The Life and Traditions of the Red ManJoseph Nicolar's "The Life and Traditions of the Red Man" tells the story of his people from the first moments of creation to the earliest arrivals and eventual settlement of Europeans. Self-published by Nicolar, this is one of the few sustained narratives in English composed by a member of an Eastern Algonquian-speaking people during the nineteenth century. At a time when Native Americans' ability to exist as Natives was imperiled, Nicolar wrote his book in an urgent effort to pass on Penobscot cultural heritage to subsequent generations of the tribe and to reclaim Native Americans' right to self-representation. This extraordinary work weaves together stories of Penobscot history, precontact material culture, feats of shamanism, and ancient prophecies about the coming of the white man. An elder of the Penobscot Nation in Maine and the grandson of the Penobscots' most famous shaman-leader, Old John Neptune, Nicolar brought to his task a wealth of traditional knowledge. providing historical context and explaining unfamiliar words and phrases. "The Life and Traditions of the Red Man" is a remarkable narrative of Native American culture, spirituality, and literature |
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Common terms and phrases
able allowed animal bark began bird body bones bring brought called canoe carried caused close coming covered direction earth enemy enter eyes face fire fish followed force gathered gave give given gone ground hand happiness head immediately kind Klose-kur-beh known laid land leave live looking maidens May-May meat meet minds mothers move never night northern obeyed passed peace person plants prepare reached ready rest right hand rising river saying season seen selected setting seven seven days seven moons seventy times seven shore side sleep soon Spirit standing stone strange strength teaching things took tree turn unto watch whole winter wished woman wood young
Popular passages
Page 9 - For three days in the belly of the beast he journeyed from west to east, from the setting of the sun to the rising of the sun.
Page 134 - Wur-bar-Nar-ki,— dawn lander," the eldest son, and "Mik-Mur, — the last born" was the youngest son. And after the division was made the oldest Mik-mur present, was undressed and put into "Tki-nur-gann...
Page 141 - Wur-bur-bee," — wampum, is made from the different colored sea shells which are now extinct. The parts of the shell got out fit for use are rubbed on some gritty stone to shape them. Then the awl is used to make the holes. The making of the holes was the slowest part of the work, therefore when it was made it was considered valuable.
Page 134 - ... and during the council days all kinds of sports were enjoyed by the young. At first the Mohawks seemed pleased to have the people come and took pride in being able to entertain decently all that came. They seemed delighted in serving as the keeper, but after a long while wanted to be the commander. This the people could not tolerate, and quit going there.
Page 134 - As has been stated before all the tribes visited this council fire every seven years, and during the council days all kinds of sports were enjoyed by the young. At first the Mohawks seemed pleased to have the people come and took pride in being able to entertain decently all that came. They seemed delighted in serving as the keeper, but after a long while wanted to be the commander.
Page 141 - The making of the holes was the slowest part of the work, therefore when it was made it was considered valuable. It was never intended to be used as money. True there were many instances where it was exchanged for some other things, yet the principal object was that it only be used as the pledge...
Page 134 - Odurwur (Ottawa) which was soon followed by all the other tribes. The spot selected where the grand council fire was to be established was at the head of the first big rapids of the Great Lake River (Caughnawaga at Lachine Rapids) 1 and the name given to it was ktci
Page 143 - ... place' [Casco, Me.], which was found to contain very powerful healing powers, the effects of which were much the same as the medicines prepared by the healers. . . . The spot was visited by all the people from all parts of the country and they continued their visits until after the white man came. According to the old traditional story tellers, this water boils out of the earth in a country of rocks a short walk from the shores of Ka'skok in the direction of the setting sun. This medicine water...
Page 133 - ... woven into a wampum band two hands wide and twenty-one hands long, and along in the middle part many different characters were woven in, representing what the band was made for and who are concerned in it.
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Life and Traditions of the Red Man |
| Author | Joseph Nicolar |
| Publisher | C.H. Glass & Company, printers, 1893 |
| Original from | Harvard University |
| Digitized | Nov 23, 2005 |
| Length | 147 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |