Shaman. A real story from my life #8
When you stand at the crossroads of life, close your eyes before you step. You do not need them. Your road has already chosen you ...
Part 14
On the appointed day, I, Umka and Dino got up early in the morning, while the mosquitoes were still sleeping, and went to the place pointed for the competition. I tied the kayak to the canoe stern. Anything can happen. Suddenly one of the hunters will manage to cope with the canoe and have to give it, but I did not want to go back on foot.
The Selkups surprised us again. A huge fire burned on the shore and all the Selkups stood around it dressed in national costumes. Having seen our friendly company (Umka this time barked) the crowd of people, smiling and saying something in their own language, moved in our direction.
I was again invited to the Elder. We again silently ate fish with greens, and then went out to the people. The Elder asked me to repeat the conditions of the competition. I went to the canoe, put it on the water, habitually put the right knee on the "pillow", the left foot was exposed to the nose and pushed off, rowing to the bend of the river. There I turned and made the same route back to the shore. I informed the gathered people that the one who'll be able to repeat this way will receive a canoe as a gift. The crowd answered me with an approving noise.
About thirty men of different ages lined up on the shore. Among them were also residents of neighboring camps, who also wanted to show their own daring.
The first started. However, he did not last long. As soon as the Selkup put a knee in the boat and pushed off with the paddle from the shore, he immediately fell into the water in the opposite direction from the shore. Laughter was about ten minutes. The second did absolutely the same. The laughter stopped somewhere on the eighth hunter. Everyone looked at the Elder. He stood pale and looked like a monument to himself. While he was thinking, two more hunters fell into the water. I had to stop this circus.
I asked the Elder to allow me to recall the condition of the competition, since I believe that the Selkups listened to me inattentively. "Monument" allowed. "The basic condition was to do the canoeing of the same way, and not to manage the canoe as I do. I am a master of sports and so I trained for many years on such a canoe. You should sit down as you do in your boats and row with the paddles that are familiar to you."
My words improved the mood of the Elder and the crowd clearly brightened up. The next hunter sat in a canoe, bending both legs under him. He was given a paddle and he left. He behaved confidently and the boat began to gain enviable speed. Now others began to worry. They were not too happy for their fellow tribesman and were not against him to be in the water. But this time nothing happened. It was a victory.
Everyone looked at the Elder again. There stood a man, joyfully throwing up his hands, loudly uttering a battle cry of hunters. In the forest, the joyous scream of a dozen men echoed. I noticed that the "wet" group rejoiced not so loudly. After the Elder I also congratulated the winner. I handed him a paddle for a canoe, as a memory of his victory. I did not need it now. The winner did not let go of the canoe. He probably did not trust his friends.
On this holiday could be over and I went to the Elder. He thanked me and said that their Shaman wants to tell me a few words. Shaman asked me to follow him and when we were in his chum, I heard something that made my skin goose. "I see that you have bad blood and I can help you. What will be your decision? ". For some reason, an already familiar elephant by the water came to my mind ...
To be continued…
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