1840 Indian Rebirth

Chapter 141 [Spring Festival Gathering]

Winter to spring.

It's 1847.

About [-] kilometers northwest of Sleeping Bear City, an Indian clan lives here.

They looked no different than most Indians who lived as gamers.

Their faces are painted, their heads are tied with feathers, they are used to going topless, they ride horses and hunt, live in teepees...

Yet just a few years ago, they belonged to the most feared group in the West—the Arapaho.

As the most warlike Indian tribe, the Arapaho are feared by all tribes, and the whites are also a headache.

For now, though, the Arapaho live a peaceful life, at least for this clan.

"Chief Crow, there's an Apache messenger outside," the Arapaho reported to his chief.

This clan is none other than the Crow's clan.

"Apache's messenger?" Crow was taken aback when he heard that.

"Yes, the messenger of Sleeping Bear City."

"Let him in quickly." The crow said immediately.

Soon he saw the messenger from Sleeping Bear City, a young man in jeans and cotton clothes.

"Hello, respected Chief Crow." The messenger said in Arapaho, "I am the messenger of Sleeping Bear City, turn the drum."

"Hello, Fangu." The crow also said.

The two greeted each other a few times, then turned the drum and said, "Chief Crow, I am here this time to represent Chief Mashao, and invite your tribe to participate in the Spring Festival ceremony in Sleeping Bear City."

"Spring Festival?"

Fangu explained: "Apache has made some adjustments to the traditional festivals and set up a Spring Festival as our most important festival. We will hold a grand party on this festival and invite guests from all walks of life. You are also inviting Among them, and the most anticipated guest of Chief Horse Whistle."

The crow hesitated a little, and pondered: "Of course I am happy to go to the invitation of the Son of the Sky. But the journey is far away, and the tribe also needs me, so I'm afraid I can't be there in person."

Fan Drum: "If you can't go there in person, you can also send an envoy."

In mid-March, it is almost the vernal equinox.

"Little beast, how are the comedy rehearsals I gave you?" Horse Whistle asked the little beast in the chief's hall, while writing.

The little bastard is already 16 years old, and he still hasn't grown much taller, and he still hasn't gotten rid of the name: "Don't worry, big chief, we've already memorized the lines backwards!"

Ma Whistle nodded: "At that time, there will be thousands of people attending the Spring Festival gathering, and many of them will be from other tribes, including Chief Oak from the Chiricahua tribe... don't make any mistakes."

Many Native American tribes have Spring Festival, Apache also has, and it is very important.

This is no surprise, the arrival of spring is a time of celebration for all human beings.

According to the new calendar, Mashao fixed the time of various traditional Apache festivals, and the Spring Festival was directly set on the vernal equinox.

Strictly speaking, it is not according to the calendar, but according to the fact that the earth moves.

His definition of Spring Festival time is the moment when the sun's rays return to the equator from the southern hemisphere.

If the calendar changes in the future, there is no need to modify this definition.

During this festival, Sleeping Bear will host a huge party that lasts from day to night.

At the party, people will sing and dance, and there will be comedy, martial arts competitions and other programs. It is very lively, similar to the Spring Festival Gala of later generations.

In addition, there is the oldest tradition - meeting the messenger.

Although Indians have tribal alliances, tribes, and clans, most of the time, tribes and tribal alliances do not actually exist.

People are scattered here and there in the form of clans.

Only on major festivals or wars does a tribe or tribal confederation gather, or at least send emissaries to.

Sleeping Bear City has gathered the plain tribes, but the influence of the plain tribes today is no longer limited to one tribe.

Most of the Indian tribes in the Southwest will send envoys to attend the Spring Festival gathering held in Sleeping Bear City.

"There will never be any deviation." The little beast patted his chest and assured, "If it happens, I won't be called a little beast!"

Ma Shao thought for a moment: "But you are a comedy show, it's not a big deal if you make a mistake, just smile and pass."

"Great chief, do you want to act together?" The little beast asked with some expectation.

"No." Ma Shao said, "You have such a talent for comedy, I just leave it to you."

