Novel Yancy

Marriage, Lancer Family, fire

George’s wedding


          Berry Blossom comes from Rising Sun's tent. She passed George carrying a woven cedar basket. She hands Majag one and says something in their native tongue.





“Is everything all right?” George asks.





He was wearing Majag's deer skin moccasins and shirt. He also wore the robe of bear fur which belonged to Rising Sun. Two white dove feathers stood straight toward the sky from the top of the fur hat he wore this day. Majag was wearing the old beaten leather Stetson hat, and Rising Sun wore Yancy's snake skin boots. It was customary for the bride's male family members to trade clothing with the groom to symbolize intermingling to her family and community.





Majag places Yancy's hunting knife into the wedding basket. “She says that the tribe will send word to anyone you want to attend your wedding since you have no family.”





George shakes his head. He knew that there would not be many of his people that would understand or support his marriage. “No, I only his this family now.” He replied as he handed Majag the watch that his father had left him at death to join the knife in the basket.





Inside Rising Sun's tent, the focus was on Chenoa. Berry Blossom brought in the other basket. She was wearing what was known as a tear dress. This was a dress made of torn pieces of wolf skin. It was torn in jagged shapes and sewn together to create a dress that reaches the knees.





However, Majag and Rising Sun hunted the wolf. They had tracked until they were able to separate the snow white spirit from the rest. Berry Blossom did the sewing. Her moccasins were made from the hide of the bear that George had killed. She wore a robe of its skin over her shoulders. Her two black braids that she liked to wear was decorated with beads and Eagle feathers.





“Sister,” Berry Blossom states. Her parents had been killed so she moved her family to live with Majag's tribe. “Your basket. I know that you have no sisters to carry it. I would be proud to carry it for you.”





Chenoa nods. “ I have put my treasures by the fire. I have chosen the beaver quilt that mother made to keep us warm as times get cold. The corn will feed us when we get hungry. I also place seven Eagle's eggs. Each for the children I hope to give my husband.”





“It is a good gift that you take into you marriage to you husband.” Berry Blossom gently places the items into the cedar basket.





The field beneath the waterfall was covered with the lovely wild flowers. The orange lilies, purple tulip, and the pretty roses of multiple colors. The lovely green trees blossoming with lively blossoms that would soon be fruit that would serve for food. Mother earth has done her part in creating a beautiful place to begin a life together.





Berry Blossom and Majag follow the beautiful young bride to the water's edge.





Minister begins, “ Here in this circle is an new beginning. A love given by the Great Father to bring up more seed to both the Cherokee and the White-Man in peace.


Having been cleansed, we are now ready to join Chenoa with this man as husband George.





“Chenoa, what do you provide for this union of marriage?”





Chenoa looks up to her betrothed “I provide these treasures to my husband and our home. They are symbol that I will care for you and love you always.”





Minister turns to look at George. “George: what do you provide for this union of marriage?”





“I give my hunting knife so that there is always food on the table. My watch is yours to remind you that every minute with you will be safe. I give my Bible so you know that the Great Father is with us. These are the things I offer to my wife. They are a symbol that I will provide, love and protect our family always.”





“You may exchange baskets.”





Chenoa and George face each other. She bends before her new husband and sits the basket at his feet. George does the same, and he noticed that if this girl was afraid to be marrying someone that she hardly knew, she did not show it.





Minister speaks, “Now you will feel no rain, for you will be shelter to each other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Soon you will go to your resting place, to enter into the days of your togetherness. May your days be good and long upon the earth.”





Minister then looks toward the sky. “Above you are the stars, below you are the stones. As time does pass, remember; Like a star should your love be constant. Like a stone should your love be firm. Be close, yet not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with the other; for storms will come, but they will go quickly. Be free in giving of affection and warmth. Make love often, and be sensuous to one another. Have no fear, and let not the ways of words of the unenlightened give you unease. For the Great Spirit is with you, now and always”.





He faces the guests. Family in the inner circle with the couple, and the others were scattered out about fifty feet of the beautiful valley.





“Family and friends, we are blessed to be examples for the couple. This white-man is now our brother. He will give Chenoa the children to her tribe.





Minister returns his attention to the couple “ Repeat after me. ' I, ( Chenona ) take you ( George ) as my husband. I do solemnly promise my love for you. I will comfort you, keep you, love you, defend you in sickness or in health, in riches or poorer, in sorrow or joy, seeking only to be with you until death parts us. All these things I pledge upon my honor.”





Minister turns his attention to George, “ Repeat after me. ' I, George, take you, Chenoa, as my wife. I do solemnly promise my love for you. I will comfort you, keep you, love you, defend you in sickness or in health, in riches or poorer, in sorrow or joy, seeking only to be with you until death parts us. All these things I pledge upon my honor.”





Since neither of the couple had a living mother, Berry Blossom and Chenoa's aunt place the wedding blanket around their shoulders pulling the two closer.





Minister faces the sky and blesses the baskets. “Father Sky and Mother Earth, creator and nurturer of all life, we give heartfelt thanks for the moment that brought Chenoa and G together in the Holy State of Marriage…….. Aho!





Now as you George, and you Chenoa have consented together in matrimony and have pledged your faith to each other by the giving and the receiving of these rings before your family and Community.”





“ I NOW PRONOUNCE THAT YOU ARE HUSBAND AND WIFE. “





George kisses his young bride.





Rising Sun gently shakes the turtle rattle signaling for the drums to begin. George and Chenoa stand while her tribe celebrate dance around them 7 times with gift offerings to the couple.





The wedding party continues with dance and celebration of with food & drink even after the couple have gone for their wedding night.





It was hard for the Lancer family to live happily in the small town of Garrett Kentucky. In 1939, hill folk did not agree with mixed marriage. Seventeen year old Chenoa had been an Indian maiden. While George Lancer was a twenty four year old Garrett Sheriff.





Chenoa was given to George after he had saved her father, Rising Sun, from a bear attack. Though many of the Cherokee Indians no longer believed in arranged marriages, and most of the Indian tribes had moved to reservations long before. Just a few small clans were left to die off leaving the remaining land to the white government. However, Chenoa's tribe were true to their customs. George knew that declining such a gift would be an insult to her people.





Chenoa stood taller than most women. Her black hair hang long down her back with two small braids running down the sides of her face with decorative feathers and beads in the strands of hair. Her cheek bones were high. She stood proud. Her back arched and pride in her eyes. She knew that this would be the life that she would have to live, and her Cherokee blood would be tarnished by her disobedience.





George allowed Chenoa to live in his house without any physical contact for years. He taught her English and sent her to school. The one room school had many students that were not happy with an Indian squaw attending their school. She had been teased, pushed, and tortured by the other white students. George could see the warrior coming out in the beautiful young maiden’s eyes. That was when George begin to pay the teacher for private lessons.





One evening George had come home from a hard day. There where Chenoa the Indian girl should have been standing, was a tall dark woman. She was dressed in a pale blue dress. She wore her hair in a bun with strains waving around her face. Dark eyes shining. Her feet was the only tale of who this woman was earlier in the day. There at the end of her long skirt was a pair of worn moccasins.





George smiles as he realizes that this was when his young wife finally wanted, not from custom, to be his wife. He runs his fingers through the strains of hair flowing around her face. “You are so beautiful.” He allows his hand to rest on her cheek for a moment. Then George walks over to the bed. He picks up her Cherokee dress. “But you are more beautiful being my Cherokee wife.” He brings her into him with the softest embrace that she had in her life. Her people did not show this kind of affection. She looks up at George not sure what was next. Their eyes meet. Their lips meet. The couple fell into each others arms.

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