Chief Lightning Bolt

by Daniel N. Paul

  Five Sunrises after he passed his sixtieth birth-Spring, Lightning Bolt received a runner from Grand Chief Big Elk’s family with a message that, in the near future, would drastically alter his lifestyle. The runner informed him that ten Sunrises after the first Moon of Spring, Grand Chief Big Elk, at ninety-two Winters, had passed away peacefully in his sleep, and that his remains had been interred. He further advised that the family had set the Sunrise for his official Feast of the Dead Ceremony for eight Sunrises before the last Moon of Spring. The news was sent immediately by runners to Kespukwitk’s villages in order to give people who could travel to Sipekne’katik ample time to prepare.

  The Grand Chief’s death, due to his great age, would not engender much sadness among the People. It was their belief that the calling home to the Land of Souls by the Great Spirit of a person who had spent a long lifetime generously serving and compassionately helping his People should be celebrated, not mourned. In recognition of his status as a man of great reputation, the Grand Chief’s Feast of the Dead would be the best the citizens of all the Mi’kmaq Nations could provide. As word of his death spread throughout the villages of the many countries of the Wabanaki Confederacy, many thousands of their citizens began to make preparations to accompany their head Chiefs on the long journey to Grand Chief Big Elk’s village.

  The vast crowd, on the Sunrise set for his funeral, with utmost respect and joy, began Grand Chief Big Elk’s Feast of the Dead. The senior Elders started the rites by offering prayers to the Great Spirit. They invited all the Elders present, from the many countries represented, to jointly perform with them the Sweet-grass Ceremony. This was followed by the head Chiefs sitting in a circle and passing a pipe around in commemoration of their brother.

  After they finished this aspect of the rite, Lightning Bolt, because of his close personal relationship with the family, was given the honour of speaking first. His glowing tribute would be the first of the hundreds that would be, over the next three Sunrises, offered by relatives and friends in memory of the late Grand Chief.

  “Brothers and sisters,” Lightning Bolt said, “I am truly grateful and honoured to be asked to be the first to praise the memory of Grand Chief Big Elk, our beloved father. In my poor fashion, I will try to describe his remarkable character. If my words seem to be inadequate, it’s because my mind is clouded by the memory of his multitude of great achievements, accomplishments and his outstanding personality.

  “Big Elk, my friends, was a man with a great heart, who loved and respected all people. He was brave and fearless. When it came to protecting us from our enemies, he would have, without hesitation, given up his life to do so. His performance during peace and war, the Hunt and all other things he was involved in was always above reproach. The even-handed manner and wisdom he used when assisting people and countries to find solutions for their problems was legendary. He was to me a hero and a role model. His lifetime achievements were, and will remain, a shining inspiration for us all. In spite of his outstanding accomplishments and the acknowledgements he received for them he was a very humble man.

  “In fact, my brothers and sisters, his humbleness was limitless. In his golden Winters, despite all that he had done for us, he believed that his inability to hunt, because of age, had made him an undeserving burden upon his family and friends. Even with assurances to the contrary he would state, ‘It is I who should be providing, not taking.’

  “There are, my brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things to say about Grand Chief Big Elk that one could go on for Sunrises. Words do not exist that can adequately describe his generosity and kindness. Without fail, he assisted all who came to him for aid. Not one of them was ever turned away empty-handed from his wigwam. My brothers and sisters, when the Great Spirit welcomed Big Elk home, He welcomed home a man who had served his People to the end unselfishly, without concern for his own comfort.

  “It is very difficult to find the right words to describe the love and respect I had for our brother, Big Elk. Perhaps I can best do so by simply stating that I am eternally grateful to the Great Spirit for permitting me the privilege of enjoying his company. His many visits to our wigwam were such a treasure that I can recall them vividly. They were for us the highlight of a Season. He entertained with his witty stories and then, all too quickly, his Sunrises with us would be over.

  “When he left us for home it always seemed as if a cherished member of the family had taken his leave. In future Sunrises, his visits will be missed profoundly. However, I rejoice in knowing that in a future Sunrise I will be reunited with him in the Land of Souls, enjoying his company. In the meantime, it gives me comfort knowing that he is at peace enjoying the company of the Great Spirit and our beloved ancestors.

