Growing Up Native American

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Authors: Bill Adler
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gown and the necklace and belt and bracelet were put on Waterlily, and some long, wide pendants of tiny shells were hung from her ears. Though they were so heavy that they pulled the small lobes down, elongating them, Waterlily knew they must be endured for beauty’s sake. Last of all, the new moccasins of solid red quillwork with matching leggings went on. A detail of the dreamed design on the gown was here skillfully repeated, making of the entire costume a charming harmony. And not only the tops but also the soles of the moccasins were covered with quillwork. This seemed extravagant and unnecessary, and Waterlily ventured to say so. “When I walk, I shall quickly break the quills and ruin the soles.” Her aunt Dream Woman replied, “But you will not walk.” Then she told the girl that child-be-loved moccasins for the hunka were always decorated so, and that one did not walk to the ceremonial tipi; one was carried.
    And now Waterlily was sitting stiffly attired in the rare outfit, so heavy with elegance that she hardly dared move, nor even so much as look sideways because of the ear ornaments that hung well below her collarbone on either side. She was all ready, there in the honor-place of the tipi, but as yet she was not wearing the face paint Rainbow had promised her.
    Leaping Fawn and Prairie Flower, her cousins, brought other girls in to admire her. Leaping Fawn thought it needful to explain, “You see, my cousin nearly died, but lived. That is why she is being honored. My uncle promised her this ceremony.” That was a perfectly acceptable explanation, for everyone knew that there was always a valid reason for parents to go to such expense—either because of a vow, as in Waterlily’s case, or because a child was sickly and there was fear of its death, or something of the sort.
    Now and then a child asked, but not often, “Mother, why is my brother a hunka and not I?” And then he was told, “Because we prayed for his recovery and promised to feast the people in his name if he should be spared to us, and he was.” A feast always accompanied the ceremony, and through it everyone inthe community was related to the child being honored. The singling out of a child for the honor was accepted by the other children when they understood. They had always been taught it was shameful to be jealous of a brother or sister. “You are all one,” they were told. “Be happy for each other.” Children with normal endowments and sound health did not need any such compensating honor, and the majority lived and died content without its coming to them personally.
    Little Chief stayed around home today, as did everyone, for this was an occasion. He watched the ceremonial lodge being erected in the center of the circle and then ran home to wait for the ritual custom called the “pretended search” that was soon to start. Presently he shouted, “Here they come!” and ran telling everyone. But he knew what the searchers would do. He had seen them act out their role on similar occasions, for, like all boys, he often roamed throughout the circle and had watched many family ceremonies of several kinds, of which the hunka was one. He knew about the dramatics connected with bringing in the candidates, of the way the four men who were sent out as escorts for the candidate must pretend to lose their way.
    That was what they were doing now. They came out of the ceremonial tipi and walked rapidly away, only to stop short, argue, and change their direction. Three times they did this, and only the fourth time did they head straight for Black Eagle’s camp. And each time they stopped to confer and decide on another direction, they sang the traditional song that said,
    â€œ Just where do they live ?
    â€œ Just where do they live ?”
    though they knew all the time.
    The men arrived, entered the tipi, and lifted Waterlily gently onto the back of the one who was to

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