In a time of scarcity, a young man persuades his father to camp separately from their group. Despite initial doubts, the young man successfully hunts two moose, providing for his family. Later, he rejoins the main group and faces criticism over a woman, leading him to return to his father’s camp. Unbeknownst to him, he has fathered a child, whom his mother eagerly accepts, hoping the child will become a hunting partner for her son.
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
Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the relationships within a family, highlighting the young man’s attempt to escape his role as a parent and his parents’ willingness to assume responsibility for their grandchild.
Conflict with Authority: The young man’s decision to abandon his parental duties can be seen as a challenge to societal and familial expectations regarding responsibility and duty.
Community and Isolation: The young man’s actions lead to a form of isolation as he distances himself from his familial and societal roles, contrasting with the communal approach of his parents.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Dane-zaa people
The people were very hungry. It seemed as if they would not live. They had made a cache and were going to that. When they were not yet in sight of it, the son of an old man suggested they camp about alone. “We cannot do that,” his father said, “we shall die.” The young man insisted that they camp by themselves. “Are you able to keep the fire pushed together if we do as you say? ‘ the father asked his son. “Yes, I will keep the fire pushed together,” the son promised. “Well, start off in the direction you want to go,” the father said. The young man started off and left a big pile of wood as a sign of the place where they were to camp. “Why do not you look after things? You said you would keep the fire pushed together. What is the matter?” his father said.
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“You said you would push the fire together. You do not act like a man. My children would be fed at the cache and now, because you talked that way, I fear they will die,” the old man said. The young man took the snares and set two for moose. Before long the snares made a noise and two moose had been caught. The old man moved the camp to them. “Father, I am going ahead where the other people are,” the young man said. “Do not go,” his father said, but the boy insisted he would go there.
He started off and came where the other people were. They scolded him because of a woman. Soon after that he went back to his father’s camp. The old man was on ahead. A woman had given birth to a child of which he was the father. “My grandchild,” the woman said, “I wonder whose it is?” “I guess it is that young man’s child,” someone said. The old man’s wife asked if it was a boy. “Yes, it is a boy,” they told her. “Go after him quickly,” the old woman said. “I will raise it. I have one child and this one will be his partner and they will hunt together.”
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