MF 141 ANT 426 Native American Folklore

Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History: MF 141 ANT 426 Native American Folklore

Number of accessions: 8
Dates when interviews were conducted: 2005-2010
Time period covered: late 20th century
Principal interviewer: various
Finding aides: none
Access restrictions: For a few of the accessions the copyright is retained by interviewees.
Description: This collection consists of 8 research papers written for ANT 426 Native American Folklore, a course taught by Pauleena MacDougall at the University of Maine in Orono during the fall of 2005, 2006, and 2010. Topics covered in the papers included: Wabanaki spirit guides, basket making, creation myths involving Gluskabe, Passamaquoddy stories for children, Wabanaki medicinal plants and traditional healers, and Passamaquoddy Wampum Records.

NA3696 John Bear Mitchell, interviewed by Lisa Jean Wilson for ANT 426 taught by Pauleena MacDougall, fall 2005. Mitchell talks about identifying a spirit guide; obtaining guardian spirits through dreams and vision quests; functions and roles of spirit guides including teacher, guide/helper, protector, messenger and bringer of medicine; animals which can serve as spirit guides including white wolf, blue heron, bear, white eagle, fox, and rabbit; role of clan animals; role of animal spirits in afterlife. Paper titled “The Significance of Animals in Wabanaki Spirituality.” Text: 11 pp. paper.

NA3697 By Kate St. John, ANT 426 taught by Pauleena MacDougall, fall 2005. Paper, titled “Penobscot Basketry,” deals with Penobscot basketry as a from of expression of culture and expression of history; baskets made up of materials, stories, feelings, people, and time spent in creating and connecting them; difficult to precisely date when basket was made; Maine tourists created interest in baskets and misunderstandings; selling baskets became big business in summer; splint baskets were used by potato farmers; Molly Molasses sold baskets as a way of surviving; Penobscot legend recorded by Molly Spotted Elk about Wahlemahtusgil and sweetgrass seeds. Text: 10 pp. manuscript.

NA3698 By Jessica Umel, ANT 426 taught by Pauleena MacDougall, fall 2005. Paper, titled “Gluskabe Myths,” deals with significance of Gluskabe in Maine native folklore; different spellings of name (Gluskabe, Klus-kur-beh, Glooscap, Glooskap); his purpose in creation of human beings and other creatures; discussion of stories “How Gluskabe created the First Man,” “The First People and the First Corn,” “Glooscap the Divinity,” “Glooskap and the Four Wishes”; Gluskabe divinity responsible for creation of all humans and First Mother; foundation for belief systems of Maine natives; serves as teacher of lessons, creator of earth and all its creatures, significant keeper of balance and peace among humans. Oral presentation includes the reading of a few examples of Maine Native stories about Gluskabe which are not included in the transcript of the oral presentation. Text: 2 pp. transcript of oral presentation, 5 pp. manuscript. Recording: CD 2257 26 minutes.

NA3699 By Maureen LeBlanc, ANT 426 taught by Pauleena MacDougall, fall 2006. Paper, titled “Introducing Native North American Stories to Young Children,” deals with teaching diversity and cultural awareness; importance of books and reading to help children explore their world; teaching respect of people and views that are different from their own; two Passamaquoddy children’s books “Thanks to Animals,” by Allen Sockabasin and “Wind Bird: Gift of the Mist,” by Sarah Stiles Bright as told by Passamaquoddy Elder Wayne Newell. Text: 10 pp. manuscript.

NA3702 By Maria Harris for ANT 426 taught by Pauleena MacDougall, fall 2005. Paper, titled “Penobscot Healers and Medicinal Plants,” deals with the history of the Penobscots; sovereignty of the Penobscot Nation and its relationship to the federal and state governments; Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement; women as healers; medicinal plants; Molly Molasses; Native Americans appeared in traveling medicine shows; Chief Rolling Thunder, famous medicine man/entertainer; Kickapoo Indian Medicine Show; Natalie Rapp, modern healer educated in both western medicine and traditional Penobscot healing; Natalie’s Penobscot name is Siqon; healing power of plants; plants used by Penobscots were mayapple, bloodroot, pennyroyal, lobelia, butterfly weed, northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis); how the environment and Penobscot culture are interrelated; effect of pollution on the Penobscots’ way of life; dioxin; Great Northern Paper and the Penobscots in court in 2001; role of spirituality in healing; combination of modern medicine and traditional ways of healing. Text: 11 pp. manuscript.

NA3762 By Elyssa Phinney for ANT 426, December 16, 2010. Paper, titled “The Legends of Gluskabe: a Cultural Lesson,” deals with Gluskabe, the mythical figure among Wabanaki tribes and his alternate names; the births of Gluskabe and his brother; Gluskabe’s killing of his brother and journey to earth; creation story of plants and animals; explanation of gender roles through the story; Gluskabe’s lessons to mankind of how to live and be spiritual; Gluskabe’s credit of creating many innovations for man; tales about Gluskabe can teach cultural lessons and values; examples of stories that explain why animals have their traits, and how people should act; Gluskabe’s impact on the Wabanaki people and their religion. Text: 15 pp. paper.

NA3795 By Rosemary Cyr ANT 426, fall 2010. Paper, titled “The Passamaquoddy Wampum Records,” deals with the use of wampum beads by the Passamaquoddy to keep as record of events and laws, as part of ceremonies, and as currency; increased use of wampum beads after European influence; wampum’s role in politics, society, and religion; wampum significant component of traditional communication; Passamaquoddy history in Maine; creation of the Wabanaki Confederacy; Passamaquoddy David E. Francis; Lewis Mitchell, early Passamaquoddy representative to the Maine Legislature; Wampum Records being created to pass down Wabanaki tradition and culture, orally and through woven belts; Wabanaki Confederacy was revived in the 20th century; ethnomusicologist Ann Morrison Spinney shows how the Passamaquoddy Wampum Records continue to operate in today’s cultural framework. Also included: illustrations. Text: 12 pp. paper.

NA3796 By Melanie Lemieux for ANT 426, fall 2010. Paper, titled “Passamaquoddy Medicine,” deals with holistic and ceremonial healing by the Passamaquoddy; methods used by Native Americans in gathering plants for medicine; traditional healing tries to balance the four elements of wellness: mind, body, spirit, and nature; Passamaquoddy story of creation of medicine man Glooscap; Passamaquoddy Fredda Paul learned about traditional medicine from his grandmother; herbal medicine being looked down upon by the Catholic Church as witchcraft; examples of Passamaquoddy plants being used to treat wounds and illnesses; white pine; red willow of red osier dogwood; horsetail; colt’s foot; cedar; some plants smoked to heal or put into teas to drink. Text: 10 pp. paper.