Camp Merz

It has been over 1000 years since the Moosuenucoo last saw the great yellow Moose. The tribe has become very powerful and great in numbers. The land has become incredibly prosperous and the power of the Great Yellow Rock has become even more powerful. To celebrate their great fortune the tribe holds a week long festival to honor and praise the Great Yellow Moose of their ancestors. On the grounds in front of the great temple the festival starts on the first full moon of the harvest season, which signifies the time of the moose’s appearance to the tribe. Starting at the water’s edge the tribe would hold a tribal fire with song and dance. This would go on throughout the night and would be a joyful time for all. For the remainder of the week-long festival the grounds in front of the sacred temple would house the games. There the chief and his family would oversee the ceremonies and events.

There were two competitions that were taken very seriously; one on land and the other on the Jad-dah’gwah. The land competition was to seek the hand of one the Chief’s daughter and the Jad-dah’gwah competition was to seek great council from the tribal Chief, time to be in the presence of the Great Yellow Rock, and a seat on the Council of Elder’s. Each competition was fierce and challenging.

The land competition, otherwise known as the Mot-haz-jois, was made of hard obstacles to over come and great feats of strength. The Chief wanted a man that would not only be smart but strong to protect his daughter. The competition took place on the sacred Jad-dah’gwah, known as Swa-fih-wim; this took more strength than most of the tribe’s warriors and more wisdom than most elders. This test was designed to pick the next Council Elder and needed to be a fierce competition.

Once all tribal men fought for the right to marry the Chief’s daughter or to sit on the Council of Elders the ceremonies would close with a great feast. As soon as the feast was complete the week-long celebration would come to a close on the shores of the Jad-dah’gwah. Every year the Chief would stand knee deep in the calm water and call to the lake and wait for the Great Moose to appear and shine his wisdom down on them. This year will be no different from any other and the waters will stay calm and the tribe will continue their traditions and their watchful eye will always stay on the calm waters.