Lead Story #4: In the matrilineal village

Animate the elements of this story.

Voice narration:
• 1 Imagine you are of the Bear Clan, and you would like to become a partner of someone in the Turtle Clan.
• 2 The Clan Mothers would get together and decide if the couple would make a good match. Without their consent, you would need to look elsewhere.
• 3 Once they agree, you would prepare a basketful of boiled corn bread to be left outside the door of your potential partner’s longhouse. Then you wait.
• 4 If the person of your interest takes the basket inside, that is a good sign. If the basket just sits there, and no one takes it, you will need to look elsewhere.
• 5 If your basket is taken, soon a basket of corn bread wrapped with corn husks would arrive. It is the consent to becoming partners.
• 6 The Clan Mothers would announce to their Clans that you two are going to try and make it as a couple so everyone should be encouraging – No gossiping, no harsh words.
• 7 The male prospect would move into the longhouse of his interest. She belongs to her mother’s longhouse. She will be surrounded by her siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. The man is the guest.
• 8 If things work out and children are born of the relationship, they remain in the mother’s longhouse, becoming part of her clan. The mother’s sister are like extras mothers helping to raise the children.
• 9 But if the day comes that you showed some disrespect for the women or she simply tires of you, a small bundle of your clothes and goods sitting outside the door to her longhouse.
• 10 You can only pick up your bundle and head elsewhere.