Chief Lightning Bolt

by Daniel N. Paul

  “In case you are wondering why the Hereditary Chiefs started a war that was almost certain to end with our defeat I will enlighten you. They did this because they deluded themselves into believing that the defeat we suffered during the last war was nothing more than a quirk of fate. These men never gave thought to the proposition that our defeat probably occurred because of the negative attitudes of our citizens toward such a war in the first place. The feelings and needs of our People do not count when deciding matters such as war. If the aforementioned revelation has not shocked you enough there is more. They assumed the success of your armies in defeating us to the blind luck of fate. It wasn’t possible for them to comprehend that the successes of your warriors were based on the total support of your citizens, who love their free way of life with all their hearts, and who are willing to give up their lives to defend it.

  “It will please you to know that I have taken heart from the example your People give. I have no intention of obeying our leaders any longer; death would be preferable. This position is that of my colleagues also. We apologize sincerely for the great pain and sorrow that we have helped to cause, and bend our heads in shame before the Great Spirit for these offences. My brother, we wish to make amends for our grave mistakes by assisting you in any way possible to implement a peace that will be comprehensive, effective, completely enforceable and as far as humanly possible, permanent.

  “To achieve this we place the War Chiefs of the Western Nations at your service. And, we pledge to you, my brother, that upon leaving this site, our two Peoples will have a peace in principle that will withstand the test of time.”

  “Big Eagle, my brother, your sincerity and openness in admitting the weaknesses of your leaders impresses and moves me deeply. I believe, when you spoke, you did so from the heart. This tells me that I can trust you. I was also pleased to learn that you too abhor the horrors of war and wish to see that it never again causes hurt and damage between our Peoples. To this end, we are willing to work diligently with you and your colleagues to achieve these ends. In fact, as I’ve already stated, we have developed a plan that will assure it.

  “But, before we begin to build a new tomorrow, there is one matter of the utmost importance that must be taken care of first, because peace cannot be achieved without it. As I have stated, without exception, the Hereditary Chiefs of your Nations must be removed from office immediately and forever. They will be tried and punished. Until you spoke your words of contrition so sincerely my brother, we intended to do the honour ourselves. But now, knowing your attitude, perhaps we can work something out that will involve you and your colleagues in the process.

  “I will tell you how we had planned to fill the leadership vacancy. After the end of the war, as an interim measure, we intended to replace your leaders with Governors from our Nations, until such time as your People were in a position to appoint new leaders by election. However, I would now consider appointing you as temporary leader of all Western Nations, while the democratic procedures are implemented. How say you?”

  “Brother, could I have some time alone with our War Chiefs to discuss your words in a private meeting? If you are agreeable, we will return when the sun begins to fall with an answer. Do you consent?”

  “Yes, my brother, go and meet in private, and may the Great Spirit be with you in your deliberations.”

  Shortly after the sun began its descent the peace talks reconvened and Big Eagle relayed the results of the Western Nations War Chiefs’ discussions. “Lightning Bolt, my brother, we have discussed your proposals thoroughly and found them very generous. I say this because we are well aware that you are now in a position where your army, if you and your colleagues wanted it, could easily overrun all our villages in a matter of a few Sunrises and impose whatever you want on our People. If we could find the heart for it, we could probably delay the inevitable for a few Sunrises, but for what purpose? To see more decent and innocent people die?

  “My friend, our People do not want war, they want their beloved fathers, brothers and friends home and safe with them, not fighting to fulfil the dreams of madmen. And, I believe that they fervently want to live in a country where they have the same kind of freedom from tyranny that your People enjoy. The fact that your country’s citizens live in freedom, without fear of their leaders, is well known among our citizens. This is why, during this and the last war, they viewed your warriors as liberators, not conquerors. Warriors that the People consider enemies are not welcomed that way.

  “My brother, you may not remember seeing me there, but thirty Springs ago I was present with you at the peace circle, and heard the words of hope. But, unlike you, knowing my leaders, I didn’t have much optimism for long-term peace. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when they decided to start this war. Neither were our People. When they heard the rumours of it, knowing that they were probably true, they reacted with hopeless resignation. It caused no joy in their hearts.

  “Now my friends, here is our response to your peace terms. First, I will reply to your demand that the Hereditary Chiefs be removed. In this regard there is no need for you to do anything, because we have already made arrangements to have this taken care of. By next Sunrise large contingents of warriors will be on their way to their villages to inform them that they are deposed and to arrest them. We will, with your permission, try them for crimes. Should they resist, their arrest will be done by force.

  “However, I already know it will be done peacefully because they are almost devoid of support. Very few, if any, will defend them. This was reflected by the reaction of the runners we sent to advise our field commanders of what we had decided, and to ask them to send warriors to do the job. They were so overjoyed at the prospect of seeing the end of the tyrants that we could hear them hooting with joy as they sped on their way.

  “Now, for your request that I act as temporary leader of the Western Nations, the answer is yes, with three conditions. First, I would like to appoint the War Chief of each Western Nation as a temporary leader of their respective Nation until appointments by the People can take place. You will no doubt agree about the importance of allowing the People to carefully select men to fill their National Chief positions. Second, to see the election part of our first condition implemented properly, we want your Nations to agree to devise an electoral process for us, and then help us run it until we learn how to do it ourselves. Third, help us set up and run the democracy you spoke about. How say you my brother?”

  “My brother, your conditions are most joyfully accepted. To celebrate this marvellous occasion, let us, with joy in our hearts, smoke a pipe of peace. This will help us begin to enjoy our new status as brothers in peace and friendship.”

  “Lightning Bolt, my brother, before we do, I propose, until the peace and friendship treaty is ratified, that our temporary truce be made permanent. Then, we can really begin to enjoy true peace with the Great Spirit’s blessing.”

  “It is agreed. You and I can send runners to spread the word. Now let us smoke and savour the future mutual benefits of the brotherly relationship we are entering into.”

  Several Moons later, when the allied leaders and the newly elected leaders of the Western Nations met to officially end the war, they participated in a Burying of the Hatchet Ceremony. During the ceremony, Lightning Bolt and Big Eagle spoke on behalf of their respective Nations and allies. Lightning Bolt spoke first.

  “My brothers, by ratifying the terms of an honourable and enforceable peace pact between our Nations this Sunrise, we have set out on a new path together. It is a noble path that can, if we work hard at it, lead to true brotherhood. The ratifying of our pact demonstrates fully that when people are guided by the Hand and Laws of the Great Spirit, as we appear to have been, they can accomplish great things. I predict the peace made between us will be lasting and will be enjoyed and supported in the future by our children’s children for thousands of Seasons to come.

  “The rea
son I make such an unconditional prediction is this. With elected people now in charge in the Western Nations, and democratic laws in place, leaders only make war with the approval of their citizens. As is well proven by the record of the Mi’kmaq Nations, the Members of the Wabanaki Confederacy and many other Nations who govern by democratic principles, very rarely do a People of good will and conscience opt for war over peace.

  “My brothers, let us thank the Great Spirit that we have put war behind us. We must, in the name of the Creator, and in memory of our beloved departed ancestors, who died in the unnecessary conflicts between us, resolve, while burying this hatchet, that we shall, as long as the sun rises and falls, never again raise our bows, lances or war clubs against each other in anger.

  “To bind our pact, let us stand and swear an oath before the Great Spirit, with dignity, honour and love, that from this Sunrise forward we shall go hand in hand into the future with respect for each other. Let us further pledge before our Creator that the human dignity of all our Peoples shall be held paramount to all other considerations when disputes arise among us. And, last but not least, let us pledge that resolution of our disputes from this Sunrise forward shall be done in a manner that relies on well established practices of negotiation, discussion and resolution.

  “Let us promise to the Great Spirit that we will respect and uphold both the notion of peace and the practice of peace, for both are essential to keeping a just peace for all parties. Such adjudications, being based upon these practices, have been shown to be respected, even when the outcomes of such discussions are difficult to bear. Here, this sunrise, we stand together, and before the Creator of us all, we give our lives to the assurance of a lasting and permanent peace.”

  Everybody stood and duly pledged.

  Lightning Bolt, comforted by the brotherhood being displayed, continued, “With humility and respect, my brothers, I bury the harm that the past wars have caused us with this hatchet, and vow that I shall be diligent in assuring that affairs between our Peoples shall henceforth be conducted with brotherly love. May the Great Spirit shine His love down upon us, His humble children, and forgive us for our shortcomings.”

  In a strong, convincing voice Big Eagle made his address, “Lightning Bolt, my esteemed brother, I cannot add much to what you’ve so eloquently said. The truth of your words is beyond dispute. My feelings are virtually identical. There is nothing I could add that would make your message stronger.

  “However, I do want to apologize once again for the fact that our country started these wars. I will recoil, my brothers, for the rest of my Moons on Mother Earth, from the memories of what our Nations visited upon our Peoples. The part I played will haunt me forever. The only thing that consoles me is that this time we were largely successful in keeping our warriors from committing the same kinds of crimes committed by our side thirty Springs ago.

  “To assure as much as possible that atrocities wouldn’t occur, I swore to the Great Spirit in front of my men that if any of them slaughtered innocent civilians and burned their villages that I would personally execute the perpetrators. Very few did. For this I fervently thank the Creator. My brothers, we owe it to our children and our children’s children to see that these kinds of men never again come to power.

  “Therefore, in the name of the Great Spirit and of my revered ancestors, I pledge that with the burying of this hatchet the greed our leaders promoted shall be buried with it for time immemorial. And I vow that I will devote the rest of my life to the pursuit of peace for all Nations. May the Great Spirit bless and keep you, my brothers, and may He always provide us with the humility and wisdom to love and cherish each other. Let us now embrace and celebrate our victory over the evil spirits that have caused us so much pain and sorrow.”

  The Chiefs embraced and smoked another pipe together. The warriors followed their example and with much jubilation began the process that would, in time, permanently bind these Nations together as friends. Both victor and defeated celebrated and feasted as equals, and parted as brothers. The strength of such bonds was demonstrated when, from that Sunrise forward, these brothers and their families were warmly welcomed in each other’s wigwams. Wisdom and humility had effectively smothered the evils of war between their great Peoples.

  The war produced many heroes. One in particular made Lightning Bolt feel very proud of him. His brother Flaming Hair, with the conviction of the wronged motivating him, had given an outstanding performance while carrying out his war duties. Because of his demonstration of outstanding leadership and dedication, he had been put in charge of a large contingent of Kespukwitk’s army, which occurred within Sunrises of the initial battlefield encounters. The courage he displayed was inspiring. He had, at great risk to himself, taken extraordinary measures to protect his men from harm.

  The Chiefs of the allied Nations and warriors returned home to heroes’ welcomes and great celebrations. Fitting homage was paid to the valiant men who had died during the conflict. Eventually life returned to the contented, peaceful and normal existence they enjoyed previously.

  Lightning Bolt, now in his fifty-sixth Spring, like most men in positions such as his, often used social visits with relatives and friends to discuss business. Thus, he and Flaming Hair, three Sunrises before the second Moon of Autumn, after eating a delectable supper of fresh salmon they had caught shortly before in the Bear River, began to discuss the details of trading transactions they had been involved in while on a visit to Sipekne’katik, six Sunrises before.

  Eventually, Flaming Hair changed the subject by asking: “Lightning Bolt, my brother, may I use your medicine pouch tomorrow? I plan to go next Sunrise for a long walk to enjoy some quiet time alone and can’t find mine.”

  “I have a spare one that I’ll give you, but whatever happened to yours?”

  “Thank you. I don’t know; it seems I mislaid it somewhere, but I can’t figure out for the life of me how it happened. I’m so sure, my brother, that I put it in the same place where I always put it, when I go to bed at night, I would swear to it. I distinctly remember removing it from my waist and laying it at the head of my bed. Spotted Fawn says she would also swear before the Great Spirit that she saw me do it. However, this morning, it’s nowhere to be found.”

  Lightning Bolt, knowing his brother was not forgetful, responded, “I know that it’s highly unlikely you didn’t do as you say, but, just in case, did you and Spotted Fawn thoroughly search your wigwam and the clothing you wore last Sunrise?”

  “Yes, we tore the place apart. It seems as if it grew legs and walked away under its own power.”

  Lightning Bolt alluded to the mysterious things that often happened around the village: “It’s strange my brother that it would disappear into thin air. I guess we’ll have to classify it as one of those strange and seemingly unexplainable incidents that happen. However, when I come to think of it, many unexplainable things have been happening in our village, ever since the tragic drowning deaths of those two poor children — it was 15 years ago now. Sometimes I wonder if there isn’t a human hand in it. No, forget I said such an unkind thing. They just happen from time to time in any community.”

  “My brother, don’t shrug it off too easily. I have had the same suspicion occasionally running through my mind. The reason I mostly reject it is because I think that if the horrible incidents — like those drowning children you mentioned — that have happened around our village without logical explanation are actually done by a human being, the person would have to be a fiend. Which we don’t have in our village. No one I know seems capable of that. Anyway, forget it. While I’m away next Sunrise, I will ask Spotted Fawn if she would kindly make me another medicine pouch; then I’ll have another to fall back on if I should lose the one you just gave me.”

  The next Sunrise a horrible crime was committed. The bodies of a brutally murdered mother, Morning Mist, and her two young daughters, aged five and seven, were found just befo
re dusk by Little Red and Running Elk in an old burn where she and the children had gone to gather berries. Their thoroughly mutilated remains indicated that they had been extensively tortured and sexually molested before being killed.

  A possible clue to the identity of the murderer was found at the crime scene. Flaming Hair’s blood-spattered medicine pouch was discovered under the remains of the mother. The fact he had gone off alone that morning to enjoy a Sunrise of tranquility added to the suspicion centred about him. He didn’t have a credible alibi for the timespan when the crimes were committed.

  The villagers were in an uproar over the horrific murders and wanted the culprit severely punished. In view of what seemed like compelling evidence against him, they were demanding that Flaming Hair be brought to justice without delay. Upon his return late that night, warriors put him in bonds and brought him before Lightning Bolt for examination.

  After hearing his brother plead his innocence, Lightning Bolt informed him that he would fully investigate the matter and arrange for him to have a full hearing, witnessed by his fellow citizens, the following sunset. He then instructed the warriors, for his protection from the angry crowd who wanted swift justice, to hold Flaming Hair unbound in his wigwam until he sent for him late the next Sunrise.

  At first light the next Sunrise, Lightning Bolt began gathering evidence and soliciting information from individuals who might have witnessed something that could be relevant in proving the guilt or innocence of his beloved brother. That dusk, with inquires completed, he convened a meeting of Elders and advisors and asked them to sit in judgment upon Flaming Hair; he then had him brought before them and assumed the position of examiner.