Vikings of the Pacific, or how a maimed man and a few goats changed history.

[Bavarian Raven]

The Wanderer's Story... part one.

Shaa was a gatherer of mountain wool. Every spring since time before memory, he like his fathers and brothers and uncles before him, had travelled to the mainland and climbed into the high-country to collect this precious commodity. Every spring, the mountain goats would shed their winter coats and leave a bounty of wool for those who made the risky journey. This wool would be used to make special blankets and coats of great value back on their rocky, windy, wet island homes.

This spring the crossing was especially challenging. Late spring storms, coupled with a long, harsher than normal winter had left the straight unusually wavy and turbulent. Nevertheless the small party of men, Shaa, and three of his older brothers managed it without much ado.

The two-day climb up into the mountains is where our story truly begins.

Far from the sea and high up an unnamed rocky slope, the four men trudged through a heavy, pounding rain. Here, high up in the clouds and exposed to the full force of the Pacific winds, the trees were shoulder high and stunted, growing between the splintered rocks amongst patches of blueberry and willow shrub. Nevertheless, the young men managed to find a goat trail through the thickets and began following that.

It was not long before they began to find clumps of the precious whitish grey commodity. Smiling, despite the dreary weather, they began to gather their prize. For each pack-load of wool they brought home they would be able to trade for numerous goods they themselves could not produce and bring their family much praise and standing.

Hour after hour in the driving rain, they shivered their way along the rocky slope, avoiding the patches of icy snow and the sudden drops with much care.

“We should camp soon, little brother,” Shaa’s eldest brother remarked, eyeing the darkening sky.

Shaa had always been the spriest of the four brothers, quick on his feet on the rockiest of terrain. He would go were few other men dared venture in the search of mountain wool.

Shaa shook his head. “There is another stretch of open ground up ahead. I will go there first. Make camp. I will meet up with you.”

“It’s too late brother. It will be dark soon and we are wet.”

Shaa smiled and started off. The cold and wet had never bothered him before. He always thought of his oldest brothers as being too cautious. Maybe it was their wives that had made them soft?

Shaa started down the animal trail, picking small clumps of wool off the protruding branches of the low shrubs when something caught his attention. He stopped and frowned. Up ahead, several ravens were circling. Then something else caught his attention…some smell…carrion.

A woofing noise sounded from the low trees.

“Bear!” he shouted, turning in time to see the massive, charging hulk of fur, muscle, teeth, and claw charging towards him. Shaa did not have time to react. The two met and everything went dark. Nothing.

 

[Bavarian Raven]

Firstly, I wanted to let you know I am definitely interested in this TL. I live on the BC coast, so may be able to help you out with any "local" info in you PM me.

One thing I'm curious about. Are you planning to have the Haida domesticate wild rice root themselves, or have another nation domesticate it and have the Haida adopt it from them. I feel like the Haida are unlikely to invent agriculture themselves as they live on a rocky island with poor farmland and plentiful fish and whales. Goats sort of make sense because they would survive and thrive in Haida Gwaii, but I can't see farming being worth the time and effort in Haida Gwaii until a founder crop has had a few centuries of domestication.

I think the more likely scenario is to have the initial domestication event happen inland in a place where the land is a little more arable. The lower Fraser River valley and the Okanagan valley are two such locations, although there are others in the interior of BC as well. The Haida could then pick up the crop from them.

If you're trying to create a Viking analogue, I think this is the more likely scenario. Nothing was actually domesticated in Scandinavia (ok reindeer were in Lapland I believe) - the Vikings acquired all their crops from farther South. In fact it was the existence of prosperous urban cultures to the South of the Vikings which made it profitable for them to practice their raiding.

Always nice to meet another BC coast local.
I may shoot you some questions later. As for the Rice Root, that will be domesticated outside of the islands and imported at roughly the same time as the goats. I have a few other local plants that I know of that I plan on eventually being domesticated in a manner of speaking (or at least loosely cultivated).

The BC coast is already rich in food resources and I figure if I can make it just that much more food rich I can cause a population boom of sorts that could lead to interesting ramifications in the long run.

Cheers.

 

[telynk]

By the way, Bavarian Raven, one thing you may or may not be aware of (I only found out about it this past spring), is that the Coast Salish people actually practiced aquaculture. They farmed clams by landscaping beaches in order to increase the amount of available clam habitat. I know I should really let you take this where you want it to go, but if you could throw in species of domesticated clam, I would be oh so happy

 

[Bavarian Raven]

By the way, Bavarian Raven, one thing you may or may not be aware of (I only found out about it this past spring), is that the Coast Salish people actually practiced aquaculture. They farmed clams by landscaping beaches in order to increase the amount of available clam habitat. I know I should really let you take this where you want it to go, but if you could throw in species of domesticated clam, I would be oh so happy

Actually i am aware of that. I've seen some of the 'remains' of these structures, etc. It's something that's already on my "to add" list. But thanks for the heads up. Feel free to throw out suggestions. The more the better. Cheers.