"What is this?" The little beast looked at the manuscript that Ma Shuo was writing, which was written in English he didn't know very well, "What kind of gun is that?"

"No, it's another book I want to write." Ma Whistle said.

The little beast looked at the text on it: "Why does it seem to be all in English?"

"Because it's for the British." The horse post didn't explain much.

"Okay, you go back and continue preparing for the Spring Festival party. This is the first grand gathering after the population of Sleeping Bear City exceeded 1."

For the upcoming Spring Festival, the people of Sleeping Bear City have been busy for a while.

A few days before the vernal equinox, outside guests arrived in Sleeping Bear City one after another to meet the horse post.

All the Apache tribes sent envoys, and most of them were important figures.Apart from Apache, many tribes or clans within a radius of hundreds of kilometers have basically sent envoys.

Counting the envoy's entourage, there were hundreds of people who came to participate in the Spring Festival.

"Chief, this is Chief Crow's younger brother, Man Shi." Fangu came back from Arapaho, and with him was Man Shi, who represented Crow to participate in the Apache Spring Festival.

Horse Whistle was a little surprised by this.

After all, although Arapaho has stopped the war behavior, internal opinions are not unified. Some advocate peace and some advocate war, even after the defeat of the tri-ethnic coalition forces.

Some Arapaho people know that they can't beat the Apache, but they still want to shout.

Under such a background, the crow would have some concerns about attending the Apache festival, and it is entirely possible to refuse.

Unexpectedly, the crow still sent an envoy, and it was his younger brother, which can be said to be very sincere.

Man Shi is obviously Wu Ya's younger brother, and they are six or seven points similar in appearance.

"On behalf of my elder brother, I extend my regards and respect to you." Man Shi leaned over and said.

"Welcome." Ma Shao also said, "Tomorrow is Apache's Spring Festival, we will hold a grand party, all the guests, the aborigines of all ethnic groups will gather together, enjoy the fun of food, singing and dancing. "

After the stone was full, another guest surprised the horse post.

To be precise, this is a standard "uninvited guest".

"Hello, Chief Albert, I'm John Brown, representing Colonel Donivan to attend the Spring Festival in Sleeping Bear City." Brown is a young lieutenant, who looks 26 or seven years old.

First of all, the name moved Ma Shao's heart, and he recalled the history.

John Brown.

A well-known, radical, even extreme abolitionist whose armed uprising led much to the outbreak of the Civil War.

But the person in front of him seems to have just the same name. Although Horse Whistle doesn't know much about John Brown, he still feels intuitively that this is just the same name.

John Brown should be much older than the lieutenant in front of him.

Moreover, this lieutenant looked a little bookish, and he was probably the same type of person as Donivan. He might support the abolition of slavery, but he was by no means the kind of radical who was willing to fight for the abolition of slavery.

What's more important is the judgment of probability - there are too many duplications of bad street names like John Brown, and it is estimated that there are thousands of them in the United States.

"At the Colonel's order, I have brought some presents," said Lieutenant Brown, "including some champagne."

"Lieutenant Brown, we don't seem to have invited you, or Colonel Donivan." Horse Whistle said lightly.

"Indeed." Lieutenant Brown smiled, "But Colonel Donivan thinks that we should send you holiday blessings, don't you welcome it?"

Horse whistle is really not welcome.

This Spring Festival celebration is prepared for Indians of all ethnic groups, and an implicit intention is to unite the aborigines against the colonists.

Of course, he didn't want the Americans to participate in such an activity to unite the Indians. Although he had a good impression of Donivan, the lawyer-turned-officer was more reasonable and easy to get along with.

But everyone is here, and tomorrow is the Spring Festival, so it's not easy to send them back.

And Brown brought some presents.

So the horse sentry finally gave face: "Of course you are welcome, Lieutenant Brown. There will be many rare songs, dances and food in this grand ceremony. I hope you will have a good time."

"Thank you," Lieutenant Brown said.

The next day.

On the day when the sun shines directly on the equator, at the vernal equinox, the Spring Festival party belonging to Sleeping Bear City is officially held.

On the square, outside guests and many residents of Sleeping Bear City huddled together, looking forward to the show amidst fireworks and bonfires.

