Weetamoo The S weating C eremony By: Halle Auvigne

1. WeetamooThe Sweating CeremonyBy: Halle Auvigne

2. Sweating ceremony • This began Weetamoo and Cedar’s learning time • Built a fire with thirteen stones, one stone for every moon • Stones that when hot don’t explode • Went into the pesuponk(sweat lodge) • Sweat lodge is like a small wetu, but no smoke hole • Pit dug to hold all the hot rocks

3. Inside Sweating Ceremony • Red Hawk blessed Weetamoo and Cedar • Weetamoo, Weetamoo’s mother, and Cedar took off all their clothes • Auntie White Frost was inside praying already • All in a circle around the pit of hot rocks • Auntie dipped the cedar bough in a pot of water • She put the water over the hot stones • The rocks sizzled and a blast of steam struck them

4. During Sweating Ceremony • Since Cedar and Weetamoo were being cleansed they had to sit in the hottest place (back of the lodge) • Weetamoo can rarely stand all the heat but this time she did • Again Auntie put water on the hot rocks • Fresh steam rose from the hot rocks • Weetamoo started to feel the damp heat • Everything that was unclean in them was being pulled out out • Weetamoo would breathe in deeply to clean herself

5. Praying during the Ceremony • There were four rounds of prayers • Starting in the south, then west, then north, then east, ending in the sunrise direction • Gave thanks to the different spirits of the different directions • Elders prayed for Weetamoo and Cedar • Finally they were told to ask something for themselves • Cedar wanted Nou’gou’mis to live a long time • Weetamoo wants her baby sister, Snowbird to be healed and wants to be granted patience

6. After the Ceremony • Crawled out of the lodge one by one • Washed their hot bodies with snow • Put their clothes on • Weetamoo felt relaxed, and wide awake

7. Evening after the Ceremony • Weetamoo is in her own wetu on the hill • Sitting and thinking by herself • She has had nothing to eat since her fest before the sweat • She was given corn soup and roasted ground nuts • Had a little pouch of nokake (parched and powered corn) ‪

8. Day after the Ceremony • There only job is to keep the small fire lit • Also be alert to whatever may come • Weetamoo sees the deer that her and Cedar killed • The deer wanted her to follow • Her following the deer went on for hours • The deer had lead her to their seaside village • The deer wanted Weetamoo to go in front of her

9. The Seaside Village • Weetamoo was brought to the tideline and then figured out why she was there • She saw a lady with long black hair covering her eyes • The lady had a child in her arms • The lady had square eyes and it was Squant • Squant was holding Weetamoo’s sister Snowbird • Snowbird was happy, laughing, and patting Squant’s face • Squant and Snowbird left and Weetamoodidn’t follow

10. After the Seaside Village • Weetamoodoesn’t know if Squant will heal Snowbird • This is the 2nd and last night of her fast • She feels weak and lightheaded • The deer came back again

11. The 2nd time the deer came • Longer walk than last walk • Saw a fire and heard screams but didn’t stop • It became a spring morning • It was the time of catching fish • Weetamoo saw her grown up self • Along with her sister and Metacom • Weetamoo had a baby on her back • Metacom picked up the bloodroot and smeared it on his forehead, along with Weetamoo and the baby • But not for W‪eeetamoo’s sister

12. After the 2nd night • Red Hawk came to pray with Weetamoo and take her back to her parents • She will finish her thinking later • Red Hawk asked her questions about her dreams/ visions • The Powwaw asked a lot of questions • The most important thing the Powwaw said was that Weetamoo kept her fire alight after the two days

13. Late that night • Weetamoo was back with her family • Elders held another sweat that night • They marked Weetamoo and Cedar’s return from their fasting • Weetamoo thought Cedar’s face looked different • Weetamoo wonders what Cedar saw in her dream/ vision