Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ehawee

Saturday, July 30, 1910

"Good morning," Lynn said. "I trust everyone had sweet dreams. Since its inception The Eagle Creek Music Festival has been a three day event. When I became director one of the changes I wanted to see implemented was a shorter schedule. Today's music will begin at 9 am and last until sunset. By having the festival end on Saturday the good folks of Eagle Creek are granted the opportunity to enjoy their Sunday and return to their work on Monday completely refreshed.

Wonderful things will happen today. How they will occur I don't yet know. No matter. I hold fast to my belief that through the hardy American Spirit of enterprise and the blessings of God, beautiful music will reach ears and touch hearts.

For today's program: As the flag is raised, the Antelope Marching Band will play The Good Old U.S.A followed by The Flag That's Yours And Mine.

The choir of the Harper Baptist Church will perform selected works of Philip P. Bless including More Holiness Give Me , The Light Of the World Is Jesus and Hallelujah! What A Savior.

The River City Bag Pipe Band will perform songs including Barney A'Leen and I Wish I Was In Glasgow.

An ensemble of percussionists and singers under the direction of Charlene Clear Sky will perform traditional Sioux Peyote songs including Together We Sing In Beauty and Naja.

The Sons of Blarney lead by tenor John Royce McNamara will sing Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra and Love Thee Dearest.

The Spirit of Uluru, an aboriginal Australia troupe, lead by Makuma Marika on the didgeridoo, will perform Kilparra and Ilingka.

Harpsichordist Gordon Sykes of River City Presbyterian will perform Keyboard Suite No. 11 In D Minor: Sarabande and The Nightingale.

Aaron Goldstein and his band will perform traditional Yiddish songs including The Cantor and Kol Nidrei.

The River City Orchestra, under the conduction of Alton Teddlie will perform the modern sounds of Scott Joplin including The Maple Leaf Rag and Harmony Club Waltz.

Following their performance we will have an hour break for lunch. When we return: Members of the Madoc Church of Christ will sing traditional sacred harp songs including, My Song Is Love Unknown and The Babe Of Bethlehem.

Theodore Bowen will perform on the violin 3rd Orchestra Suite by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The River City Buskers will perform Marachi songs including El son de la Negra.

Showboat Jones will delight us with organ grinder music.

Ai Kahiko, Hawaiian Hula Dancers will be performing for the first time in Montana. Led by Keanu Keali'i, these spirited entertainers will lift us all to their faraway isle.

La Rioja will bring us Castilian serenades performed on the guitar, bandurria and tambourine. They will be accompanied by dancers demonstrating Agudo, Fandango, and Jotilla movements.

The Handbell Ensemble of River City Methodist will perform Allegro Gloriso and Eternal Father, Strong To Save.

The final performance will lead by Johnny Longbow and his team of traditional Sioux musicians. Now to get us started, please welcome the Antelope Marching Band."

The audience applauded, Lynn stepped off stage. When she walked into the wing, Constable Walsdorf was there to meet her. "Lynn, may I speak with you a moment?"

"Um, of course."

They walked to an empty performer's tent. They sat down on a bench.

He closed his eyes; something was troubling him deeply. She placed her hand on his shoulder; "What's wrong?"

He cleared his throat. He tried not to choke up. "Yesterday afternoon, my mother passed away."

"I am so sorry."

"Thank you. She was seventy-nine and died in her sleep. I could not ask for more. When I was going through her belongings and making an inventory of furniture… well, let me just show you the list."

He handed her a slip of paper. She gasped when she looked at item number #44, a harpsichord.

"Michael tells me that you need a harpsichord for a performance this morning."

"We do, we do! Oh, I don't what to say."

"I should have mentioned it earlier but I did not realize you needed one. Look behind you." He smiled.

Lynn turned around, behind her was a large object covered by a white blanket. She removed it. Lynn was overjoyed; she felt the smooth finish and punched a few keys. She was impressed with the delicate crystal sounds. "It's still in tune?"

