The Mystique of the Red Berry Bush: The First in the Running Water Big Tree Stories

By River Gordon

Everyone, past and present, has a story to tell. The following story is pure fiction told strictly from my imagination. It takes place in a prehistoric time at an unknown location.

How did people think, what did they know, what were the rules, and did everyone follow them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503578531

River Gordon

River is a science teacher and lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband and youngest child. Her two older children are grown and no longer living at home. Finding that the nest is almost empty, River has had more time to enjoy expressing her creative side through writing.

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The Tribe of Running Water Big Tree

Tribe leader - Ukachta

Medicine mother and tribe leader’s mate - Ieto

Ieto’s children - Icka (ten summers) and Utata (five summers)

Ieto’s sister - Yaza

Yaza’s children - Zulo (twelve summers) and baby to be named

Tribe leader’s brother - Icata

Icata’s mate - Bavath

Bavath’s child - Icula (three moons)

Tribe leader’s sister - Tullalo (runner)

Holy woman - Vatato

Artist - Doomza and his mate, Kulato

Other tribe members:

Uza and his mate, Atto; her children, Uzaza (twelve summers) and Zicho (eleven summers)

Tuzza and his mate, Netito (He is Uza’s brother)

Aka and his mate, Naveo; her children, Naveaka and Akeo (both four summers)

Males with no mates: Teka and Zotha

The Tribe of Howling Wind Flowing River

 (Visitors to Running Water Big Tree) 

Holy man - Hothota

Holy man’s apprentice - Boopa (fourteen summers)

Boopa’s sister - Patato, baby born and named in story; soon-to-be mate, Gota

Boopa’s brother - Luta (runner)

Chapter 1

Ieto, here are red berries. I found red berries not same as other berries.

No, Yaza. No, these berries are not good to eat. They will make you sick in the stomach and make you fall down like a small child does after spinning around in circles.

Please, Ieto, they are so pretty and red and shiny.

I know, sister. How about we pick some along with some flowers, and I will weave them into a crown for your hair?

Yes, yes. Then I can go to the quiet pound and see them in my hair.

Ieto loved her older sister, Yaza. She seemed to stay young and not age in her mind like others did. She saw the world like a small child. Yaza came into this world three summers before Ieto, but they say Yaza did not come out of her mother easy and the vine of life was tied around her neck. Her mother thought she was dead and cried. She cried so loud that the birds in a nearby tree flew away. The holy woman Vatato said that the birds returned when the baby started to cry as she was cleaning out the baby’s mouth and nose. While she continued to clean Yaza and rub her little body with sacred oils, the birds started fluttering and flying into and out of the trees. Vatato said that this was a sign from Father Sky that the baby Yaza was of the spirit of the birds. This was why Yaza was so free. She wandered off, ran, and laughed as if her spirit was free. She talked and behaved as if she was still a young child, but she looked like a grown woman, especially now that she was heavy with child.

***

Ieto and Yaza came back from picking berries to find the tribe busy with their daily activities. The tribe had found home along the bank of a spring-fed, slowly moving river that they called Running Water. Their home was along the gradual bend of the running river where there was a gently sloping gravel beach nestled next to some woods where several plants grew and animals lived that provided for the tribe. There were several deep crevices in the limestone wall of rock that surrounded the beach area. At the top, there was a big tree that stood guard over the tribe. Each family unit took a crevice as their home. The largest crevice was so deep that the entire tribe could fit into it for ceremonies or for survival during the dark days and extremely cold weather. The close proximity of all of their bodies would help to keep one another warm.

Fifteen summers back when this place was found, the people noticed a tree root coming through the top of the large crevice. They cut out the root to use as fuel and discovered that a hole opened to the sky was left behind. They took this as a sign from Father Sky that this was a sacred place and that Vatato, their holy woman, should live here all year round. They built a fire under the hole, so when Vatato burnt offerings to Father Sky, it would be received. The sacred ashes would then be scattered about the surrounding land to pay their debts to Mother Earth. Mother Earth supplied them with food and materials to meet all of their earthly needs for survival, and Father Sky gave them the sun, wind, rain, and the beauty of the morning, day, evening, and night sky and all the mysteries of the spirit world.

The tribes of their people would name their tribes according to the location of their home. They were named Running Water Big Tree. They came from a nearby tribe called Howling Wind Flowing River. The Howling Wind Flowing River tribe had found homes on the other side of the known woods near the same river, also near some cliffs. The cliffs were located such that when the wind would blow around some of the crevices, it would create a howling sound. The tribe grew, and Howling Wind Flowing River could not accommodate such a large tribe.

Vatato was twenty-three summers then and was sent along with a few younger tribe members to find a home elsewhere. After finding Running Water Big Tree, some of the members came back to gather others to join them.

Chapter 2

As Ieto and Yaza approached Running Water Big Tree, they saw Ieto’s mate, Ukachta, making hunting plans. Ukachta was the tribe leader and a strong man with a strong presence. He was tall and lean, spoke with confidence, and truly believed that Father Sky and Mother Earth would provide for his tribe. He loved his tribe and felt it was his duty to keep them all happy, healthy, and safe. When he looked into her eyes, Ieto tingled and felt lucky to have him as a mate.

She believed that both of her children were of his spirit. Icka was her firstborn and was fast approaching the age when he would become a man. He was ten summers and already growing a strong, lean body and had the same ideas and beliefs that are necessary of a strong leader. Ieto had no doubts that someday her oldest son would be a tribe leader. Utata was only five summers, had the same dark eyes as Ukachta, and was a happy child with many questions about the animals and very small creatures living in the area. His curiosity made for a good leader as well, and Ieto felt confident that her boys would live long, happy lives.

It would be some time before either boy would have a chance to lead a tribe as Ukachta had a younger brother Icata.

Though slightly shorter, he also had the strong body and presence of a leader. Icata’s mate, Bavath, just brought a baby into the tribe three moons ago, and Icata seemed to have softened by the presence of the new baby. The baby, Icula, seemed to be of Icata’s spirit, which made Bavath very happy. By the spirit of Father Sky, if something were to happen to Ukachta, Icata would be next in line as tribe leader. Icata would be a fine leader, but Ukachta, along with the support and strength from Icata, was a better leader. They needed each other as brothers, and the tribe of Running Water Big Tree felt blessed by Father Sky and Mother Earth to have them both.

There was, however, a man in the tribe who felt he should be leader and had much dislike for Ukachta and Icata. His name was Uza.

Uza felt that he was cheated out of being tribe leader. When they moved to Running Water Big Tree, he thought it was the perfect opportunity to be a tribe leader. His mother’s first mate had been the tribe leader at Howling Wind Flowing River before his death. Some people believed that Ukachta would become the leader for the new tribe. He was outspoken, confident, and a good hunter. Most people did not think that Uza should be the tribe leader for the new tribe. He did not lead well, did not always follow hunting orders, and at times, his actions put other tribe members in danger. The people also believed that Uza was not of the spirit of his mother’s first mate but rather of her new mate. Her new mate did not lead well nor take orders well. He was often angry at Uza and his younger brother Tuzza.

Like his mother’s second mate, Uza was not a good follower and was quick to anger. He did not care for his mother. He felt that she gave all of her love and attention to her two daughters, who were much older and had family units of their own. He took his brother and was happy to leave Howling Wind Flowing River. He wasn’t the new tribe leader, but at least he could leave his mother and her abusive mate.

Chapter 3

In the tribe, both men and women could hunt if they were able and felt that their spirit needed the ritual of the hunt. Ukachta and Icata’s sister Tullalo was among those making plans for the hunt. She was well past the age of finding a mate. Many believed that she did not have a mate yet because she would much rather make hunting tools and hunt and run than pick nuts and berries and care for small children. At times, she would couple with some of the men of the tribe, but she didn’t have her heart set on anyone in particular. She enjoyed her time with Teka and Zotha, both men without mates, but she would much rather couple with Teka’s brother Aka. Aka already had a mate, and her name was Naveo. He was responsible for providing for her and her two children: a son, Naveaka, and a daughter, Akeo.

Custom was that people could couple with whomever they like as long as they did not have the same mother. If a woman had a child, it was her mate’s responsibility to provide for her and her child. Most women would choose to stop hunting and stay near home to care for their children. The hunters would divide their kill according to how many people were under their care. Hunters without mates would provide for themselves and the artist of their tribe. It was the tribe leader’s duty to provide for the holy person of the tribe. If a woman had a child and did not have a mate, her brothers or the mates of their sisters would provide for her until she had a mate or was strong enough to provide for herself and her child. Of course, a woman with a child was more desirable and usually did not last long without a mate. When Aka mated Naveo, she was much desired since she had two sons who were born from her body on the same day. They were very active, and they very excited when there were plans for a hunt. They looked forward to the day when they were men and could hunt with the tribe and provide for the tribe. Many believed that Naveo’s children were of Icata’s spirit. They looked and acted like, him and Naveo would couple with him often before she mated Aka. Naveo did not mind that her boys would not be tribe leaders someday. Though she did believe that her boys were of Icata’s spirit. She loved her mate Aka. He was good to her children and helped to care for them. He was her first and favorite choice for coupling. She also loved to hunt with him. The women and men of the tribe who did not hunt would help care for the children of the hunting women, during hunts or other times they were unavailable. It was not unusual for some men to mate but not desire the hunt. They often were of the creative spirit and did a lot of work for the holy person of the tribe. They were usually the ones who decorated the faces of the hunters before a hunt and painted the walls of the caves in honor of Father Sky and Earth Mother. In the Running Water Big Tree tribe, Doomza and his mate, Kulato, were well-known among the people for their beautiful work. Before Atto mated Uza, she also did much artwork with Doomza and Kulato. Before Uza, the three of them were almost always together.

Chapter 4

When Ukachta and Icata were making plans for a hunt and drawing in the dirt, Uza got more and more excited. He loved to hunt. His skin would feel all prickly and his heart would beat faster just thinking about the kill. He was always impatient while listening to the plans. Often, his mind would wander, and he would not hear all of the hunting plans. There had been more than one occasion when his lack of complete knowledge of the hunting plan and his excitement to kill almost caused the loss of lives among tribe members.

Once while hunting, Uza was too anxious to kill that he caused a stampede. Aka’s leg was broken as a result of Uza’s foolishness. Most tribe members did not enjoy Uza’s company. He was loud, bossy, and not good to his mate. When a man and woman became mates under the spirits of Sky Father and Earth Mother, what happened in their living area was their business. Uza was so loud that he was often heard yelling at his mate, Atto. Sounds of hitting, throwing, and slapping were also heard. This usually happened after the evening rituals that would follow a successful hunt.

The day after such noises were heard coming from the living area of Uza and Atto, Atto would not be seen by anyone from the tribe. More and more often, she would not be seen for days afterward. When asked about Atto, Uza would say that she was tired or that she was spending time at the women’s moon cycle cave. People knew that he wasn’t being truthful as most women of the tribe would have their moon cycles close to the same time and spend it in the cave together. Atto could not have extra moon cycles.

When people would see Atto again, she would have signs of the remains of cuts and bruises. She would say that she cut herself while picking berries or