Two women of the remote untouched island prepared their offering according to ancient rituals.
The 37 fish were laid end to end before the eldest unwrapped the extravagantly woven pearl Orca Shawl, laying it over her shoulders, and proceeded to begin the ceremony. Each fish stood for one hundred years of worship. This was year 3799.
The honor of this task showed in their sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks.
They’d fasted for the last two days, prior to this most holy event, so some of their lightheadedness may have been from the lack of calories rather than the approaching Spirit, but they didn’t believe that.
The first Orca would be here before dark and the sun was already getting low in the sky. They broke into songs of praise to the God of Longevity who rides on the Orca as they migrate through this channel every year. The timing was always to the first day of the full moon after the Spring equinox.
The eldest men manned a boat near the mouth of that avenue waiting to signal the arrival of The Keepers of Life.
Suddenly the boat lit up with torches lining its deck!
The women tossed the fish, one by one, starting as the first jet black dorsal fin passed the sacred rock.
The leaders, and largest of the beasts, rolled on their sides studying the women baring wide toothy smiles of recognition, after accepting the gifted fish, then proceeded on their trek.
The yearly ceremony ended once the moon was directly overhead and the ocean had turned to glass.
As the lookout ship escorted the women home from their rocky post, the eldest carefully rewrapped the shawl that her great grandmother had worn for the very first ceremony of The Keepers of Life.
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Really neat that you made up this ritual — and it’s still going on many, many years from now 🙂
Thanks so much, Dave. I appreciate you commenting!