  “My brothers and sisters, when the Creator decided to take him home, He took with Him a man who had, during his sojourn here on Mother Earth, touched all our lives with his love, devotion, kindness and strength. He was a great and wise man, whose wisdom shall be sadly missed.”

  Lightning Bolt continued with his oration for some time, then ended it with, “May the Great Spirit grant Big Elk, our father, eternal peace and rest, and may He permit us the honour and privilege some Sunrise to enjoy his company again, in the Land of Souls.”

  Elder Big Bear, the late Chief’s best friend and confidant, spoke next. “Brothers and sisters, the friendship I had with my brother Big Elk spanned our lifetimes. Even our births were very close. We were born ninety-two Winters ago on the fourth and fifth Sunrises before the last Moon of Winter. Our mothers and fathers, who were also the best of friends, told us about our times together as babies. They proudly recalled for us our first talk, first walks and all the other things we did alone and together.

  “Therefore, I have memories of our happy relationship that cover the entire ninety-two Winters of our lives. Because we were so close I shall, now that he is at home with the Creator before me, miss his company greatly for my remaining Winters on Mother Earth. However, I will have, besides the comfort of family and friends, my memories of him to keep me company. Then, of course, there is the comforting knowledge that at my age, the time for me to join my beloved wife, Grand Chief Big Elk and other relatives and friends, in the Land of Souls, is not that far off.

  “Now, while he watches and listens from the Land of Souls, I’ll share with you some of my most delightful memories of the adventures we had together. Big Elk was the leader in our friendship. I can’t give any reason why it was so, maybe because he liked to make decisions and I was just a little lazy in that regard. However, even in youth, with a great imagination, he was very good at it. Using his leadership inclination, he easily found ways to get us into lots of trouble during those early Winters. In fact, the predicaments were so challenging they often stood our hair on end. But they provided us with much laughter afterwards.

  “One of the funniest tight spots occurred when we were about thirteen Winters old. Feeling as confident about our survival and camping abilities as young people can, we were off alone on an early Summer camping trip to Kejimkujik when it happened.

  “After enjoying a pleasant but sweaty walk from the village we arrived at the lake where the River of Many Rapids begins its journey to the sea, and we found a nice spot to set up camp. It didn’t hold promise of being a comfortable experience. This assessment was due to black-flies and mosquitoes being out in droves because of the wet, humid and damp weather, and they were very hungry. In fact, so hungry that they seemed motivated with a vengeance reserved for the deprived, determined to drain us of our blood. Combined with them, the heat and humidity were enough to whip up the tempers of some of Mother Earth’s creatures to a frenzy.

  “Big Elk meditated about our discomfort for a while, then came up with, as I expected, an imaginative solution to ease the pain. He decided we should build a raft out of driftwood and float it to the middle of the lake, where the flies wouldn’t venture. Then we could swim a bit to cool off and l
aze about in comfort.

  “The plan sounded great to me. In fact the thought of getting some peace from the starving flies and relief from the sweltering and suffocating heat sounded like being offered a bit of paradise. With this in mind, I quickly pitched in and helped collect pieces of driftwood to use and patch together a raft, which we did with little skill or polish, but with a great deal of enthusiasm. Motivated by the thought of relief, we had it ready for launching in record time. Then off came our clothes, and we began to tow it toward the middle of the lake. When we were no more than two hundred paces offshore, we heard this great snorting and crashing coming toward us through the woods. Out into the open charged a thoroughly upset and raging, gigantic bull moose. His antlers were the biggest and most threatening I’ve ever seen.

  “The froth running out of his mouth, because of his mad rage, didn’t help to improve his image in our eyes. He was looking for a fight and wasn’t too fussy about whom or what he had it with. He looked out towards us pushing the raft on the lake, and without the slightest hesitation he came charging into the water with what we deduced correctly as mayhem on his mind. To this Sunrise I can’t decide if he thought we were another moose infringing on his territory or if he was simply being cranky. Either way, he decided to do us in. Whatever it was, he didn’t waste any time getting out to where we were.

