The third Informational Forum took place at the tribal council chambers on December 3.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — To learn the culture as told through stories was a goal of Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Language and Culture Department third Informational Forum December 3 at the Tribal Council Chambers.
The program received a CDC grant in 2018 regarding Traditional Practices for Health and Wellness in Indian Country. Grant purposes are to support seasonal and cultural practices; provide social and cultural activities that promote community health and wellness; traditional and contemporary physical activities that support wellbeing; increase feelings of connection to Shoshone and Bannock tribal culture; increase use of Shoshone and Bannock languages; increase inclusion of traditional foods in diets.
The forum is the third of 12 the program is conducting at different Fort Hall Reservation districts and the Shoshone-Bannock Jr./Sr. High School.
In addition, other forum purposes are to share stories of the Shoshone-Bannock people; to share lessons and speak the language to encourage future learning and use, along with to encourage families to share more through storytelling.
Shoshone-Bannock tribal elders Alene Menta, Fredrick Auck, Lionel and Merceline Boyer all shared stories they heard as they were growing up. Some were told in Shoshone language and others in English.
Alene Menta said in the winter time our tribal people were stationary and found a place to camp. It gave them time to reflect about their past experiences and it was a time when the deniwape (tribal teachings) tells all the children and adults to keep occupied. Prior to the 1900s, tribal people didn’t have all the fancy things here and it was a time to keep them learning every day. A time when the children learned the oral teachings from an elder about their family history and the role they had to take in their lives.
Tribal elder storyteller Alene Menta.
She said the females and the males were all taught. The holy man and another elder taught the young men dances, songs and how to prepare themselves as warriors, the holy man would teach each about the vision he had about them. He let the young men know how and where to gather things for their dancing. He let them know what their spiritual gift was from the Creator and how he was to guide them to protect them. The holy man also counseled the young men’s behavior, thoughts and how to keep them on the right road. It when all the young boys learned about hunting and fishing – everything there was to keep their tribe protected.
Menta said the elder ladies of the tribe taught the young women and young girls about how food should be prepared, when to not touch food. They were taught about their special places – carriers of human life, when that time came each month they separated from their families living alone for physical cleansing — this is when the young girls were taught how to prepare camp, their shelter and their responsibility as a female. They learned how to sew, put together articles, also about wood gathering. In the winter time is when they learned about caring, sharing and loving each other. She said the winter time was never boring because story time about life on sogo bia (Mother Earth) and its inhabitants was exciting and they had a peaceful rest at night. She explained it was short little tidbits about wintertime before schools were ever put here. “We’re losing it but it’s a start, we need to keep filling in the gaps with our Tribes,” Menta said.
She told a story about winter months. Long time ago birds and animals lived together in the village, this was time when the earth was first formed and there were no seasons. The people in the village were undecided about seasons and they were especially concerned about the length of the winter season. She explained it was decided the leaders would have a meeting and decide on the length of the season, all of the leaders except coyote agreed winter should last three months so they tried desperately to block coyote’s vote. One of the elders said bopie bonai (Jumping Mouse) can block coyote’s vote, a plan was formed and jumping mouse was to set next to the doorway. As soon as coyote started counting the spring months, Jumping Mouse was supposed to jump up and say we want only three months of winter, Jumping Mouse was supposed to walk out and everyone follow him —it was the only way they knew to outsmart that tricky old coyote. The meeting went just as expected, coyote sat in the center of the tipi and Jumping Mouse sat by the door. One of the leaders started naming the months in Indian starting with the fall, coyote couldn’t sit still any longer, he yelled out in a real loud voice, “Wait a minute let me count out the months.” He started counting out on his fingers the months in Shoshone language, when he ran out of his fingers he laid down sticking his feet in the air so he could count on his toes. When coyote got to spring, Jumping Mouse jumped up, he hollered out that’s it, we will have three months of winter, after saying that Jumping Mouse walked out of the tipi and the others followed him. Poor old coyote was left on his back with all fours in the air right in the middle of that huge tipi — all he could do was yell and that is how we have three months of winter.
Menta told another story about the four seasons where the animals held a council. Coyote or izhapuh called a meeting and said we need ten months of summer. Wedah (bear) said no we need more months of winter but coyote said we can’t have more winter, and the animals argued on.
It got dark in the tipi, izhapuh (coyote) lit a fire, he told them you’re all wrong, it grew very hot. Coyote said he was sick of these arguments, he pushed out the door of tipi and went out. The robin took charge and calmly he explained why it would be better to have four seasons divided evenly so there would be time to hunt, time to sleep, time to gather harvest for all the creatures of the land. Deer said suipookoo (robin) is right. Yes, shouted all the animals when izhapuh returned to the tipi he had nothing more to say and since that day there has been winter to please the animals that like a long winter sleep, spring for new green leaves to grow and new plants, summer with long warm days and nights, and autumn for those who have to harvest their food to prepare for the long days.
Menta told a story for children about winter to play in the snow, she spoke alternatively in Shoshone and then explained in English. The English text is I cannot wear my moccasins; I will put on my buffalo hide shoes; my hands are getting gloves — the gloves are made out of rabbit fur. My over coat is bear hide sewed together and their hide is nice, I will make a snowman, my father said just don’t scare anyone; my mother said the snowman will soon disappear; I like playing in the snow. She then sang a contemporary song in Shoshone.
Fredrick Auck followed with a story in the Shoshone language, Lionel Boyer and Merceline Boyer also told stories. In between, the LCPD staff served a dinner of roast buffalo sandwiches, vegetables, and toishavuoy or kotsap pudding (chokecherry).
The next forum is Tuesday, December 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the TBC Council Chambers featuring three more storytellers.