Chansons du Nouvel An.
Sioui, Georges
text
This story straddles the fiction/non-fiction line. We use the term story.
Canadian Writing Research Collaboratory
Rencontre
1982-01-01T00:00:00.000Z 1982
n. 2
vol. 4
pp. 8-9
continuing
French
Périodique Autochtones Aboriginal Article
tpatt:66071c2e-a0eb-43e5-8f47-cae91e7bf6e2
2018-01-24T22:07:04.414Z
The story takes place on December 17 (but the year is unknown) in a winter camp. The year would come to an end in four days (winter solstice) and everyone from close and far would gather and visit, to celebrate happiness, kinship, abundance, and the beginning of a new year. Jawano Geejik (Blue Sky or Southern Sky) had put on his best clothes but remained in the mitshuap despite all the celebrations goind on. At the end of the day he asked as per his usual for his drum, and his song brought everyone inside. He tells them about another New Year’s feast when he was 5 years old; the great grandmother of his father’s mother, Weengushk, was very old. She could hardly walk but sang all the time. She sang all the old songs, when Tche Manito had sent Gijigokwae onto Turtle Island. She also sang of a time when the Island would be full of people from many different nations who would celebrate the New Year together. Jawano Geejik recalls her saying she would be leaving in a few days to meet with those who had already gone. At that moment, the Giver (a prefiguration of Father Christmas) appeared wearing a mask and carrying a colorful bag with toys in it; this was the moment the children were waiting for. As people gave and received gifts, Weengushk sang of the first great New Year. Jawano Geejik sang, danced and mimed giving out toys, much to his audience’s amusement.
