Ki'ti's Story, 75,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

  Wamumur had thought long and hard, and had just the place in his mind web—and a plan. In the valley by the caves was a forested area where there were plenty of birch trees of a good height. They were slender because there were so many of them growing close together. The ground was level. As soon as he finished eating, Wamumur strode over to the forested area and began to survey the trees. There were enough to make his design. He took a pouch of mud to the selected area and painted mud on the trunks of the trees he wanted to keep. Ten unmarked trees would have to be removed, which would provide them with space for a very long and wide structure. There were thirty trees that formed a line on one side, and twenty-eight trees on the other side that formed an almost parallel line. In the center, there were three strong trees that would remain for supports. His plan was to take strips of leather and tie the opposing tree tops together. The base of each tree on the outside would make the foundation edge for the exterior walls of the structure; its arched top would form the roof.

  Wamumur began by having the unnecessary trees removed. Stone hand axes took considerable time to fell trees, but these trunks were not overly large. The greatest challenge was removing the stumps. They set fire to the stumps and watched them through day and night so the fire would not spread. Little by little they were able to get rid of the stumps.

  Once the stumps were removed, the climbers began with the center tree to form the first arch. Lai-na and Lamul-na climbed the trees that would form the opposing outside walls into an arch. Lamul-na carried his length of leather strip coiled around his neck. Lai-na had his wrapped around his forearm. Each climbed the slender trees quickly. As the tree tops began to bend, they came nearer and nearer the center tree. The branches at the top became tangled. They descended to get hand axes and climbed again, eliminating lower branches while leaving stubs for future hangers. They chopped off the tangling limbs of the trees. When they climbed high enough, they were able to tie the arched tops together. This time, the tree bending worked. The first arch was tied with the leather strips and the height of the structure as seen from what would be the floor was very high. From time to time, the People came to see the fascinating structure begin to form.

  The plan provided for many arched trees. Only three mid-structure center trees had strong supported arches. There would be two hearths, each located between the strong center trees that supported the middle arches. They would leave openings at the top of the structure for smoke to exit. The People functioned as a unit at this point. They worked diligently because nobody really wanted to leave this area. If this structure was successful, they knew, they could continue to stay here in this place they considered home. Motivation was high.

  When the uneven floor became a problem, it was Emaea who organized the children to take baskets to the lake shore to gather sandy soil. They brought the sand up and periodically they were permitted to dump sand in areas that would become floor. The children felt honored to participate.

  Finally, all the arches were completed. The men made certain that the roof line was as level as they could get it. At that point, they began to attach long, slender, limbed birch trunks as crosspieces to the walls and then to the roof itself. Emaea had a number of women working to cut leather strips. As soon as a huge quantity of leather strips was taken to the site, it seemed they were used up and another supply was needed. Emaea smiled as she realized that the pieces tied on were likely to remain in place even in great wind or earthquake. They were definitely tied to stay.

  When the crosspieces were tied to the top, Lamul-na and Lai-na were teased about becoming monkeys. They had learned to climb at the heights that frightened some of the others. The way they moved from place to place did remind some of monkeys. At each location in the roof between the central support trees, the young men formed squares attached to the roof line that would become smoke holes.

  Wamumur discussed with Likichi the need for making two smoke hole covers. He asked her to gather women to assemble two cubes of bamboo to which a strong, thick rhino hide would be stretched and secured across the top. The side of the bamboo cube opposite the leather would be the base. The base would attach to the roof over the smoke hole. Smoke would escape and rain would stay out. Wamumur asked Lamul-na and Lai-na to mud the arched ceiling over the center support trees to prevent stray cinders from setting fire to the ceiling.

  Ki’ti was never so happy. Her People were working together on a huge project that could make this residence one they’d keep for a long time. Oddly, those who had begun alternative projects abandoned them to participate on Wamumur’s long tree home. She saw that the People were happy. This was very good, she thought.

