🧚 Opening, part 21

Malemte epasitpokak en-onatpoon-hʾdinya kiste wulaquipwagʾn.1 Nitt etli-mikomoot yokt kisiniswijik nit yotʾl lusowesquiwil omache-kesoosanya kʾchi epitjik.2 Otasohonel na onespiptonial.3

METEGUT.4

THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN LATER DAYS.5

After the adoption of the wampum laws the marriage ceremony was much more complicated.6

When the young man had informed his parents of his desire to marry and the father had secured the consent of the relations and friends, an Indian was appointed to be the _Keloolwett_ or marriage herald, who, taking the string of wampum called the _Kelolwawei_, went to the wigwam of the girl’s father, generally accompanied by as many witnesses as cared to attend.7 The herald read the marriage wampum in the presence of the girl and her father, formally stating that such and such a suitor sought his daughter’s hand in marriage.8 The herald, accompanied by his party, then returned to the young man’s wigwam to await the reply.9 After the girl’s father had notified his relatives and friends and they had given their consent, the wedding was permitted to go on.10

The usual ceremonies then followed.11 The young man first presented the bride-elect with a new dress.12 She, after putting it on, went to her suitor’s wigwam with her female friends, where she and her company formally saluted him by shaking hands.13 This was called _wulisakowdowagon_ or salutation.14 She then returned to her father’s house, where she seated herself with her following of old women and girls.15 The groom then assembled a company of his friends, old and young men, and went with them to the bride’s wigwam to salute her in the same manner.16 When these salutations were over a great feast was prepared by the bride, enough for all the people, men, women and children.17 The bridegroom also prepared a similar feast.18 Both of these dinners were cooked in the open air and when the food was ready they cried out _kʾwaltewall_, “your dishes.”19 Every one understood this, which was the signal for the merrymakers to approach and fall to.20

The marriage ceremonies, however, were not over yet.21 The wedding party arrayed themselves in their best attire and formed two processions, that of the bride entering the assembly wigwam first.22 In later times it was customary to fire a gun at this point as a signal that the bride was in the hall, whereupon the groom’s procession entered the hall in the same manner, when a second gun was fired.23 The _geptins_ of the tribe and one of the friends of the bride then conducted the girl to the bridegroom to dance with him.24 At midnight, after the dancing, a supper was served, to which the bride and groom went together and where she ate with him for the first time.25 The couple were then addressed by an aged man (_nojimikokemit_) on the duties of marriage.26

Finally, a number of old women accompanied the newly made wife to her husband’s wigwam, carrying with them her bed-clothes.27 This final ceremony was called _natboonan_, taking or carrying the bed.28 P.29

THE END.30

FOOTNOTES:31

[70] According to Indian tradition, six Iroquoian tribes united in a confederation in the interests of peace.32 This was the famous league of the six nations: Onondagas, Mohawks, Oneidas, Senecas, Cayugas and Tuscaroras.33 The first five of these completed their league as early as the middle of the fifteenth century under the Onondaga chief Hiawatha.34 The object of the federation was to abolish war altogether (see Brinton, “The American Race,” pp.35 82, 83).36 It is evident that the Passamaquoddy tradition embodied in this part of the Wampum Records refers to these proposals made by their Iroquois neighbors.37

[71] From here on the recorder mentions only the neighboring Algonkin tribes as belonging to the federation which he has in mind.38 The northern Algonkin tribes were very probably in a loose federation with the Iroquois merely for purposes of intertribal arbitration.39 These Algonkin clans themselves, however, seem to have been politically interdependent, as one clan could not elect a chief without the consent of all the others.40

=Glossary=41

Glossary[72]42

[72] A.=Abenaki; P.=Passamaquoddy; Pen.43 =Penobscot; M.=Micmac.44

Âbâznōdâ, “basket” (A. and P.); cognitive of _abazi_, “tree,” _i.e._, something made of wood.45 Cf.46 P. _bʾsnŭd_.47

Âbĭstânēûch, “marten” (M.); probably cognitive with A. _âpânâkĕs_ and _panakos_, “marten.”48

Ãbŭkchĕlû, “skunk” (M.); cf.49 P. _âpîchîlû_.50 The A. word is _segoñgw_, “skunk,” from a cognitive of which, viz., Ojibwe, [_=ž_]_ikág_, is derived the English “skunk,” and the city-name “Chicago,” “place of skunks”!51

Âklîbĭmô, “bull frog” (P.); cf.52 M. _ăblîgĕmû_, “bull-frog.”53

Ăgŭnōdămâkŭn, “story” (P.); cf.54 _kt-ăgʾnōdʾmŭl_, “I will tell thee”; _ăgŭnôdŭmaak′_, “one relates.”55 The A. stem _oñdoka_, “tell,” is clearly a metathesis of the same root.56

Agwē′dʾn, “birch canoe” (P.); see M. _kwēdŭn_.57

Alsigontegw = _Arsikantekw_ is composed of the elements _arsi_, “empty”; _kan_, an infix which signifies “cabin”; and the suffix -_tekw_, which always means “river”; cf.58 _tego_, “wave.”59 The modern form of the word is _Alsigontekw_, which the Indians wrongly connect with _als_, “shell,” and translate “river where shells abound.”60 _Als_ appears, however, as _ess_ in the older language.61 See on this subject, GILL, _Notes sur les Vieux Manuscrits Abenakis_, pp.62 13 ff, Montreal, 1886.63

