Authors note: Some of the words in a different language in this story are in Cherokee & Potawatomi and will be translated at the bottom of the chapter and in the sentences. I am not Cherokee or Potawatomi so I don't know if some of the words are used correctly.
Chapter 2 Adanvdo
"Katara, you're late." Her mother Kaya said as she watched her daughter walk through the door.
"Sorry unetsi. I went to see a friend to see if he'd hang out tomorrow." She explained as she went to the garage to put her board away.
"Hurry and wash up. We are having the Woha'li family over for dinner. They are all in the living room." The Woha'li family consisted of three members—Cun Xi, his wife Norma and their sixteen-year-old son Jet.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked as she rushed upstairs to change out of her wetsuit and to wash her hair. Katara hurried when she heard the front door open and the intense voice of Cun Xi.
She came back down dressed a blue tank top, jeans and wore a talisman given to her by Cun Xi that had the symbol of the Moon Spirit for good luck. Cun Xi was the village speaker of the osda adanedi and unequa, or the good and great spirits. He's the trusted kiye'kwe'nIne', preacher.
"It's about time Katara. Say hello to our guests." Kaya said as she served everyone rice at the dinner table.
"Hi. I'm sorry I'm a little late." She apologized with a small bow.
"Siyo Katara." Jet greeted winking at her.
"Osiyo. I'm glad you were able to make it. Sokka told us you were out with some friends and I was hoping to get a chance to speak to you tonight." Cun Xi said as she sat down.
"Is everything okay?" Kaya asked while she sat besides her husband.
"Yes, just cloudy visions." Cun Xi said, rubbing the side of his forehead. "And bizarre tsagi."
"Let's not talk about that right now, dear." Norma suggested. "So are you two excited for school?" She asked directing her attention to Katara and Sokka.
"Not really." Sokka answered truthfully but displeased his mother.
"Sokka." Kaya silently scolded.
Norma, a woman notorious for gossip, tilted her head. "Why not?"
"Because edoda enrolled us in the new school with the stupid locals." He said picking at his food.
"Sokka, don't use that kind of language while we eat." Hakoda gave him a warning glance.
Cun Xi chuckled. "Jet was the same way. We enrolled him there as well."
Norma nodded. "It is a good opportunity for them to meet new and different people."
"Locals try to hard to impress us. Its annoying." Jet said matching Sokka's tone of frustration.
Sokka nodded in agreement. "At least I'll know someone there. I don't have any local friends."
"That's why this is a good chance for you. Make more friends." Kaya concurred with Norma.
"What about you Katara? Do you know any locals?" Cun Xi asked while taking a large bite of rice.
"Yes. I know three. They are really nice and they don't try to show off anything. They're cool." She said.
Cun Xi smiled, pleased with her optimistic attitude.
As the women went on about school, the men began talking about the reason why the Woha'li's came over which interested the teens quickly.
"I fear that change is coming." Cun Xi said seriously.
"Change is a good thing, isn't it?" Hakoda asked remising Cun Xi's past speeches.
He clasped his hands together. "Not this."
They were quiet for a moment.
"I saw Katara on trial." Cun Xi whispered.
Her eyes widen and her mouth dropped a bit. The boys looked at her in shock as well.
"No! Why?" He asked loudly causing the woman to look over.
"What happend?" Kaya asked. Sokka leaned to his mother and repeated what the preacher said as softly as possible trying to not disrupt Cun Xi.
Everyone waited for Cun Xi to give an answer.
On the island, when someone would go against their beliefs or had done something forbidden they would go on trial with the Moon Spirit as the only judge. It was a terrible and dishonorable thing to occur in any household. It was a mysterious event where horrific miracles occurred.
"I don't know, but I saw her in the water waiting to be judged." He looked at Katara. "How many times do you wear that talisman?" He asked.
She cletched onto the inconveniently long necklace. "Um, when I'm home everyday. I don't wear it outside because I'm afraid to lose it." She answered truthfully.
He nodded. "Then I will make you another to wear. You need something to keep the sgina away."
"I have something Cun Xi. I have a necklace she can wear. Would you be able purify it and bless it in Mother's name?" Kaya suggested as to not trouble him with having to give Katara another talisman that she knew she wouldn't wear.
