by Watson, Tom
The reason was not out of modesty; Most people were fast to cover their most private of areas, but some nudity was not uncommon when the days were hot enough or when swimming. The heavy clothing worn by much of the tribe was done so out of necessity due to the long cold season. When inside homes, men and women often removed their upper garments, but they also generally covered their bodies with stains and pigments. The paints allowed otherwise overly exposed skin to be considered socially acceptable.
Ember used plenty of paint, applying rich coats to her face and down her back, carefully. Painting your own back was difficult. Had Fox remained, Ember would have asked her to help. Instead, she used a thin strip of soft leather to rub back and forth across her back, smearing and staining it with paint. Ember took a moment to inspect her arms and considered the effect the light blue stain of pigment would have on her skin as it shown through the string tunic. Being lightly stained blue, Ember started to feel a wave of excitement at how exotic she would look.
She spent the next few moments rubbing her body by the low burning fire, letting the oil work deeply into her skin so she would not leave blue marks wherever she bumped or brushed against a wall. The coloring was oil based, but fast absorbed and would last many days. After she was thoroughly blue, Ember donned and tied a simple necklace, anklets, and bracelets, all made of leather thong with clay beads. Using the same blackened pot filled with water as a reflecting pool, she applied several small black dots in a horizontal line, her personal design, below her eyes on each side of her face. Three dots under each eye. This design was an adaptation of the pattern Na Na often painted onto pots.
Before the string dress could be worn, certain “safeguards” would need to be taken. Ember carefully tied a leather thong around her waist and attached a short thin strip of soft doe skin through the front and back of the loop. This breechcloth was much thinner and smaller than normal, but it would not be noticeable and prevented accidental embarrassing situations as well as making sitting on the ground a tad more comfortable. Finally, Ember slid the beautiful, delicate, string tunic over her head and tied it with the beaded thong. It took a moment to adjust herself and come to terms with parts which just poked out of the vertically slit dress no matter what she did.
Oh well, if I am to be a woman I might as well show everyone what that means, she thought as she pulled the belt tight. Ember looked at herself in the blackened pot and was overwhelmed by how she looked. Was she already a woman? How could a girl look as she did? Tears watered in her eyes as the rush of excitement welled in her chest and tingled all the way down to her toes, in waves. The anticipation of the night was overwhelming. Ember quickly got a soft leather rag to wipe the tears and fix her paint.
The night air was cooler than the day but still warmer than normal. Ember lifted the deer hide door and stepped out into the night. Ember stood and stretched, preparing her body for the nightlong dancing. If she didn't stretch her body, injury was assured. As far as Ember was concerned, stretching was one of the more pleasurable things a person could do and a perfectly acceptable way to spend a hot afternoon, as rare as they were.
To her right, not far off, was a large fire burning high into the night air, perhaps the height of a man. Ember watched as many of her people danced around the blaze thoroughly enjoying themselves. At this early point, dancers of all ages were mostly just having a good time to the sound of music. Off to the side, many food items for the taking were laid out on thick reed mats. The fine foods included strips of roasted pork, various pâtés of meats and fish organs, roasted tubers, roasted deer liver, lentils with salt, Ember's favorite, and berries of many types. The grandest of all of the foods were the giant roasting spits with full deer, boar, and small birds crackling and sizzling! Some of the younger men were cutting off pieces for a line of people who couldn't stop licking their lips at the sight.
As Ember walked through the village, the wind reminded her how free-flowing her new dress was. There was a sort of existential excitement to the feel of the warm night breeze on her skin and the promise of an exciting night. Ember could feel tingles of excitement and thrill moving up and down her body and she slowly approached the fire. Under her breath, Ember whispered a prayer to the fire spirits for an eventful and exciting night. Ember finished her prayer and took a moment to consider the night around her.
