In this time of war talk, it is appropriate to
remember that Trickster too goes to war.
In the beginning of the Winnebago Trickster Cycle, Paul Radin
recounts how a certain chief called all together for a feast of four
large deer before going on the warpath.
After the feast, the chief suddenly leaves the group, and
later when the guests go to find him, they find him, in violation of
the customs, cohabiting with a woman; so they all return home. A
second time this chief calls all to a war feast, but this time it is
two large deer and two large bears that make the meal, and again the
chief leaves the feast,
and after awhile is found in bed with a woman, and they all go home
again since nothing can be done. A third time the chief calls them
together for a feast of four
large male bears, and sure enough after they had eaten, the chief
left the group and a while later was found again in the arms of a
woman, and all the guests
went home even though they had expected to go on the warpath. But
the fourth time when the chief called for a feast of four female
bears, the guest knew it “was all talk” and decided just to go
for the good food. But surprisingly this time the chief stayed and
when the feast was over rose up picked up the war bundle and cried
out “It is I who am going on the warpath to fight, I” But after
saying this he turns and smashes his war boat.
The people look on and see “Then those who had before
thought he was a wicked person were convinced and returned home.
Some, however, remained and accompanied him on foot.” And
then when the few followed Trickster, they see him stamp the war
bundle into the ground and throw away the arrow bundle all the while
claiming, “It is I who am going on the warpath…but you, war
bundle, cannot do this, you can do nothing of value.”
I don’t really know if this trickster tale has
the significance for today that I hear in my head, but as America has
prepared to war, we have gone repeatedly to the war table to feast on
sustenance of war. In our
sorrow and anger at September 11th, we have made the feast
of war and we have laid down with the goddess of war. I fear that like
the chief we march to the good feelings of war, we make up our war
bundles, and we gather our weapons, and even when we see Trickster
smashing our own boats, some of us will still go off to a war. I fear
we don’t really see what Trickster does with and to the bundles, and
we laugh at the egotism of
his declaration of war – forgetting that is really true that we –
only we – are the ones going to war. It is after all our
choice to do this thing, and the consequences to it may not be
laughable at all. Peace!
Please direct comments to C. W. Spinks
Editor and Publisher (cspinks at trinity.edu) |
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