Chief Lightning Bolt Page 11

  When the Sunrise of the uprising arrived, the warriors prepared themselves for battle by making their peace with the Great Spirit. Soon after dawn, they attacked key strategic locations as planned and met with unexpected success. Resistance in many places, including the headquarters of the Dictators, was at most nominal.

  Big Blizzard, who led the attack on the headquarters of the Dictators, was shocked and pleasantly surprised by the lack of organized resistance. It quickly became apparent to him that the army the Dictators had relied upon for protection had become fat and lazy over the passage of hundreds of Moons. They were ill-prepared to mount any kind of defence. They could not muster even a fraction of the mighty force everyone had expected. The People arose en masse in open support and the vaunted army that the Dictators had relied upon to retain power dissolved quickly. By the following Sunrise the fight for freedom was won with very little bloodshed.

  The victors arrested the Dictators and put them on trial. To no one’s surprise, given the overwhelming evidence against them, they were quickly convicted of committing crimes against humanity and sentenced to be executed at the end of two Seasons if they did not repent. They were told that their death sentences would be commuted if they begged the People for forgiveness and mercy, accepted responsibility for their sins and undertook to live the rest of their lives in humility and in the service of the Great Spirit and the People.

  All but two were eventually rehabilitated and went on to become respected and trusted members of the community. After they had come to fully appreciate the benefits of living in a democratic society, they became some of the new order’s most ardent defenders. The two who continued to refuse to repent had their sentences commuted. They lived the rest of their lives as shunned outcasts in the community. The People, who had suffered grievously under the Dictators, never again permitted individuals to rule them autocratically.

  It is no wonder that the Mi’kmaq People do not suffer fools when picking leaders.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Leading up to the nominating and election Sunrise, several of the village’s most honourable and respected men were being actively considered by the People for the post. Most were actively promoting their causes in the low-keyed Mi’kmaq fashion. But one, who didn’t know he was among those being considered, was getting a lot of attention. Unbeknownst to Lightning Bolt, although he still had several Moons to go before he passed his twenty-second birth Season, he was considered by most of his peers to be the top contender for the office.

  His credentials were impressive: Honourary War Chief of Kespek, Junior War Chief of his own Nation, a great hunter, a person eager to learn, a brilliant strategist in the Hunt and in warfare, a young man with a high degree of intelligence, an ability to innovate, who was trustworthy and loyal.

  Lightning Bolt, when he became aware of the activities of his family and friends in support of a candidacy for him, tried without success to dissuade them from it. However, after much debate, he reluctantly agreed to allow them to put his name forward.

  As scheduled, on the twenty-fourth Sunrise of Winter, the nomination and election meeting was called to order. In the absence of a Chief, the village’s senior Elder, White Dawn, presided. She opened the meeting by asking Elder Swift Otter to lead a talk to the Great Spirit.

  He responded eloquently, “My brothers and sisters, please stand and raise your hands with me to the Creator. Great Father of the Universe, we your humble children implore you to give us the wisdom to choose a leader with the qualities needed to lead us into a prosperous and peaceful future.” Swift Otter went on to thank the Father for the kindness He had shown the People and finished with, “Dear Father, we your humble and obedient children acknowledge Your supremacy!”

  White Dawn then requested they assume proper formation for a Sweet-grass Ceremony. Smoke from smouldering sweet-grass braids was offered by the Elders to the People who then symbolically took the smoke and washed their bodies with it to cleanse their spirits. Afterwards, White Dawn asked for the Pipe-Smoking Ceremony to begin. It was performed by the village’s senior male Elder, Black Bear.

  Elder White Dawn then opened the meeting for business. “Brothers and sisters, we will now begin the process of electing our Village Chief.” During her discourse she reminded the People of their responsibilities in the process, and then continued, “I open the meeting to nominations. Crazy Moose.”

  “My brothers and sisters, I respectfully nominate a warrior who is my friend and brother. He is a man whose lifestyle and performance of duties have earned our utmost respect. He has great intelligence, courage and wisdom, and is very humble. I believe that if we make him our leader he will lead our People in a responsible manner and work diligently to assure the future prosperity of our village. My dear friends, I nominate Lightning Bolt.” Crazy Moose’s nomination was seconded by Storm Cloud.

  White Dawn then asked if there were any further nominations. “I recognize Mighty Eagle,” she said.

  “My brothers and sisters, the man I propose for office is a person who has displayed many times over by his outstanding performance during Hunts and in warfare that he has all the attributes necessary for leadership. His intelligence and wisdom are unquestionable. I respectfully nominate my friend and brother Red Fox.” This nomination was seconded by White Cloud.

  White Dawn then asked for further nominations. After a reasonable wait, with none forthcoming, she closed the process. Then, she invited the nominees to come forward and address the People. Lightning Bolt, as the first nominated, led off with a speech that he hoped would enhance Red Fox’s chances. “My beloved brothers and sisters, I humbly stand here before you this Sunrise and wonder, what am I doing here? I, a man of only twenty-one Springs, being proposed for the office of Village Chief, over a man with such an illustrious background as Red Fox, is inconceivable to me. He has seen twice as many Moons as I. Therefore, he has twice as much experience in practically everything. I cannot favourably compare to him in this area.

