Negotiating a Cross-Cultural Marriage

The Johnsons would have been shocked by White Cloud’s suggestion they begin living together, and she could read in Dwaine’s face the relief of her refusing the offer. She knew that he’d be faithful to her in that he was prepared to wait until everything was done within the bounds of the paleface moral code.

Next day with the government certificate of marriage in hand all but the vital work of the ranch came to a halt as a big celebration was planned for the afternoon. Word had been sent to the Crow Chief at the reservation asking if he’d grace the occasion with his entourage and he immediately rushed to take the long journey to the ranch with his chief officials. Gifts were prepared to give the Chief to acknowledge his presence there to bless this happy occasion. White Cloud with her husband the foreman worked hard throughout the morning planning for celebratory dances and the induction of Dwaine into their tribe. James and Elizabeth watched it all with great anticipation. They’d never seen such a celebration prepared before and the tribe practiced their dances for the evening celebration in front of the chief. The Foreman and his wife did not know the Chief had decided on a surprise in addition to an official welcome of Dwaine into the tribe with its obligations on both sides and that is why he was bringing tribal officials with him this time. George had been in Billings on business but had promised to be there in time for the ceremony. Marjory had declared a holiday at the schoolhouse she presided over and joined her mother-in-law on the balcony to watch the events unfolding below. The women supervised as food was prepared for the hungry planners through the day and then withdrew to watch preparations for the evening event.

Late in the afternoon the Chief arrived by van with his officials and were seated with honour on the veranda of the ranch house and supplied with refreshment as they watched. Eventually an exhausted foreman arrived to pay his respects and sit with the chief as he explained the program for the evening while White Cloud supervised final preparations. The two now married by law had been sent riding and instructed not to return to the ranch before evening so the program being rehearsed repeatedly would be a surprise for them. White Cloud inspected the area where the ceremony would take place with buffalo hide in place to stand on, Eagle feathers were on hand for the ceremony and sacred symbols were visible on the beautiful hastily erected tipi outer skins and skins laid out for the sacred marriage bed inside. They awaited the return of Shirleyann who’d be addressed by her tribal name in the evening ceremony where White Cloud would function as her tribal mother for the ceremony placing the sacred personal items on the married couple. Costumes were in place for Shirleyann and Dwaine to change into for the ceremony. At the time given them to appear the couple to be married that evening came into sight on their horses.

George who’d been delegated responsibility to manage the ranch by his father James had been in conversation with his Crow workers who were excited to share with him the norms of their tribal marriage. In the process he learned it was customary for the groom’s family to donate a horse to the bride’s family, and he realized White Cloud had been chosen by Shirleyann as her substitute mother on her entry into the Johnson family. He summoned his stressed foreman who’d been desperately pushing all working on the wedding all day and asked a moment of his time. They quickly went to the stables, and George asked the puzzled foreman which of the many horses they had was considered the most valuable. The foreman immediately moved to a stable at the end and pointed to the horse inside. George nodded.

“Prepare this horse with its saddle and kit and tie it up outside for me to retrieve later.”

The foreman barked a command to the Crow worker standing behind him and he rushed to follow instructions taking it outside the stables and tying the horse where indicated. George saw his brother and Shirleyann being directed to the tribal chief on the veranda and he arose to give his blessing then moved down the steps and led the way to his official platform to be seated requesting James and George join him on the platform seated with honour with the tribal officials. Fifteen minutes later White Cloud and Elizabeth led the couple dressed in tribal attire to the buffalo skin where the ceremonies would be performed. They stood facing the tribal chief as he gave his address. He delivered his speech in English and then repeated it in the tribal language for the sake of the Crow workers. Then he draped two of the necklaces he was wearing on the surprised Johnson men beside him and indicated if they wore those in the presence of members of the Crow nation, they’d in future be accorded special honour and protection.

James stood and indicated those appointed should bring the customary welcoming gifts and these were presented with appropriate ceremony and accepted by the chief. James then remarked George had said he wished to make a presentation in line with tribal custom on behalf of the groom’s family. He called for the horse and asked his foreman to step forward then made the presentation as customary gift to the brides chosen substitute family for this occasion. The foreman approached and accepted the horse smiling happily at this honour. Exclamations of approval came from the assembled Crow workers happy that the palefaces had honoured their leaders in this way.

The ceremonies commenced and afterwards the newly married couple were seated and given ceremonial bowls to share. Then the dancing commenced and a traditional feast shared by all after the chief and honoured guests had been served. At 8pm the Chief arose and celebrations paused as he gave his final blessings and departed with his officials. White Cloud and Elizabeth ushered the couple to the sacred tipi erected for the occasion and closed the tipi skin door returning to the celebrations which went on all night until the workers were thoroughly exhausted and slept where they were. James and his family retired from the celebrations and returned to their homes to recover from this exhausting event.

