Wawenock Myth Texts from Maine / Forty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1925-26, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1928, pages 165-198

62 Used in a somewhat humorous sense.

63 Lit. “yellow money,” mani´, “money” borrowed during early English contact.

64 Literally “once move (sun)” referring to division of portions of the day.

HOW A HUNTER ENCOUNTERED BMULE´, VISITED HIS COUNTRY AND OBTAINED A BOON65
FREE TRANSLATION

Once there was a man who went hunting but he could not find anything. Soon he came to a river and as he had become thirsty, he sat down and after he had sat down, he was about to drink. While he stooped down toward the water, there in the water he saw some one’s reflection really resembling a human being, but one whom he did not know but of whom he had heard. Behold he was like Bmulε´, and at once the man got up and hid himself and after he had hidden, he watched to see what the other, his friend Bmulε´, would do. Then he climbed into a tree. Then the other, whose reflection he had seen in the water while lying on his face, that one in his turn was about to come down and drink. He had a piece of gold in his mouth and he took it out and laid it on the ground. Then the man, when he saw where Bmulε´ had hidden it after taking it from his mouth, thought that he would go and steal it. Accordingly, the man started to crawl flat on his belly so that his friend would not see him, and when he came near, crawling slyly along, he took the gold.

65 A St. Francis Abenaki tale, given by C. G. Leland and J. D. Prince (Kuloskap The Master, New York 1902, p. 236), rather closely follows this narrative, though in the St. Francis story “P’mula” gives magic eye-rings of a snake to the hunter.

Pəmu´la seems to be known locally among the western Wabanaki. To the St. Francis Abenaki he is a bird-like monster which flies from one end of the world to the other in one day. He can hear the merest mention of his name if anyone calls him. (Cf. Maurault, op. cit., p. 574.) In Penobscot mythology, Pəmu´le, “Comes flying,” is believed to heed the appeal of men. Once a year he flies across the sky, propelling himself with bull-roarers, giving three cries; one at the horizon; one at the zenith, and one at the other horizon. He may be stopped by an ascending column of smoke and will then grant supplications for aid.

The concept is interesting as an element of religious and social fabric among related western Algonkian. Among the Algonquin and Ojibwa of Ontario, the creature is known under the name Pa·´guk` (Timiskaming) (cf. F. G. Speck, Myths and Folk-Lore of the Timiskaming, Algonquin, and Timagami Ojibwa, Memoir 70, Anthropological Series No. 9, Geological Survey of Canada, 1915, p. 22) and Pa·´gαk (Timagami) (ibid., p. 81). The beliefs regarding him are similar to those of the Wabanaki; though the Timagami believe his appearance to be an omen of death. With the Menomini “Paˣkaˣ is a flying skeleton ... corresponding to the western Ojibway Pägûk” (A. B. Skinner, Social Life and Ceremonial Bundles of the Menomini Indians, Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History (1913), Vol. XIII, pt. 1, p. 83).

On the northern plains, however, among the Plains Ojibwa, “Pägûk, a skeleton being with glaring eyes which is sometimes seen flitting through the air,” is the dream patron of a cannibal cult (Windigokan), the members of which perform in a mask costume and blow on whistles. The functions of the society are to heal disease and to exorcise demons. Taboo associations have become centered about the society. (A. B. Skinner, Political Organization, Cults, and Ceremonies of the Plains Ojibway and Plains Cree Indians, ibid., Vol. XI, Part VI, pp. 500-505.) The Plains Cree had the same society (Skinner, ibid., p. 528-529) and so do the Assiniboine (R. H. Lowie, The Assiniboine, ibid., Vol. IV, Part I (1909), pp. 62-66), who also designate the dance by a cognate term Wiᵂtgō´gax. This series of cases makes me feel that we have here a case of more recent elaboration from a common Algonkian idea, the result of a tendency toward socialization on the Plains, where the cannibal cult evolving out of the flying-head conception has taken on the characteristics of the crazy dance of the Arapaho, Gros Ventre and the others of this region.

