The Musical Story of Akime: The Boy Hunter

Akime slowly crept forward in perfect imitation of the older men.  This was his first hunting trip, and there were many buffalo to feed his tribe.  As they padded soundlessly through the forest and to the field, the men readied their spears.  Akime’s father signaled them all to stop.  “Tatonka!” he whispered, and Akime quivered with delight.  The word tatonka meant buffalo the Lakota language.  Soon they felt the vibrations of the huge beast’s hooves in the ground.  Akime held his spear in his sweaty palm.  His father signaled them to charge into the field.  Akime ran at the back of the group, but was the first to realize that the buffalo were gone.  “Tuktel epi (Where they)?” he was confused.  The other men glanced around.  “Leciya heci (Over there)!!!” a few men shouted and ran over a small hill.  Akime followed, a bit disappointed.  Then he heard a snort and a bray which could only mean one thing…buffalo! The other men heard too.  They all galloped over the hill to where a healthy herd of buffalo grazed.  Akime immediately spotted a weak one at the edge of the group.  “He (that one!)!” he called, pointing.  Half the men gathered around and surrounded it.  They all held their spears high until Akime’s father killed in one quick blow.  Then as the men gathered round to drag it back to their camp, Akime helped the other group of men to surround another sick and injured buffalo.  This time Akime’s uncle put it out of it’s pain and they all helped bring it back to the camp.  Akime was proud that he had spotted the first buffalo.  For all he knew, it could be the key to keeping his tribe alive.  The women of the tribe washed and skinned the buffalo.  Then the men roasted it.  Akime couldn’t wait for the feast that would be held that night!

He spent the rest of the evening racing horses with the other boys.  His little sister watched and giggled every time he fell off his horse.  She was wearing a new dress, made out of buffalo hide.  Most of the tribe had received a portion of the buffalo skin, so many of the girls had new cloaks or gowns.  

Finally the feast was ready.  There was buffalo meat and vegetables for everyone.  Afterward the elders told legends and tales of their ancestors and brave heroes.  Akime told his father that night that he hoped that one day he could be a brave hero. 

“ Yuha olepi lyececa apeha na niye tawaci mita wa ciksi (Keep hunt like today, and you will, my son).”