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The Wedding

THE BATTLE FOR THE captives and to save our village had been one full moon ago. Since that time all the people had come back to the village and continued on with their everyday lives. The men and boys were busy hunting and fishing. The ogà (pickerel) were now running down the smaller rivers to the big river that we call the Kitchi-Sìbì. The men would spear the fish from their canoes or use weirs and nets. Women then made wooden racks and smoked the fish over a fire. After this was done, they dug a deep pit and covered the bottom with grass. Then they put bark over the fish and filled in the pit. We then had fish when we needed it. It didn’t keep for a long time in this pit, but long enough for our people to enjoy the food for a month or so until we caught more.

When the Hochelagans had raided Kwìngwìshì’s village, they had killed her father and brother. Now all that remained of her family was her mother. Wàgosh very much wanted to marry Kwìngwìshì. With the death of her father and brother, he really had no male to approach to ask permission. The three surviving warriors were not direct uncles but men who had married into her band.

Wàgosh approached Pijakì who was the village Shaman. He asked Pijakì how he should go about getting permission for his marriage to Kwìngwìshì.

Pijakì said, “Wàgosh, since Kwìngwìshì’s mother Kàkàskanedjìsì (Nightingale) is not your zigosis (mother-in-law) yet, you can still talk to her directly. With no male relatives, I say that you can ask the mother, but if you do get married you will not be able to talk directly again to your mother-in-law.”

“Thank you, Pijakì. I will ask her mother and hope for the best.”

When Wàgosh approached Kàkàskanedjìsì to marry her daughter she did answer him — by saying yes.

When I found out that there would be a wedding I said to Wàgosh, “Brother, you have gained two women to do work in your lodge and the good part is you only will have to talk to one of them. How good is that?

“Wàgosh, because they have no close relatives or village family unit left, you will be able to stay with us once you are married. All my brothers will be close at hand. That makes our band much more powerful. Our band still has other women who will be getting married, and they will bring in more warriors who will strengthen our family division.

“Now, brother, I will send runners to the other villages to tell them that when we gather in another ten suns we will be having a marriage to celebrate along with the Minòkami Màwndwewehinge (late spring call together).

“I will also arrange for the hunters to go out and provide for this great feast! We will have to make some more fish weirs and nets. There will be many mouths to feed. You make me very happy, brother. I will announce to the village that my brother Wàgosh will take a wife.”

Now that the wedding had been announced, the couple had to choose four sponsors who were older, well-respected people. The sponsors gave the couple spiritual and marital guidance throughout their lifetime. During the ceremony the sponsors pledged to help the couple.

Myself, I had taken on the responsibility of organizing the collection of food. I would have to send hunters out for wìyàs and kìgònz.

The first thing that I built was another fish weir. I built it at the mouth of the small river that emptied into the Kitchi-Sìbì. I placed a row of stakes in the riverbed, and then cut new growth reeds and weaved them together, leaving enough space between the weaves for the small fish to escape. We always made sure that we took only the mature, larger fish and left the young to grow and restock. This weir would catch enough fish in two or three days of the pickerel run to feed all the guests. Our women would be kept busy cleaning and smoking the catch.

The hunters would need to bring back at least twenty deer and lots of nika (geese) and shìshìb (duck) for the feast. For this job I asked Kàg and Mònz to look after obtaining the game. Since they would have to go far afield for the deer, Mitigomij would not be able to go with them. Instead he watched over the well-being of the village and took Esiban and Agwingos to the Kitchi-Sìbì to hunt geese and ducks.

Young men usually looked to their uncles for direction on how to be trained on the art of hunting and warriorhood. Fathers also led their sons toward what they had to become skilled at, but with an uncle there was more of an understanding and urgency about the skills that had to be acquired. Algonquin children were very rarely disciplined; it would have had to be a serious offense for them to be punished. The environment that they were raised in was harsh enough without their parents handing out punishment. From the time that they began to walk, males were versed in the art of hunting and girls in the chores of a woman. Young males were always playing games that tested their endurance. Boys were given a bow and arrow at a very young age. They used these weapons to play games of accuracy and to hunt small game. Young girls were given tasks in the village such as getting water, gathering wood, and picking berries. When there were skins to be made into clothes, they helped with that task also. They were taught to clean game and smoke the meat. Men were responsible for supplying meat and defending the village. Women fed the family, raised the children, made clothing, and packed up the camp when it had to be moved. Therefore it was very important that the children learned their jobs at a very young age. They were also taught to share their food, clothing, and spoils of the hunt. From the time they were born, every day was a learning experience for all Algonquin children.

Weddings were always a time of feasting, dancing, and renewing acquaintances with other family units. It was also a joyous occasion for the village because they would be acquiring another warrior and hunter. The wedding took place under an arbour or in a ceremonial lodge. The couple committed themselves to the Creator, Kitchi Manitou. There was no breaking the commitment. The person who married them was known as the pipe carrier. They had to show total commitment before he would perform the ceremony.

Then the couple made a declaration that they wanted to be known as husband and wife. The pipe was lit and they smoked from it. Nasemà (tobacco) was then offered to and accepted by the pipe carrier.

With the day of the wedding only a couple of suns away, the Algonquin family units of the Kitcisìpiriniwak were starting to come to our village to erect their lodges. Wàgosh and Kwìngwìshì were busy making their clothing for the ceremony. With the help of friends and family, they were also engrossed in making gifts for the giveaway.

Once the ceremony was completed, the guests would all be invited to eat. First to eat would be the elders, then the pipe carrier, then the bride, groom, sponsors, and other guests. Any food that was not eaten would be given to the elders.

All the guests that came would be given a gift. The gifts were laid out on hides and the people starting with the elders down to the children would come forward to receive a gift of their choosing.

The joyful day commenced with the rising of the sun. Kwìngwìshì went down to the river to wash herself in order to be blessed by the spirit of the Earth. As the sun arrived at the top of the sky, the pipe carrier started the ceremony. Within minutes it was over and the drummers started. The guests started singing and dancing in honour of the married couple. The food was brought out and the festivities carried on. That night Wàgosh and Kwìngwìshì slept in a specially prepared lodge.

With my wife Wàbananang at my side, we feasted and danced throughout the night. The fires were kept burning brightly and the guests told stories of past heroic deeds and ancestors forever gone. The weshki-

nibawidjig (newlyweds) had long since retired to their wedding lodge.

I was overcome with happiness that my brother had married and was lost in my thoughts as I watched the children play by the fires and the people drum and sing.

Wàbananang then held me close and whispered in my ear, “I am àndjig-o (pregnant).”

I turned and looked at her in the glow of the fire and kissed her on the forehead. “My wife, I am very happy. Life is very good!” I then started to feel the warmth of the fire and fell asleep in my wife’s arms.

I awoke in the morning under the sky with a fur robe over me and my wife beside me. Standing over me was my brother Mitigomij with my wolf pup Ishkodewan licking my face.

Mitigomij said, “Mahingan, we have company coming down the river. They are not Omàmiwinini, but they have shown no aggressive tactics. They camped on the small island across from our village last night. I observed at least fifty chìmàn (canoes) and of what I could see in the diminishing light of the evening they were mostly warriors. I think they are Nippissing!”