There are also many people gathered outside the square, at least a few relatives and neighbors gather together to eat, like the Chinese New Year, very lively.

During the festival, at the request of many clansmen, drinking houses provide some cheap alcoholic drinks to adults, so that the hard-pressed alcoholics can satisfy their hunger a little.

But in general, drinking is still very little, at least no one gets too drunk.

Except for one - John Brown.

Not only did the horse whistle not impose any restrictions on John Brown's drinking, but he even encouraged several people to take turns pouring alcohol, which made him sell his own champagne.

In doing so, I naturally don't want Brown to get too much information in this grand ceremony, and it is best to know nothing.

The plan went smoothly. Lieutenant Brown did not resist the temptation of champagne, was drunk heavily, and finally fell drunk in the audience, bragging to himself.

The party went on as scheduled.

Horse Whistle is still the host of the whole party, even on rainy days, and the two take turns.

There wasn't much opening line or anything, most people don't like to listen to that stuff, and after a short speech, it was followed by songs.

"...Clansmen, friends, let us enjoy the chorus song "Unity is Strength"." Horse Whistle announced.

"The song will be led by me, accompanied by our band."

Apache's band lineup has been further upgraded. In addition to drums and flutes, there are horns and a piano.

Of course Sleeping Bear bought the piano from the East and hired a white pianist who is now on the floor.

"Get ready!" The horse whistle waved his hand.

"Unity is strength, unity is strength, this strength is iron, this strength is steel, harder than iron, stronger than steel..."

Like the Chinese version, the song is almost impossible to pronounce.

Anyone who has heard it before can't help singing along.

The first sentence was still sung by dozens of people, and the second sentence was sung by all the Sleeping Bear people in the square.

After a few sentences, people who had never heard the song began to hum along with the rhythm.

"Unity is strength..." The chief oak sitting in the front row of the auditorium also hummed, and then looked at the sleepy man next to him, "Is this a song made up by the horse whistle?"

"Of course, almost all songs," said Sleepy Man, singing along excitedly. "The Warchief made everything."

Oak stroked his chin, lost in thought, but after a while, he hummed along: "Unity is strength..."

The singing spread throughout the city, and almost everyone sang along. Thousands of singing voices quickly ignited the festive atmosphere.

This atmosphere was maintained until the evening.

Residents and thousands of people from various ethnic groups gathered on the square outside the Hall of the Chiefs to watch the performance.

The Apache people outside the square are also in groups of three or four, gathering to enjoy delicious food, music in the distance, and playing duel cards. The whole city is filled with a happy atmosphere.

The last program is the chorus of the army, and the song is an adaptation of "When That Day Comes", which is Ma Shuo's favorite military song.

The performance by the Apache soldiers was as much a chorus as it was a military parade.

Soldiers in uniforms stepped onto the stage with neat and powerful steps, a hundred of them coordinated like a heavy and precise machine.

Armed with swords and guns, they were valiant and high-spirited. After standing still, they sang in unison, and the majestic singing came like a wave.

"Are you ready!

"Soldier brothers!"

"Relax tribe!"

"Don't worry, my dear!"

"In order to win, I will go forward bravely!"

The Sleeping Bears were accustomed to their military style, but the Indians of all races had never seen such a scene, and they were almost stunned on the spot.

No one doubts the combat effectiveness of such an army.

Including Lieutenant Brown, he could hardly understand the lyrics, and the alcohol made him a little unconscious, but it still didn't prevent him from being shocked by the powerful chorus of the Apache soldiers.

He knew that the vast majority of American troops were far from having such an imposing, steel-like aura.

In addition to rich food and entertainment, the Spring Festival gathering is also an important diplomatic event.

Yes, just like the Olympic Games in later generations, it is an excellent opportunity to show oneself to the outside world.

The envoys of various Indian ethnic groups who came to watch were all amazed at the majesty, richness and prosperity of Sleeping Bear City, and were impressed by the unique cultural style of Sleeping Bear City.

The second day after the party.

Chief Oak went to the horse post and hesitated for a moment: "I think we can talk about your last proposal."

(End of this chapter)