The Abenaki tribe, together with the Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq, and Penobscot Indians, were members of the old Wabanaki Confederacy, adversaries of the Iroquois. These allies from the eastern seaboard spoke related languages, and Abenaki and Wabanaki have the same Algonquian root, meaning “people from the east.”
Abenaki People:
The original Abenaki name for their specific tribe is Alnombak, “the people.” Today there are 2000 Abenaki Indians living on two reserves in Quebec, where they fled from British aggression in the 1600’s, and another 10,000 descendants scattered throughout New England. The Abenaki tribe is only officially recognized in Canada, and only the Canadian population still speaks the Abenaki language.
Alternate Names:
Abenaki (eastern): Alessikantekw, Amaseconti, Androscoggin, Apikwahki, Eastern Indians, Kennebec, Kinipekw, Kwupahag, Odanak, Ossipee, Panawahpskek, Penobscot, Rocameca, Wabanaki, Wabenaki, Wawinak, Wôlinak
Abenaki (western): Abenacquiouoict, Abnaki, Alnonba, Amoskeay, Arosaguntacook, Arsigantegok, Cocheco, Coos, Cowasuck, Koasek, Masipskwoik, Merrimac, Missiquoi, Nashua, Ossipee, Pemigewasset, Pennacook, Pequaket, Piscataqua, Souhegan, Winnibisauga
Alternate Spellings:
Abenaque, Abenaquioicts, Abenaquois, Abnaki,Mawooshen, Moasham, Obenaki, Openango, Oubenaki, Wabnaki
Abenaki History:
Modern Abenaki history has been a fugue of attrition and regrouping. Up to 75% of the Native Americans in New England were killed by European diseases in the 1500’s and early 1600’s.
Dozens of distinct tribes originally lived in this area, but after each disaster the survivors of nearby villages moved together for safety’s sake, and even Indian oral history became blurry about who was who. Since the Abenaki tribe tended to retreat into Canada to avoid attacks from the British and Iroquoians, England was left with the impression they were Canadian Indians, but in fact the Abenakis were originally natives of New England.
The Abenaki bands’ strategy of merging after heavy losses and keeping more powerful neighbors in the dark about their existence may have caused them headaches in getting federal recognition, but it has also ensured their survival, whether their neighbors are aware they are still there or not.
Abenaki Language:
Abnaki, or Western Abenaki, is an Algonquian language spoken today by only a few elders in Canada.
Native speakers call their language Alnombak, Alnôbak, or Aln8bak (the 8 was a Jesuit symbol for a nasalized, unrounded ‘o’.) Penobscot or Eastern Abenaki, a dialect mutually comprehensible with Western Abenaki, was once spoken in Maine. Sadly, the last fully fluent speaker of Penobscot Abenaki has passed on, but several elders know something of the language and are working to revive the language in the Penobscot Nation today.
Abenaki Legends often feature Gluscabi (also spelled Glooscap or Gluscabe or Kluskap). He taught the Abenaki people how to live and protected them from danger.
Gichi Niwaskw (gih-chee-nih-wahsk) means Great Spirit in Abenaki, and is the Abenaki name for the Creator God, who is sometimes also referred to as Dabaldak. Gichi Niwaskw is a divine spirit who is never personified in Abenaki folklore.
Characters from Abenaki legends:
Azeban (ah-zuh-bahn) – Raccoon, a light-hearted Abenaki trickster figure.
Badogiak (puh-dawn-gee-yck) – The Thunderers, a group of seven supernatural warrior brothers who cause thunder and lightning.
Bemola (also spelled Pamola, Pomola, pronounced buh-moh-lah) A snow bird spirit that lived on Mt Katahdin and made cold weather.
Bootup (boo-dup) – A Whale, another animal spirit that serves Gluskabe by carrying him across the ocean.
First Mother – The first woman, created by Gichi Niwaskw and Gluskabe. Details about her life vary greatly from telling to telling, but the constant is that she ultimately sacrifices herself to bring corn to the people.
Gici Awas (gih-chee-ah-wahss)- A huge, monstrous creature resembling an enormous stiff-legged bear with an oversized head. Some folklorists believe Abenaki legends about this creature may have been inspired by mammoth fossils. Its name means “great beast.”
Ghost-Witch – A malevolent undead monster created by the death of an evil sorcerer, which returns to life by night to kill and devour humans.
Gluskabe (Glooscap, Kluskap, etc., pronounced glu-skaw-buh) – A benevolent culture hero of Abenaki mythology, who taught the people the arts of civilization and protected them from danger.
Gluskabe shares some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Anishinabe Nanabosho, Blackfoot Old-Man, and Cree Wisakejak, and many of the same stories are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist changing.
Giwakwa (male, gee-wock-wah) or Giwakweskwa (female, gee-wock-ways-kwah) Evil man-eating ice giants of Abenaki Indian legends, similar to the Windigo of the Anishinabe and Cree tribes.
Malsum (mah-tuh-gwoss) – This name, which simply means “wolf” in Abenaki, is sometimes said to belong to an evil wolf who is Gluskabe’s twin brother.
However, some Abenaki elders have been adamant this is not a real Abenaki myth. It may be an Anglo corruption of Great Lakes Algonquian legends instead. Their culture hero does have a twin brother who is a wolf (though he is not evil.)
Manôgemasak (mah-nawn-guh-mah-sock) – Another race of legendary little people, manogemasak are river-elves who are usually good-natured but may sometimes capsize canoes, tear fishing nets, or cause other mischief.
Mateguas (mah-tuh-gwoss, meaning Rabbit): In other Abenaki legends, Glooskap’s brother is Rabbit, who died and became the ruler of the land of the dead. Like Glooskap, Mateguas is helpful and good, and gives his brother spiritual guidance from beyond the grave.
Medawisla (muh-dah-wee-lah) Loon, Gluskabe’s faithful companion, messenger, and tale-bringer.
Miko (mee-ko, meaning Squirrel) – An Abenaki troublemaker character.
Mskagwdemos (muh-skog-day-moose, meaning Swamp Woman) – A female ghost that lives in the swamps and makes mournful cries. Anyone who tries to follow the sound of her crying is lost in the swamp.
Nokemes Agaskw (noh-kuh-muss ah-gah-skw, meaning Grandmother
Woodchuck) – Gluskabe’s wise old grandmother, who raised him.
Ojihozo (or Odzihozo, pronounced ood-zee-hoh-zoh) – A mythological being, sometimes known as the Transformer, who created himself from nothing and formed Lake Champlain and its surrounding landscape. His name literally means “he makes himself from something unknown or unspecified.”
Pukwudgies (Bokwjimen): Little people of Abenaki mythology, resembling dwarves or fairies. They are generally benevolent forest spirits but can be dangerous if they are disrespected. Pronounced book-wuh-dzee-mun in Abenaki, usually Anglicized to puck-wudd-jee.
Tatoskok (also known as Gitaskog, Msaskog, or Pitaskog, pronounced tah-toh-skog or geetah-skog): An underwater horned serpent said to lurk in lakes and eat humans. All of its names are variants on the meaning “great serpent” or “big serpent.”
Tolba and Moskwas (Turtle and Muskrat) – These two animals team up in the Abenaki myth of the creation of the Earth, with Muskrat diving to retrieve mud from beneath the water and Turtle volunteering to carry the new land on his back. Their names are pronounced tawl-buh and mos-kwuss.
Wuchowsen (wuh-dzo-sen)- Another mountain bird spirit of Abenaki Indian myths, whose wings make the wind.
SOURCE:
– This article first appeared at www.native-languages.org, one of the best online resources for Native Languages of the Americas.
Abenaki Legends:
