Mi'kma"ki Early Years

Mi'kma’ki Early Years

Mi'kmaq Illustration by Christopher Hoyt

One of my great pleasures is researching Mi'kmaw history. Over the years, I've been awed, surprised and full of admiration when I've read the early writers. 

Fish fascinated me. Why? The abundance of fish, and the sustenance it provided in the early days.

Here are some of the quotes I came across;

...In the middle of March, fish begin to spawn, and to come up from the sea into certain streams, often so abundantly that everything swarms with them. Any one who has not seen it could scarcely believe it. You cannot put your hand into the water, without encountering them. "

.....Biard , Jesuit Relations Volume 3. p.79.

John Cabot reported,' ".. the sea is full of fish that can be taken not only with nets but with fishing baskets. "

"From the economic viewpoint, the sea and its products were of primary importance for the Micmac, the sea providing them with possibly 90% of the food they consumed and keeping them adequately supplied for 10 of the 12 months of the year." Hoffman, "The Historical Ethnography of the Micmac of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century", 1955

" ... at night with their canoes and their torches....The Salmon or the Trout seeing the fire which shines upon the water, come wheeling around the canoe.He who is standing up has in his hand a harpoon...But sometimes the spear did not take hold.... This did not prevent them from taking ahunderd and fifty to two hundred in a night." ( Denys 'The Description and Natural History of the Coasts of North America (Acadia, Greenwood Press 1968)

"They ... do eat it new(freshly caught).... which I believe to be one of the best instrument of their health and long life." (Lescarbot, Nova Francia, p.282)

Some of the early writing also gives us a glimpse of the spirituality of the Mi'kmaq, their connection to Mother Earth, and to all she provided.

"...who know the rendezvous of every one[fish], and the time of their return, go to wait for them in good devotion to bid them welcome..."(Lescarbot, Nova Francia, p.283).

What are your favourite quotes? Why? Do you have others connected to fishing and the early Mi’kmaq. Send them along, and I’ll be happy to post them.

Please check back often for wonderful facts re Mi'kmaq in 

honour of Mi'kmaq History month, October. Posts will 

continue until the end of October.

Pat Cher

Mi'kmaq Song, a time travel story set in Mi'kmaw territory in 

the early 1600's. Awesome reviews.

At Amazon .com check..

http://goo.gl/i7zQy

Amazon .ca

http://goo.gl/Vlk1BA

Amazon.  uk

http://goo.gl/gNk0G9

Dinner Date Membertou

Dinner Date- Membertou

Membertou (____, September 18th 1911)

Ever been asked the question... If you could dine with anyone in the world, present or past, who would it be be?

Granted there are many choices, and it would be very difficult to chose, but for me Membertou, the Mi'kmaw  sagamore who lived in New France when Champlain first came upon our shores, would be my first choice.

Membertou was a sagamore (political leader),  an autmoin (spiritual leader), an elder, a warrior, a wise man, a healer, and a monogamist when tradition was more permissive. 

Membertou lived to be over a hundred years old. When  nearly a hundred he organised, led and took part in a war with the Amourchiquois who had killed his friend, Panonias.

Membertou and his people lived in peace and as equals with the French who explored what is now, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Here are some of the words of historians who knew him....

"At Port Royal, the name of the Captain or Sagamore of the place is Membertou. He is at least a hundred years old and may in the course of nature live fifty years longer. He has under him a number of families whom he rules, not with so much authority as does our King over his subjects, but with sufficient powers to harangue, advise, and lead them to war, or to render justice to one who has a grievance, and like matters.

He does not impose taxes upon the people, but if there are any profits from the chase, he has a share of them, without being obliged to take part in it. It is true that they sometimes make him presents of beaver skins and other things, when he is occupied in curing the sick, or questioning his demon to have news of some future event or of the absent: for, as each village, or company of savages, has an Acutmoin, or Prophet, who performs this office, Membertou is the one who, from time immemorial, has practiced this art among his followers. He has done it so well that his reputation is far above that of all the other Sagamores of the country, he has since his youth been a great Chief, and has also exercised the offices of Soothsayer and Medicine Man, which are the three things most officious to the well-being of man, and necessary to human life."  

"Membertou was already a man of great age, and saw Captain Jacques Cartier in that country in 1534, being already at that time a married man and the father of a family, though even now he does not look more than fifty years old"

Marc Lescarbot

Biard wrote that Membertou: "was the greatest, most renowned and most formidable savage within the memory of man; of splendid physique, taller and larger-limbed than is usual among them; bearded like a Frenchman, although scarcely any of the others have hair upon the chin; grave and reserved; feeling a proper sense of dignity for his position as commander."

Pierre Biard, Missionary 1911

Please check back often for wonderful facts re Mi'kmaq in 

honour of Mi'kmaq History month, October. Posts will 

continue until the end of October.

Pat Cher

Mi'kmaq Song, a time travel story set in Mi'kmaq territory in 

the early 1600's. Awesome reviews.

At Amazon .com check..

Amazon .com

http://goo.gl/i7zQy

Amazon .ca

http://goo.gl/Vlk1BA

Amazon.  uk

http://goo.gl/gNk0G9

.

The Oldest Native American Transcribed Song 

Photo Courtesy Simon A. Eugster, Creative Commons

Membertou's Songs

Marc Lescarbot ,  french lawyer, writer,  who came to Acadia  in 1606 along with Champlain, 'provides us with the oldest existing transcriptions of a songs from theAmericas — three songs by Membertou, Sagamo of the Mi'kmaq.

