Making Berry Pemmican

As the games came to an end around camp Gonyaul could hear the communal celebrations of good sportsmanship. He made note of how such fun really rejuvenated the atmosphere after a morning of chores. Next, Gonyaul was dragged into helping prepare the upcoming communal dinner.

He was partnered with a lovely young lady, a couple years younger than him. She was missing her left arm starting just above the elbow, having been born that way. Unbeknownst to Gonyaul, this defect was one reason she was still a dependent of her parents and not yet wed. Gonyaul wondered if they were paired so that he could assist her; however, he very quickly discovered she was most capable and was more adept at getting things done during the meal preparation than he was after she showed him what to do. She was a superb teacher, patient and kind; the two of them got along exceedingly well as a team for their mealtime responsibility, despite the language barrier.

The elder Odsier women were preparing the flesh of the caribou. It was the great staple of the nomadic Odsier, though elk, antelope, bear and smaller game were not infrequently used. On the other hand, vegetable foods were always a considerable portion of their diet, many of the groups made extensive use of wild rice, wild roots, seeds, and fruits. During seasons where they would camp for longer periods of times, they would even cultivate small crops such as corn.

The elders had been paying particular attention to the interaction between Gonyaul and the younger woman. It was no accident after all they put the two together, it being more of a test. Seeing the natural chemistry between the two was encouraging to them. The one armed girl, who was unaware she was smiling from ear to ear, did not know that the other women were setting her up and would later be having a private talk with her parents. Gonyaul was clueless, he thought they were just making a meal. One thing was for certain the plan was to get the two in the same chore and game groups moving forward. It would be a good match for her in their minds.

Dorgarag incorrectly explained that Gonyaul was a bonecaster, thinking his ability was to stop other bonecasters. In addition, his details on their meeting, fight and his kindness were all positives. Not to mention, he knew Erewhon; truthfully Gonyaul only knew the word but was learning more about what it meant now surrounded by Odsier. The fact he wasn’t an Odsier was the only potential drawback when it came to acquiring the parents consent.

Gonyaul and the one armed Odsier woman were responsible for making pemmican, dried meat of the caribou … or other larger game … pounded fine.

The most characteristic kind among the Odsier was the berry pemmican. To make this, the best cuts of the caribou were dried in the usual manner. Chokeberries were gathered and crushed with stones, pulverizing the pits, and reducing the whole to a thick paste which was partially dried in the sun. Then the dried meat was softened by holding over a fire, after which it was pounded fine with a stone or stone-headed maul.

This pulverized meat was mixed with melted fat and marrow, to which was added the dried but sticky chokeberry paste. The whole mass was then packed in a long, flat rawhide bag, called a parfleche. With proper care, such pemmican would keep for years.

Pemmican was greatly prized by the far traveling Odsier, as well as any outside groups that came to experience it.