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It is only when
there is a chief's death that the Notification of Death (the short black
or purple wampum string) is used. The runner conveys the message to the
Clear-minded (to go across the fire) as he starts from the house he will
holler three times before he starts out and as he goes along he will
say,
My uncle, chief. I have been assigned over there is a house
where I came from. bad luck happened. He is dressed in native clothes.
The tree has fallen in a certain clan where
the bad luck hit the family and the clan.
His chief's name is mentioned,
the date when he will be buried and
the hour of the day, and the time he will be brought out of his house where he once lived.
He will state the longhouse where he will go. When he finishes the speech
then he will say, 'You are left with all the matters'.
The chiefs will take the wampum, the speaker will say, 'I acknowledge the message, I accept the wampum string, and we will take care of the matter'. He will say,
(Matters) I accept the message you are carrying. So this will happen.
The Runner will return to his village. Jake
Thomas |
and he will continue until he arrives where the wampum keeper lives.
When he arrives he will say,