Women, children, and men alike sat on the grass or on mats near the flame watching the dancing while eating the delicious food. Nearly the entire village was present, with only a few hunters guarding the village perimeter. Those hunters would eventually trade off with a second group of men allowing all to partake in the rituals and celebration. In total, Ember's tribe consisted of about eighty men and a slightly larger number of women, not counting children. As far as tribes went, hers was of medium size. Ember had heard of huge tribes to the east where such ceremonial events could last days! She was glad for the shortness of her Lunar Festival.
“Ember! Ember!” called a voice. Ember had not gone more than a few steps when she heard her name again being called by a familiar voice. She turned to see her friends Fire Blossom and Kanter rapidly approaching. Fire Blossom was generally called “Blossom” by her friends. She was named for a small red flower which grew in the area. Ironically, Fire Blossom spent much of her time hanging around Ember, and jokes were often made. It was sometimes said, “Where there's an Ember, there's often a Fire”. The jokes were actually quite accurate. Regardless, the two girls had grown up together and were good friends.
Beside Blossom walked Kanter, a young lad from the opposite corner of the village. Kanter and his mother had joined the tribe many harvests before after his father and uncle had been killed while the quartet traveled. Kanter was originally of a different tribe and his name had some meaning in another language. Ember had asked him many times, but he always dodged her questions. Kanter was very shy about his past and even his tribe. In fact, it was generally suspected that only the elder members of the tribe even knew the details. Ember certainly did not. Maybe one day he would tell her the meaning..., or perhaps she had other ways of learning. Ember could be sneaky like a fox when she wanted, and “quick like bunny” if caught. Ember might be able to convince Blossom to coax the meaning of Kanter's name through any number of insidious means. Such cunning and plotting require lots of time and planning; something Ember was less than good at.
Kanter was dressed in a soft leather-wrap around his waist and many long hawk feathers in his hair. His face was colored lightly red with ocher paint with little black dots evenly space throughout. He wore no top given the warm night, but his back had been painted with black horizontal stripes. Blossom wore a wide, apron-like, soft leather loincloth with flowers in her hair attached at various lengths, instead of her usual fish leather skirt. Blossom wore dark red face paint, similar to Kanter, but with subtle zigzagging patterns. Her outfit was not very covering, but quite acceptable on a ritual night.
Kanter and Blossom were a pair, seeming more closely related to a mated couple than either of their parents knew. The following warm season would see them both become recognized as adults. Only time would tell if they would remain a pair, but for now they were inseparable. If they chose to be coupled, it would be allowed because Kanter actually hailed from another tribe. Ember knew that such a union would bring with it the answers of Kanter's origins, but Ember would be forced to wait quite a long time. Pushing such thoughts aside, Ember watched her friends as they approached. The night was dark, and from a distance the details of costumes couldn't be determined, but as the two approached, the sheer beauty of Ember's costume manifested into stunning view before them. Both came to a halt and gawked, mouths open.
“Ember? How did you... where did you get... that?!” Blossom asked. Blossom turned giving a confused look at Kanter, which quickly turned to an angry glare when she noticed that Kanter was carefully looking Ember over from head to foot. Blossom poked Kanter hard in the side with her pointer finger which brought his attention back to her
. She looked carefully at Kanter, scolding him all the while, and spoke to Ember, never letting her eyes leave her lover.
“How did you get such a garment? I know this is your coming of age night, but... and it's so... revealing!”
Ember smiled and blushed with embarrassment. She wondered if her blue-dyed skin was turning a purple color in the light.
“My mother traded for it. I guess all of that flint was needed elsewhere. Anyway, tonight only comes once. If I am to be a woman, I might as well attract a man. It should do the trick, don't you think?” Ember concluded. Blossom and Kanter both nodded with wide eyes.
“If you need to attract one, that is,” Blossom squeezed Kanter closer and added, indicating Kanter. The three friends laughed and journeyed merrily towards the large fire and celebrations. Kanter was significantly confused by the exchange between the girls but continued walking along beside Fire Blossom.
