🧚 Opening, part 19 · page 2

Mechi mieu begokni tohocioltowuk kʾchi ya wioo wʾskitap epitjik wasisek nespi wʾsikyojik yot mechi mipniltimkil; nit etuch alit-huswinook negmaoo tepit-hodmotit chewi kegw layoo kegusitch eliyoek chewi layoo tech na neksayiu.57 Nit etuchi mʾsioo sise pʾchittaketil kinwetaswinoo mʾsitte elipitt wʾskichin anquotch elquiyik sownisnook anquotch wʾchipenook ketkik snoot segdenook ketkik kʾski yasnook.58 Pechiote pechiyik Wabnakik.59 [70] Kʾmach wʾsipkikmʾn yaka keswook naga wewʾchiyanya nitta tama wejiwetit wʾtiyawa wʾskichunoo kepechip-tolnen wʾliagnotmagʾn.60 Nit ettlowsittgw-ton kisipootwusoo likislootemook.61 Mʾsitte tekepitt wʾskichin kinwetto nit kʾchi lagootwagʾn kitwitasso.62 Mʾsioo wʾskichin nootek aknoomagʾn mʾsioo wʾlitt-hasoo.63 Mʾsioo wʾsiwatch yogonyalkatkisilet tekowmʾk maltnitin.64 Nit mʾsioo kesookmik sittobjitakan opootwuswinoom.65 Mʾsioo kesookmik sittopetchitakan nissoo kessena agwamʾk opootwuswinoom natchiwitchitagwik kʾchi lagootwagʾn kessena kʾchi mawopootwuswagʾn.66

Nit mʾsioo kisma wewsettil nit omache tipit-hodmʾnya ta nʾteh wʾtelook-hʾdinya.67 Stepal mʾsioo siwatch yokotit eli wʾabli pemowsittit; yokt kʾchi sogmak wʾtiyana-kʾt kihee yot elapimʾk asittwechosyokw kʾnʾmittunen elipegak naptwuk kenemittonenwul kesek ewablikil yotʾl pegaknigil temʾhigʾnsisʾl to (?) naga tapyik tepakw-yil chewi pooskenoswul oskemioo nitte mʾsioo wʾtlkislootmʾnya wʾtlagootinya; nit otaginwipoonmʾnya kisook etuchi pootwusitit.68

Nit liwettasoo chikte wigwam.69 Yot wʾkesekmenya etasikiskakil katama loo-wen-kelosioo mʾsitte pootwuswin chewitpit-hasoo tanetch wʾtitmʾn.70 Tan etuchi littootit tebaskuswagʾnʾl mʾsitte wʾtipithodmʾnya tanetch likisi-chenetasso manʾtimʾk guni chikpultowuk topemlokemkil.71

Apch etuchi apkw-timootit wigwam liwitassoo mʾsittakw-wen tlewestoo nitt na guni omache pootwuswinya; mʾsioo potwooswin wʾtoknootmʾn elipipyaks naga mech matnuttitit mʾsioo eli wʾsikyoltotitits guenipnʾltimʾk; nittlo alteketch tepnasko yotipit-hatosoo naga kʾtemakitt-haman wʾtepittemowa wʾtowasismowa naga mamatwikoltijik; mechi mieu yokli-wʾsikyaspenik tahalote saglit-hat wʾsikap naga mʾtappeguin.72 Nit mʾsioo mitte westotitit.73 Nit likisloomuk wʾtlitonia kʾchi lakalosnihagʾn naga tochioo opoomʾnya epasioo kʾchi wigwam tebagalosneoo; na wʾtlitunia ebiss oponmoonya omittakw-sowall nit wen pelestowat nit etuch eshemhoottam yotʾl eyilijil wʾnijanʾl tebakalusneoo.74 Mʾsitte na wʾtachwiyik settswawall naga na mejimioo wʾmʾtutwatmʾn wʾkchi squt wa wechi skanekaswenook.75 Yot wechi mach-hak wababi tebaskuswagʾnʾl.76

Nit lagalosnihagʾnʾl etli-nʾsettwasik spemek nit nitmame lagootwi-kislootmewagʾn mʾsitte kesigpesitt wʾskichin newanko kesookinito kenooklo kechayami milijpesw.77 Mʾsitte yokteke wʾskichinwuk wʾtachwi elyanya naga wiginya tebagaloosneoo teketch wen kegw liwableloket chiwisemha wʾnikikowal wʾtesemhogol; nit ebis kisi mawettasiks nittlo tane teppo wigit tebakalosneoo chejik sʾtʾmenal tan eyigil tebaskuswagʾnʾl kessena essemha.78 Nit wigwam ettlinwasik tabakalosneoo hidmowioo mʾsitte kesitt wʾskichin kesittakw chewi sanke wipemowsoo.79 Katama apch chigawi yotoltiwun chewi lipemowsowuk tahalo wesi westoltijik witsegesotoltijik opeskon wenikicowa.80 Nittlo kʾchi squt etli wʾsittwasik wigwamek hidmowiw mʾsitte ta wut kiswichitakw wʾskichin nittetch ettlositit squtek wela manch skat apch teke yiwibmes-honwal.81 Nittlo wenikigowal ettlin mʾsitt woot wigwamek nit kʾchi Sagem Kanawak.82 Nitte lakaloshigʾn naga hibis hidmowiw wababi tebaskuswagʾnl.83 Tan woot pelsetek chewi mawe sagyawal etli nʾsettwojik nit mʾsigekw kisittpiyak.84

