Earths Gifts

“Bye Chaska, bye nagwaadu.” I hugged them as they started towards their nets and baskets. The baskets looked like they were ready to fall apart, cedar strands sticking out every which way.

Chaska hugged nooyu as nagwaadu said, “We will be home before the sun sets Novie.”

“Zyanya and I will be back before dinner. We’ll prepare to cook for when you return with our salmon.” She smiled.

“Have fun Zyanya and listen to Novie.” Nagwaadu said to me.

Today nooyu and I are going to the far edge of the forest to pull some cedar; it’s my first time going out. Nooyu and nagwaadu have both decided it’s about time for me to start learning and, like I had mentioned earlier the baskets are ready to fall apart and they need to be replaced.

I watched as my łmktii and nagwaadu disappeared down the hill on their way to the river.  I never get to go with them. Nooyu and I always have something to do here. I’ve always wanted to go though; I bet I would be an expert fisher.

I remember the times I used to watch when I was younger. Chaska and I would go to the river to play and nagwaadu would be there with some other men from the village.

Chaska used to tell me that I wouldn’t be able to catch fish like him; it was the men’s job. I would be in the forest pulling cedar and making cloths. I thought he was teasing me and was pretty upset when I found his words were true.

I had been in the forest with Chaska and a few other kids from our village when I was younger; we used to play in there. I never thought it was anything more than a playground, nothing like how fun fishing must be.

“Zyanya stop your day dreaming it’s time to leave if we want to make it back in time to cook.”

“I’m coming,” I replied as I grabbed the cedar rope and axe then followed nooyu towards the forest.

When we first entered it looked the same, beat up old stubs, fallen trees, roots to hide behind and climb all over. Nooyu lead me towards the line of thick bushes which was our line. None of the children from the village are allowed to pass this line without an adult.

“You must remember when you are taking from the earth you have to be respectful Zyanya. You never take more than what you need.” She said. “When you are done with your cedar you give back what you don’t need, like the outer bark or the cedar we cannot use in our weaving.”

“Yes,” I replied following her. She held a branch back for me and grabbed my hand helping me through that last of the tangles. I looked up relieved to be out of the tangled mess and my breath was stolen. Before me was a beautiful sea of trees, all different sizes, different shapes, and different kinds. Some were tangled in the one next to them and others stood alone and proud.

“I expect you remember what the cedar trees look like.” Nooyu asked me as we made our way through the vibrant, lively, sea of trees.

I immediately spotted four, “yes I remember.” Every time we go out to gather food she would point them out, it would be impossible not to know what a cedar tree is.

I stopped at the nearest cedar tree and got my axe ready, “What do I do to start it off nooyu?”

“You will not collect from this tree,” she said walking towards me, “look up, Zyanya what do you see?”

I looked up unsure what she was talking about. “I don’t know nooyu; I see the tree and its branches.”

She nodded, “the branches will cause imperfections in the bark. Most of the bark will be unusable and will be wasted.”