 

[Pkmatrix]

Ohhh, subscribed! I've never heard of the Haida before, so all of this is new and fascinating. Looking forward to seeing where this goes! ^_^

 

[Bartholome de Fonte]

Slaver raids by Haidas, Tlignits and other northern nations on the Pacific coast created quite the response historically. More southern people such as the Makahs, S'Klallam and Snoqualimies faced their attacks, who in turn attacked the southern nations of the Puget Sound like the Steilacooms. ITTL this would be even more pronounced system of conflict no doubt. As for possible domesticated crops I'd recommend wapato or camas, as both were major food sources for damn near every Chinookan people, along with most of the Columbian Plateau. Excited to read more!

Say, why haven't us PNWers formed a secretive cabal on the forum?

 

[fanthemadman]

Say, why haven't us PNWers formed a secretive cabal on the forum?

You didn't get the memo? The S^5 (Super Secret Squirrel Salish Society) Cabal has been a going thing for some time

 

[fasquardon]

By the way, Bavarian Raven, one thing you may or may not be aware of (I only found out about it this past spring), is that the Coast Salish people actually practiced aquaculture. They farmed clams by landscaping beaches in order to increase the amount of available clam habitat. I know I should really let you take this where you want it to go, but if you could throw in species of domesticated clam, I would be oh so happy

Clam "farming" (more properly it is a form species management), has a natural limitation in that you need beaches with a nice shallow slope - those are pretty rare, so the Coast Salish were, as I recall, already clam farming at maximum intensity.

I agree though. Clam farms totally rock!

Oh, and another thing I thought I would share, I recently found this: http://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Sturtevant,_Notes_on_edible_plants,_1919

Might help with finding more plants to domesticate.

fasquardon

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Damn you, I wanted to do something with the Haida!

Oh, well. Consider me subscribed.

Well, then, do so. Just dont have them use rice root andvmountain goats.

In your first post, I think you mean fury, not furry. Sorry, I can't help but notice.

Ah,.yes, the old English litany 'from the furry of theNorsemen, may the Good Lord deliver us'. Rape is bad enough. Rape by kinky Norsemen is just right out.


Bavarian Raven: what's your source for Pacific Coast peoples collecting wild wool?

 

[Bavarian Raven]

Bavarian Raven: what's your source for Pacific Coast peoples collecting wild wool?

Coast Salish elder, ironically enough. So first hand account. I've also read about it in older books on the coastal tribes. They used it to make blankets (if you were 'wealthy enough' to afford/trade for one and a few rare (expensive) trade goods. I know the Salish collected it. As did a few other coastal groups. I am taking some liberty in assuming the early ancestors of the Haida did as well . Cheers.

Ah,.yes, the old English litany 'from the furry of theNorsemen, may the Good Lord deliver us'. Rape is bad enough. Rape by kinky Norsemen is just right out.

Fixed and opps. >.>

 

[Pesterfield]

What about mussel growing on ropes?

As mentioned wapato or camas are good choices, I did quite a bit of reading about wapato for 'ice and mice'. It could be extremely productive.

It was interesting reading, it seems like it would be extremely easy to tip the peoples of the Pacific Northwest into agriculture. If you don't think what they did already counted.

 

[Bavarian Raven]

If you don't think what they did already counted.

I say it counted. I know in the Fraser Valley they 'carefully manicured patches of select clovers' and other berries to induce larger yields. Though one could argue it was closer to permaculture than traditional farming.

As for your other suggestions. We shell see.

What about mussel growing on ropes?

Forgot about that method of mussel/oyster growing I did. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[fasquardon]

Longline mussel farming is a modern invention. I think because it depends on availability of plastic floats. Older techniques of mussel culturing involve winding rope around pilings (wooden posts) or planting mussels on the surface of intertidal areas.

fasquardon

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Coast Salish elder, ironically enough. So first hand account. I've also read about it in older books on the coastal tribes. They used it to make blankets (if you were 'wealthy enough' to afford/trade for one and a few rare (expensive) trade goods. I know the Salish collected it. As did a few other coastal groups. I am taking some liberty in assuming the early ancestors of the Haida did as well . Cheers

Hunh! Every thing Ive read about Salish blankets, precontact, said the wool came from wool dogs.