  “As if it was only last Sunrise I can still hear Big Elk yelling, ‘May the Great Spirit help us! I think that crazed beast has it on his mind to do us in!’”

  “That was about all he got out before Brother Moose came up to the float and tried to come aboard. Well, my friends, I tell you the scene for the next few moments was one of mass confusion, with a lot of yelling and hollering and, on the moose’s part, snorting and grunting. Making a huge lunge, Brother Moose managed to get his front end up onto the raft, which immediately caused it to break up around us. With this occurrence, Big Elk and I made haste to get to shore, with, of course, Brother Moose following closely in our wake. We managed to confuse him a bit by diving underwater several times, which gave us about a fifteen-pace lead when we came ashore.

  “Then a scene occurred that I can still picture in intimate detail. Imagine it, my friends. Two boys, as naked as the Sunrise they were born, running headlong for the woods with an enormous and thoroughly cranky bull moose in hot pursuit. Big Elk, who was running a few steps ahead of me, yelled as we approached a gigantic pine, ‘Swing into that big pine, my friend, or one of us, or maybe both, will be having supper with the Great Spirit tonight.’

  “With the agility of squirrels we flew up the tree to what we thought was complete safety. I tell you emphatically, my brothers and sisters, Brother Moose was not amused with this turn of events. He backed off a bit, let out snorts that would scare the heroics out of the bravest man, and charged. The thump he made when he hit our sturdy tree was awesome. Of course, being a sturdy pine, our tree withstood the assault with impunity. However, the moose’s head didn’t receive the blow too well. He staggered back, then wobbled off a few paces and hung his head for a while. The tree encounter had the positive effect of cooling his temper a bit, but not enough to make him call it a Sunrise. He decided to wait us out.

  “In the meantime, the black-flies and mosquitoes had joyously discovered our naked and delectable bodies, which presented a source of a feast for them that one can only describe as a flies’ Land of Souls on Mother Earth. They were hungry and let me tell you, my brothers and sisters, they had no intention of leaving their feast until they were gorged. We were swatting and slapping at them as if our lives depended on it. Our efforts were as futile as trying to use a few blades of grass to dam a mighty river. The torment continued unabated for quite some time, which drove us to consider some crazy measures to seek relief. In desperation, Big Elk put forward one of the looniest suggestions that I’ve ever heard in my life. But, I have to admit, in my torment I gave it some serious thought. He said, with the pain of a thousand fly bites reflected in his voice, ‘Big Bear, the only place where the moose can’t get us, other than up here, is on his back. To escape the torment of these flies we may have to try to drop down on it.’

  “However, before we could put such a crazy plan into action fate stepped in and added to our woes. With resounding grunts, an exceedingly large and thoroughly disgruntled male black bear stepped out of the forest into the clearing to see what was going on. It was beginning to seem to us, in our agonizing torment, that all the beasts in the forest, large and small, had woken up with mayhem on their minds and had picked us to be their victims.

  “Now, Brothers and Sisters, Brother Bear spotted the moose first, and a few moments later saw us up in the tree. There ensued some decision-making on the ground that made us hold our breaths with great anxiety and dread. The moose eyed the bear and I swear to you that for a few moments, before better judgment took over, he actually considered charging him. The bear in turn, in indecision, eyed the moose, then us. After what seemed like forever, Brother Bear decided he would go with something that he had tasted before and not something new like us. With this, he took off after Brother Moose. The last we heard of them was snorting, grunting and crashing sounds moving off through the woods.

  “Well brothers and sisters, we came down out of the tree with the speed of a driving wind and soaked our bleeding, fly-bitten hides in the cool waters of the lake.”

  After the laughter and good cheer settled down, Elder Big Bear launched into another story of adventure. “Then there was the time…”

  After Big Bear finished, other leaders, relatives and friends paid their respects. As had Lightning Bolt and Big Bear, they recounted many highlights of their fondly remembered encounters with Big Elk. To all of them, he had been a mountain of a man and his company and wisdom would be missed immensely.

