Fang, The Movie
a.k.a.
The Canyon Stops At Midnight
Chapter-28
The Findian Camp
Early the next morning, Fang came to our camp and woke Sam and I saying, "Hurry-get up .. things are almost ready!"
Slowly, I sat up and, for awhile, watched the whole camp come awake. I could see my breath. As I look around, I could also see dark purplish mountains projected against the bright morning sky; the stream had a paper-thin film of "night ice" and it's banks were framed with patches of frosted red willows and whitish cottonwoods.
The Findians were also rising. Thin blue lines of smoke trickled out of their shelters. Here and there a gaunt horse poked about hopelessly, looking for a blade of grass. A few dogs appeared, scratching.
In blankets and moccasins, figures begin to emerge from their night sleep and one by one, walk into the woods, sometimes stopping at the stream to wash, sometimes going directly into the woods.
A little later Findian women begin to emerge with full skirts and shawls of soft colors. Each morning, they carry their pails to the stream bank for water.
We hear that dancing will begin about mid-morning. The dancers will be many Elderfish and fingerlings and they will be attended by a War Captain and his assistants -- oldfish wrapped in blankets.
Fish Findians often sing alone - cradle songs, grinding-songs, and songs for fun. In this public dance a chorus of oldfish, grouped about the drummers, will provide music for the dance.
During the night Fang has worked with the crew to place cameras, hidden into the edge of the woods. From four directions, cameras point toward the circle of logs. A fifth camera points to an opening in the ceremonial tent, located on the North edge of this ceremonial clearing. There is great tension. No one knows just when the dance will begin and, now, Fang is no where to be seen. He has left instructions for the fifth camera to begin rolling when the drums are heard. The crew is dead-tired after the night of preparations and anticipation.
Then quietly-under the low din of village noise-a softly quiet drum begins. At first, it searches for a rhythm for the dance that which will eventually last 4 to 5 hours. Quickly it is found and the soft chanting of Elderfish begins to pick up on this low drum beat.
The crew is confused. Not knowing what to do, their eyes and gestures ask each other if "this" is the signal. Then Lotte-Madonna Fish steps, forward, and in front of the fifth camera to catch their attention ...
This is it! The cameras roll.
Quietly, one-by-one, the dancers emerge from the ceremonial tent, walking along the outer edge -- away from the circle of logs. The dancers walk individually, in file, quickly to the east and behind a corral. Their they are, again, hidden. The horses, in the correl, first seem puzzled but then, sense that no harm will come from these small fish. Behind the corral, the dancers assemble into two long lines. Each dancer shifts a little to get space.
The fifth camera has followed them there.
At the proper time, the Findian War Captian begins his chant, shaking his gourd rattle and swaying from foot-to-foot in a rythm to measure the dance. Just as wind runs across a wheat- field, so all the dancers, one-by-one, catch this motion, so that the group begins to move in unison -- down to the tinest fingerling on the end of the line.
The War Captian then lifts his arms and the smallest of the dancers move forward and in between the two protective lines of Elderfish. These small ones are now hidden even from the from the eyes of a casual passerby.
The War Captain drops his arms and the column of dancers move along the corral fence .. toward the circle of logs. The drums have now become steady, repetitious, loud, not unlike like the sound of thunder, rolling from behind some distant mountain.
At the edge of Forest, each secret camera is making a soft buzzing sound.
Previous .. Announcement .. Home .. Next
- 28 -