As the trio approached the fire, the shapes which they had seen dancing around the fire took on faces and names. Ember called out to several of the party goers who waved back with enthusiasm. There were men wearing leather wraps and painted from head to toe with designs of brightly colored paint. Most of the dancing men had various head dress, often resembling the antlers of deer or the horns of bulls, made of sticks and secured with thongs of leather. Many of the women wore short skirts or smocks or tunics of reed, bark, flax, or leather. They decorated the rest of their bodies with paints, feathers, and their finest jewelry. The entire tribe had come out and was dancing enthusiastically to the beat of the drums and communal singing.
“We should dance before we eat. Remember River Breeze last harvest? I've never seen someone eat so much before dancing!” Blossom said.
“...and she was doubled over for half of the night afterward,” Kanter added. Ember rounded both of them beaming a smile at each.
“Who cares what we do? We need to have fun while we still can. Don't you see? This is the last night I am still just a child. In a few seasons from now both of you will be in my place. We should just let go... just for tonight.” To this proclamation, Blossom gave Kanter a sly wink.
“I think you're on to something. Who knows where the wind blows,” Blossom exclaimed. Kanter stared at Blossom with a confused and slightly hopeful look. She knew what he wanted, but she would let him dangle as long as possible. Blossom's unquenched temptations had started as an essential act, for uncoupled women didn't have children often, but now it had become a sort of sport. Ember gave her a knowing look and shook her head.
During the early part of the night, the tribe danced, ate, and made merry throughout the festival area. Ember, Blossom, and Kanter joined the dance to twirl and move to the natural beats of hide and gourd drums, sound sticks, and singing. As Ember twirled and bounced, her tunic flowed like a great storm around her body, tossing this way and that. Many of the people had come in their best outfits, but none rivaled Ember and she knew it. The point was made nearly immediately after she started dancing when a girl with long blonde hair, Yellow Flowers, came face to face with Ember.
Hate filled Yellow Flower's eyes instantly at the sight of Ember's impressive attire. Yellow Flowers was to become a woman tonight as well and was generally thought to have the best chance at choosing her partner. She was, in effect, the premier woman of the event. Ember was considered attractive by her people's measure of beauty, but she was not glamorous nor was she flashy. Ember's beautiful dress and overly expressive body paint were too much for Yellow Flowers to accept! Ember was stealing her role quickly as she danced in a whirl of feathers, beads, and the flashy appeal that only a dress made of string could attain.
Yellow Flowers was completely outraged, and to make matters worse, there were several young hunters from other tribes here tonight, as well! Her clothing was revealing and of high quality, much like Ember's, but just not unique enough to set her apart. The sight of Ember's tunic sent her into a frustrated anger. She threw her hands aside and walked from the dance with her latest boyfriend following closely behind.
“I didn't mean it Flowers! Whatever I did I didn't mean it...” the confused boy said as he raced after her. Ember and Blossom laughed as the boy, about Kanter's age, chased after Yellow Flowers making things much worse with his lack of understanding. Kanter watched the whole spectacle and realized that he would never understand women. He surmised that Yellow Flowers had left the dance for a reason other than her date. That was all he, or any other male, could deduce.
Gods, please grant me the strength to handle them and the courage to keep my mouth shut, for they make absolutely no sense, he said to himself as he watched Blossom glide over to him with an oddly sly look.
The dancing continued for a good length of time afterward, and became more and more formal as time progressed. Special dance moves and lyrics were used as each member of the tribe who danced geared their collective dancing towards pleasing the Gods. At a specific time, everyone in the dancing group fell to the ground or genuflected, as was part of the act of the song. Ember fell to the cool ground laughing and laid still for a moment with her eyes closed. When she opened them again, she was staring directly into a sky full of stars.
For a brief moment, Ember was struck by the beauty of those mysterious points of light. Her people called them the eyes of the Gods. As she looked, Ember thought she saw a star appear and vanish leaving a short streak of light in its wake. As she looked on, she didn't see anything like it again. Ember closed her eyes once more and held them shut for a moment until she heard people laughing and standing. She opened her eyes and quickly looked to ensure that all of her tunic had made it. Above her, she thought she saw another streak, but her attention was taken by a blue feather.