Song 1

Holoet ho ho hé hé ha ha haloet ho ho hé

Re fa sol sol re sol sol fa fa re re sol sol fa fa

Song 2

Egrigna hau egrigna hé he hu hu ho ho ho egrigna hau hau hau

Fa fa fa sol sol fa fa re re sol sol fa fa fa re fa fa sol sol sol

Song 3

Tamema alleluya tameja douveni hau hau hé hé

Sol sol sol fa fa re re re fa fa sol fa sol fa fa re re

For more info and sheet music for Native American flute check...

http://flutopedia.com/song_Membertou.htm

Or check Marc Lescarbot's book at Project Gutenburg 

Ancient Mi'kmaw Symbol

Ancient Mi'kmaw Symbol

Index fingers touching

This ancient symbol used by Membertou, the Mi'kmaq Sagamo, symbolises equality, and also symbolises the relationship between the French and the natives on the Eastern Seaboard in the early sixteen hundreds. 

Marc Lescarbot wrote the explanation at the time of  Champlain's second voyage. The French and Mi'kmaq, also called the Souriquois, were different people but worked as equals, each leaning from the other, and sharing what they had.

The index fingers together show that none is taller than the other, also it forms the shape of a tent with only one entrance, Mother Earth, equally accessible to all.

"This Membertou told us at our first coming thither that he wished to make a present to the King of his copper mine, since he was that we held metals in high regards, and since Sagamores must be honourable and liberal one towards the other.  
For being himself a Sagamos, he considers himself the

equal of a king and of all his lieutenants, and often said

to M. de Poutrincourt that he was his great friend, 

brother, companion,and equal, showing the equality by 

joining together the fingers of each hand which we call 

the pointing or index finger.” 

Marc Lescarbot

Please check back often for wonderful facts re Mi'kmaq in 

honour of Mi'kmaq History month, October. Posts will 

continue until the end of October.

Pat Cher

Mi'kmaq Song, a time travel story set in Mi'kmaw territory in 

the early 1600's. Awesome reviews.

Free 

Read the first few chapters of Mi'kmaq Song on Amazon in  the 

'Look Inside' feature

At Amazon .com check..

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Amazon. ca

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Mi'kmaw Customs... Setting Broken Bones

Mi'kmaw Customs... Setting Broken Bones

There are so many interesting and unique facts about the early Mi'kmaq. Bernard Hoffman is by far the leading authority on the earlier customs. The custom of mending broken bones is interesting. Perhaps more interesting and unusual is how they treated a drowning. See the Hoffman thesis.

Public Domain file from wikepedia

Broken bones

“:...If the Indians break their Arms or Legs, the bones are reset evenly, & large pads of soft fine moss are made, which are saturated with their Turpentine, & wrapped around the broken limb; outside of that is placed a piece of Birch-bark, which readily conforms to the shape of the part; splints are not forgotten, and, to hold all this secure, they use long strips of thinner bark which make suitable bandages. The patient is then laid in this position on a bed of moss, & this method always succeeds very well.

If such an accident were to overtake an Indian when he was alone, he would fire his Musket to summon help; or, if he had arms, he would make smoke, the usual signal between them, one that never fails in time of need. A Wigwam is made at the place where the accident has occurred. This is the manner in which it is constructed. Fifteen or sixteen poles, more or less according to its size, are set up in a circle, two feet apart; they are a fathom or a fathom and a half in height, & their upper extremities are joined in a point, & fastened together; the Poles are covered with branches of fir, & large pieces of bark from the same tree, or from Birch, & sometimes with skins; a hole is left at the bottom that is only large enough to go in & out of, on all fours. Inside, a Pole traverses it at a height of four or five feet, & on it the Kettle is hung over a fire, which is kept low, & built in the centre of the rear part of the Wigwam. 

The Comrades of the injured Man go hunting, & care for him until he is once more able to walk as well as themselves...(Dièreville, 1933, p.177).”

The Historical Ethnography of the Micmac of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries © Bernard Gilbert Hoffman. 1955

Please check back often for wonderful facts re Mi'kmaq in 

honour of Mi'kmaq History month, October. Posts will 

continue until the end of October.

Pat Cher

Mi'kmaq Song, a time travel story set in Mi'kmaq territory in 

the early 1600's. Awesome reviews.

At Amazon .com check..

Amazon .com

http://goo.gl/i7zQy

Amazon .ca

http://goo.gl/Vlk1BA

Amazon.  uk
http://goo.gl/gNk0G9

Marc Lescarbot

Who Was Matc Lescarbot?

Marc Lescarbot (c. 1570–1641) was a French author, poet and lawyer he is comsidered the first writer of  New France.  He arrived st Port Royal in Nova Scotia in 1606 and stayed until 1607. 

His book, " Histoire de la Nouvelle France " is considered one of the great books of Canadian history. It has  been translated into English and is available on Amazon and on Project Gutenburg. 

His play, Théâtre de Neptune was performed at Port Royal and is considered the first theatrical production in North America.

From Archives Canada

Lescarbot wrote about the Mi'kmaq (Souriquois), about their customs, their dress, their way of life and their close relationship with the French. "Histories de L Nouvelle France" was one of the main inspiration for my book, Mi'kmaq Song.

Theatre Neptune on Amazon

Please check back often for wonderful facts re Mi'kmaq in honour of Mi'kmaq History month, October. Posts will continue until the end of October.

Pat Cher

Mi'kmaq Song, a time travel story set in Mi'kmaq territory in the early 1600's. Awesome reviews.

At Amazon US check..

Amazon .com

http://goo.gl/i7zQy

Amazon Canada Check...

Amazon .ca

http://goo.gl/Vlk1BA

Amazon. uk check...

Amazon.  uk
http://goo.gl/gNk0G9