"I had it done last May. Harpsichord lessons were to be a birthday present."

Lynn hugged him. "Thank you."

"I do have one request, Greensleeves was played at my parents' wedding; I want it played at her funeral. The gentleman who's coming today from River City: do you think he'd play it?" He looked down and bit his lip.

"I am confident, that he would be play Greensleeves in her memory."

She hugged him again. Both had tears in their eyes.

A group of six men helped move the delicate instrument to the stage.

As The Spirit of Uluru was performing Lynn was nervous. She said to herself, "Where are you Dennis? Why are you not here?" She kept pacing around in the back area looking for him. When the other performers need transportation he'd always been at least 15 minutes early. She heard a sentence she dreaded, "And for our final song…."

She thought to herself, "'Calm down, we'll get through this' that's what Dennis would say if he were here with me." She waved at Aaron Goldstein, he came to her.

"I can't find my harpsichordist can you go on now?"

"Not a problem."

As soon as The Spirit of Uluru walked off stage, Lynn strolled to the microphone with great confidence. "Our next performer is…" She heard the naying of a horse. She looked towards the rear and saw Dennis and Gordon Sykes, the harpsichordist, coming down the right aisle on horseback. The crowd was in hysterics.

She was laughing to, "Um, Sweetheart."

Dennis smiled. "Howdy pretty lady, lookie here who I done picked up for you out on the prairie!"

The crowd loved it. They applauded his bravado. He walked the horse up to the stage and they dismounted. Dennis winked at Lynn, she smiled. He held on to the reigns and walked the animal back to the street.

Gordon Sykes stepped up to the microphone. He looked at his watch. "11:01 am! Dennis we are late, you owe me a Coke!" Everyone laughed. "Before I begin I have a couple of questions. Number One: does anyone own a truck so I can tow a Model T back to River City? Number Two: Is the penalty for horse rustling still death by hanging?"

The audience laughed.

Gordon continued, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. As you can imagine we had a crazy time getting here today. My friend's car just quit half way between here and River City. We found a nice gentleman rancher, explained our situation. What more can I say except that Aladdin there is a magnificent stallion and I can testify that he is the fastest in Sheridan County."

Gordon ended his program with Greensleeves.

As Lynn ate lunch, Johnny Longbow sat down beside her. "I am taking quite a risk."

"How so?"

"Many people, including my father are not happy with me. I am attempting to live as a Sioux but I refuse to cling to the old paths. My son won't sleep in a cold teepee; he will go to school and learn English like I did. My father is upset; he says I am living like them. 'The White Man has brought us nothing but misery' he says."

"And what do you say?"

"I say it is time to move out of the 19th century, to forget about the past and concentrate on building a better life for everyone, regardless of their heritage. Blame, anger, prejudice, is always hurtful no matter who you are and how justified you feel in your resentment. Some attitudes wreck lives. I refuse to live that way."

"You're very brave."

"I must be. I've heard the sounds of many people who have one thing in common, the quest for liberty, that spark of the Divine which drives men to seek out a better way of life. I hope today that my performance will not be as a quaint, dusty display in a museum.

I want your people; excuse me, our people to hear the impassioned cry for freedom from this Sioux. I too know the beauty of that grand ideal of E pluribus unum."

Lynn smiled. "I can hardly wait."

After the handbell ensemble, Johnny Longbow and the other performers sat down on the stage near the microphone. They began playing The Honoring Song. The dancers arose and began to dance in a circle.

Suddenly Johnny Longbow stopped playing. His wife, Anpaytoo, caught his cue and looked out into the audience; soon the other performers did the same. The music ceased as did the dancing.

In the audience towards the back, two figures were making their way down the far left aisle. It was Jake walking slowly with an elderly Sioux man.

Johnny Longbow had a tear in his eye. "Father?"

Anpaytoo was smiling and leaning on his shoulder. The old man made it to the stage. Jake helped the old chief up the stairs. Johnny Longbow went over to him and they embraced. He whispered something to him. "Yes sir, of course." The father and son walked to the microphone.