  When the long tree home frame was completed and it was a frame that was probably more framed than was absolutely necessary, the men began to harvest grass bundles. The bundles were tied with leather strips and carried to the structure to be tied to the frame. The base of each bundle was tied with the tips of the grasses deliberately pointing to the ground. This process was repeated from the lower level up. Then the second level began and there was a significant overlap of the new bundles of grasses with the first level that had been attached. The People continued this addition of the bundles of grasses until the structure was covered. There was, however, no finished covering at the top of the arches where the bundles met. It was Ekuktu-na who solved the problem of what to do at the top. He had considered the fish. Overlapping scales gave him the idea that overlapping sheets of birch bark from felled trees would provide a solution for finishing the roof top. He suggested they harvest birch bark and tie it across the top so that rain would drain off the birch bark to the grasses where it would drip down. The builders understood at once and immediately began to harvest the bark from trees they had already cut down. They carefully took the widest pieces to minimize the tracking of water through the birch bark openings. They were sewed to the top so that wind would not blow them off. The birch bark pieces overlapped on the south side.

  The smoke hole covers had been done with excellence and were tied securely to the structure at the top. They extended about an arm’s length beyond the edges of the smoke hole and rose about the distance from a man’s elbow to his finger tips above the smoke hole. They had been tried and found to function well.

  At the far back of the structure, crosspieces of birch had been placed from side to side making a making a room with birch log sides and a birch log ceiling, where things could be stored or hung. It was Manak-na who concluded that along the sides of the parallel walls of the long tree home inside there should be shelves made for storing personal items on the ground level.

  Manak-na set up bench/sleeping place makers and before long the inside of the building began to look like a very special home. Between the bench/sleeping places, there was a niche where spears and tall items could be stored. In some places the beds were double and triple decked for children or for items that one might wish to store above the floor level to keep them out of the hands of little children. Adult bench/sleeping places had added poles from which leathers could be hung for a bit of privacy.

  Arkan-na and Untuk went to the end of the rock walk and gathered large stones for the hearth surrounds. They had the two hearths formed in one afternoon. The entrance was viewed as a problem until Chamul-na came up with the idea of an extension on the front that would open not straight out but through a side of the extension. Doing that would prevent direct wind from any direction from blowing to the interior. They could store things that were used outside in the front extension and not have to have them in the living space in much the same way they had kept the booted gaments near the cave entry way back in the ashfall. It kept the living space neater. Chamul-na directed the extension using two trees on either side outside the main structure’s entrance. He made the ceiling height about nine feet tall, unlike the towering height of the main structure. The main structure paralleled the caves like a long millipede. Chamul-na made the new opening to the side away from the caves in case there was an earthquake
that sent rock toward them.

  Veymun sought out Ki’ti. She asked her, “Have you seen Gruid-na?”

  Ki’ti looked at her carefully. She seemed far more distraught than she appeared.

  “No, I have not seen him. Where was he when you last saw him?”

  “This afternoon, he was sitting on the stone walk and was watching the building. I went to find him and I have looked everywhere. I just cannot find him.”

  Ki’ti called to Likichi. If anyone would know where Gruid-na was, it would be Likichi. Likichi came to them. Ki’ti nodded to Veymun.

  Veymun said, “I cannot find Gruid-na. He was sitting on the stone walk watching the building and now he has disappeared. I’ve been everywhere looking for him, and I cannot find him. Do you know where he is?” Veymun was clearly shaken.

  Likichi put her arm around Veymun. “I haven’t seen him. Maybe he just went for a walk?” Likichi looked for Domur. Finally, she saw her daughter. She said, “Wait here a moment, Veymun. I’ll get Domur to start searching.”

  Likichi went to Domur to ask her to start a group of people looking for Gruid-na. She explained he was old and like some old people, his mind was not well; he might have wandered off. If he got confused, it could be dangerous for him. Likichi went back to Veymun. She explained while Domur and the young people looked for him, they would wait and have some tea. They talked about what they as a People could do to help watch over Gruid-na.

