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Sunday, September 17, 2006
Jean Baptiste Lepage (Charlie Barber)
Scott Cameron(Francois Labiche) this morning at breakfast mentioned that he always found it impossible to answer people when they asked him for his favorite experience on his reenactment from Lolo, MT through today. My answer would be the same.
I have not kept a journal to date, but a host of memories course through my historian’s mind, and I find the challenges of recollection particularly fitting for a Reenactor. I made my living teaching German and modern European history, but when I ran into DESC during the Bismarck, North Dakota signature event in October, 2004, I decided to join them in 2005, in part to share in their passion for history in a field quite removed from mine, but, more personally, for the sheer poetry of following the path of the Lewis and Clark journals across the Rockies and back to St. Louis. Since I live in Mandan, North Dakota, I decided to represent the engage Lepage, who was recruited at Ft. Mandan, near Washburn, ND in the Winter of 1804/1805.
My impressionistic recollections today take me to July 14, 2006 in Livingston, MT on the Yellowstone with Bud Clark, and flow right into today. I had driven the night before past prairie fires that closed Interstate 90/94 just six hours after I came through.
Before setting off for Big Timber(July 16th-18th) and Columbus(19th), I had time to visit the site of John Colter’s discovery of the Boiling River at the 45th Parallel in Yellowstone with my friend and DESC colleague Mike Bowman(John Thompson). For three days and nights we enjoyed the hospitality of the Thompson Ranch at the confluence of the Boulder and Yellowstone Rivers . We cooled off in an ol’ swimmin’ hole at the mouth of the Boulder, from which Dan Hermann(John Shields) also produced a few trout with his angling skills.
My favorite sight of that stay was watching the Ranch’s border collie show the much larger Seaman who was boss. Until introduced to the high energy charms of a border collie recently by my friend Carol, I had been unfamiliar with this breed which well lives up to the cliché that “it is not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog.”
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Jean Baptiste Lepage (Charlie Barber)
And now a host of new memories crowd in upon the old ones, a common problem for the three and one half year reenactment of our national odyssey by my amazing brothers and sisters of the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, MO.
On Sunday evening the 17th, we were feted by the three Mary’s of Brunswick, MO at the local Knights of Columbus Hall. Mary Nicholson was especially vivacious in her welcoming, and opened up her Bed and Breakfast for our use, much to the delight of the shower-challenged among us. There were even fewer of us who passed up the chance for a warm bed.
On Monday, the 18th, the City Hall of Lupus, MO(pop. 29) was jumping, as small town America once again opened up their facilities and hearts to us. Down home music and upbeat chatter followed a splendid dinner, topped off by the awarding by former Mayor Jim Denny of the coveted Pink Flamingo Award to Josh Loftis.
As strong as these new impressions are, they are not enough to erase the overwhelming ones like the experiences I had at Pompey’s Pillar, July 20-25; the ”Butt Shoot at Williston,” August 11 & 12, with the North Dakota National Guard at Fort Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 13, and Ft. Mandan, Aug. 14-16, and with the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikira) for Sacagawea’s homecoming at New Town, August 17-20.
Pompey’s Pillar, MT, July 20-25
I have experienced many traffic jams in my home town of Chicago, as well as Boston, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Manhattan; Berlin, and Rome, but I never thought to see one in the middle of eastern Montana. So it was at this stop on the Lewis and Clark traveling “Circus”, featuring Corps II, the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, MO, and a “cast of thousands,” come to pay homage to an important slice of American History - one which featured the original settlers in the New World for a change, rather than the newcomers from Europe. This was best represented to me when we began to set up our camp, but were asked by a Lakota woman named Cheyenne to halt our proceedings until she had “smudged” us and our campsite; that is to say, blessed us and our undertaking.
We honored her request, halted our activities, and she lit some sage and curled the smoke toward our tents and other parts of our campsite. Cheyenne then asked a number of us to cradle the smoke from the plant toward our persons - which we did, some of us awkwardly, and others gladly, especially when she told us that besides its spiritual qualities, burning sage warded off mosquitoes and other troublesome insects.
