Though I pretended not to notice, the clanspeople were unabashed about watching my every move. There were no furtive glances; most of them just stared. When I was finished, I set the fish aside, smiled at the cooks and in the Crow dialect said, “Good.” I rubbed my tummy. “Thanks.” I did not know how to say, ‘I was hungry.’
Two small children sidled over toward the discarded fish carcass and shyly picked it up. One of them tore open the abdomen cavity and stripped out the entrails. With her finger and thumb, she stripped the fecal matter out of the intestine. Then tearing the glob of organs in two, she handed half to the younger child who threw his head back and gobbled up what he clearly considered a special treat.
Of course! These people avoid hunger, avoid starvation, by eating what’s