Then when Bmulε´ had finished drinking, returning for his gold, behold he could not find it and, thinking about it, he reached a conclusion. “So it is evidently stolen from me.” Now that Bmulε´ was a sorcerer, and so right there he spoke aloud into the air and said, “My friend, please do give me back that, my gold, for you can not make any use of it. That is my life. Moreover, I can not stay long in any one place. Pray do give it back to me quickly and if you give it to me you will have good luck, for that you will always have an abundance of money and you will not lack in hunting.” Then the man spoke to him and said, “Then I will give you back your gold, but then don’t cheat me.” And he, Bmulε´, said, “I can not cheat you. If you are afraid of me so now mount upon my back and hold tight to me for very fast we shall go.” Accordingly the man mounted upon the back of Bmulε´ and the great magician started off traveling so fast, because that Bmulε´ could even rise in the air, and then they came to the end where he brought him, Bmulε´’s country, as it is called. Great magicians lived there. Just at noon time these magicians assembled at that place and slept together. Then this Bmulε´ bringing him right to this country put him down and said to him, “Here you may hunt beavers and otters. So hurry and get ready. Just until 1 o’clock you can stay, and after you have hunted, skin your game quickly and bundle up your hides. Until then I must go somewheres. It shall not be for a long time and I shall come back before the great magicians wake up, and carry you back again to the place where I got you.” Accordingly at once the man did as his friend told him and he hurried on with it and he hunted beavers and otters and after he had killed them he cut off some meat and skinned them, quickly he proceeded with haste and then bundled up his hides, and after he was ready he thought to himself, “It must now be about 1 o’clock surely.” And he thought again, “My friend said what was true.” But he did not know how far his friend had to come from, forasmuch as he could not stop anywhere since he was always traveling in the air. Suddenly then a great trembling he heard arise from the earth and he thought on account of so much disturbance that the world was about to come to an end. But behold it was this his friend coming along. Then Bmulε´ came bounding up and Bmulε´ said, “Quickly jump upon my back, it is already time for the magicians to wake up.” Accordingly then the man jumped upon his friend’s back with his hides that he had secured, and Bmulε´ started off going so fast that one could only imagine it. Then he brought him to where he had been formerly. After he had warmed up his belly and his head, he said, “Never again will we see each other, but nevertheless you will forever have good fortune and besides you will live long.” And here my story is ended.

THE ORIGIN AND USE OF WAMPUM

1. Tanławe´i·
2. Accordingly
1. aida´
2. well then
1. dane´dudji·
2. whenever
1. bodawa´zi·mα`k`ᵂ
2. they held a council
1. ni·nawa´
2. then there
1. utai·nα̨´
2. there were
1. məde´olinowa`k
2. shamans
1. ni·dαni·´
2. and how
1. εkwαmpsa·´nəhi·di·t
2. according as they were strong
1. yu´gi·k
2. these
1. məde´olinowa·`k
2. shamans
1. ni·uda´li
2. there
1. wewełα´n
2. they were known
1. aweni·´
2. who
1. mliksani·da´
2. is powerful.
1. ni·gizi·´
2. And after
1. bodawazi·mα´k`
2. they councilled
1. ni·ubə´s·kwəletαmαnα`
2. then they lighted up their pipes
1. ni·udαm`hadi´n
2. and all smoked.
1. ni·wa´
2. And this
1. ktci·
2. great
1. məde´olinu`
2. shaman
1. gesta´
2. each time
1. p`kwudetαmα´nt
2. he drew upon his pipe
1. ni·wᴐ̹·bα̨´bi·
2. this wampum
1. so´gahazo`
2. fell out
1. wudji·´
2. from
1. wudonα´k66
2. his mouth
1. w·ᴐ̹bi·gα´k
2. (if) they are white
1. ni·wa´
2. then that
1. məde´olinu`
2. shaman
1. tebα̨´bwi·wi·`
2. medium
1. edutsani·`t
2. so powerful
1. ni·wα̨·bα̨bi´m
2. this his wampum
1. ebas·i·wi·´
2. half
1. wᴐ̹·bi·´gən
2. white
1. si·bi·wi·´
2. and
1. ebas·i·wi·´
2. half
1. elwe´mkwi·gə`n
2. reddish
1. ni·wa´
2. then this
1. nodas·ani´t
2. least powerful
1. məde´olinu´
2. shaman
1. neləwε·´
2. almost
1. mkazewi·gə´n
2. blackish
1. wᴐ̹·bα̨bi´n
2. the wampum.
1. ni·nawa´
2. And then
1. yugi·´k
2. of these
1. məde´olinowa`k
2. shamans
1. tanyu´gədji·
2. how this one
1. sekᴐ·´sidji·`k
2. will win
1. ni·gi·gədji´
2. the other ones
1. peme´ltodetci·`
2. having the most
1. wᴐ̹bα̨bi·´
2. wampum
1. ki·zi·wədα´mhadi·hi·di·da`
2. after they have all smoked
1. məde´olinuwa`k
2. shamans.
1. ni·tα̨´ławe`i·
2. Then whenever
1. kadawi·´
2. they want
1. wələs·tα̨wα̨`di·hi·di·de`
2. to make a treaty
1. yugi·´k
2. these
1. ni·zᴐ·k·ami·´gəsowa`k
2. two nations
1. ni·wətambe´nkek·tona`
2. then they exchange in payment
1. wᴐ̹·bα̨bi·´
2. wampum
1. ni·l·α´mpskahα̨zu`
2. beads worked into
1. kədəgwabi·zu´n
2. a belt
1. ni·dalα´mpskəhα̨zu`
2. designed into
1. ni·zno´l
2. two
1. wəldji·a´l`
2. hands
1. eli·danławei´
2. meaning as
1. gi·zi·´wələ`s·tawα̨`dəhi·di`t
2. they have agreed to the treaty
1. nda´tαma
2. no (more)
1. mαdα̨be´k`ᵂ
2. fighting
1. nda´tci·
2. and not
1. gadona´ldi·wi·a`k
2. hunting one another
1. ni·askami·wi·`
2. forever
1. ni·a´tci·
2. And that
1. nimsi·wi·´.
2. is all.

