Midnight behind the barricades

Page 17

A moth fought for space under the solitary streetlight just outside the two overturned police vans while just a few feet away three Indian drummers were bathed in its light.

It was now a friend but just a few days before Warriors - for security reasons - had unsuccessfully tried to break it with a crowbar.

It was midnight on the barricades at Kanesatake. For an hour and 40 minutes while the northern lights danced overhead, first taking the shape of the sun and then an eagle head, Indian music wafted down into the village of Oka below the hill.

The northern lights, a rarity for the Montreal area, enthralled the watchers. There were no tell tale signs of the mini-war that had been fought 17 days before.

Led by a Micmac Indian from Nova Scotia, Indian voices filled the air. A young woman lay on her back on the pavement, beating a rattle on her chest to the music.

Coming up with a drum had been easy.

Drumsticks was quite another matter.

They searched the area to find two suitable sticks, borrowed a lady's socks and then attached them with two elastic bands, on loan from on of the three reporters present for the social.

Five Warriors also watched and listened.

It seemed to be the perfect night to spend behind the line.

"Oh my darling when you sleep, you will dream of you and me walking hand-in-hand in the pale moonlight," sang the lead drummer.

There was no moon to be seen but there were plenty of stars.

And there for a time the world seemed at peace.

Afterwards it seemed appropriate to just sit and drink in the night, the beauty of the dancing lights and the many stars.

Overhead the flag from My Asi hung limp.

Just before they turned in for the night the coffee man made his rounds with a fresh pot for the troops.

I curled up on Highway 344, placed a newspaper under my head and pulled a borrowed blanket over my head while the Warriors kept watch.

"You slept well," the older one asked me the next morning.

"Yeah, pretty good."

"Well, you snored, so you must have," he said with a chuckle.