Love Medicine
Detail of beadwork from an Ojibwe medicine pouch
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Another question about the Hawatha stuff.
I get what I read, I'm just confused as to how it all relates back to Hiawatha. In the beginning, Nokomis has a daughter, not a son. So, i'm guessing that Hiawatha is not the son of Nokomis? Also I know they have a few different names for Hiawatha, I just keep getting a little confused on some parts, although I undersrand what the stories mean.
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2 comments:
Nokomis is the daughter of the Moon. Nokomis falls to earth and gives birth to a daughter, Wenonah, who is her first born and only daughter. Wenonah grows up and, despite her mother's warnings, goes out into the meadows and is impregnated by the West Wind (Mudjekeewis). Wenonah has a son who is Hiawatha, but she is abandoned by Mudjekeewis and dies of sadness soon after Hiawatha is born. Nokomis must raise Hiawatha herself; therefore, Hiawatha is raised by his grandmother, Nokomis.
"Hiawatha" is the only name for Hiawatha that is used in this poem. Menzoboho is the other name you are thinking of, but that spelling isn't used in this story.
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