Glooscap (variant forms and spellings Gluskabe, Glooskap, Gluskabi, Kluscap, Kloskomba, or Gluskab) is a legendary figure of the Wabanaki peoples, native peoples located in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Atlantic Canada. The stories were first recorded by Silas Tertius Rand and then by Charles Godfrey Leland in the 19th century.[1]
Glooscap turning man into a cedar tree. Scraping on birchbark by Tomah Joseph 1884
In his role as creator, Glooscap is similar to that of the OjibwaNanabozho and the CreeWisakedjak. There are variations to the legend of Glooscap as each tribe of the Wabanaki adapted the legend to their own region. At the same time, there are consistencies in the legend with Glooscap always portrayed as "kind, benevolent, a warrior against evil and the possessor of magical powers".[2][3]
The Abenaki people believe that after Tabaldak created humans, the dust from his body created Glooscap and his twin brother, Malsumis. He gave Glooscap the power to create a good world. Malsumis, on the other hand, is the opposite, and seeks evil to this day.
Glooscap learned that hunters who kill too much would destroy the good world he had sought to create. Frightened at this possibility, Glooscap sought Grandmother Woodchuck (Agaskw) and asked her for advice. She plucked all the hairs out of her belly (hence the lack of hair on a woodchuck's belly) and wove them into a magical bag. Glooscap put all the game animals into the river. He then bragged to Grandmother Woodchuck that the humans would never need to hunt again. Grandmother Woodchuck scolded him and told him that they would die without the animals. She said that they needed to hunt to remain strong. Glooscap then let the animals go.
Later, Glooscap decided to capture the great bird that Tabaldak had placed on a mountain peak, where it generated bad weather in the flapping of its wings. Glooscap caught the eagle and bound its wings and the winds ceased. Soon, the air was so hot and heavy that Glooscap could not breathe, so he loosened the bird's wings, just enough to generate enough weather so humanity could live.
In one version of the Mi'kmaq creation story, Glooscap laid on his back, with arms outstretched to the north and south and his head toward the rising sun. He was in this position for 365 days and nights. Then, Nogami, the grandmother, was born as an old woman from the dew of the rock. The next day, Nataoa-nsen, Nephew, was born from the foam of the sea. On the next day was born the Mother of all the Mi'kmaq, from the plants of the Earth.
Glooscap was said by the Mi'kmaq to be great in size and in powers, and to have created natural features such as the Annapolis Valley. In carrying out his feats, he often had to overcome his evil twin brother who wanted rivers to be crooked and mountain ranges to be impassable; in one legend, he turns the evil twin into stone. Another common story is how he turned himself into a giant beaver and created five islands in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia by slapping his huge tail in the water with enough force to stir up the earth. His home was said to be Cape Blomidon.[4]
Yet another legend says that when Glooscap finished painting the splendor of the world, he dipped his brush into a blend of all the colors and created Abegweit, meaning "Cradled on the Waves"—his favorite island (Prince Edward Island). When Glooscap slept, Nova Scotia was his bed, and Prince Edward Island his pillow.
Another legend tells Glooscap saved the world from an evil frog-monster, who had swallowed all the Earth's water. Glooscap killed the monster and the water was released. Some animals, relieved at the resurgence of water, jumped in and became fish and other aquatic animals. Like many legends, this one may have some basis in fact: a massive earthquake converted a mountain on the east side of the stone fort Norumbega into a new channel through a split in that mountain[when?]. The eastern side of this mountain became Mi'kmaq island, and the new river channel passed in-between. Later, when explorers asked where Norumbega was, they were told that it lay on the eastern side of the river (which it did prior to the earthquake), and so could never find the new location.
Glooscap is also believed to have brought the Mi'kmaq earthenware, knowledge of good and evil, fire, tobacco, fishing nets, and canoes, making him a cultural hero.
In addition to being a spiritual figure, Glooscap also became a major figure of regional identity for the Bay of Fundy region with everything from steam locomotives, the ship Glooscap, schools, businesses and the Glooscap Trail tourism region named after the heroic figure.
Robertson, Marion (1998). Red Earth: Tales of the Micmacs, Halifax: Roseway Publishing Company Ltd.
Silas Tertius Rand A short statement of facts relating to the history, manners, customs, language, and literature of the Micmac tribe of Indians, in Nova-Scotia and P.E. Island (Halifax, 1850)
Joseph Nicola. The Red Man.
Silas Tertius Rand Legends of the Micmacs edited and with a foreword by Helen L. Webster, (New York and London, 1893). Online version with preface by publisher Jacob Rabinowitz: .
Whitehead, Ruth Holmes and McGee, Harold (1983). The Micmac: How Their Ancestors Lived Five Hundred Years Ago, Halifax: Nimbus Publishing Ltd ISBN0-920852-21-1.
Whitehead, Ruth Holmes (1989). Six Micmac Stories, Halifax: Nova Scotia Museum/Nimbus Publishing ISBN0-919680-35-6.
Whitehead, Ruth Holmes (1988). Stories from the Six Worlds, Halifax: Nimbus Publishing Ltd ISBN0-921054-06-8.
