain field,
overlooking the Red Salmon River. The wind was magnified so high up, and eagles nested on the
cliff above us.
I rushed to see what was the matter. The sagamore (chief) was standing next to a squaw,
whose eyes were wide with fear. I pushed my way through the crowd to get near the center and
found myself standing next to my father, Growling Bear.
“Good morning, Dashing Lynx,” he said in his deep, powerful voice.
“Hello, father,” I returned.
“You slept late.”
“I am 13 years old, Father. Leaping Salmon is just as old as I am, and he is still sleeping.”
“But you are not he.”
“Yes, Father.”
Just then, the sagamore began to speak.
“My fellow members of the Great Wind Band,” he yelled.
“This squaw has seen a white man camp about one cliff’s length from the Red Salmon
River. This is not the camp of the allied white man, the ones who call themselves “French.” This
is a camp of the enemy white man, who call themselves “British.” They are not allowed on our
land! I will meet with the leader of the allied white men, and we will plan an attack!”
The whole tribe cheered.
“Now, back to your daily routine! I want any man the age of 13 or above to bring the
weapon he hunts best with to the clearing next to the Red Salmon River when the sun reaches the
top of our cliff! Goodbye!”
I walked back to my wigwam. I didn't’t even have to think about the weapon. After all, I
was good with a bow, and I had just made 20 arrows the day before.
When I got into my wigwam, my nine-year old sister, Chattering Squirrel, was up. She
wasn’t that bad of a sister, but her curiosity was greater than that of a puma, and she talked faster
than a hawk diving to catch its prey.
“Brother! I’m hungry! Will you get me something to eat?”
I sighed.
“Yes, I will find you some fruit when I go out.”
“Dear! Will you help me weave this?” cried my mother from my parent’s wigwam,
which was next to ours. That way, the whole family had more room. I wished I could have had
my own wigwam, instead of sharing one with my sister.
“Yes, mother!” Chattering Squirrel ran to my mother, and I heard my friend Leaping
Salmon calling me.
“Lynx!” (He called me Lynx for short.)
“Yes?”
“Will you help me find something?”
“Sure.” I ran to him.
“I need to find a long stick to make a spear.” Ironically, Leaping Salmon was a very good
fisherman. He used a spear to catch fish.
We walked down the trail leading into the forest from the camp.
“I’ll have to find some fruit for my little sister. She’s hungry,” I informed him.
“You’re always obeying her. Just run away and get your own wigwam.”
“No thanks. Unlike you, I do not mind working. So , how are we going to make a spear?
We need a moose bone for the blade, and I’m not shooting a moose for you. We don’t need the
meat, and it takes around 6 well-placed arrows to kill one. I don’t kill because of your laziness.”
“Well, how am I going to make a spear?” Just as Leaping Salmon finished his sentence, I
noticed crows flocking half a mile to the north.
“Come on! Let’s get your spearhead!” I yelled.
^()^
I ran into the clearing, declaring, “Look! Your spearhead!” While pointing to a moose carcass covered with crows.
“I’ll chase away the crows, and you sharpen a bone!”
“Whew!” exclaimed Leaping Salmon.
“You certainly earned your name! How can you run like that?” I wasn’t listening. I had
successfully chased away all the crows.
“You get your moose bone, and I’ll get fruit for my sister.” I walked out of the clearing
and began picking blueberries I found under a huge oak tree. I then walked back to the clearing,
and found Leaping Salmon working on his spear.
“You know, Lynx...I think there’s something strange going on here. This moose’s body
seems completely intact, except for this tiny hole in its chest...but most people would have taken
the meat. What kind of strange weapon killed it, and why would they kill it without taking the carcass? It’s an awful waste.”
“Hmmmm...” I scratched my ear. That’s what I did when I was puzzled.
“Look! The sun!” he exclaimed. The sun was at the top of the cliff.
“Time to go!”
^()^
At the bank of the Red Salmon River, we all sat in a circle. Every man above 13 (except
the elders) attended, each with a weapon. The sagamore sat at the far end of the circle across
from me. He drew a picture of the enemy fort in the dirt, and assigned each of us a job, one by
one, around the circle until he came to me. I wasn’t worried. So far, all the boys my age had to
make arrows and deliver them to the archers. I assumed that would be my job.
