Rachel
begins to look over the area and spots a small hut made of deer hide. “If I may ask, what is that?”
“Our sweat lodge,” Chief Nootah says.
“What is a sweat lodge? What is it used for?”
Redwolf explains, “It’s a custom passed down through the generations. We use it to cleanse the body of
poisons and replenish the spirit within us, and to extract any evil spirits. We invite the animals of the medicine-wheel to
speak to us and show us the way to complete joy and peace.”
“What
are these animals?” Rachel asks with a great interest.
“They
are the bear, the buffalo, the eagle, and the mouse. We ask them to bring up issues and difficulties, we ask that feelings
of sadness be pulled out of us and replaced with feelings of happiness. A lot of terrible things have happened to our people
but we still wish to live in peace and harmony with Mother Earth.”
“How
does that work? Does it work for everyone?” she asks eagerly.
“Only
if you believe it’s possible, my child,” Nadie says wisely.
“I’d
love to try it if you’d allow me to. Sometimes I fall into deep despair over my daughter, Tess. The agony and guilt
I feel having left her with that terrible man, I need to find some peace. I need to know if she’s doing okay. Please,
may I try?”
The Chief says, “It will take us some time
to set it up. We have to get the rocks as hot as possible and bring plenty of water from the river to pour over them and collect
some sage for purification. Can you return in the morning?”
“Yes,
yes, I’ll be here early morning.”
“You will be
in the lodge for one entire day, so come prepared.”
***
(The
next morning...)
Rachel listens closely as instructions
are given to her. They tell her to remember that they will not be far away and to come out whenever she is ready. So with
confidence, she enters the lodge.a ladle of water and sage over the rocks. Steam, heat and the sweet
smell of sage permeate the air. Almost immediately, she begins to sweat, so she removes her sweater, shoes and stockings.
As soon as her body becomes adjusted to the heat, she pours another ladle on the rocks. They hiss and sputter, and steam rises
from the small area.laughing and singing a sweet song; one that Rachel had taught her. She swoops down
and holds the young girl in her arms.
Looking around the inside,
she gets familiar with the small room and lets her eyes adjust to its darkness. Sitting comfortably on the soft bearskin rug,
she pours
From a distance, from all directions, from deep inside,
or from nowhere at all, like the chirping of an elusive cricket, comes the rhythmic pattern of a beating drum. As she searches
for its source, she barely notices herself slipping into a different realm. Becoming very tired, she lies on the rug and soon
drifts off.
Suddenly, she’s aware of a large object looming
towards her, and as it comes closer she can see that it is Henry. She shouts, “Henry! How did you find me?”
He doesn’t say a word. Closer and closer he comes. A demonic look is in
his eyes. His hands grab hold of her neck. She tries to scream but no sound comes out. The pounding of the drum becomes louder
and louder as his hands squeeze the air out of her. Then, there is nothing, moments of stillness, quiet and pure darkness.
Then, off in the distance, a dull rhythmic sound, like a drum, like a heart beat;
becoming deeper and harmonic; gradually louder and clearer. Abruptly, comes a thundering explosion of sound. Deep down from
the core of her, comes her strength. She opens her mouth to speak and a mighty roar comes out. She rips his hands from her
throat, hearing the bones in his fingers breaking. “Get out! Leave me alone!” she shouts with the bear-like voice.
With fear in his eyes, he cowers before her. Then turning to run, he falls and keeps falling, finally disappearing into blackness.
Spent from the fight, she rests. Though just as she regains her energy, a new
face is menacing towards her. It is the face of her father, yelling at her, telling her she is worthless and does not belong
here on earth. Her body transforms into the shape of a buffalo and she charges at him. “No, you are wrong, I am loved
and very much a part of this earth. Now leave me alone, your ways will never be a part of my existence, ever again.”
As she charges at him again, he screams with fear and runs away, also disappearing into blackness.
Then, back into her human form, feeling euphoric, having endured and won two battles, she relaxes for
a while, but she is not in the small hut anymore. She is lying in green grass, smelling the freshness of the air. She realizes
now that she has taken the form of a majestic eagle, so she takes wing and flies far away. She is circling a small farm and
catches sight of a girl. She is playing with a young boy, laughing and singing a sweet song; one that Rachel had taught her.
She swoops dow and holds the young girl in her arms.
And the girl
says, “Mother, don’t worry about me. I am fine and very happy. I will see you soon.”
Rachel again takes wing and flies back to the small hut she left. She lies comfortably on the soft rug
and sleeps for many hours. The drumming stopped long ago and Rachel feels the coolness of the lodge. The air is becoming easier
to breathe and she wakes with a new feeling in her body. The heaviness in her heart has been lifted. She feels a strength
she has never felt before and she knows now that her daughter is fine and they will meet again soon. Joy fills her body as
she emerges through the flaps of the hut into the darkness; a whole day has come and gone. She raises her face to the clear
sky. The stars and moon have never looked brighter. She is a new woman, ready to take on the responsibilities of her independence.
