A Winter Solstice Story: Crow Hop
We asked Nez Perce writer and storyteller, Jeanette Weaskus, if her Tribe had any special celebrations to mark the Winter Solstice, when the sun begins its return journey from darkness. She said there are many traditions that center around this important day in the Earth’s circle of change and movement, which heralds a new year and the spring season soon to come.
Jeanette wrote this fictional story which originally appeared in Jelly Bucket, Issue No.12, pg. 62. It is her imagining of a vintage “Indian New Year,” or Winter Solstice. We are grateful to her for sharing it with us. It has many lessons especially about reciprocity and kindness.
Enjoy her story and Happy Solstice!
Mt. Spud, Idaho: Winter Solstice, 1882
Ak-kah saw the shine as he perched near the human house. He alighted on the ground near the woodpile and grabbed the shiny item from the icy ground with his black beak then flapped towards the roosting place. He wanted his mother’s fledglings to grow that traditional crow love for shiny things that always reflected the light of the sun and moon. Ak-kah placed the silver circle on a twig above the fledglings so all could marvel at the shimmering ring with its brilliant clear stones. He could not foresee the misfortune that occurred when his mother, KahK landed above the ring and dislodged it so that it fell just as her fledgling’s necks were outstretched to catch their breakfast.
The ring fell around the smallest chick, Awk’s beak who was extending his face and neck to catch breakfast. The ring slid onto his beak, sealing it shut. After trying to remove the ring but failing, KahK called the elders to gather at her nest to examine Awk. The eldest crow of the murder, Aah-ah, could see that to save the chick meant human help was needed to remove the ring. Aah-ah knew that the tipi people would be at the lake for their winter celebration where they danced all night to welcome in the new year. She took some of KahK’s grown offspring to the encampment where they sat in the white pines above the tipis, cawing for help to all the people below until a grandma approached them and spoke.
“My friends, what aid need you?” called Grizzly Maiden.
“Youngster in trouble,” crowed Aah-ah, “Come, come.”
The elder rallied two warrior grandsons to make the walk to the roosting place. Grizzly Maiden knew where this group of crows lived as she had often seen them through the years, still roosting at the foot of the mountain called, Mah-tah-poe by her people and Mt. Spud by the settlers. They crossed the frozen lake and snowshoed through the meadow to the crow’s home.
“Here, here,” called Aah-ah.
“You boys climb high and help that baby crow,” instructed Grizzly Maiden who was a little nervous being so close to the Swedish settlement on their errand.
“Yes grandmother,” they answered and placed their buckskin belts around the tree trunk using them to shimmy upward and through the branches to the nest where they found Awk.
The boys sang a song to welcome the new year as they worked together to remove the ring from Awk’s beak. They remained singing for a few moments longer as KahK fed her fledgling, grateful to the young men who had left behind the comfort of their fires to save the life of her baby. The teenager put the ring back on the same twig where Ak-Kah had placed it to amuse his younger siblings. Aah-ah took the ring from the nest down to Grizzly Maiden, hopping in front of her in the snow, beak waving back and forth until Grizzly Maiden opened her hand to take the ring.
“Take away,” Aah-ah said after placing it in Grizzly Maiden’s palm.
“This is a Swede ring,” said Grizzly Maiden, “from where did it come?”
“Ak-kah, take, take,” ordered Aah-ah.
Ak-kah led them to the Swedish settlement and to the house where he picked up the ring at the wood pile. Grizzly Maiden had her grandsons remain behind the tree line and knocked on the door. A young woman opened the door and Grizzly Maiden returned her lost wedding ring, smiling and wishing a happy new year despite the language barrier. The Swedish woman’s face had a joyful surprised look that was the reward Grizzly Maiden had wanted. She returned with her grandsons to the tipi camp for the new year’s celebration that would begin after sunset.
The crows gathered in a small circle at the center of the tipis. They sang the song learned from the young warriors that welcomed in the new year and the people came together around them, marveling at this wondrous event. The crows began to hop, hop, and shuffle as they sang. The people joined in concentric circles around the crows with each layer dancing in the opposite direction. Elders and children alike had great fun hopping and shuffling with their winged neighbors from across the lake, celebrating the shortest day of the year. And from that time on, the people brought in the new year by performing this dance taught to them by those crows so long ago.
Jeanette Weaskus
12/21/2022