“Dashing Lynx.” The chief spoke my name and gave me a small smile. “I know of your
great skill with a bow. And, I have a question for you. Have you ever killed a human with your
bow?”
“Uh...no.” I was surprised to hear such an odd question.
“ I...I guess what I’m trying to say is...” He stammered. “Will you?”
At that moment, I lost my breath. Kill someone? I thought to myself. I don’t want to send anyone
on the spirit trail. But if I don’t, my whole tribe will be killed. I must! To save the Lnuk people!
“I will, sir. I will help our tribe however I can.” I tried to keep a straight face, although
tears may have been welling up in my eyes.
“Very good.” The saga more was clearly glad to have my help.
“Dashing Lynx, I will give you one of the two most important jobs. You will be a sniper,
and your mission will be to kill their commanding officers. We do not know how many there are,
so you must simply kill those giving orders. You will hide out on this ravine, in a tree. It is not
too high over the battlefield, so your arrows will not lose force. May you have Glooscap’s
courage, Young One.”
“Leaping Salmon!” he bellowed. “I give to you the second of the most important jobs. I
would give this job to someone more experienced, but all of the grown men are needed on the
battlefield. Your skill spearing fish is great, so you are the ideal person for this job. Your job is to
protect Dashing Lynx. He will be busy killing the enemy leaders, so he will not be able to defend
himself. On the ravine, there is a grove of trees. Their branches are so close they almost touch.
You will hide in the trees, and if any enemy soldiers enter the grove, you will climb across the
branches into the tree above them. The trees are low to the ground, so the soldiers will be within
a spears length of you if you are on the lowest branch. The trees have a heavy cover of leaves, so
you will not be seen. When a soldier is in range, thrust your spear through his heart as you would
a salmon. May you, too, have Glooscap’s courage.”
“Yes,” Leaping Salmon replied. He sounded as if he were in a state as terrible as mine.
^()^
On the morning of the battle, we got up early to march. My mother kissed my cheek. My
sister hugged me. I looked over and saw Leaping Salmon’s mother crying. His father had died
last year in a famine, so she was afraid to lose him, too. She wouldn’t, though. I would never let
my friend die.
^()^
As I ran through the grove on the ravine, I saw Leaping Salmon jump into a tree.
“See you later, Lynx!” He called.
“May Glooscap be with you!” I called back. I got into my place in the tree and looked
down at the fort. Then, a large door in the front opened, and white men rushed out. Lnuk rushed
out of the forest, led by the sagamore, and the two forces clashed. I searched the top of the fort
for a commander. I saw men on top of the fort holding strange metal sticks, and they pointed
them at a group of Lnuk warriors. A man behind them yelled something, and smoke came out of
the end of their sticks. The warriors fell. I decided that the yelling man must be a commander, so
I loaded an arrow onto my bow, aimed, and let go. The man fell off the wall with an arrow
sticking out of his chest. The men with sticks kept firing. I decided that I must kill them to save
my people. Twang! One fell. Twang! Tears were running down my cheeks. Twang!
^()^
In the grove, two soldiers inspected the ravine. One walked under a tree. Before he could
think, a spear was sticking through his chest. However, when Leaping Salmon pulled the spear
out, the spear was slightly stuck, so he pulled hard. A bit too hard. Leaping Salmon fell out of the
tree, and landed on the ground. The other soldier recovered his composure and pointed his
weapon at Leaping Salmon.
“Hmph!” Leaping Salmon sneered.
“What can a metal stick do to me?”
BOOM!!!
^()^
After the last man on the fort wall fell, I heard a loud booming sound. It was coming from
the grove. As I rushed there, I noticed a soldier, and I shot an arrow into his heart. He fell to the
ground. I ran into the grove, and noticed Leaping Salmon on the ground with a bloody hole in his
chest. Just like the moose.
“Salmon!” I yelled. “Don’t worry! I’ll get you back to the medicine man! He’ll heal you! You’ll be fine!”
“No.” He wheezed. “Sorry, Lynx. It’s too late. Now I will walk the spirit trail. We had a good time together. Please...tell my mother I love her.” He closed his eyes for the last time. My tears were flowing
faster than the Red Salmon River.