  “In addition, he is a great hunter and has established a record fighting in war that is impeccable. His wisdom is widely acknowledged and his advice is sought by many. How could I, a young unlearned child in comparison, possibly hope to have you realistically favour my pitiful attributes in comparison to a warrior as brave and wise as he? It seems almost disrespectful to even contemplate that I could.

  “When I ask myself, what have I done in life to deserve such an honour from the People, I have to honestly answer, not very much. Then when I ask my friends the same question, they respond by relating things that I did during the Kespek War, during Hunts, and so on. This isn’t right. I’ve tried to tell them that the only reason I performed well is because I was fortunate enough to have working with me the most capable partner that a man could ever ask for, Crazy Moose. Without him I would be lost.

  “Yet, in spite of these shortcomings they insisted that I allow them to nominate me for the prestigious position of Village Chief. Reluctantly, I acquiesced to their wishes, and now stand before you nominated. Therefore, if for some reason beyond me, you decide to make me Chief over Red Fox, I will undertake to perform the duties of office in as humble and conscientious a manner as my father did before me. I’ll serve with the knowledge that the dignity of the People takes precedence over all else. However, after saying this, if you were to wisely choose Red Fox over me, I would agree that you have made the right choice. Thank you.”

  Red Fox was then asked to address the People. His words were long afterwards remembered for their eloquence and wisdom. “Brothers and sisters, during my lifetime I have heard many great speeches and some not so great. Some lasted for what seemed like Seasons and some for what seemed like only blinks of an eye. The wisdom shared in the messages has been savoured and appreciated, or, sometimes rejected. Not once over my forty-one Summers have I ever made a public comment about any of them. They were received in the generosity in which they were given and the kin
dness of the giver was acknowledged.

  “But, my friends, this Sunrise I will alter my practice and make a comment about the one just made. The speech made by my brother Lightning Bolt, although short, was for me the greatest speech I’ve ever heard. His humility overwhelms me. He claims because of his age that he has very little to offer the People, but you and I know that he has already given us much. He belittles his performance in battle, yet I have seen his performance and I know it knows no equal. He says that in the Hunt, it is because of the labours of his noble friend Crazy Moose that he is successful. I have seen him hunt. His success stems from his own ability as a great hunter. He has shown compassion to friend and foe alike. He advocates peace everywhere he goes. When it comes to possessing wisdom he has few equals. In short, my friends, he has the makings of a great leader.

  “My brothers and sisters, over the passage of my Seasons I have striven to live my life in a manner that would at some Season make me worthy in the eyes of the People for the office of Chief. This, as you well know, is the dream of most men in our society. Most of us know that we shall never realize our dreams, but yet we continue to dream. Sometimes with luck they do come true. Until Lightning Bolt spoke this Sunrise, I thought this was the time when mine would be realized. But after hearing his humble speech, I know that it is not the time for me.

  “Brothers and sisters, I humbly withdraw my nomination and ask that you give unanimous consent to the appointment of Lightning Bolt as our Chief!”

  With a mighty roar of approval, the People made it so. Lightning Bolt became the youngest Village Chief in the history of the Nation.

  Red Fox spoke again. “My People,” he said, “we have chosen wisely. Before stepping down, I wish to thank all who supported me. I’ll forever be grateful for your generosity and kindness. Brothers and sisters, may the Great Spirit always be with you and may He always guide the actions of our new leader.”

  White Dawn, when the noise died down to a level where she could be heard, asked the new Chief to step forward and take over her duties. He thanked her profusely for her invaluable services and requested that the People give her a big hand in recognition of a job well done. They did with enthusiasm. He then invited Red Fox to come forward. The brothers embraced and Lightning Bolt thanked him for his support:

  “Red Fox, my brother, the words you spoke in favour of my appointment show that you have a generous and kind soul. You mention a dream of being Chief. Well, my brother, to me you are a Chief among Chiefs, and shall always be, because only a strong and wise man could have said what you did this Sunrise. I only hope that I can live up to your confidence and expectations. To assure that I have constant access to your wisdom, I respectfully ask the People to agree to appoint you Chief of the Hunt.” This position had been held by Lightning Bolt and he was happy to pass the responsibility along to someone as experienced as Red Fox, so that he could focus fully on his new duties.

  The People roared their approval and Red Fox’s dream of being rewarded with leadership came true. During his acceptance speech, Lightning Bolt thanked the People who had, in spite of his age and efforts to dissuade them, given to him their confidence. He pledged before the Great Spirit that he would do everything in his power to ensure that their confidence and trust were not misplaced and that he would uphold the Nation’s laws in administering village affairs with unwavering diligence.

  He recalled the memory of his father and promised to faithfully follow his example of dedication to the People. Then, above all, he thanked the Great Spirit for blessing him with a loving family and a multitude of friends. He did not mention the fact that in spite of his outward signs of confidence, he harboured within him serious doubts about his ability to deliver what the People expected. After the meeting, the People turned their energies towards celebrating his election, as an excuse for getting together with loved ones. It would be a major celebration, with people from across the Nation and beyond.