Nitte apch omach elok-hʾdinya hʾnʾwʾtlitunia apsegiguil wʾtebaskuswagʾnowal.85 Mʾsioo yotʾl tebaskuswagʾnʾl chewi-littaswul wababik.86 Wechich kiskittasik tan teppo elikimwittpiyak elnogak mʾsittech yo naga elimilichpegek wapap.87 Yot wapap elyot sagmak naga mʾitapeguinwuk naga nipwultimkil.88 Elok-hʾdimek tan etuchi metchmete sagem naga elipuskenoot eli-mʾtakittmowatil mʾsitte wʾskichinwuk.89 Wulasikowdowi wapap; wigwamkewi wapap.90

APPENDIX91

THE WAMPUM RECORDS IN ENGLISH92

Many bloody fights had been fought, many men, women and children had been tortured by constant and cruel wars until some of the wise men among the Indians began to think that something must be done, and that whatever was to be done should be done quickly.93 They accordingly sent messengers to all parts of the country, some going to the South, others to the East, and others to the West and Northwest.94 Some even went as far as the _Wabanaki_.95 It was many months before the messengers reached the farthest tribes.96 When they arrived at each nation, they notified the people that the great Indian nations of the Iroquois, Mohawks and others had sent them to announce the tidings of a great _Lagootwagon_ or general council for a treaty of peace.97 Every Indian who heard the news rejoiced, because they were all tired of the never-ending wars.98 Every tribe, therefore, sent two or more of their cleverest men as representatives to the great council.99

When all the delegates were assembled they began to deliberate concerning what was best to do, as they all seemed tired of their evil lives.100 The leading Chief then spoke as follows: “As we look back upon our bloodstained trail, we see that many wrongs have been done by all of our people.101 Our gory tomahawks, clubs, bows and arrows must undoubtedly be buried for ever.”102 It was decided, therefore, by all concerned to make a general _Lagootwagon_ or treaty of peace, and a day was appointed when they should begin the rites.103

For seven days, from morning till night, a strict silence was observed, during which each representative deliberated on the speech he should make and tried to discover the best means for checking the war.104 This was called the “Wigwam of Silence.”105

After this they held another wigwam called _mʾsittakw-wen tlewestoo_, or “Wigwam of Oratory.”106 The ceremonies then began.107 Each representative recited the history of his nation, telling all the cruelties, tortures and hardships they had suffered during their wars and stating that the time had now come to think of and take pity on their women and children, their lame and old, all of whom had suffered equally with the strongest and bravest warriors.108 When all the speeches had been delivered, it was decided to erect an extensive fence and within it to build a large wigwam.109 In this wigwam, they were to make a big fire and, having made a switch or whip, to place “their father” as a guard over the wigwam with the whip in his hand.110 If any of his children did wrong he was to punish them with the whip.111 Every child of his within the enclosure must therefore obey his orders implicitly.112 His duty also was to keep replenishing the fire in the wigwam so that it should not go out.113 This is the origin of the Wampum laws.114

The fence typified a treaty of peace for all the Indian nations who took part in the council, fourteen in number, of which there are many tribes.115 All these were to go within the fence and dwell there, and if any should do wrong they would be liable to punishment with the whip at the hands of “their father.”116 The wigwam within the fence represented a universal house for all the tribes, in which they might live in peace, without disputes and quarrels, like members of one family.117 The big fire (_ktchi squt_) in the wigwam denoted the warmth of the brotherly love engendered in the Indians by their treaty.118 The father ruling the wigwam was the Great Chief who lived at Caughnawaga.119 The whip in his hand was the type of the Wampum laws, disobedience to which was punishable by consent of all the tribes mentioned in the treaty.120

After this, they proceeded to make lesser laws, all of which were to be recorded by means of wampum, in order that they could be read to the Indians from time to time.121 Every feast, every ceremony, therefore, has its own ritual in the wampum; such as the burial and mourning rites after the death of a chief, the installation of a chief, marriage, etc. There were also salutation and visiting wampum.122

ELOK-HʾDIMʾK TAN ETUCHI MECHMETE SAGEM123

Tan etuchi mechinet sagem omutlʾwaqulmʾnʾl chewi temitaha naga nʾkikw-wakw-san.124 Mʾsitte tan kesiyit wʾtowegaknul wʾtchapyil wʾtumhigen naga wʾmutewagʾn w’skichinwnk wʾnittagitmowawal enguchi gʾdunweyin.125 Tan etuchi tepnasgoyak wʾskichinwuk wikwmania pootwuswinoowo pootwuswinia wateplomania pili sagmal negootekmi kataina wʾkislomowyil sagnial.126 Nitte eli kisi-mawekislootmootitits nit opechitakaya kinwetaswinoo newunol kessena kaniachin begwitnol hesgun elye Mikmakik, Kebeklo, Panwapskek Welastogok sagem teli mechinet Pastemogatiek.127 Tan etuchi pechiyatit kinwettasijik elyatit Mikmakik nitte mʾmittutil wechkiyak eguidin metenegnahasik wʾkisin-setumenya kegw itmowio nitte sagem wʾmoweman oskmaknesum wʾtiyan nit wechkoyak kegw nikt kinwut wechipechijik.128 Nit mʾsitte wen wasisek naga epijik wʾskittapyik mʾtappyataswook wenachi asikwenya malemte eguayik.129 Nitte peskw wʾgapetasin natuchio wʾthntowatmun nʾskawewinto-wagʾnʾl.130 Nit wʾtali esui nʾskawan elamkigap wiyalit.131 Malemte mechintoo nitte na yok wechiyojik peskw littposwin omilawiyan nit na negum wʾtasitetunan wʾsiwesul na negum wʾwuskawan.132