66 The narrator added that some old woman would catch the beads in a receptacle as they fell from the magician’s mouth.

THE ORIGIN AND USE OF WAMPUM
FREE TRANSLATION

Accordingly, then, whenever they held a council there were shamans there. And according to their strength among these shamans it was known who was the most powerful. After they held their council they lighted their pipes and smoked. In the case of an exceedingly great shaman every time he drew upon his pipe, wampum fell from his mouth. If the wampum was white, then it denoted that the shaman was of medium power. If the wampum was half white and half reddish it denoted the least powerful shaman. But if, in the case of a shaman, his wampum was almost black, then he would win over these shamans, the others who had the most wampum, after the shamans had smoked their pipes. And so whenever these two nations wanted to make a treaty they gave wampum to each other as a payment, the beads woven into a belt designed with two hands, meaning that they had agreed to the treaty and would fight no more and forever would not hunt one another down again. And that is all.

WAWENOCK DRINKING SONG

In the following text, obtained at Tadousac from Joseph Nicolar, a Wawenock descendant affiliated with the Montagnais, we have a type of song common among the Penobscot and the other Wabanaki tribes and known as “Lonesome songs.” Owing to his unfamiliarity with the language the informant has used some forms which are not very clear.

ni· tα̨ be si·´s tαn wedo sa´n My little friend whence comest thou, net·e´ tala´gwi· wi·´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ In that direction “Long town”?67 ni· tα̨ be si·´s tαn wedo sa´n My little friend whence comest thou, di· wa´ di· no´ pαm se´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Lonesome(?) ledge “Long town”? ni· tα̨ be si·´s a we´li· si·´s My little friend his little navel ni· tα̨ be si·´s kαmi·´li·ti·n My little friend give me some bu tai´ a li·p san bet gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Bottle fill up please “Long town” (?) di·wa´di· ta´ wi· wi·´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Lonesome “Long town” (?)

67 For the want of a better explanation it seems that the song refers to some place called “Long Town” (gwenodana´, “long-town"), probably in Canada. The expression gwe nǫ da nǫ may, however, be a verse ending having a value similar to Kuwenodinu, “It is long O,” occurring in a Passamaquoddy song recorded by Professor Prince. (Cf. The Morphology of the Passamaquoddy Language of Maine, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. LIII, No. 213 (1914), pp. 115-116-117.) In still another Passamaquoddy song given by Leland and Prince (Kuloskap, The Master, pp. 308-309), there is an untranslated stanza ending anigowanotenu. These independent occurrences of the burden in question seem to attest to its antiquity in the Northeast.

