The Iktomi: Prologue Part 1
Chaska peered under the animal skin of the tipi. Feet and lower back were all he saw. But he didn’t care. He wanted to hear what was so important that the youngest Lakota children couldn’t overhear. Normally decisions were made collectively in the tribe. This was out of the ordinary.
“The time has come. The Iktomi will come from the spirit world soon.” Sintay Galeska, the medicine man spoke in a somber tone.
Mother’s voice broke the silence that followed. “We can’t keep doing this. Every ten years we send them and so few return.”
“You’re just worried because Chaska is ten and of the age that he will have to go. You’re not thinking about the tribe as a whole.” Chief Akecheta said. “We will send the children again. That is my final word.
And with the chief’s last words, the meeting was over. While it may have been short, it was effective. A cloud overcame the tribe for the rest of the day but no one spoke of the meeting or what Chaska had overheard. Where would he have to go? What other children would go? But the biggest question was why?
When he asked his mother she simply shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye. Sitting cross legged on the ground, she patted a spot next to her. Chaska took a seat and waited for the answers.
“Long ago, there was a spirit called the Iktomi. He had a brother named Eya who was very greedy. So greedy he was destroying the world. Taking more buffalo than he should, taking everything for himself. There were ten years of famine. But then Iktomi tricked him and saved the buffalo for the world. And now we pay tribute to Iktomi every ten years.” Mother choked out the word tribute which gave Chaska an uneasy feeling.
“What kind of tribute? Do we share our food with him?” Chaska questioned.
She shook her head and drew him in for a hug. They stayed that way for a few moments before Chaska began to understand. He was the tribute. And if there was a chance that if some children didn’t return this would be the last day he’d see his mother.
The tribe gathered at the edge of the forest. The mood: grim. Parents were saying their goodbyes. There were twelve children that had been picked to go search for the Iktomi. They were instructed to wander the woods for ten days. If they found Iktomi... Well no one ever said what would happen if they found Iktomi. They only said that if within ten days they didn’t find him they could return to camp. If they returned early they would disgrace their family and the tribe.
“I wish things were different.” Mother whispered in Chaska’s ear.
Chaska still didn’t understand, “Why can’t things be different.”
“You just don’t understand yet. When you’re older you’ll know why we have to do these things.” She led him up to the rest of the children going into the forest. If he lived long enough to be older, he was certain he still wouldn’t understand.
As the sun began to go down, the tribe took a few steps away from the children distancing themselves. Chaska sighed, there would be no changing their minds most of all the chief’s mind. Finally ready to face whatever horrors awaited him, Chaska stepped into the forest.
The other’s followed and picked different directions and soon Chaska was alone in the darkening forest.
The birds seemed to sense something in the air, for they remained silent, tucked away in their nests. Chaska felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to stand on end. His hands began to sweat and a chill in the air sent a shiver down his spine.
Looking down, he saw a group of spiders on a leaf. They scattered as Chaska set his foot down next to them. Careful not to step on any, he made his way deeper into the forest.
Chaska came upon a rock that jutted out over the ground, making a cave. It would be a safe place to camp for the night. But before he could even think of starting a fire, a groan erupted from the cave, so loud is seemed to shake the trees.
The sound of heavy thuds, like someone stomping the ground, filled the air. Chaska squinted in the evening light and crept closer to the entrance of the cave. Something or someone was inside.
Out of the darkness came a giant spider twice the size of a grown man! It was all Chaska could do to scream as the beast lunged and pinned him to the ground.