If one were to belabor the “Circus” analogy, it would be more accurate to call ours a “four or five station” one, rather than a “three ring” variety. I became an apprentice at Pompey’s Pillar to “Dr.” Ed Falvo’s station describing the medical practices of the time, demonstrating from Bud Clark’s replica of a medical chest and its contents - modeled after one possessed by President Jefferson and carried along the trail by Captain Lewis. Using this kit -- its home remedies such as Chocolate for the tummy or Peruvian bark and its antiseptic qualities, or the rattlesnake rattles(potossin) used in a potion to induce labor for Sacagawea and little Pomp, it was possible to show our audiences how some of the older remedies were still relevant today. The dental and surgical instruments, and their uses, however, strike us today as more in keeping with the behavior of Jefferson’s contemporary, the Marquis de Sade, than practices we would want to subject ourselves to.
Another station featured the military and expeditionary clothing of the day, both for the parade ground and in battle, and for use on the frontier. Many of us were clad, of course, in less fancy versions of the clothing on display. Still another station featured the military hardware - long guns, rifles, pistols and the famous blunderbuss, which often was fired at campgrounds, or from the boats, as it had been two hundred years ago. There were too many people in too small a setting at Pompey’s Pillar, however, and the prairie fires all around us in that part of Montana precluded their usage. Whenever John Fischer or Aubrey Williams were along, we also had a Blacksmith’s station, since their command of metals was a major attraction that Lewis and Clark offered in trade with Native Americans along the way. Mike Dotson’s dog “Seaman” also was a station unto himself, whenever he was along.
Of all the groups in the United States reenacting the odyssey of Lewis and Clark, the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, MO stands out as “those guys with the boats,” and for good reason. Beginning with Glenn Bishop’s Keelboat, followed by the red and white pirogues, the cottonwood and ponderosa pine dugouts, we have moved up and down the waters traveled by the Corps of Discovery with poignantly visible representations of the crafts they depended upon two hundred years ago.
Also on display at Pompey’s Pillar, as it had been at the Nez Perce “Summer of Peace” in Lewiston, ID, was ITS WOOT(Black Bear), a replica of one of the Chinook canoes used by Lewis and Clark to carry themselves and their baggage back upstream the mighty Columbia and Snake Rivers to a staging area near Lewiston in the western Rockies. Built by our Dick Brumley(John Colter) of Lewistown, MT, and named and blessed by Chinook Chief Ray Gardner on March 21 at Long Beach, WA, it left Ft. Clatsop on March 23, powered by a DESC crew considerably older in average age than the original sailors. It moved its seaworthy frame gracefully and powerfully upstream, on schedule with the journals, despite stormy weather and formidable counter currents which tossed around our Scout boat with far less respect than this ancient model. At rest below Pompey’s Pillar and abreast of the “Tent of Many Voices”, ITS WOOT provided a powerful visual representation of the contribution of Native American technology, as well as their legendary good will and tolerance to the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
While I indulged in the carnival treats of many flavored snow cones, and the mandatory, though “tummy thumping” funnel cake, I also had many opportunities for meeting some wonderful people like the Salish woman who began teaching me elements of her language, using her voice and hands. Her representation of the jumping characteristic of the frog with her hands was particularly notable, and I was later able to compare this word with the Hidatsa word for “frog” with Amy Mossett(Sacagawea) at Fort Abraham Lincoln. In exchange for a brief introduction to Salish linguistics I sang her the song, “I Believe.” I often sing this moving, spiritually inspired, popular song along the trail, because of its non-denominational lyrics:
“I believe for ev’ry drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows
I believe for ev’ryone who goes astray – someone will come to show the way…
I believe; I believe
I believe above the storm the smallest prayer, will still be heard
I believe that someone in the great somewhere, hears ev’ry word
Ev’ry time I hear a new born baby cry; or touch a leaf, or see the sky…
Then I know why……..I…….believe!”
Her response when I had finished, as she pointed to the colorfully dressed Crow Dancers, was “you could sing with us!”