  With the thought of friends and relatives visiting from faraway villages, who they hadn’t seen for many Moons, the People became involved in planning preparations with undisguised enthusiasm. Even small children got caught up in the excitement. The Elders, in consultation with Lightning Bolt’s family, set the anniversary of Lightning Bolt’s birth Sunrise to begin the festivities. The guest list was to include the leaders from the other six Mi’kmaq countries as well as relatives and friends.

  The women, to keep the guests well fed during the party, started preparing a feast of delicacies that would tickle the taste buds of the most discriminating of appetites. Sweets were made from honey and maple syrup. Choice meats and fish were delicately smoked over oak fires with the greatest of care and devotion. And, as an extra bonus, they already had available an abundant supply of moose butter they had made from the bones of last Season’s Hunt. There was no doubt that the People would savour this delight. The preparations held the promise of a feast to be remembered for a multitude of Moons.

  To allow plenty of time to prepare for travel, runners were sent to deliver invitations to the leaders of their sister Mi’kmaq countries and to their Eastern Allies. The leaders were asked to spread the word around that any of their citizens who wanted to come would be welcomed with open arms.

  Big Timber and most of his country’s Village Chiefs and other Chiefs had already advised of their intentions to attend in the company of many of their countrymen. The runners also delivered invitations throughout the region asking teams to come compete in games such as canoeing, archery and moose calling. In short order, positive responses began rolling in from far away places. The party was shaping up to be the awesome event desired.

  In the midst of all the hectic preparations, Lightning Bolt, feeling a need for peace and tranquility, asked Crazy Moose to accompany him for a few Sunrises on a snowshoeing and camping trip. His friend, also feeling a need for some relief from the hustle and bustle going on around him, quickly agreed.

  In anticipation of the rest and relaxation awaiting them, they departed shortly after dawn the next Sunrise and snowshoed for several thousand canoe lengths before setting up camp late in the afternoon at an idyllic location they loved, high up on the side of a small mountain. That night, sitting by their warm campfire with a vista before them of a moonlit valley covered in snow, the friends had a serious discussion about their futures.

  Crazy Moose began by asking Lightning Bolt, “My brother, have you summoned up the courage yet to approach Spring Flower’s father to get permission to ask her if she would consent to a courtship with you?”

  “Yes, my brother, I have. As soon as the celebrations are over, I plan to do so. How about you, will you soon be asking Silver Fox for permission to court Little Moonbeam?”

  “Yes, my friend. I’ve also decided to make my move after the celebrations are over. However, I think it will be a waste of time. I would move mountains for her, but I don’t think she could ever love someone as unworthy as I.”

  Lightning Bolt stated: “My feelings exactly.”

  In this negative frame of mind, these two brave men, who would lay down their lives without hesitation to protect their country or a friend, spent a beautiful late Winter moonlit evening sitting before a warm campfire comparing notes on the terrifying subject of preparing to take a wife. Like their fathers before them, they had put off the heart-stopping task as long as the yearning in their hearts would permit. But, also like their fathers, they would get the job done. They were madly in love with women with whom they had not shared one word of intimacy. However, they were very fortunate, as back in the village were two lovely young women in the very same situation. They too were wondering if the handsome young men would ever come calling.

  Meanwhile, the women of the community, mindful of the need to have their men and children well clad for the festivities, were spending a great deal of time designing and stitching together well-decorated outfits for the celebration. When these products of the
ir imaginations were ready, made from the finest moose, elk, beaver and other animal pelts, they were among the finest anyone could hope to wear. The one they produced for their new Chief to wear the Sunrise of the celebration was awesome in its splendour.

  Finally, after what seemed like an extra-long Winter, which seemed that way only because of the wait for the celebrations, the party Sunrise was near. Many guests began arriving and the excitement increased substantially. Kespek’s Chief, Big Beaver, accompanied by a large contingent of warriors and villagers, was among the first. They were greeted with traditional Mi’kmaq hospitality and made welcome in the wigwams of their hosts.

  Finally, Lightning Bolt’s birth Season Sunrise had arrived, the third Sunrise before the first full Moon of Spring. The colourful splendour that poured over the landscape as the sun rose over the horizon filled those who saw it with renewed appreciation for Mother Earth’s wonders. The People hoped that it was a sign that the Great Spirit would bless them with good weather for the entire celebration. To this end they gave humble thanks for the great beginning and prayed that for the next three Sunrises He would let the fine early Spring weather continue. He answered their prayers. The weather for the event was the nicest, warmest and clearest anyone could remember for a Spring Season.

  The list of leaders arriving from other countries to join the celebrations was impressive. Even their neighbours, the Atikitkas and Penikt Nations, halted their seasons of warfare with one another in a truce so that both could join the celebration. Normally, because villages numbered in the hundreds, the turnout of National Chiefs and allied leaders for celebrating an appointment of a Village Chief was nominal. The usual attendance came from the leaders of the country where the village was located and sometimes the Grand Chief. The difference in Lightning Bolt’s case was that he was already recognized far and wide as an outstanding leader and warrior, with an impeccable reputation for bravery and honour.