Not but a few hand lengths away, a blue feather had fallen. Ember touched the feather and pulled her hand back suddenly as she thought she had seen a snake! The “snake” turned out to be a root protruding from the ground. Ember snatched the feather and stood aside, out of the way of the dancers as they resumed their joyful festivities, and fastened it back into place. As she got ready to stand, she felt two eyes boring into her. Ember, still on her knees, slowly turned to come face to face with little Fox. Fox blinked her blue eyes at Ember. She smiled and pointed at Ember.
“A root scared Ember! A root scared Ember!” With that Fox ran off making fun. The encounter was quite strange, though slightly amusing to Ember.
Children..., I was never one of those..., Ember thought.
As the dance began to wind down, the Elders came forward to perform rituals. The Elders were half a dozen old men and women who controlled the tribe in an executive fashion. Each Elder was elaborately painted and decorated in their best clothing. Each sported various necklaces and other jewelry indicating special merit and status. The leader of the tribe was a wise old man named Aurochs. He now walked forward with a semi-serious grin on his face.
The animal Aurochs is a large and powerful cow or bull which some tribes actually kept and bred for food. The man Aurochs was barely like a cow, more like a bull, being quite muscular and imposing. Aurochs had the look of a powerful and authoritative hunter about him. He wore a wolf pelt over his back like a cape and a thick and well-constructed leather shirt. His legs were wrapped in leather leggings with a flax breechcloth. All-in-all, Ember thought Aurochs over dressed for the occasion, but that was the way of the mighty Aurochs.
Ember knew better; she had secretly watched the mighty warrior Aurochs as he knelt on the ground and played with his granddaughter. She had a little rabbit fur doll, and the two of them had played for a short while. Aurochs used most of his size and powerful frame to keep those inline who needed a good enough reason or to force the hand of reluctant traders. In most affairs, Aurochs would defer to the other Elders and merely back their decisions. This powerful but amenable disposition had seen him rise to the leader of the tribe.
Among the other Elders in the group was Na Na, or Blue River, her real name. Na Na wore a fine flax shirt and skirt with beads set i
nto the cloth at varying lengths. The clothing was dyed pale blue. Blue circles had been painted down Na Na's arms, the tribal symbol for unity and strength. Around her neck, Na Na wore necklaces with various important Gods and spirits. Na Na smiled at the sight of Ember and gave her a little wave.
The Elders entered the circle around the fire, walking around the dance area where the edge of light radiating from the fire faded away, several times while chanting. Each Elder held a ceremonial stick adorned with feathers. As the Elders chanted, they slowly walked around the fire in a large swinging radius from the center. They screamed and chanted driving out the evil spirits and other nasty things which might hamper a proper ritual. During this time, they were cheered on by the tribe. After the prolonged and loud circumnavigation of the dance area, one of the Elders, Dark Rock, approached the oldest female Elder, Morning Dew.
“We have walked the dance with pure moves. Is the dance clear?” Dark Rock asked, to which Morning Dew entered a thoughtful pose. After a moment, she began to walk around the dance area moving her hands this way and that way as if feeling for bad thoughts or spirits.
“She never finds anything bad,” Blossom whispered to Ember.
“That's because your cousin Frog scares everything off,” Ember replied nodding at a board looking boy not far from the Elders. His name wasn't “Frog”, but many thought that he somewhat sounded like one and so the name had stuck.
After a moment, Morning Dew looked back, as much at the tribe as at Dark Rock, and yelled, “The dance is clear! Let the ritual begin!” To this the tribe let out nearly 170 breaths as one. Rituals were always a scripted affair with thanks to the Gods being given the same way and with the same speeches by Elders each time. Ember wondered if the Gods might one day become bored with the repetition and find somewhere else to go. East had explained to Ember when she was a child that the Gods cared about form and intent and less about the exact words. Ember knew that this was not a view held by all tribes and that some tribes considered their survival to be contingent upon perfection of the rituals.