The Night Watchman(51)
Holmes paused to speak to Mr. Cooper, and Thomas turned around. His people wore a look of intense concentration, which, in the absence of the speaker, they turned upon him. He returned their gaze, sweeping his eyes to each person. Nobody looked away, as people would normally. All rested their unguarded expressions upon him and he accepted the gravity of their regard. When he turned back, he felt that something had been communicated to him. He felt it up behind his eyes as dry tears. Holmes picked up where he’d left off.
When at long last the reading of the bill was finished, Thomas rose and again turned to look at his friends and relatives. He asked for comments from the audience.
Louis Pipestone: Thank you. And now would it be possible to explain the bill so a hard-of-hearing old ranchman can get the gist of it?
Mr. Holmes: Simply, once and for all, it provides that there won’t be any more Indian service for the Turtle Mountains. You will now be equal with whites as far as the government is concerned.
Joyce Asiginak: Well, equal is not the way we see it. Our rights go down. So this bill does not suit me in any way. The government is backing out of its agreement. You left us on land that is too small a size and most of it cannot be farmed. The government should give more land back, not kick us off the leftovers.
Mr. Holmes: Oh, good news! You will be relocated to areas of equal opportunity. It says so right in the bill.
There was utter silence in the room. Then an urgent rustling as people repeated, and interpreted, what he had said.
Juggie Blue: We don’t want to leave our homes We are poor, but even poor people can love their land. You do not need money to love your home.
Anakwad: Gawiin ninisidotoosinoon.
Louis Pipestone: Anakwad here says that he does not understand, nor do many who have come to this place to learn their fate. He asks that this bill be translated into his language so that he may understand it.
Mr. Holmes, turning to his colleagues, raised his eyebrows and smiled. They, too, smiled indulgently, shook their heads with some exasperation.
Clothilde Fleury: I will sit beside the Indian speakers and translate.
The audience reshuffled their seats, Clothilde spoke quietly to Thomas, and then everyone waited, expectantly.
Giizis (translated by Clothilde): I would like to respectfully request that Mr. Holmes read the bill again. Half the people here did not understand it.
Holmes opened his mouth, closed his mouth. Coughed. He conferred with his colleagues. After ostentatiously pouring water into his glass, he took a long sip, and began to read. After a few minutes, he was stopped by Mr. Cooper.
Mr. Cooper: I propose that we take a short break.
Thomas Wazhashk: Sir, with all due respect, we have just this one day to understand a bill that is meant to take everything from us. Could those who need a break discreetly do so while the rest of us continue with this meeting? I further propose that Mr. Holmes repeat the simple version of the bill. He seemed to capture the meaning in a few sentences.
Thomas was surprised by his own boldness, but he stood firm. The meeting continued on in its flow with people leaving as needed, and returning so that the concentration in the room was not broken.
Mary Montrose: This relocation isn’t my wish. How about you relocate some of our neighbors who aren’t Indians? They are sitting on our best land.
Mr. Cooper (abrupt laugh): That is out of the question. We are here on your behalf, but we cannot do such a thing.
Mr. Hail: We know the Indian Department did not initiate this move that included the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indians and the reservation. It was an act of Congress. Some members of Congress heard or seem to believe that the Turtle Mountain Chippewa are so far advanced that they should be relinquished by the government.
Moses Montrose: We are advanced in some ways. That is true. We have a lot of smart Indians in this room. But most of us are plain-out broke. We are working, but even if we did become rich, that would have no bearing on our agreement with the government. Nothing in the treaty says that if we better ourselves we lose our land.
Thomas Wazhashk: I am not sure what study the information about our advancement, financially speaking, was based on. But I will tell you it was faulty. Most of our people live on dirt floors, no electricity, no plumbing. I haul my own water like most Indians in this room. I consider myself advanced only because I read and write. Should I not be an Indian person because I read and write?
Mr. Cooper: There is no move to take away your identity as an Indian.
Joyce Asignak: That is exactly what is happening.
John Summer: We are still ourselves even if we advance. As for myself, I haven’t advanced yet.
Mr. Hail: Congress is attempting to abandon its commitment to treaties that were made with Indians to last through time. You have heard the phrase “as long as the grass grows and the rivers flow.” I represent a people who have survived quite a bit and need help getting on their feet.
Mr. Holmes: We didn’t come up with this bill.
Eddy Mink (standing steady, stroking his limp silk tie): I would like to say a few words. May I be recognized? Thank you. The way I see it is the great state of North Dakota will have to take over services to our remote area, provide for education, and so on. The county will have to start caring for our bridges, maintaining the roads. They will also need to step up law enforcement and so on. I wonder if our wonderful county and state are eager to take on these rewarding opportunities?