Diary #1



Our Teepees

 Dear Diary,

     Today was a normal day. I think I like normal because nothing bad ever happens on a normal day. 


      So while the men including my Father went to work, the women and children stayed at home as usual. Almost all the men and women had to work to support themselves and their families. My Mother and most of the other women in the tribe made pemmican (dried meat blended with fat) for the fur trade companies. My family and I live in teepees now, but because of the coming cold winters we will move into a log cabin.

     It is near summer now and the entire tribe is getting ready for the annual buffalo hunt. During the buffalo hunt, the men ride horses while the rest of the tribe travels in Red River carts. When my Father kills a buffalo, my Mother and I would cut it immediately and take the important parts of the animal for food. We got many things out of this buffalo hunt such as, the meat was eaten or made into pemmican. My Father always trades the extras. We used the fur to make clothes and blankets.

      Today I helped my Mother make pemmican out of a buffalo that my Father hunted a few months ago. My Mother is starting to teach me the responsibilities of being a women. I now have to know how to cook, sew clothes and many other things.I'm so exhausted by all of it. I wish didn't have to learn so many things. Sometimes I just want to go out and play with the kids and enjoy the weather, but I know I cannot.


     When I finished making pemmican, I went over to my Grandmother's teepee. She welcomed me in and I went and sat next to her on the ground. I told her how I feel about adulthood and growing up. She understood and said she did not like it either when she was my age, but now she is happy she learned all those things. I felt better right away knowing that it was normal to feel like this. I spent a few more minutes talking to my Grandmother and then I had to leave because it was almost dinner time.


  When I got home, my Father  had already came back from the fur trade post. Once we got everything set, we all ate dinner together and talked about our day.  For dinner we had fish that we hunted and potatoes and corn that we grew. The meal was delicious. I am thankful for the food, clothes and my home that we have.  I am getting ready to go to bed now. I pray that tomorrow will be just like today. Goodnight Diary.

                                                                                                    - Ekala

              (By: Chinthuri Selvarajah)



The Buffalo Hunt