  Domur asked Alu, Mitrak, Shmyukuk, Wamumal, Meeka, Liho, and Minagle to help search for Gruid-na. They briefly discussed who would search where, and then they went off in all directions. They searched diligently every nook and cranny where he might be. They had gone into the depths of the caves and checked every known cave of seclusion; they had asked everyone whose paths they crossed; they had walked the paths that were near the caves. Nothing. They were unable to find him. The search party grew larger as there was growing concern for Gruid-na. It was known he seemed to be having memory problems. At one time, he would be present and then he lapsed to a time unknown to most of the People. He spoke of another time. Unlike Ki’ti’s getting lost in someone else’s time from long ago, Gruid-na got lost in his own time of long ago.

  On a hunch, Ki’ti and Untuk went to the lake. They hoped to find the man there. But he wasn’t there. Manak-na and Arkan-na went to the overhang to check the ledge and the drop. He was not there. Ermol-na and Nanichak-na went to the cave of the man with the green bag. There, sitting among the dead was Gruid-na.

  “Gruid-na, what are you doing here?” Ermol-na asked with irritation, as if Gruid-na were perfectly normal doing something absurd.

  Gruid-na looked at them as if they were strangers. He realized someone had asked a question. He answered, “It is my time to die, so I came to be with the dead.”

  Ermol-na and Nanichak-na looked at each other. They had known he was having memory problems, but not that his mind web was this disordered.

  “Gruid-na, it is not your time yet. You need to come home with us,” Nanichak-na said.

  “My friend, is that you?” Gruid-na asked.

  “Yes, it is, Gruid-na. Come with me now. The evening meal will be ready soon.”

  Gruid-na stood. It would be difficult getting him down the path. Both wondered how he’d gotten up there. They struggled to help him and finally got him down.

  The old man was still coming and going in his mind web “Where is my friend?” Gruid-na asked.

  “I’m right here, Gruid-na,” Nanichak-na said, with a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “Right here.”

  “I mean the other one. Limush-na. Where is Limush-na?”

  “Gruid-na, Limush-na died many, many years ago.” Nanichak-na tried to reason with the old man.

  “It isn’t nice to tease me. I need to finish something with Limush-na. We were just chatting.”

  Nanichak-na and Ermol-na looked at each other—confused.

  Ermol-na said, “Gruid-na, let’s go home. The evening meal is almost ready. You can talk to Limush-na there.”

  “Who are you?” Gruid-na asked, bewildered.

  “I am Ermol-na, husband of your daughter, Flayk,” he answered mechanically.

  “I have no daughter. I just had a son. His name is Mootmu. He is strong.”

  They continued ushering Gruid-na to the home cave.

  “What do you think we’ll have for the evening meal?” Ermol-na asked in frustration.

  “If Totamu has anything to do with it, it’ll be fin fish. I hate fin fish,” Gruid-na grumbled. The men realized he was in the time before Baambas when they lived near the lake and slow moving river.

  When they reached level ground, Nanichak-na suggested Ermol-na go quickly to prepare the People. He was delighted to fly away from the old man whom he could not understand.

  Veymun was distraught. Likichi had the situation as well under control as she could. She went to her herbs to get a combination that she knew would calm people who were agitated. She hoped it would work with Gruid-na.

  When Gruid-na arrived, Nanichak-na seated him by Veymun. He recognized her and was delighted to see her. She handed him a cup of the tea Likichi had made, which he drank all at once. Likichi went to the food serving area for two bowls of food for Gruid-na and Veymun. The cave was quiet. They might as well eat in peace, she thought.

  As he ate, Gruid-na did seem calmer, but he continued to ask for Limush-na. Veymun told him Limush-na had taken a trip to a far away place. Gruid-na seemed to accept that. After he ate, Gruid-na became sleepy, so Veymun prepared his sleeping place for him. He wondered why she didn’t join him. She explained she had a few things to do and would be there soon. He went to sleep and began to snore softly.

