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1930 BEAR The Webelos and the Big Peace:
Among the tribes such warfare had been going on until the hatreds were like great forest fires that burned and destroyed. The Webelos were strong. They had suffered their share but they had men enough to get food, guard the village, and run a raiding party--so they were quite secure. Chief Akela saw the results of the warpath. He saw that it led nowhere--that peace is what everyone wanted. So he called his braves into Council. About the ceremonial fire they sat. Akela spoke. "Braves," he said, "for many moons the rivers are red with blood. The dead are many. We Webelos are strong. But many tribes have lost braves until hunger in the cold winter faces them. We want peace--peace to hunt venison--peace to make warm with skins--peace to make canoes--peace to make new tepees." The braves grunted their approval. He went on. "War is no good. It only kills and breaks. War settles nothing. We settle things at the Council Fires. The warpath is a long rough way to peace. Why not the straight path to peace--straight as the path of an arrow? "We are strong. We are not cowards. Let us ask the weaker tribes to live at peace with us and each other. Let us speak first. Let us ask for the Big Peace. Not so much for ourselves but for all tribes. Let the Keeper of the Sacred Bundle carry it to the tribes. Let us start the Big Peace. I have spoken." As the Chief sat down, there was a tense moment of quiet. Then in chorus most of the braves said "How," and they said it as if they meant it. One by one the older heads spoke. Only one or two held back. One asked, "Do you want peace with those skunks that ambushed our braves?" But the older braves pointed out that such revenge would go on and on and get nowhere. Finally all were agreed and it was decided that on the morrow the Sacred Bundle with its "peace-pipe" should start on its ceremonial journey to visit the tribes. Word was sent by runners that the Sacred Bundle was coming. Suns and Moons passed before the big calumet in the Sacred Bundle had been given from right to left in turn to the head braves of each tribe to be puffed by each four times, once for each of the four directions. Then the day of Big Peace was set. Chiefs of the nations north, south, east and west, with their head braves were invited to meet together to "bury the hatchet" and to smoke the Big Pipe of Peace together. As the outposts sent young runners to Akela, he knew that various Chiefs were coming, and each was received in due and proper form. Choice morsels of food were placed before them, they were shown every attention. At high noon, the deep tones of the ceremonial drum called to the Council. It was held in a great open space, with forest on the back side and the precipice of a cliff in front. That morning, as usual, the Keeper of the Sacred Bundle had placed the covered calumet on the tripod back of his tepee with its mouth toward the sun. At noon he turned it toward the north (for it was summer). Then with song and dance and prayer the Keeper carried the bundle into the circle. The pipe was lighted. It was offered to the sky (Great Spirit), to the earth (Mother Earth), and to the four directions (North, South, East, West) in turn. It was then ready to be offered to the makers of the Big Peace. Each in turn smoked the big calumet and its ashes were emptied in the center. Next a deep hole was scraped in the center of the circle, the soil having been previously loosened and the dance of the Big Peace was begun. Around and around they danced, each carrying a stone tomahawk and mimicking war actions, until Akela, when exactly at the south, entered the circle and threw his tomahawk at "War," the imaginary monster in the hole. One by one each Chief and brave did the same, until each had hurled his stone hatchet into the open grave of war. Then in silence each gathered up earth with his hands, and threw it into the grave--burying the hatchets. Upon the little mound in the center, the firemakers builded a new ceremonial fire, to which each brave brought a small stick of wood and laid upon the fire to feed its flame. Each one gave something to the friendly light of "Big Peace." Then all were seated. Akela spoke with feeling: "We are brothers," said he, "the Great Spirit is our Father. Nevermore shall the tomahawk of brother be raised against brother. Never again shall the swift arrow of one be drawn against another. "We shall live in peace--it is the law of the Great Spirit! "And when, as the great light comes out of the east each day, it shall shine on wrongs, on things crooked, any can ask the 'Big Peace Council' to gather at this sacred place, by these two giant trees and here in Council, we will seek the truth and right. Is it not better so?" "How," "How," grunted the braves in approval. Then Akela and the Webelos invited the others to join them in their own special ceremony of the "living circle." With each hand reached inward grasping the adjacent thumb and with right hands held high, they pledged themselves to the Great Spirit and to each other in the "Big Peace." |
Tomahawks and scalps, arrows and blood, burning villages and the drawn
features of dead children, starvation and suffering--these were the thing the
warpath brought. Women, children, and the aged suffered most.