Dawnland Voices: An Anthology of Indigenous Writing from New England

Christine Downing

196 I ran with Sister Wind to forget my troubles still hoping the Eagle would stay. Thinking of the breeze under his strong wings, I saw the Eagle in play. I stopped and he set on a tree close to me, the Eagle I’ve seen today. Our eyes then met and I saw beauty in his strength, this Eagle who had flown my way. As we stared, I realized his greatness and the Eagle seemed to say, “Learn to be wise and fly up your spirit again like the Eagles you see on your way!” It was then this winged brother soared high in the sky, We both knew he could not stay. And I ran again along the Great Mother feeling stronger like the Eagle who flew away. Christine Downing (b. 1972) Tina Downing is currently an elected member of the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Tribal Council. She also works in the tribe’s Computer Technology Department. This story, about her mother, Mary Theresa Downing (Lola), is her first publication. A Summer Day in Motahkomikuk⁵ It wasn’t until I became a mother that I learned how strong my mom was—and how amazing. One of my favorite memories of when I was little was when my mom and I went out on a small adventure together. We left the house in the morning. We walked up the road to a small field. “Right here,” she said, and when I looked down I saw a big patch Christine Downing 197 of strawberries. So we picked them and went back to the house. She took a glass and put the berries in it and added a little bit of sugar. She then took the bottom of a mixing spoon and mashed it all up. She told me this is what her mother use to do for her. She had me eat it, and boy it was good, so I ate it all up. We left again to go to the spring to get fresh springwater. This time we took the car and made sure to bring all our empty jugs. “It’s a little walk in the woods,” she said. We walked to the spring and dunked our jugs in the water till they were all filled. “We will have to carry as many as we can, then come back for the rest,” she said. So we did. Picking up our last jug on our way back, she asked, “Do you want some gum?” “Yeah, Mom, I would love some,” I replied. She walked over to a tree and picked off this clump of yellowish stuff. She threw it in her mouth and a little while later she gave it to me. “What’s this?” I asked. “It’s called pokuwis, which is spruce gum,” she answered. “Just don’t chew it too hard.” It was good. It didn’t taste like store gum at all. We were back in the car and home to drop off our water. “What are we gonna do now, Mom?” I asked. “Let have some lunch,” she answered. So she boiled some potatoes and fiddleheads, fried up some pikseyis and bologna, and some tumahsis. Everything was so good!! After lunch we headed down to the lake. I swam and she fished. A bunch of my friends came down and we played in the water till we looked like prunes. Later, we headed out to my auntie’s house. I loved going over there because she sang to me in Passamaquoddy and would tell me stories about my mom and her growing up. I never got to meet my grandmother, but the stories about her always amazed me. I could not imagine not having running water, lights, and all the things we have today. My mom and aunty started cooking, and I played outside. My uncle was always building something, so I went to bother him for a few minutes and then went back to playing. When it was time to eat, we all went inside, sat around the table, and ate. Everything was homemade with real ingredients—not from a box, like a lot of things we eat today. I was so full. We then went into the living room and I listened to them talk in Passamaquoddy and laugh while by the fire. I loved to watch the fire, but it made me sleepy. 198 My aunty asked me if I...