The old chief spoke only Siouan, Johnny Longbow translated for him.

"Good evening. I have greatly enjoyed the music today, it has opened my eyes and I have learned much.

My name is Chief Maka of the Sioux. I live in Fort Peck Reservation.

A couple of weeks ago, a young lady came to our area and asked if some of the tribe would be willing to perform for the Eagle Creek Music Festival. I was reluctant. I did not want our great people to be mocked.

However, I am still a man and I was charmed by the beauty and integrity of this Lynn Watson. I have also grown quite fond of her cousin Jake. I gave Jake the name Chapa which means beaver.

I gave Lynn the name Ehawee which means laughing maiden, because her efforts have brought much joy to a tired old man.

Yesterday, Jake was drawing my portrait. He was a master of his art. He focused on his sketch pad and handled the pencils much like I when I was small and handled the spear and focused on bison. I appreciated the picture.

I thought, 'Maybe my grandson can one day draw like little Chapa.' But then it occurred to me, I have never met my grandson. Three years ago, my son, Johnny Longbow and I had an argument. He wanted to bring improvements to the Reservation. I would not agree, it broke tradition. 'You are bringing destruction on our people,' I said.

I refused to leave the Reservation or even my village until Jake asked me to attend the festival. He walked with me, side by side for many miles until he had an idea, 'Let's take a car instead.' I laughed, that was against tradition, but my old feet convinced me otherwise.

We walked to town and found a Chippewa with a car. He drove us.

When I listened to the sweet music of the festival, I was enchanted, like you. My eyesight is poor, so a friend of Jake's handed me some binoculars so I might see the performers. Through the binoculars I saw a man sitting with the orchestra blowing a brown stick and moving his fingers up and down. Jake said they call it a, 'bassoon.'

I looked closer at the man seated and noticed that he did not look like the others in the orchestra. I could tell from his necklace that he was from the Crow tribe. And then I looked at the man playing the big timpani, he was of the Kootenai tribe. The man who sang bass in The Sounds of Sheridan, he was Salishan. The man who played the harpsichord was Shoshoni.

Aaron Goldstein, though he is not an Indian, is still part of a tribe called Benjamin.

The Hula Dancers spoke a different language, but I recognized some words in their songs.

I have learned something today. I…" he shook his head; "I have too much pride. I have too little faith in my people. The Great Spirit placed us here for a reason, to show love. I love my people, however, if that is all I love then I am a sad old man. My tribe is Sioux but I am first and foremost an American. I would like to sing with you, step aside son. Oh, wait, I wasn't supposed to translate that part."

The audience laughed. Johnny Longbow shrugged his shoulders. He helped his father sit down. He picked up a drum and they performed several Siouan songs. His father than sang a song that the others did not recognize.

"Ohawan showa cama do ramapa na
Eha hoha gaga oh muggouwa eigha"

Maka stopped singing. He whispered to Johnny Longbow.

Johnny stood up. "My father says, 'I don't want to do a solo.' I'll get help." Johnny ran off stage and returned with several other performers from all types of bands.

Johnny got their attention; "One, two, three, four…."

Ohawan showa cama do ramapa na (Siouan)
Was so stolz wir begrüßten in Abendroths Gluten? (German)
Di shtrayfn, di shtern -- in flaker fun shlakht (Samoan)
Au-dessus des remparts inspiraient notre pays? (French)
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, (English)
Hot bawizen durch nacht: az mir halten die Fohn! (Yiddish)
O, powiedz czy gwiazdzista flaga jeszcze powiewa (Polish)
-Everyone sing!- O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

The crowd stood up and gave the performers and Lynn a standing ovation. She was overwhelmed with pride in herself and patriotism for her nation.

"It has been my honor directing this year's Eagle Creek Music Festival. I wish everyone a good evening and a safe passage home. Goodnight."