Ămwĕ′sŭk, “wasps” (P.); cf.64 M. _amuĕs′_, “a wasp.”65

Aplasemwesitt, “whirlwind” (P.); M. _pĭptōgōgwââsik_, A. _pĕtĕgwîlômsĕn_.66

Appodumken, like the _Lumpeguin_ (both P.), dwelt under the water.67 He had long red hair and was the favorite bugaboo used by Indian mothers to frighten the children away from the water.68 _Appodumken_ is identical with A. _Waodumkenowat_, who plugs the eyes, ears, and nostrils of drowned corpses with mud.69

Aʿtosis, “snake” (P.); in M. _mtaaskum_, clearly not cognate.70

Atwusknigess, a Pass. invisible being who occasionally fells trees with a single blow of his stone axe.71 This accounted for the fall of an apparently healthy tree.72

Âûkōgēgĕ′chk, Blomidon; “Dogwood grove” (M.): also called _utkogunchîchk_, “bark doubled and sewed together.”73

Awasos, See Mūūin.74

Awesos, See Mūūin.75

Bʾsnŭd, “basket” (P.); see _abaznoda_.76

Bûsîjĭk, “they sailed off” (P.); 3 p. pl. participle.77 The singular is _bûsit_, “one who embarks.”78

Bûʾûin, “a wizard” (M.) = P. _mʾdeolin_ in meaning.79 The English powwow is a derivative from the Mass.80 Narragansett cognitive of this word; _powwâ_, “medicine man”; cf.81 Roger Williams, “Key to the Indian Language,” Providence, 1827, p. 111.82

Chessuyek, “mosquitoes” (P.).83 The singular is _chîsu_ or _tʾsîso_, _q.v.84 _ This has no connection with M. _pijegunjit_ and A. _pegues_, “mosquito.”85

Chibelaʿkwe, “night air sprite,” a monster consisting solely of head and legs, without a body.86 It was always seen sitting in the crotch of a tree.87

Nʾchigunum, “my younger brother” (M.).88

Chikwenochk, “turtle” (P.).89

Chinames, “a fish as long and broad as a man” (M.?).90

Chînu, a Micmac equivalent of P. _Kiwaʿkw_, _q.v.91

Chipi′chkâm, “horned dragon”, really a huge wizard snake (M.).92

Elkomtûejul, “he is calling him,” with obviative ending -_ul_ (M.).93

Ēpīt, “woman”; pl.94 _ēpījĭk_ (P.); cf.95 M. _ēbit_.96

Etuchi, “so,” “thus” (P.); cf.97 A. _adoji_.98

Hămwĕsŭk, See _Amwĕsŭk_.99

Hʾlâmkîk, “hell” (P.); lit., “the lower land,” from _hʿlâm_, “below,” and _ki_, “land,” + locative -_k_.100 Cp.101 A. _Alômki_.102

Î, excl., “oh!”103 (P.).104

Kt-iyi-pʾn, “we have” (P.).105 This is the _inclusive_ we, _i.e._, thou and I. The exclusive form would be _nt-iyi-pʾn_.106

Kâk′âguch, “crow” (M.).107 In P. _kâkâgos_.108

Kâktûgwāās, “thunder” (M.); really “young thunder,” a common proper name.109

Kaktugwāāsĭs, “little thunder” (M.); a further diminutive (ending = _is_) of _Kâktûgwāās_, “little thunder.”110 _Kâktûgwāāsĭs_ means properly, “son of Little Thunder.”111

Kaliwahdasi, “female proper name” (P.).112

Kʾchî, “big,” “large” (P.); also A. and Penobscot.113

Kchî-benabesk, “large rock” (P.).114

Kĕjû, “O mother” (M.); voc. of _nkĕ′ch_, “my mother.”115 Cp.116 A. _nikʾn_, voc. of _nigawes_.117

Kĕkwâjû, “badger” (M.); cogn. with Ojib., _missá-kak-wijis_.118

Kekw?119 “what?”120 (P.); cp.121 A. _kagui?122 _ M. _kogūē?123 _ “what?”124

Kespugitk, “a place name.”125

Kes saak, “long ago” (M.).126

Ketaksuwâûʿt, “spirits’ road” (P.); a combination of _ketākw_, “spirit,” and _âûʿt_, “road.”127

Kezitwâzuch, “Kearsarge” (Pen.).128

Kitpusâgʾnâû, Pass. proper name (?).129 A mythical being.130

Kiwaʿkw, “giant ghoul” or “ice-giant” (P.); cp.131 A. _kiwaʿkwa_, a mythical being, similar in form to a man, who inhabited the snows of the far north.132

Kʾmewun, “rain” (P.); cf.133 P. _kʾmēĭn_, “it is raining.”134

Koʿkoʿkhas, “owl” (P.); cp.135 M. _kûkûgwĕs_, A. _kokokhas_.136

Kuhkw, “earthquake” (M.).137

Kukuʿskûûs, “snowy owl,” a P. word, undoubtedly of onomatapoetic origin.138

Kullû, “a fabulous bird of gigantic size” (M. and P.).139

Kulpujot, “one rolled over with handspikes” (M.); a fabulous being supposed to be connected with the changes of season.140