Edge of the Knife (SG̲aawaay Ḵ'uuna)

They say a fire calls you into the forest.

The cold will make you desperate for fire.

But no matter how long you run...

You cannot catch the fire.

You run and run until your mind is sick

and the spirits take you over.

You become wild.

You become Gaagiixid.

EDGE OF THE KNIFE

Father!

Gaas is here!

Gaas!

I made this for you.

Thanks!

Get along, you wild thing.

Every summer, Gaaxuustaa 'Laana paddle south

to live alongside their relatives, the Tllda Gawaay Kii Gawaay family.

Together they prepare food for winter.

Uncle?

Yep?

Do you know if today's weather will be good?

Can we catch black cod?

You've been greedy for black cod since you were a little baby.

Black cod was your first food, Gaas.

That's why you're so fat, Gaas.

Well, Gaas eats all the black cod...

What's your excuse, Kwa?

Uncle!

You are so careless, Adiits'ii.

You're hurt.

Let me fix you up.

What's so funny?

I'm thinking about Adiits'ii at the halibut rack today.

Yes...

But that's not so funny.

He's a bad example for Gaas.

He doesn't always act with respect.

He doesn't know how to be careful.

If Adiits'ii lost his canoe,

Gaas would think he had burned it at a potlatch.

Jeez! Is Adiits'ii all you're going to think about?

Look at that Octopus head.

The legs show where the weather will come from.

In time, when you look up in the sky

you will know what the clouds tell you.

Today will be a good day.

Does Adiits'ii understand weather?

Yes, he's good.

Does that tell us something, too, Father?

And that?

And also everything we see?

What about in darkness?

How is there weather if we don't see it?

He is just as he was in his last incarnation.

My husband adored black cod.

When he ate it, he would run his greasy fingers

right through his hair.

It made his hair stick up real funny.

When Hlaay. ya was pregnant,

Grandmother had a dream about Tluuxaad.

Just look at Gaas, and you'll know it's true.

That's why he used to crawl

into bed with me when he was little!

For goodness' sake, he was my husband.

And I've always said what a generous woman you are.

Who was I long ago?

You don't even want to know.

I'll cry real hard when I have to leave all you ladies.

Yes... yes.

Everyone has enough.

This will probably be our last meal together.

But the weather's so good.

It's important we catch black cod

and then Gaas could come.

Besides, my sister needs some.

You're not even thinking about Sk'aayuu.

You've offered Gaas so many things.

You could've gone as Autumn ended.

Someone throw these halibut bones in the ocean.

Adiits'ii, you do it.

Tomorrow I'll catch black cod for my sister.

Are you coming with me?

Tomorrow afternoon the weather will worsen.

We're going to have to leave.

We could pack without Gaas?

You'll be happier when the black cod grease

is running down your chin.

Maybe you'll just have to wait another year

to get black cod.

Something terrible is coming!

Where's Gaas?

Adiits'ii knows what he is doing.

They will be back soon enough.

Alas!

Kwa!

Northwest Wind people are still searching.

Let's go.

The weather is turning bad.

We need to hurry to get back.

Leave it here.

This is all Gaas' gear.

Uncle...

Uncle...

Uncle...

Uncle....

Uncle...

No fish.

Looks like an animal's been through our camp.

Maybe a bear?