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Fictional Diary Entry
Diary #2 Foragers
Author: Catherine Mendel
Instructor: Deborah Supelak
Class: Anthropology2201
Time Period: 17,000 years B.P.
Culture: Southwest France, near Lascaux
Location: Cro-Magnon
Gender and Approximate Age: Male, 16 years old
The cold wind blasting across my face abruptly wakes me up. I, along with several
others of my band who were awoken this way, scramble in the dim light to block the
blustery frigid gusts from entering our cave. It appears the mammoth and bison skins
that were positioned at the cave's opening have partly collapsed, maybe from the force
of the wind itself. I work with several other men and women to readjust the rocks
and large bones that had been supporting the hides. This is a difficult task, for
it was not yet sunrise and the majority of light we had to work by came from the few
remaining coals of last night's wood fire in the hearth. There is some light from
the half moon and stars, but it is not very helpful, being on the side of the hides
we were attempting to block out. It takes us longer than usual to fix the hide curtain
across the cave face because of the lack of light, but the job is soon done.
After all the commotion, I decide to lie back down on the outskirts of a group of
women and children who themselves where surrounding the fire. Although the fire had
burnt most of the way out, it still casts an eerie glow over the cave and on all the
sleeping people. It is peaceful in here, in this moment, and yet outside, the wind
and the world are so harsh.
I try to go back to sleep, but it was so near dawn. Besides, my thoughts had already
turned to the excitement that would come with the next full moon. It would be the
time of the passing of many herds. A time when a great number of herds of reindeer,
bison, red deer, and wild horses would all pass through a valley not far from here.
Many bands with many people will all gather together at this time to hunt, trade,
perform rituals, find mates, and maybe even join different bands. I look forward to
these occasions where many people will be together. It is a time when you can see
great and wondrous things from far away, maybe even trade for some if you are lucky
enough. At the last such meeting I had taken a bone point I made, which I had spent
much time carving intricately with the image of a red deer buck, and was able to trade
it, along with several skins, for a piece of amber. I fashioned the amber into a necklace,
with the help of a bone needle for piercing a hole through it, which now hangs proudly
on my chest. This year in particular, I look forward to the rites of the hunt that
the shaman will lead us in. I have taken a more active role as leader in the hunts
because of my physical prowess, and hope to be able to see and perhaps someday make
my mark on the Great Cave. The Great Cave is a special cave near the passing of the
herds that we use to connect with the spirit of the animals, our ancestors, and the
hunt itself. We do this through painting, sculpting, carving into the rock of the
cave, and other more transitory rituals.
I am brought out of my reverie by the stirrings of those around me in the cave waking.
It is morning and time to start the day. I wake fully and stand to stretch. The cave
is a comfortable temperature so I am not wearing much clothing, but at the prospect
of going outside, I immediately put on my thick, fitted bison-hide coat and my rabbit-skin
shoes. I head outside the hide curtain to the nearby spring to find water. I heartily
drink the clear, crisp water. Then I return to the cave-site to retrieve my baskets
and fishhooks and meet up with the others who will be gathering food today. We head
out on our way to the river. There are still fish to be had in the river, even though
the run of mating season is past. On the way to the river we find what I had hoped
we would, several patches of raspberry bushes that are ripe. I ravenously stuff my
face with them before filling one of my baskets. Once all the members of my foraging
party have filled their bellies and baskets, we make our way to the river. It is a
quiet day at the water's edge snacking on raspberries and waiting for fish to bite.
After a while, when we have caught a sufficient amount of fish to feed the group,
we pack up everything, making sure the fish and remaining berries are secure in our
baskets. We begin the return trip home to the cave and the others waiting for us.
On the way back, we stop by the raspberry bushes to replenish our baskets.
At the cave, those who we left are busy working on projects like spear points and
antler carvings, and other things we work on when we are not needed to forage for
food (when it's not our turn or when food is plentiful). The raspberries are passed
around while the fish are hung over the now strong hearth fire. The smell of fish
cooking quickly fills the cave and I can feel my stomach turn with hunger at the prospect
of the delicious smelling meal.
Once the fish is done, it is removed from the fire and the people who caught the fish,
including me, are tasked with handing it out to the group. I go to hand it out to
one in our band who is older than all the rest. He has lost his teeth and needs help
chewing his food. I have the honor of doing this for him and am grateful to have been
deemed worthy.
After the meal is finished, we all break of into small groups to sit around and work
on various things. There is a group sewing hides into clothing; a group using bone
needles to punch holes in small bones to make into necklaces; a group weaving and
mending nets; a group making small blades from large cores; and another group using
burins to carve on bone, antler, wood, and weapons. I join the carving group and set
to my work. I do not realize how late it is getting until the sun is already down
and the only light left is that of the fire. I wrap my work up in a skin and retreat
to the back of the main chamber of the cave. I make a bed of hides and lay down, noticing
as I do that many others are fast asleep by now. I have not realized how tired I was
until just now. Perhaps the early waking of this morning has made me more tired. I
drift swiftly off to sleep.