  After three Sunrises, the rites and celebrations of the Feast of the Dead were concluded by Early Robin, the most senior Elder present, with these simple words, “He served us unselfishly while on Mother Earth and is now with the Great Spirit enjoying eternal peace and rest. Let us rejoice in his good fortune and pray that some Sunrise we will be fortunate enough to once more know his company in the Land of Souls! Go in peace and contentment my brothers and sisters, and revere his precious memory.”

  Before returning home to their countries, the six remaining Grand Council Chiefs met and appointed Lightning Bolt to act as interim Grand Chief. They decided to meet and select a permanent replacement on the first Moon of the next Spring Season in Lightning Bolt’s village. The exact Sunrise to hold it was left up to Lightning Bolt. The reason they opted for a Moon so far in the future was to give the People of Sipekne’katik plenty of time to select a new National Chief. With the time and date settled, the People returned to their own countries to begin to prepare for the exciting process of selecting a Grand Chief.

  Late that Autumn Lightning Bolt and many of his countrymen returned to Sipekne’katik for the official celebrations of White Water’s appointment as its National Chief. When the celebrations ended, many guests began to take leave of their friends and relatives to return home. However, having some additional matters to attend to before he returned home, Lightning Bolt asked Flaming Hair to stay behind and travel with him. Spring Flower and Spotted Fawn, yearning for the home fires, accepted Crazy Moose’s invitation to return to Lightning Bolt’s village with them.

  A few Sunrises later Lightning Bolt and Flaming Hair prepared to leave for home. Not in a big rush, they decided to add a few extra Sunrises to the trip by visiting some of their favourite places along the way. To this end they laid out a course for their canoe trip that would keep them close to the shoreline of the Basin of High Tides. With great anticipation of seeing again the wondrous places that neither had savoured for many, many Moons, caused by increasing responsibilities, they, excited as two young boys setting out on their first camping trip alone, began their journey early the next Sunrise. The rugged beauty of the landscape and its
continually changing vista, combined with the power of the huge tides of the Basin of High Tides, was a fascination for them that could be traced back to the first time each had viewed the impressive sights.

  While travelling slowly along, soaking in the sights, each privately recalled memories of instances during their past travels around and over the Basin where sunlight or moonlight, combined with spectacular scenery, highlighted Mother Earth’s glorious splendour. But, unbeknownst to them, their past experiences would pale in comparison to the beauty of what Mother Earth had prepared for them to view on this journey. It was to be the most awesome that the Great Spirit would ever give them the privilege of seeing.

  Some time later, as they were leisurely paddling their canoe along the coast, Lightning Bolt commented, “Brother, look at the beauty of the colours of the leaves. It’s as if the Great Spirit has this Autumn joyfully decided to celebrate with His people the change of Seasons with an extra flourish. I’ve never before seen the forests looking so beautiful and majestic.”

  With awe in his voice Flaming Hair replied, “I agree, my brother, the Great Spirit has truly done wonders. The sight of His work in the colour of the bushes and trees is comparable to viewing at one sitting all the colourful and glorious rainbows I’ve seen in my lifetime. You know, when I view this magnificent scene, I can’t help thinking about, and comparing, the splendours of the world I saw before the Great Spirit sent me here to live. I’ve seen the White Cliffs of England, and admired the majesty of the Alps, the Rock of Gibraltar, and other splendid places, but none can compare with what I’ve seen here during my many camping trips over the Seasons. And, particularly, if I live to see a thousand more Autumns, I shall always recall the beauty of this Season, because I’ve never seen an equal for splendour.”

  That evening, after dining on freshly caught eels and bass, the brothers sat before their cozy warm campfire on a cliff overlooking the basin, watching the magnificence of the scenery transforming around them. They sat in awe as they talked and watched the full Moon slowly moving up over the horizon, spreading its pale light over the world before them. The beauty of it all almost overwhelmed them. Flaming Hair, unable to contain his joy, in trance-like wonder commented, “My brother, there can never be an equal on Mother Earth to with what we’re seeing this Sunrise. It’s so majestic and breathtaking that it seems as if we’re glimpsing what awaits us in the Land of Souls.”