Oowikapun, or, How the Gospel reached the Nelson River IndiansYoung, Egerton Ryerson
History
Oowikapun, or, How the Gospel reached the Nelson River Indians
Young, Egerton Ryerson
Indians of North America -- Missions -- Fiction
"A year after my Uncle Kistayimoowin came down to the fort with his
furs, and took me away home with him; and here, so far away, I have
lived ever since. In his way he is not unkind to me, but my Uncle
Koosapatum hates me because I know these things; and as all are in dread
of his poisons, even Kistayimoowin does not wish me to speak about what
I heard that year, or sing what I remember except when I am far out in
the forest. Because I do not want to have my uncle, the chief,
poisoned, I kept quiet sometimes; but most of the women have heard all I
know, and they are longing to hear more. So our hearts got full of
hoping when, as we waited on the chief with his dinner a few days ago,
we heard him talking with some others who were eating with him that you
had come, and had been cured of your wounds by a Christian Indian, by
the name of Memotas, and were going to give a talk about what had
happened to you, and what you had heard. When I heard him mention the
name of Memotas, I thought I would have dropped the birch roggin of
roasted bears' paws which I was holding, for I could still remember that
good man so well. Gladly I gathered some of the women together behind
the partition to listen and learn more of the good way, if we could,
from you.
"We drank in every word you said, and when they mocked we were very
angry at them; but we dare not say a word for fear of a beating. While
you stood firm and refused to join in that wicked dance we rejoiced.
When you yielded our hearts became sad, and we silently got away. I
went out into the woods and wept. When I returned the women had shut
themselves up in their tents, and the men were all off to the big dance
house. I found your clothes and fire bag just where you had thrown them
off, in danger of being dragged away or torn to pieces by the foolish
young dogs. So, unseen by anybody, I gathered them up and put them
away.
"During the days and nights you danced I was angry and miserable, and at
times could not keep from weeping that a man who had known Memotas, and
for days had been with him, and had heard so much about the good way,
should then go back to the old dark way which gives no comfort to
anyone.
"When you fell senseless in the circle, I watched where they carried
you. I visited the tent in the night, and I heard your sad moans, and I
knew you were unhappy. At daybreak, as you had fallen into a deep
sleep, I built the fire and prepared the food, and carried you your
clothing; and if it had not been for the breeze which swept through the
door, when I last opened it, you would never have known anything about
me."
Her story greatly interested Oowikapun; and as he listened to her thus
talking as he had never heard an Indian woman speak before, he saw the
benefit which had come as the result of a year spent among Christians,
even though it were only a year in childhood. When she finished he
said: "I am glad I have met you and heard your story."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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