"Yes, something given by a relative would keep her safer from evil spirits. I would be able to do the ceremony after dinner if you'd like." He said, wiping his mouth.
"That would be good. Sooner the better." Hakoda agreed.
After dinner everyone gathered in the living room and watched as Cun Xi asked the Moon Spirit to watch the island even more carefully and to bless the pendant on the engagement necklace that Kaya wore every day.
"Remove the necklace now and place it in your daughters hands." He said in their native tongue. She did so. "Katara, tie it now around your neck, if you agree to let the Moon Spirit and all theamaskagahi guide and protect you for as long as you wear it."
She quickly tied it while Jet helped pull her hair back.
"Iw." Cun Xi ended the ceremony.
That night as everyone slept, Katara opened her window that viewed many trees below and the moon on the horizon. She watched as the reflection of the moon shone brightly across the ocean for a moment then Katara put her hands together.
"Moon Spirit. Mother, it's Katara. Will I be put on examination against you? Was Cun Xi wrong? I'm only a kid, what could I possibly do to dishonor your name?" She stared off at the moon then after a while she decided to close her window and go to sleep. She had a big day in the morning to hang out with her friends on the last day of summer.
"Katara? Katara wake up." Kaya said shaking her daughters shoulder. "Wake up, my adawehi."
Her eyes slowly opened. "Mom? What is it? I'm sleepy."
"Adawehi, weren't you going out with your friends today?"
"Yeah, why?" She asked,.
"Katara, you told me you were going to meet them at eleven thirty. It's already after ten. Don't you want breakfast?"
She shot up from her bed. "Ten? Already? I have to get ready."
"You should eat something before you leave!"
"That's ok, mom. We'll stop by somewhere on the way!" She quickly picked up her still wet bathing suit from the floor and ran to the bathroom.
As she forced her suit on she had the same memories flash into her mind every time she had to look at her bathing suit. She remembered the time when she was ten and too old for the child's swim wear.
"Katara, koyake' bought you a swimming suit." Her grandmother Kana had said four years ago. She had bought Katara her first two-piece and she had been so excited. Later that day she had gone surfing with her father and brother but she had felt so uncomfortable and paranoid thinking the top would come loose and fall off into the sea like some other girl that had happened to years before that. Besides that, also that day Jet had made fun of her saying she had nothing to 'show off' in her new bikini—unlike Gawasi, a once beautiful eleven year old at the time who has already developing and had a stunning face and figure. Since then Katara had worn a simple wet suit.
Coming out of the bathroom, Katara quickly tied a colorful wrap around her waist that was lying on her computer chair then opened her closet to find her favorite brown sandals and her skateboard.
"Katara your father is going to the dawawgumuk. Do you want a ride to the beach?" Kaya called from the bottom of the stairs.
"No, ma! Its ok, I'm getting there by my skateboard." She responded as she ran down the stairs. Katara kissed her mothers cheek. "Donada`govI."
"Donada`govI. Be back early today! You have school tomorrow!" Kaya shouted as Katara closed the door. "That girl will be in trouble if she isn't back on time. Sokka, did you leave yet?"
"No e`tsi. I'm in the kitchen." Sokka said as he fixed some of his grandmother's stew.
"When you come back from Jet's will you get your sister please? She is going out with her friends on the beach." Kaya informed him before going upstairs.
"Ke'tnam."
Translations:
Unetsi: Mother (I think)
Wo-ha'-li: Eagle
O-s-da a-da-ne-di: Good Spirits
Un-e-qua: Great Spirits
Kiye'kwe'nIne': Preacher
Si-yo: Hello (I want to say this is a bit informal. Like "Hey")
O-si-yo: Hello
Tsa-gi: Dreams
E-do-da: Father
A-ma-s-ka-ga-hi: Water Spirits
Iw: Something said at the end of a prayer
A-da-we-hi: Angel
Ko-ya-ke': Grandma
Ga-wa-si: Grace
Dawawgumuk: Store
Donada`govI: Goodbye
E`tsi: Mother
Ke'tnam: Sure
A-da-nv-do: Spirit