INDEX

Abenaki Indians
retirement of, to Canada 43: 175.
territory occupied by 43: 170.
Abenaki of Becancour, a synonym of Wawenock 43: 173.
Abnaquies
tribes composing 43: 170.
Anasagunticook, location of 43: 170.
Apoosaguntacook
mention of 43: 170.
original form and meaning of the name 43: 173.
Ausummowett, sagamore of Aroosaguntacook 43: 174.
Becancour
Indians residing at 43: 169.
native name for 43: 169.
origin of Indians at 43: 171.
Birch Tree
myth concerning 43: 189.
Bmulé
myth concerning 43: 193 sq.
various conceptions of 43: 193.
Cannibal Cult, of the Plains Ojibwa 43: 193.
Carribas, location of 43: 170.
Conference at Falmouth 43: 174 sq.
Crazy Dance
reference to 43: 193.
Culture Hero
myths concerning 43: 180-189.
of the Wawenock 43: 177.
Dances
traditional, of the Wawenock 43: 177.
Dummor, Gov. W., treaty made by 43: 174.
Falmouth, conference at 43: 174 sq.
Gluscap
the culture hero 43: 177.
God
Wawenock synonym for 43: 180.
Hunter
the, myth of 43: 193 sq.
Jacques Family, mention of 43: 176.
Kenabes, location of 43: 170.
Kennebec, forms of the name, with meanings 43: 170.
Lake St. John, Wawenock descendants at 43: 176.
Legends
of Norridgewock mission 43: 173.
Loron
a Penobscot chief 43: 174.
origin of the name 43: 174.
Marriage
customs, Wawenock 43: 177.
Masta, Henry, information furnished by 43: 177.
Memmadgeen, a Wawenock chief 43: 174.
Moose
myth concerning 43: 188 sq.
Moosehead Lake, native name of 43: 189.
Names, Personal
of the Wawenock 43: 175.
Neptune, François, informant, mention of 43: 171, 173, 177.
Neptune Family, information concerning 43: 176.
New England Tribes
extinction of 43: 168.
Nicola Family, information concerning 43: 176.
Norridgewock Indians
expedition sent against 43: 172.
forms of the name, with meanings 43: 170.
mention of 43: 170.
mission among the 43: 172.
political independence of 43: 175.
Ojibwa, Plains, cannibal cult of the 43: 193.
Passamaquoddy Indians
present home of the 43: 169.
Paterramett, a Wawenock at Falmouth conference 43: 174.
Penobscot Families, territory held by 43: 170.
Penobscot Indians
peace made by, for absent tribes 43: 174.
possible union of, with Wawenock 43: 171.
present home of 43: 169.
Penobscot Language
material on, reference to 43: 177.
Philip Family, information concerning 43: 176.
Phonetic Notes 43: 178, 179.
Quinoise
a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference 43: 174.
possible origin of the name 43: 174.
Rasles, Father Sebastian
account of death of 43: 172 sq.
Rosier, James, Indians described by 43: 172.
Saawerramet, a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference 43: 174.
Sachems, list of, signing Falmouth treaty 43: 174.
Sagadahock
forms of the name with meanings 43: 170.
the territory of the Wawenock 43: 170.
use of the word 43: 171.
St. Francis Abenaki
origin of the term 43: 173.
tribes constituting 43: 169.
St. Francis Indians, independent of the Wawenock 43: 175.
St. Lawrence River, Wawenock descendants on 43: 176.
Sheepscot, local name for Wawenock 43: 172.
Sokokis, location of 43: 170, 173.
Toxeus, sagamore of Norridgewock 43: 174.
Transformer
myths concerning 43: 180-189.
Treaty
of Falmouth 43: 174.
Turtle
myths and lore concerning 43: 187 sq.
Wabanaki Group
present status of 43: 169.
treaty of, with the English 43: 175.
Wampum
myth concerning 43: 196.
Warinakiens, a synonym for Wawenock 43: 172.
Wawenock Tribe
dialect of, now obsolete 43: 177.
family names of 43: 176.
gradual drift of 43: 172.
habitat of 43: 170 sq.
history of 43: 171-175.
location of 43: 170.
loss of the name 43: 175.
material culture of 43: 176.
meaning of the name 43: 169, 171.
part taken by, in Indian wars 43: 174.
political independence of 43: 175.
population of 43: 175.
present survivors of 43: 169.
proper name of 43: 169.
removal of, to Becancour River 43: 173.
settlement of, on Becancour River 43: 175.
social organization of 43: 176.
synonyms for 43: 171.
Waymouth, Captain ----, reference to 43: 171.
Wenerramett, a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference 43: 174.
Woosszurraboonet, sagamore of Wawenock 43: 174.

Transcriber’s Note:

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.