The newly married couple emerged at 11am next day glowing from their first night together and ravenous for food. They put on their wedding costumes and headed for the ranch house to change into their work clothes and find something to eat. The foreman was already out with the workers on his new horse. He’d always had his pick of any horse to ride before but now this horse was his and he sat tall and erect thinking of the honour bestowed on him by the Johnsons. George was riding beside him smiling at the reaction of his foreman as they went on the days ride to the boundary posts exchanging sentinels for those who were already posted there. The ones being released for rest at home were morose as they learned of the wedding at the ranch, they’d not been able to attend but they brightened when George promised them time off to Billings with money to have their own celebration. They returned excited to pick up their cash rewards.

Shirleyann had already accepted George’s offer of employment on the ranch, and he’d asked her if she’d take over financial records as Elizabeth was feeling the need to slow down in her old age. He knew she’d handled the records at the Anderson ranch. Elizabeth and Shirleyann worked together as the new Mrs. Johnson learned the systems in use at this ranch. Just like the rest of the ranch the systems used here were technically superior, but Shirleyann was a fast learner and soon Elizabeth was happy to hand it all over without supervision, Elizabeth loved her daughters in law on the ranch and in Billings and got on well with her son in law. It was always a happy time when the family had a reunion. The families in Billings sent their best wishes and presents to the newly married couple. George and his siblings had worked together at the ranch up to the time they went their separate ways, so Dwaine took the load assigned him by George working with the horses and Angus herds. They left the buffalo entirely to the care of Crow workers who understood the animals best.

Dwaine and Shirleyann occupied one of the workers huts though Elisabeth had urged them to stay in the ranch house with them. They preferred their own privacy as newly marrieds and left the guestrooms for their original purpose to serve visitors to the ranch. On occasions they’d take their turn inspecting the border posts to make sure those posts were in good repair and well stocked with provisions for those temporarily occupying that position. During those times they’d camp out for a couple of days together then return to take up other duties at the ranch. Seasons came and went and occasionally Shirleyann offered to drive the big rigs during harvest time when sickness took the operators out of action for a while. The workers were in awe of her with her multiplicity of talents.

It was sometime after Shirleyann’s exit from Andrews’s ranch James was reading a headline in the newspaper in connection with that ranch. He went searching for his daughter in law and showed her the report. James had not heard of that ranch in the past as it was hours away from where they lived and there were just so many of the ranches in Montana to have a knowledge of, but he was curious because his daughter in law had fled from there and in the process met Dwaine. They read the report together and he asked her what she knew about the ones involved. Apparently, war had broken out on the ranch. The one who inherited the ranch had become aware that his herd was being depleted and found some of his stocks were appearing in the cattle markets with the Andrews brand he had no knowledge of. He began to quietly investigate this with his trusted men and identified some of the Mexicans employed had driven stock off the property to another ranch where they were picked up by cattle trucks and delivered to market. The sheriff was called and the ones involved were arrested. Under police pressure they revealed they were just acting on instructions of one of the other brothers who pocketed the money and paid the Mexicans for their trouble sufficient to keep them quiet. The sheriff then arrested the second brother at the instigation of the eldest and the remaining brother shot him dead as he slept. That other brother then had the oil wells set alight and absconded and a nationwide search was being made to locate him as he’d managed to misappropriate a substantial sum of money from their bank before absconding.

Shirleyann cried after reading the article. Earl and Ann Anderson had poured love into her as she grew up as an abandoned child, and they’d patiently nurtured the talents she possessed today. How such upright parents could produce a den of vipers was beyond her comprehension and she mourned for the destruction of the place where she grew up. The ranch had recently expanded their oil production on substantial bank loan and with stock depleted by theft, oil wells set alight and bank depleted the bank was rubbing its hands together with glee looking to make a killing out of a takeover of this property. Crow workers who’d worked the ranch the whole of their lives were beginning to look at heading for the reservation and the remaining Mexicans fearful of the anger of surrounding ranch owners were slowly drifting away to distant places. James called his son George for a conference reporting what was in the news and wondered if they might be able to expand their empire by making a takeover bid. George was less than enthusiastic as the ranch was far removed from where they could effectively supervise it and it had a bad reputation now. Apart from that they had no experience with oil wells. But he told his father there was no harm looking into the possibility.