  Veymun, Likichi, Pechki, Ki’ti, Emaea, and Wamumur gathered together after the evening meal. They talked of Gruid-na and how best to take care of someone like this.

  They decided the best thing to do would be to have every member of the People understand that Gruid-na was sick in his mind web. All needed to work together to assure that he was safe. If Gruid-na began to wander off, they needed to notify Veymun, Likichi, Emaea, or Wamumur and at least one hunter. From what the older People remembered, old ones like this could come and go in the present and past. They needed to be treated well, but they also needed to be cared for gently, since their drifting to another time could be dangerous for them.

  For several days after that, Gruid-na became belligerent and more agitated. Then one high sun, when he was arguing with Nanichak-na about returning to the cave on the hill, he slumped. The man seemed unable to speak and he was drooling. Later he seemed to return partially to his mind web, but he could not stand, and his speech was slurred. He looked so helpless. The hunters took him to his sleeping place. He did not look well. He would try to speak, making only sounds that made no sense. Gruid-na was very upset over his speech. Veymun sat with him trying to soothe him. For days, this continued. The old man could not get up, he could barely use his right arm, and his left was lifeless. Likichi and Pechki thought he had died on his left side, and the right side was was dying—too soon he’d walk with Wisdom.

  At one point, the old man opened his eyes very wide. He said, “Limush-na, sorry.” Veymun had no clue what he meant. She repeated it to Nanichak-na, who told her about Gruid-na’s concern to find Limush-na the day they’d found him at the cave.

  “I have an idea,” Nanichak-na said. He leaned down close to Gruid-na’s face, and said, “Gruid-na, Limush-na knows you’re sorry. He said it was long ago, and his feeling for you is good.”

  Veymun and Nanichak-na waited. The frustration faded from the old man’s face. He half smiled with tears flowing from his eyes. He seemed at peace. When Wisdom returned color to the land, Gruid-na had gone to walk with Wisdom. The People had a burial service for Gruid-na. The flowers were about gone but there were some yellow ones atop the second hill and a few hunters took children to gather them. Ki’ti told the story and then they returned to the cave and their responsibilities.


  The service would be repeated two days later for Veymun, whose broken heart just stopped, and she went to walk with Wisdom. She would lie next to Gruid-na in death as she had in life.

  The structure that would become their home was almost finished. It was nice and in some ways more comfortable than the cave. It was dark inside, but since they had used oil lamps in the cave, they could use them in their new home. Some light came in the smoke hole, but not enough for a structure as large as this. They were all looking forward to the move.

  “Wise One, may I have a moment?” Nanichak-na asked.

  “Any time,” Ki’ti assured him. She loved him dearly.

  “I feel that I may have caused Gruid-na’s death,” he said, “and it makes me feel guilty.”

  “What do you mean?” His face expressed the emotional pain he felt. She ached for him.

  “He was trying to tell somebody named Limush-na that he was sorry for something. I don’t know what he was sorry about, but I could tell it bothered him a lot. It bothered him when he was in the cave of the man with the green bag. So I told him that Limush-na knew he was sorry, and he was forgiven. I thought that might ease his troubles. He finally seemed at peace, and then he went to Wisdom.”

  Ki’ti was surprised that Nanichak-na would dissemble, but she could understand his desire to ease Gruid-na’s feelings. She went through her mind web. She could find nothing that addressed this issue. There was much that addressed the issue of lying.

  “Nanichak-na, Dear Hunter, ease yourself. You did not cause the death of Gruid-na. The elders of the People have told me of other deaths where People had Gruid-na’s signs. We have no way to cure that. It seems to follow mind web confusion as where they are in time. Nanichak-na, he would have gone to Wisdom anyway. You eased his mind web and gave him comfort. It might have been better to say you felt Limush-na knew he was sorry and forgave him, but the lie did not cause harm. In no way did you end Gruid-na’s life. I would entreat you not to lie again.” Ki’ti put one hand on Nanichak-na’s forearm, and the other on his shoulder. She looked directly into his eyes.