told the sentry to alert the warriors, but they were not to make any approach to the river unless we sent for them.
When we reached the river, the canoes were almost to the shore. Only one canoe approached and landed on the rocky shoreline. Three warriors were in the canoe, and they stepped onshore and approached. All were leaders and walked with no fear of us. One man was taller and more muscled than the others.
In a deep voice he said, “I want to talk with the Omàmiwinini warrior who has lost part of his ear.”
Stepping forward, I said, “I am that person. Who are you?”
“They call me Mìgàdinàn-àndeg (War Crow). I am the chief of the South Nippissing Band. You and your hunting party killed two of my young men and severely wounded my nephew and another warrior.”
“None of that would’ve happened if your young men hadn’t attacked us. We would have taken our kill and left.”
“He said your name.”
“I am Mahingan of the Kitcisìpiriniwak. I lead many warriors!”
“Mahingan, I do not come to make war. Our tribes have always had small battles, and we remain enemies. We have never raided another’s village in our history. I do not want an all-out war, but I want to test my warrior’s skills against yours on the field!”
“Mìgàdinàn-àndeg, what do you mean by the field?”
“Pàgàdowewin (lacrosse)! We decide it on the field of pàgàdowewin!”
“Accepted. We will meet in two suns. There is a clearing a short distance from here where we can play. We will need that many days to find the mitigwàbàk (hickory) to make sticks for all our warriors. We have some, but I do not know if all are equipped. On the third day as the sun rises, we will meet you on the field. Send one of your warriors to us and we will show him where the field is. In the meantime, you will be allowed to send one hunting party of five men ashore to hunt game today. I am sure you have nets to fish, and you are welcome to that. We have nearly one hundred and sixty warriors to play. And you?”
“I have one hundred and fifty-four men with me. We are able.” I then said, “What do we play for?”
“We play for hunting rights. If we win, you never come to our lands again. If you win, you are allowed to come only as far north from here where the battle of the moose took place. However, you will not win. We come prepared to teach you a lesson. Mahingan, you will feel the sting of the Nippissing skill on the field.”
“We meet in three suns. We will play for two full days. The winner will be declared then. All injured players must leave the field. I will have the women build wàginogàns on the side of the field for the injured. During the two days before the competition, I will send out hunters also to bring in food for all competitors. We will play without break during daylight hours. If any warrior leaves the field during this time, they cannot return. We will each appoint one warrior to ensure this is adhered to. My brother Mitigomij will be our keeper.”
“Mitigomij! A great warrior. Our people have heard of him. A good selection, he will be respected for his decisions. My choice will be my nephew who you almost killed. His name is Makadewà Kìkig (Black Sky). Until we meet in three suns, Mahingan, stay safe!”
When the Nippissing left, I turned to my fellow chiefs and said, “We will have to send hunters out to search for enough game to feed everyone the two days of the contest. In addition, we have to obtain enough hickory to make sticks for everyone. Our village has a few, but not enough. We will also need anìb (elm) bark and wìskwey (sinew) to make netting for the sticks. I will send the young boys out to find tree knots to use for the piwàkwad (ball). They may be able to find ten or fifteen, but even though they are the best pieces to use, they break easily. With this in mind, I will ask the women to sew some hide balls. These are a lot more resilient, but they do not fly as far when thrown from the sticks. Our young boys will also be in command of finding lost balls and bringing in new ones when the playing balls have been lost or broken.”
When enemies had quarrels that they wanted to
settle without bloodshed, or another tribe had a dispute that they wanted resolved, they could challenge their foes to pàgàdowewin. Our people consider pàgàdowewin to be a gift from the Creator Kitchi Manitou and a struggle between good and evil. Victory was always controlled by the Creator Force. This enabled both sides to settle the dispute without war. The game itself was a war, but without death. It tested all of a warrior’s skills: running, agility, stamina, and bravery. When two foes played pàgàdowewin, they played for honour and to win at all costs. It was a battlefield with only sticks. No weapons were allowed. There were enough injuries as it was. An opponent was not allowed to hit another when he was down. A player could not hit the women or elders when they came out to take an injured player off the field,
and they could not hit the young boys who looked after the balls.
At sunset, both teams retired to opposite sides of the field. There they would find food prepared by the women and firewood and shelter. The women and elders would take injured warriors to the side of the field that was designated for them. There their Shamans would look after them.
All our warriors looked forward to a game of pàgàdowewin. It is there and on a battlefield that they could prove their bravery and skill.
17
The Game
IT WAS THE NIGHT before the game and all the warriors gathered around a large fire to eat. I could feel the excitement among the men. The two warrior women, Agwanìwon Ikwe and Kìnà Odenan, insisted on playing also. They were among the fastest runners of all the warriors and were ruthless when it came to warfare or pàgàdowewin. All the other family heads and myself decided that we would start with the fastest warriors in the forefront. In the middle of the field, I would lead the young warriors. At the back, we would have the slower and stronger warriors.
During the day, Mìgàdinàn-àndeg and I had chosen two large boulders that took many men to move into position at both ends of the field. These rocks were to be the scoring posts. At both ends, an elder from each tribe sat to make the decisions on whether anyone scored. They then would be responsible to mark a blaze on a cut tree that the elders had positioned beside one of the rocks. There would be a specially marked tree for each team. When you stood at one end of the field you could barely see the other end, it was that far. The field was also as wide as it was long. There were trees, stumps, and bushes that the warriors would have to negotiate around during the game.
The next day the oldest woman in the village came out to the middle of the field with the ball and laid it on the ground between Mìgàdinàn-àndeg and me. She then raised her hand in the air, and as I stood there in the field, I could feel the nervous sweat on my forehead. It seemed like an eternity before she yelled “go” and dropped her hand. With the sound of her voice, I swung my stick as hard as I could at the arm of Mìgàdinàn-àndeg. He blocked the swing with his stick and kicked the ball toward one of his warriors. With that, the game was on.
I ran after the warrior who had scooped up the ball, and at full flight received a hip from another Nippissing that sent me flying. The fall had ended with me in a small bush, the air leaving my lungs with a whoosh. By the time I had risen to my feet the throng of warriors was running toward our rock.
I watched as Mònz swung with all his might and caught the warrior who was carrying the ball square in the chest with his stick. The man dropped the ball and now Mònz had it. He ran directly up the middle of the field,