George went in search of his brother Dwaine. He explained the situation and asked if Dwaine would take over administration while he and his father went to inspect the Andrews ranch. Dwaine said he’d be happy to take that responsibility and then George made another request that surprised his brother and caused him some irritation. Would he allow them to take Shirleyann with them as she knew the ranch and if so, would he approach his wife and request she do that. Dwaine thought about it for a few minutes. He felt slighted that they should think of taking his wife without him but realized someone from the Johnson family needed to be here and it couldn’t be left to the women by themselves though they were quite capable of doing so. There needed to be a man there for protection. So, he sighed and nodded then went to find his wife at the ranch house working on the accounting records. Women are very insightful and Shirleyann read on Dwaine’s fact he was not happy with the request, so she said no but wished he’d been relaxed about the request as she really wanted to see the old property she grew up on. Dwaine was heading for the door feeling happier with his wife’s refusal when he thought of how this refusal would be received. They’d go without her but wonder why she refused when it was for the family interests. So, he went back and smiled.

“Shirleyann I was being selfish. I can’t bear to be separated from you, but you really should go for the sake of the family.”

Shirleyann was jumping with joy inside, but she managed to look sad as she gave her response.

“I don’t want to be separated from you either husband but if you say it’s for the good of the family then I must accept your advice so tell them yes and ask when they are going.”

Dwaine went back to his father and brother and gave a positive response which they accepted gratefully. George then sat with his brother and wrote a long list of things that needed to be accomplished in administration including trips to Billings to handle the business of the ranch. Dwaine brightened as he realized the responsibility his brother was placing on his shoulders and resolved to not let his brother down. Then James indicated they’d probably be away for a few days and wished Dwaine well expressing his confidence he’d carry the role well. Dwaine reflected that the ranch had paid his education to master’s level and paid all his personal needs during those study years. The ranch had been equally as liberal in educating his siblings, so this was a chance to show his appreciation by giving for a change. He rushed back to inform Shirleyann his father would be leaving in an hour, and she hastened to their hut to pack a few clothes.

They’d been on the road for an hour and Shirleyann sat in the back seat while George drove, and James napped intermittently but now he was awake. George had been mulling over in his mind the probable futility of this journey and spoke to his father.

“Not sure how you are going to deal with this dad. What is your plan? Are we going to the ranch if so, we had better get directions from Shirleyann.”

She spoke for the first time on the journey.

“May I suggest we go to the bank because I know them there from doing all the banking for Earl when he was alive. We can find out how exposed the Anderson ranch is financially as the news report said they’d borrowed heavily to expand the oil well extraction. That might be a good starting point.”

George breathed a sigh of relief.

“Do you have a licence? You seem to be able to handle everything we have on our ranch.”

“I don’t but the police knew me and for Earl’s sake never bothered me. One of the new recruits caught me once and hauled me to the station and the police we knew took him aside and warned him not to do that again. I should attend to that. Why did you ask?”

George pulled over to a truck rest area and asked his father if he’d be willing to change places with Shirleyann so she could guide him to the bank. James nodded and opened his door to make the seat exchange. Shirleyann took his place in front and directed George when he resumed driving until they reached the exit to the town nearest Andrews’s ranch where she’d done business for the ranch while living there. They pulled into the bank parking area and father and son followed her inside. She was greeted by the receptionist warmly calling her Bea an extremely short form of her tribal name. They chatted for a few minutes while the receptionist studied the men behind her curiously. Shirleyann asked if they’d be able to see the senior manager in connection with Andrews’s ranch and she shook her head.

“He’s got appointments back-to-back today but perhaps I could get you in to see his son knowing it’s about Andrews’s ranch. That really is a mess. You haven’t been here for more than a year so where are you hiding now? Who shall I say wants to see him?”

“He knows me so perhaps you should tell him it’s Bea with representatives from Johnson ranch.”

The receptionist phoned and nodded at the response.

“He said he’d see you as soon as he finished with the current client and I’m to cancel the next appointment and reschedule for tomorrow. He was very interested to learn what you are doing here in connection with the Andrews ranch. Follow me to the interview room and you can wait there and enjoy coffee and snacks. We’ve really missed seeing you on your frequent visits along with Earl and Anne.”

Fifteen minutes later William Sorenson Jnr. strode into the room and moved to Shirleyann who he called Bea on entry and gave her a hug. He turned to the two men who’d risen to shake his hand.

“And who are these gentlemen, Bea?”

She introduced James as her father-in-law and his son George who managed the Johnson ranch, and they shook hands while he indicated they should sit. William got down to business.

“What interest do you have in Andrews’s ranch? We are about to foreclose, and it will be a hassle going through the legal process of getting our money out of the sale of that property. Do you know the story, Bea?”

“Well only what I read in the papers. The boys threw me out on the road with nothing when Earl died so I was hitchhiking on the route 90 to go to Billings in the mistaken belief I might find some work there with nothing in my pocket. Fortunately, a decent man rescued me, and he happens to be the son of James Johnson now sitting in front of you. My husband is minding the Johnson ranch in George’s absence.”

To be continued.

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