Wonyoni lived in isolation with his family due to his brother’s malevolence. Despite warnings, his three sons visited their uncle, who murdered the two eldest. The youngest escaped and informed Wonyoni. Feigning indifference, Wonyoni later confronted and killed his brother in retaliation. This tale, rooted in Dane-zaa lore, underscores themes of familial bonds, betrayal, and vengeance.
Source:
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912
► Themes of the story
Revenge and Justice: Wonyoni seeks retribution for the unjust killing of his sons by his brother.
Tragic Flaw: The uncle’s malevolence and cruelty lead to his downfall.
Conflict with Authority: Wonyoni challenges his brother’s oppressive and violent behavior, ultimately overthrowing him.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Dane-zaa people
A man named Wonyoni had always camped by himself and raised his family apart from others. One of his sons once inquired if they were the only existing people. His father told him that an uncle lived not far away by a fish lake, but because this uncle was a mean man he had raised his family by themselves. The boy replied that they would visit the uncle anyway.
“Well, my boy, you are to be pitied, for you will not live long if you do that,” the father warned him. “Never mind that, we will visit him,” the boy said. “I have hindered your going many times, now do as you like,” the father conceded.
► Continue reading…
Before the three boys set out to make the visit the father told the youngest boy not to go into the tipi even if the two older boys did so. He renewed the boy’s shoe strings because the old ones were dry and brittle. He also advised him to leave his snowshoes along the trail, one pair behind the other because the track upon the snow was not strong. The boy did as his father advised.
When they came to the uncle’s home the two older boys went in but the youngest played outside, although they called to him to come in. The uncle had killed all who had visited him previously and had rendered their fat. He directed his wife to cook for the guests. When they had been fed he took two spears and conducted the boys to the base of the tipi where he placed them. “This is the way your aunt and I used to do when we found a she-bear and her young ones. When we came upon them we would scare them out, and one standing on either side, we would spear them as they ran out. “This is the lard we made of them.” Then as an illustration of the way it was done he drove the spears through both boys at the same time. The remaining boy ran back down the road. The uncle chased him but because the road was not firm enough to hold the older man, the boy outran him and escaped. When he returned, his father inquired about his brothers. “My uncle killed them,” the boy replied.
To this Wonyoni paid no attention but lay by the fire as if nothing had happened. His wife cried and tried to throw herself into the fire. When daylight was appearing the next morning, the man went to his son and said, “Come, let us go to your uncle.” They went where he had lived but found the tipi had been moved away. He had killed the two boys without any reason and burned everything over. “My brother is laughing at us ahead there. Your uncle never knows what he ought to do,” the father said.
They followed to the other side of the lake where the tipi had been placed on a large flat. Wonyoni was angry. When they came near they saw the uncle walking outside watching for them. He came up to them and met them. He was a large man. When he came up close to them Wonyoni ran back from him. “I guess you ran off because your feelings are hurt,” the large man said to him. Then Wonyoni ran up to him again saying, “You intend doing again as you did to the boys. Well, you make the first move,” he said, showing his lack of respect. Wonyoni then aimed a blow at the man’s head, but struck below and broke his legs. The large man fell and Wonyoni came up to him and killed him with his club.
The father and son then went up the bank where the camp stood. No one was stronger than that old man. “Where did you put him?” the large man’s wife asked. She had a flat stone in her bag which she took out and threw at the man. Stepping to one side he dodged it and jumped on the woman, knocking her down. Wonyoni then killed all the people at the camp of the uncle whose name had been Bear-stands-in-the-water. Wonyoni, having killed many people, returned to his own camp. The people were all glad.
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