January 28, 2023
glooscap, first, nation, nova, scotia, canada, first, nation, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks,. For the First Nation in Nova Scotia Canada see Glooscap First Nation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Glooscap news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Glooscap variant forms and spellings Gluskabe Glooskap Gluskabi Kluscap Kloskomba or Gluskab is a legendary figure of the Wabanaki peoples native peoples located in Vermont New Hampshire Maine and Atlantic Canada The stories were first recorded by Silas Tertius Rand and then by Charles Godfrey Leland in the 19th century 1 Glooscap turning man into a cedar tree Scraping on birchbark by Tomah Joseph 1884 In his role as creator Glooscap is similar to that of the Ojibwa Nanabozho and the Cree Wisakedjak There are variations to the legend of Glooscap as each tribe of the Wabanaki adapted the legend to their own region At the same time there are consistencies in the legend with Glooscap always portrayed as kind benevolent a warrior against evil and the possessor of magical powers 2 3 Contents 1 Abenaki 2 Mi kmaq 3 Cultural influence 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingAbenaki EditThe Abenaki people believe that after Tabaldak created humans the dust from his body created Glooscap and his twin brother Malsumis He gave Glooscap the power to create a good world Malsumis on the other hand is the opposite and seeks evil to this day Glooscap learned that hunters who kill too much would destroy the good world he had sought to create Frightened at this possibility Glooscap sought Grandmother Woodchuck Agaskw and asked her for advice She plucked all the hairs out of her belly hence the lack of hair on a woodchuck s belly and wove them into a magical bag Glooscap put all the game animals into the river He then bragged to Grandmother Woodchuck that the humans would never need to hunt again Grandmother Woodchuck scolded him and told him that they would die without the animals She said that they needed to hunt to remain strong Glooscap then let the animals go Later Glooscap decided to capture the great bird that Tabaldak had placed on a mountain peak where it generated bad weather in the flapping of its wings Glooscap caught the eagle and bound its wings and the winds ceased Soon the air was so hot and heavy that Glooscap could not breathe so he loosened the bird s wings just enough to generate enough weather so humanity could live Mi kmaq Edit Glooscap monument Millbrook First Nation Nova Scotia In one version of the Mi kmaq creation story Glooscap laid on his back with arms outstretched to the north and south and his head toward the rising sun He was in this position for 365 days and nights Then Nogami the grandmother was born as an old woman from the dew of the rock The next day Nataoa nsen Nephew was born from the foam of the sea On the next day was born the Mother of all the Mi kmaq from the plants of the Earth Glooscap was said by the Mi kmaq to be great in size and in powers and to have created natural features such as the Annapolis Valley In carrying out his feats he often had to overcome his evil twin brother who wanted rivers to be crooked and mountain ranges to be impassable in one legend he turns the evil twin into stone Another common story is how he turned himself into a giant beaver and created five islands in the Bay of Fundy Nova Scotia by slapping his huge tail in the water with enough force to stir up the earth His home was said to be Cape Blomidon 4 Yet another legend says that when Glooscap finished painting the splendor of the world he dipped his brush into a blend of all the colors and created Abegweit meaning Cradled on the Waves his favorite island Prince Edward Island When Glooscap slept Nova Scotia was his bed and Prince Edward Island his pillow Another legend tells Glooscap saved the world from an evil frog monster who had swallowed all the Earth s water Glooscap killed the monster and the water was released Some animals relieved at the resurgence of water jumped in and became fish and other aquatic animals Like many legends this one may have some basis in fact a massive earthquake converted a mountain on the east side of the stone fort Norumbega into a new channel through a split in that mountain when The eastern side of this mountain became Mi kmaq island and the new river channel passed in between Later when explorers asked where Norumbega was they were told that it lay on the eastern side of the river which it did prior to the earthquake and so could never find the new location Glooscap is also believed to have brought the Mi kmaq earthenware knowledge of good and evil fire tobacco fishing nets and canoes making him a cultural hero The Mi kmaq community Glooscap First Nation is named in honor of Glooscap Cultural influence EditIn addition to being a spiritual figure Glooscap also became a major figure of regional identity for the Bay of Fundy region with everything from steam locomotives the ship Glooscap schools businesses and the Glooscap Trail tourism region named after the heroic figure See also EditGlooscap First Nation Abenaki mythology Wisakedjak Nanabozho Odziozo TabaldakReferences Edit Stanley T Spicer Stanley T Spicer The North American Review 112 13 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Missing or empty title help The North American Review 1871 Further reading EditKay Hill Glooscap and his magic legends of the Wabanaki Indians 1963 Kay Hill Badger The Mischief Maker McCulland amp Stwart 1970 Charles Leland Algonquin Legends 1884 Nowlan Alden 1983 Nine Micmac Legends Nova Scotia Lancelot Press ISBN 0 88999 196 0 Robertson Marion 1998 Red Earth Tales of the Micmacs Halifax Roseway Publishing Company Ltd Silas Tertius Rand A short statement of facts relating to the history manners customs language and literature of the Micmac tribe of Indians in Nova Scotia and P E Island Halifax 1850 Joseph Nicola The Red Man Silas Tertius Rand Legends of the Micmacs edited and with a foreword by Helen L Webster New York and London 1893 Online version with preface by publisher Jacob Rabinowitz Volume 1 Volume 2 Stanley T Spicer Glooscap Legends Lancelot Press ISBN 0889994986 ISBN 9780889994980 Whitehead Ruth Holmes and McGee Harold 1983 The Micmac How Their Ancestors Lived Five Hundred Years Ago Halifax Nimbus Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 920852 21 1 Whitehead Ruth Holmes 1989 Six Micmac Stories Halifax Nova Scotia Museum Nimbus Publishing ISBN 0 919680 35 6 Whitehead Ruth Holmes 1988 Stories from the Six Worlds Halifax Nimbus Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 921054 06 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Glooscap amp oldid 1069497335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
