Chapter 9 Summary

January comes and with it the clamming season and dancing season. Clamming has the practical aspect of bringing seasonal food to the tribe. During this time, the tides dictate the schedule of the clammers and other tribal activities. The dancing conveys a great deal of tribal heritage and culture, and attendance at the dances is strictly limited to tribal members and a very few others. At the beginning of the season, Mark is not included, but then he is asked to perform an Evensong for a potlatch in Guilford, a nearby village. Jim explains the dances to Mark as they occur. The Grouse Dance portrays a young boy's dream of grouse hunting. The Moon Dance portrays a debate between the Full Moon and Half Moon. Various other woodland characters are portrayed in the dances. The dances last three hours and provide Mark a...