Clara Caufield: Celebrating life and death in the Cheyenne way

Friday, September 20, 2019  

I apologize for missing my recent columns, especially as Tim did such a nice notice about us columnists. Then, the Northern Cheyenne lost a great friend and hero, Jerry Small, a rodeo legend throughout the Plains country (not only Indian Country, but in the PRCA ranks) passed away of a massive heart attack - it seemed too soon for him to go.

Somehow this has unhinged me, as it has his many family members and good friends, so I could not summon up the energy or motivation to write a column during that initial shock, sunk into dark gloom, as were so many. At some later point, a tribute will be in order, for he was one of the best rodeo cowboys to ever inhabit this land – Indian, non-Indian, bar none. He had a good send off on Saturday, August 31, cowboys, cowgirls, family and friends coming from around the country, even Canada to see him carried home.

Yet, as we dwell upon death, especially the untimely loss of dear friends and loved ones, we must also focus upon life.

That is what my good sister-friend, Chris Small, an in-law and best friend to Jerry, recently did. The Cheyenne have the tradition of the umbilical cord and following that, Chris was busy beading one of those very special traditional pouches for a new granddaughter.

Maybe other Tribes do this too, I don’t know, but it is a very special part of the Northern Cheyenne way.

The information in this article was provided by Mina Seminole, historical researcher at Chief Dull Knife College, an article one of our formidable elders, Jenny Parker wrote so that it might be passed on. I simply pass it on to our readers.

Written by Jenny Parker, adapted slightly by Clara Caufield (indicated by italics, based upon conversations with elders, including Jenny. Approving this piece, she advised “Fix it up a little bit.)

In the past when a woman was carrying an unborn child, she would talk and sing to the baby. The mother was very careful of things that she ate as well as what she handled so as not to bring harm to her child. The mother would explain what she was doing to let the child know it was loved and wanted.

When the child was born, the parents asked an Elder to come and talk to their baby about the different modes of life to encourage the child to grow up to be a good person as an adult.

The umbilical cord is the connection to the mother. After the cord dried and fell off, it was put in a buckskin pouch decorated with symbolic beadwork. The turtle represents man and the lizard represents woman. The turtle represents long life and its slowness represents the hardships of the provider as they must take time to reflect upon decisions which affect the welfare of their relatives and the Tribe as a whole.

The lizard represents endurance. A woman must adapt to different modes of life: first a baby, then a girl, granddaughter, niece, friend, eventually themselves becoming a mother, auntie and finally a grandmother, in charge of teaching. Like the chameleon that changes its’ color, women must adapt to their ever-changing environment and what life brings.

Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice @gmail.com

Copyright permission Native Sun News Today