April 191991 Mwttie joe died last night

N'MULTES. mattie. Meaning in micmac. [Be seeing you] This ebening I went to see Mattie Joe. Mattie died last night.As I knelt in prayer looking at the still form of mattie.My thoughts went backin time. It was the year of 1934 or 35.myself and the late Leo Mc'donald were crossing the the bay on the ice one foggy night in mid winter on our way to St.Albans. We were driving an old Horse sitting on a sled tryiny to make as fast as possible because back home a man lay dying. We had thrown a few sticks on the sled. On this we tied a box for very important passanger to sit on. We were on our way to bring the priest to Uncle Steve [Joe Matties Grandfather ] to recieve the last rites, Which the Micmac people of the time considered the most important part and reason for life, As the Priest sat on the slide there would be no word spoken until we got to the sick persons bed. This out of respect for the blessed sarcement a strict rule of the Church. For this reason the priest could not tell us there was a knot piercing the calf of his leg until he had finished annointing Uncle Steve. When we arrived Uncle steve was very low a word we used when someone is near death.I recall the priest saying to Uncle Steve.[ Steve this is your Priest] but there was no response. He repeated it a few times but still no response.The Priest said Andrew. Bring him back in his own language.Uncle Andrew gently lifted his dying fathers head and said Da Da Patlias.[in Micmac meaning Father The priest]as he uttered these words the room was very silent . He repeated these words three or four times then there was a weak reply in Micmac.Uncle Steve had come back to receive his God in the blessed sacrament. Before we got off the reserve we heard the church bell inthe church tower tolling it's sad message of death as was the custom of the Micmac people those years when someone died. we heard when we got back that night that shortly after after the prist left Uncle Steve put down hid Bundle [pack] and walke silently into the droke. [heavy forest] I remember so many other good people since then who put down their bundles and entered that same drokeUncle Andrew Joe My father Peter Jeddore Nickley Nickley all deeply relegious people who kept their faith until the end. As I gazed on Matties still form I recall all the times I saw Mattie in the church in silent worship to his maker.I was filled with joy for Mattie for in my heart I knew when he put down his bundle he too he too walked into that same droke where all oue ancesters were sitting around with a big feed of beaver meat cooking on the fire to welcome him.Good by Mattie when the time comes for us to go which wont be too long I hope we too with the grace of almighty God . will be fortunate enough to find your tracks to enter that same droke of bless.Then you can pay me back for making you that pot of partridge berry soup in through hill bottom and making on tang which unknown to you I had spiked with Vodka.