101
that Damasha is falling in love with John Cooper and coincidentally he often finds the forbidden conversation between John Cooper and Damasha. Ikinitse forces
John Cooper to fight him to death. The winner will win Damasha and the chieftainship. John Cooper must kill him since he tries to protect himself from
Ikinitse’s attack pp. 270-280. John Cooper leaves the Dakota Sioux village all at once, afterwards. He must flee himself and Lije in order to save their life.
The mutual relationship that John Cooper has built with Damasha has once again made him accepted in one of the Indian tribe. From the experiences he gets
along the journey with Damasha, John Cooper learns the nature of Dakota Sioux tribe and appreciates their way of life as he appreciates his own. The only
devastating factor that ruins a good relationship is envy. This is displayed through Ikinitse who is envious of John Cooper that he wants to be the next tribal chief by
marrying Damasha.
4.3.1.5 Weshtimago
John Cooper’s relationship with Weshtimago, the tribal chief of Dakota Sioux, begins after John Cooper saves Damasha from the Skidi Pawnee Indians
and takes her safely to her village. Weshtimago offers him friendships and shelters for him and his dog. “”If you wish, you shall live and hunt with us and be
our friend’” pp. 259-260. Weshtimago shows his appreciate to the one who has saved his daughter and finds that John Cooper has very good heart.
Like other Indian tribes, Dakota Sioux also bonds someone whom they consider important or beloved to them with blood-brother. As it happen between
John Cooper and Weshtimago, the chief himself offers the young wasichu a
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
102
blood-mingle tradition in order to strengthen their relationship and to appreciate the savior of his daughter with the utmost honor. Here, Weshtimago explains,
“‘And to show you that I do not speak with a forked tongue, I ask you to let my blood flow with yours to show that we, the Dakota Sioux, know how to thank a
brave young warrior who would give his life to save her who is dearest of all to me’” p. 260. This also becomes the evidence that the Indians always fulfill what
they have said to any person. What Weshtimago does indicates that he possesses responsive thoughts
when he is in relationship with others. There is a mutual relationship that John Cooper and Weshtimago. He grants John Cooper a tepee of his own and he also
gives him a horse. At night, great feast is held among them and it becomes the symbol of honoring the hero and welcoming a new family member. Because of
the blood-brother ceremony that Weshtimago has held with John Cooper, all the people will gladly welcome him in their tepee and offer food to him and his dog.
Weshtimago also takes John Cooper to the shaman of their village. He lets the shaman foretell John Cooper’s future. The shaman can read the truth that has
happened in John Cooper’s past, about his murdered family and two important things that will happen in the future. The first prophecy is that he will soon meet
his love. This prophecy actually indicates Catarina de Escobar de Escobar, who will soon meet him and marry to him. The second prophecy is that John Cooper
will unexpectedly kill someone who is dearest to all people. For this prophecy, the shaman does not recognize that the person whom John Cooper kills is his own
son, Ikinitse. John Cooper has neither intention to fight him nor to kill him. It is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
103
all because of Ikinitse’s jealousy that he is afraid that John Cooper will marry Damasha and will inherit the chieftainship of Weshtimago for he knows that
Damasha has been falling in love with John Cooper pp. 264-265. In some Indian tradition, the foretelling ceremony is one of the utmost importance and someone
who is granted with that is considered as either important. Unfortunately, after the bad prophecy that the shaman has read is done,
Weshtimago is mandated to send a war party after John Cooper. With grieve feeling, Weshtimago sends six braves, including Sanimito as the leader, to take
John Cooper back to their village. The shaman directly demands revenge of his son’s death to Weshtimago. Even though Weshtimago himself is the tribal chief
of the Dakota Sioux and he has made blood-brother with the savior of her daughter, he has no option but to fulfill the shaman’s demand p. 292. One thing
that hardens Weshtimago’s decision of chasing John Cooper is that he finds no evil in John Cooper’s wills and Damasha has already explained the cause. He
merely does what he must but not what he wants. It is evidence that one factor enhancing John Cooper’s relationship with
Weshtimago is that he comes to him with good mean and as a friend. His demeanor is proved from the very first time he comes to Dakota Sioux after
saving Damasha from the Skidi Pawnee until the time he is attacked by Ikinitse. Despite that he is cruelly treated by the braves of Dakota Sioux, John Cooper
expresses his unemotional responds to Weshtimago that he comes as a friend and with a good mean of saving Damasha from being the human sacrifice. His good
nature is also expressed to the shaman as he thanks him for the foretelling. John
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
104
Cooper explains, “‘I thank the great shaman of the Dakota for what he has told me. I seek to be his friend as to all the village.’ John Cooper made the Sioux sign
of friendship…and inclined his head in veneration of the shaman p. 265. This undergoes the reason why John Cooper can manage himself to be a friend of any
Indian he meets, especially the Dakota Sioux. Weshtimago still holds the law of the holy blood-brother with John Cooper even though he is obliged to chase him
after. This is a firm relationship that two people have built.
4.3.1.6 Sanimito
