“Mondoani!”
“Yes, Old Mother.”
“Your place is with me now. No longer will you sit with the young children or with the tribe – you are to be a memory keeper; the God’s have chosen you.
Mondoani took a quick look at her friends at play before she solemnly followed Old Mother to the fire that separated them from the clan.
“You are not whom I would have chosen, Mondoani, for you, are slight of body and frail in appearance. Perhaps, you will not be able to hold the spirits of the God’s within you and survive the trance. However, they chose you, so I will teach you, and we will hope you gain the physical and spiritual strength that is needed,” the old mother said while gesturing for Mondoani to sit.
Mondoani said nothing; instead, she squared her small, thin shoulders and sat nearer to Old Mother’s fire.
“Oh well, your body is not built for child bearing; maybe this is why they chose you. For the spirits of Sotunknang, the nephew of the great Creator; Takuskanskan, the God of change, themselves came down and picked you instead of the other young women. It was a remarkable and immense honor to be bestowed upon you.
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