Further googling yields "Handbook of North American Indians: Pacific Northwest" by William C Sturtevant, who specifically refers to Salish mountain goat wool in their blankets.

Hah. Learn something every day. Love this forum, it's so educational.

 

[Pesterfield]

Longline mussel farming is a modern invention. I think because it depends on availability of plastic floats.

Hanging the ropes off wooden rafts will also work.

Considering how wool dogs were cared for I wonder why nobody tried to catch mountain goats and treat them the same way. This POD might not be much of a stretch at all, just needing somebody to try something obvious.

 

[Bavarian Raven]

The Wanderer’s Story…part two.

Shaa opened his eyes. His world spun. His body throbbed beyond imagining.

Blink.

Overhead, darkening clouds billowed and rolled, building. Spits of rain continued to fall. He shook, though he was not sure if it was from the pain or the cold, or perhaps both.

Ravens silhouetted against the sky. Circling. Dozens of them.

Blink.

He turned his head and winced. His left arm was not where it should be but instead torn and bent at an impossible angle. Blood. Blood everywhere. Ripped clothing. Broken, poking bone. More blood.

Blink.

Shaa rolled his head back. The raindrops felt wonderful against his numbing flesh.

Blink.

The ravens were closer now, some landing on the nearby rocks and shrubby evergreens. Moving closer. Cawing. Hoping. Cawing.

Blink.

A large, silky raven was above him. Watching him. Shaa froze.

Peck!

Shaa screamed and his world went dark once more…

~
​

Shaa awoke with a start. Panting. His throat was parched and his tongue leathery. Stone loomed an arms width above his head. A cold, grey rock, hard and lifeless.

“Am I dead?”

“No,” replied a strange, feminine voice. “Not yet, anyway.”

Shaa struggled to turn his head. He found that he was lying upon a mattress of hemlock boughs beside a fire, under a rocky ledge. Across the fire from him sat a slender woman, of twenty or so summers in age, with raven-black hair. Nearby, sat a tiny girl of three or four summers, presumably her daughter.

The thought of ravens made him reach for his face. Only, his left arm was gone, ending in a stub halfway from his shoulder and where his elbow should have been. His right hand slowly lifted and he found a scrap of soft leather bound across his right eye.

“The raven took your eye,” the woman remarked. “Yet he saved your life for he led me to you. I hope it was a worthy trade.”

“Maybe…” Shaa said. “How long was I out for?”

“Eight days,” the woman said. “The fever broke sometime this morning. I managed to get enough water and a few bits of food down through throat. Enough to keep you in the world of the living.”

“My thanks –”

Shaa spotted motion. He turned his head and looked towards the edges of the overhanging ledge. Two young, baby mountain goats peeked in, hiding from the rain.

The women saw his inquisitive glances and remarked, “The bear that took your arm took their mother.” The woman shrugged. “I lost twin girls of my own this winter. I haven’t the heart to hurt these twins.”

Shaa nodded. Excepting this, he rested his head back onto the mattress of boughs. Finally, he said, “My name is Shaa. I am a wool-gatherer. My brothers –”

“I have not seen anyone in a while, Shaa. My name is Aak’w,” she replied. “That explains why you were up in these mountains so early in the season.”

“Why are the two of you here?”

“That doesn’t matter now,” Aak’w replied, forcing a smile. She picked up a small bowl made from the carved whirl of cedar knot. “Drink. Then eat you must. Come, I caught us a hare earlier. Try and sit up.”

Shaa did as bidden.

He wanted to topple forwards onto his face but didn’t. Worse, he realized just how badly he smelt. Ignoring both, he took the water then the tiny hunch of roast hare in turn. He smiled and said his thanks.

“When we found you, we thought that the bear had already killed you. We were surprised to find you still breathed.”

“I’m thankful you did find me, Aak’w,” Shaa replied.

“You should be thankful I am a healer.”

“That too.” Shaa blushed, looking aside. “What happens now, Aak’w?”

“You live. Hopefully,” Aak’w said. Placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder she forced another smile. “One thing at a time, though, Shaa. First you need to live.”

“Yes,” he nodded, eying the twin goats. He thought that if Aak’w didn’t want to eat the animals, then who was he to judge, despite still being starved. “One thing at a time.”

The end the second of three parts of "the Wanderer's Story". Cheers.

 

[The Undead Martyr]

Good TLs from outside Europe/Eurasia are always interesting and informative.
Subbed.