During the dry season, Moke and Kana
used to cross the plains together, and this is how they would do it:
Moke would scout far up ahead across the plains. He would do the
hunting, and find either large or small game, using his exceptional
skill at tracking, and his accuracy with his weapon. Moke was known
far and wide as an outstanding hunter.
Meanwhile, Kana would start from the
campsite and search around for the sweet herbs, the healing herbs,
and the roots that hold water. Then she would look over the baskets
and the decorations, and if anything needed mending, she would mend
it, or if something new was wanted, she would make it. She would
search around for the best grasses for weaving. Kana was well known
for her skill at weaving and her knowledge of the good herbs.
As the sun began to sit low in the sky,
Moke would find a good place for the camp. Moke and Kana were
choosy about their campsite. It should be protected from the wind,
but it should offer a clear view in all directions, so that dangerous
animals could not come up on them unseen. The ground should not be
steep, but it should tilt slightly to the east, so that they
would be warmed by the morning sun as soon as it rose over the
horizon. Once Moke had found the good spot, he would build a trellis
to hold the meats that he had captured and prepared, he would set up the sleeping areas, and he would build a fire.
The fire was the signal that the camp
was ready, and also it showed Kana where the camp was, since she was
still a long way away, gathering the herbs and roots, and mending the
baskets. So Moke would gather all the brush he could find, and make
a very big fire. In the firewood he would include the soft, greasy
woods that would make a big column of smoke so that Kana could see it
before the sun set. Then he would also add the hard woods and some
bones that burn very brightly, so that Kana could see it if she
happened to still be coming when the sun had already set and the
stars had come out.
Thus, in the evening, Kana would look
for the smoke from Moke's fire, and she would come to it, bringing
the baskets, the roots, and the herbs, and if it was very far away,
and the sun set before she got there, she could still see the bright
fire dancing ahead of her like a star, and she would follow that
light until she got to the camp. When she got there, she would put
down her basket and arrange the herbs and the water. Sometimes Moke
would have a small cut or a bite, or a sting from a dangerous plant
or insect, and Kana would use the healing herbs to soothe these
injuries. Sometimes Kana's hair had become tangled, and Moke would
comb it carefully and tie it into the traditional hairpiece that
showed she was married to him. Together they would prepare the
meats with the sweet herbs over the fire. Then they would enjoy
these foods, and finally would go to their sleeping area and sleep
together through the cool, dark night. In the morning they would do
it all over again.
This is how they would cross the plain
during the dry season. During the rainy season, they did not do
this. During the rainy season, they would build a strong shelter
near the water. Kana would not have to go far searching for herbs,
because the plain was green and the herbs were everywhere. There
were even special herbs that grew only during the rainy season, that
they would save throughout the year because they were especially
tasty for the meal, or because they had great healing power. And
Moke did not have to go so far to hunt, because all the game, both
large and small, would come right up to the water. Moke set up a
special shelter a little ways from the sleeping shelter, and he would
catch all the game they needed before noontime.
So, in the rainy season, Moke and Kana
had a lot of time together to tell stories, to enjoy their meals at
leisure, and to make things for their shelter. Kana had more time
for her weaving, and she made beautiful decorative baskets. Moke
would carve pieces of wood and bone, and his carvings reflected the images of the people and the spirits. Of course, there
were also festivals at this time, when all the members of the distant
families and clans would come together and dance and sing the old
songs.
It was during the rainy season that
Kana started to die. She kept getting hot and and sweating at night
when it was cold, and she would shiver during the day when it was
hot. Her eyes and face were swollen, and she shook all over. She
could not stand up, and she could not eat. Moke tried to help her
with the healing herbs, and the shaman came and performed rituals,
but Kana only got worse and worse. Moke was afraid, and he held her,
and he was crying.
Then, for a little while, Kana's eyes
cleared, and she stopped shaking, and her voice came out strong and
gentle like it used to be.
“Moke,” she said.
“Yes, Kana, I am here.”
“Moke, you know how in the dry
season, we cross the plains together.”
“Yes, Kana, I know.”
“You know how you scout ahead, and
you find a good place, and you make a fire, and I come to it.”
“Yes.”
“Now, this time, I am the one who is
scouting ahead. I am going to find the good place, and I am going to
make a fire for you to come to.”
Moke was choking on his tears.
“Kana,” he said.
“Yes, Moke.”
“Kana, when you get there, and you
find the good place, and you make the fire, you must be sure that it
is a very big fire, because it will be far away, and I will have a
long way to come to you.”
“Yes, Moke, I will make a very big
fire.”
Then Kana died completely and forever.
And when she found the good place, she
made a big fire for Moke to see. It was a very big fire, and Moke
was able to see it as long as he was still in this world. During the
day, she added the soft, greasy wood, so that it would make a smoke
that could be seen from very far away. And at night, she added the
hard woods and some bone, so that it would burn very brightly, and
could be seen from anywhere in the world.