The dancers provided my favorite visual image of the event, which I was lucky enough to capture on film. A Crow dancer - a teenager - was proceeding to their performance along with an adult male in complete outfit, with headdress. The young man, obviously taking part enthusiastically in the preservation of his heritage, nevertheless was making his way to the dais with a different set of headgear, a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap, properly askew on his head. I asked them both if they would mind if I took a picture of this wonderful walking generation gap. They both said “sure” - the older man with a wry smile on his face. The old and the new lying down together -- like the lion and the lamb. Lovely, just lovely…
“The Great Butt Shoot,” Lewis and Clark State Park, Williston, ND,
August 11 and 12
Although the journal entry for August 11 is the actual date for Captain Lewis’s ill-fated hunting expedition with Pierre Crousotte, the town of Williston selected Saturday, August 12 for the reenactment of what they liked to call the “butt shoot.” A 5 K run and a 2 K walk were scheduled to begin with the famous shot as its starting gun. A fair number of participants included Laura from Corps II, running in tandem with Alec. My favorite spectator moment was watching Ed Falvo and Derrick Biddle running neck and neck for much of the race, Derrick in full leather gear that began to be shed early on. My favorite visual image was seeing our Meriwether Lewis, Bryant Boswell, walking around much of the rest of the day with the rear end of his white uniform pants patched with red from the artificial blood bag self-slapped on in the tall grass at the report of Crousatte’s gun.
Fort Abraham Lincoln, Sunday, August 13
In order to fully participate in activities that the National Guard and the State of North Dakota had arranged for 4H youngsters from all 50 States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories we put in a long day in miles, as well as hours. We drove some 100 miles from Williston to Ft. Mandan, near Washburn, ND and pitched camp. We then drove another 50 miles to Fort Abraham Lincoln in Mandan, ND, my newly adopted home town in my newly adopted home State. Not knowing exactly what we were rushing up the hills of the Fort for, we got there just in time for a typically North Dakota, violent and windy Summer rain storm, that was cold, but mercifully short. The North Dakota guard served us up some awesome ribs from a local eatery called “Space Aliens,” which included frisbees for all, that were utilized by a few.
As we waited to hear how we would be used in the opening ceremonies, I had a chance to talk with the wife of the out-going head of the North Dakota National Guard, the popular General Mike Haugen. She was thrilled to know that I was the only North Dakotan in leather among the DESC members (along with our two Sacagaweas, Janyce Two Bears Falcon, and Amy Mossett). As my friend Joe Satrom of Ducks Unlimited puts it -- North Dakota is a single neighborhood with very long streets, Interstates 29 and 94, and we are always checking in with and up on each other.
The ceremonies were long, of course, but very impressive. The main stage was set halfway down one of the Mandan Hills commanding the heights of the Fort. The flags of each of the States and Territories were set from the bottom of the stage site to the top of the hill and the parking lot. The 4H youngsters were all introduced, and then DESC was asked to form up on the western most part of the hill above the audience so as to be coming out of the sunset. Reenactors of General Custer’s 7th Cavalry handed off the American Flag to our group; which we then handed off to representative Native Americans on horseback coming upon us from the South. We held our positions on the western hill as a Guard helicopter landed, completing that portion of the ceremony. My favorite visual image of that day came at that moment - when all the eyes of the audience below were on the helicopter and its men, one of them produced a personal camera, and, unseen by anyone else, began to snap pictures of us in our leathers, with a big grin on his face and a thumbs up as the helicopter swooped away from us to land and become the center of attention.
After the landing we sat with the audience during speeches by reenactors as Presidents Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. At the very end the rest of us were called on stage with Bud Clark and Bryant Boswell, where we were acknow-ledged for our three and one half year effort, and our upcoming participation at Fort Mandan. All in all, a most delightful, as well as impressive evening.
Ft. Mandan, August 14-16
We set up our four station circus on the grounds of Ft. Mandan for the benefit of the dozens and dozens of 16 and 17 year old 4H club youths who had sent in winning essays in order to participate in this unique rendezvous organized for the most part by the North Dakota National Guard with the help, on site, of the Ft. Mandan Association, of which I am also a member. We were well fed by the Guard and enjoyed the mornings off, but at 2pm the kids were scheduled to descend on us for the first two days, after which we were to join them in a short paddle in Guard pontoon boats down to a campfire near the 4H campground. My favorite moment came when one young man who had been placed in front of me the first evening, announced upon our landing that he had overcome a personal fear of the water in entering the boat, much less paddle with one leg dangling in the Missouri R., as instructed to do by the attending Guardsmen and women. Another favorite moment was finding out that Captain Larsen, to whom Bryant awarded a crew medal, was a neighbor of mine in Mandan.
Among so many other things he has done, Bud Clark has loaned many of his priceless family items for an exhibit by the Fort Mandan Interpretive Center on the William Clark family, which will be there for many months. I also was a willing “lackey” for John Fischer as he set up an exhibit there of five of the seven reference books taken by Meriwether Lewis on their journey.
On the third day DESC once again demonstrated its prowess at being in several places at once. Most of the crew went on to Earth Lodge Camp of the Three Affiliated Tribes near New Town, ND. A skeleton crew of us remained at Ft. Mandan to man the four stations for the third and last contingent of 4H kids. Unfortunately, I was stung by one of the many ubiquitous wasps around Ft. Mandan, owing to the lack of moisture this Summer. It had been so long since I had been stung that I had forgotten what modern treatment to use other than ice, and did not pick up any Benadryl for five to six hours.
While giving my medical demonstrations, however, I did resort to using Lewis’s ointment of pine tar, bees wax(no pun intended), and lard, with minimal results, but much to the delight of the onlookers, themselves beset by the pesky critters. Wasp stings are no joke, however. - (A few weeks later I found out that one of my younger singing buddies in Chicago, died of a heart attack brought on by multiple wasp stings). - I was feeling really groggy, and the pain had in no way gone away after many treatments of ice - so I took advantage of my hometown lodgings nearby, bought some Benadryl at the local gas station, took one, and drove home quickly before its drowsy effects could kick in, and got a decent night’s sleep before returning to the group in New Town the following evening.
New Town, August 17-20
Dancing, dancing, and more dancing – that was the “order of the day,” and the weekend as well. Native American dancing, of course, no waltzing or jitterbugging allowed, although a white guy from Chicago doing the Indian two step with a boogie beat was tolerated by our gracious hosts, Tex Hall and the Three Affiliated Tribes(Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikira).
We set up our tents, stations and boat displays, the white pirogue, the dugouts and ITS WOOT, at specially created “Earth Lodge Camp”, just west of the Four Bears Casino grounds on the west side of the swollen part of the Missouri River created by Garrison Dam and called Lake Sacagawea, a process which inundated local towns and sacred Native American sites – healing of this wound is yet to be completed.
Despite the heartbreaking history of the past 200 years, the Lewis and Clark reenactors of DESC were welcomed as old friends, and we soon made new ones. A charming garden of corn and other Native American crops lay outside our tents, although in keeping with traditional practices, only women were allowed to enter. This signature event was the occasion of a marathon swimming, running and horseback race to produce a women’s and men’s champion in successive days. The events took place in front of and around our campsite.
Despite a rainy Friday, people poured into the event, with crowds increasing on the dryer weekend. As I joked to Josh, this was definitely a “2 funnel cake Signature event” for me. We were honored to be asked to raise the flag each morning and to dance at every major event in the Arbor which included dancing. While dancing in the Arbor main stage to the many drum ensembles, I noticed some friends from my church in Bismarck and our Agriculture Commissioner, Roger Johnson, tenting out with his family.
I also was pleased to introduce Bud and Bryant to my friend Dr. Herb Wilson, who had served as doctor for the Affiliated Tribes for over 40 years. He assured Bryant that a Dentist from Mississippi would be more than welcome in New Town. On Saturday I joined my barbershop colleagues of the Northern Lights Chorus of Bismarck/Mandan for two performances, the early one attended by Dick and Delaine Brumley.
I had several memorable impressions. First and foremost was the reverent honoring of the many Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikira veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces each night. So many for so small a community. One of the great achievements of Native Americans, in my opinion is how, after so much brutal treatment by our government over the past 200 years, they have managed to put the dignity and the skills of their warrior traditions to the military service of that very country. Whatever the fate of their languages in the wake of the ethnic cleansing of the boarding school movement and other white American practices, that warrior tradition still shines, and commands the respect of all us in its debt.
Secondly, I warmed to Bud’s broken-voiced reading at the Arbor of William Clark’s heart breaking personal letter to Charbonneau, begging him to come with all of his family to St. Louis, especially the little boy, Pomp, who he clearly loved so well.
Last, but not least, was the sound of Keith Bear’s flute at our departure as we stepped into the dugouts and the white pirogue, after marching to the shore and shaking so many hands.
And here I am again, saying farewell on the road to St. Charles and St. Louis. |
