20 



NANABOZHO 



[b. a. b. 



ruler clothed in frost, ice, and snow, is 

 identified with chert or flint, in Iroquois 

 too, because of the identity of origin be- 

 tween the terms for crystal or sparkling 

 ice and the smooth glistening surface of 

 chert or flint. 



In Potawatomi and cognate tradition 

 Nanaljozho is the eldest of male quad- 

 ruplets, the beloved Chipiaitoos being the 

 second, Wabosl)o the third, and Chake- 

 kenapok the fourth. They were begot- 

 ten by a great primal being, who had 

 come to earth, and were born of a reputed 

 daughter of the children of men. Nana- 

 bozho was the j)rofessed and active friend 

 of the human race. The mild and gentle 

 but unfortunate Qhi[)iai)oos became the 

 warder of the dead, the ruler of the coun- 

 try of the mane.s. after this transforma- 

 tion. Wabosso ( ' Maker of White' ), see- 

 ing the sunlight, went to the northland, 

 -where, assuming the form of a white hare, 

 he is regarded as possessing most potent 

 manito or orenda (q. v.). Lastly, Cha- 

 kekenapok, named from chert, flint, or 

 tirestone (?fire), was the impersonation 

 originally of winter, and in coming into 

 the world ruthlessly caused the death of 

 his mother. 



Having attained the age of manhood, 

 Nanabozho, still feeling deep resentment 

 for the death of his mother, resolved to 

 avenge it t)y the destruction of his brother 

 Chakekenapok. The two brothers soon 

 grappled with each other. Chakekenai)ok 

 finally turned and fled, but Nanabozho 

 pursued him over the world, finally over- 

 taking and striking him with a deerhorn 

 or a chert, fracturing or cliii)ping pieces 

 from various parts of his body, and de- 

 stroying him by tearing out his entrails. 

 Thefragments from Chakekenapok' s body 

 became huge rocks, and the masses of 

 flint or chert found in various parts of the 

 world show where the conflicts between 

 the two brothers took place, while his 

 entrails became vines. Before the Indians 

 knew the art of fire-making Nanabozho 

 taught them the art of making hatchets, 

 lances, and arrowpoints. 



Nanabozho and Chipiapoos dwelt to- 

 gether in a land* far removed from the 

 haunts of mankind. They were noted 

 for excellence of body and beneficence of 

 mind, and for the supreme character of 

 the magic power they possessed. These 

 qualities and attributes excited the bitter 

 antagonism of the evil manitos of the air, 

 earth, and waters, who plotted to destroy 

 the.se two brothers. Nanabozho, who 

 was immune to the effects of adverse 

 orenda and from whose knowledge noth- 

 ing was barred, knew their snares and 

 devices and hence eluded and avoided 

 them. He, however, warned Chipiapoos, 

 his less-gifted brother, not to leave their 

 lodge or to separate from him even for a 



moment. But, disregarding this admoni- 

 tion, one day Chipiaj)Oos ventured out of 

 the lodge and went on the ice of a great 

 lake, probably L. iSlichigan. This temerity 

 was the opportunity sought by the mani- 

 tos, who broke the ice, causing Chipia- 

 poos to sink to the bottom of the lake, 

 where his body was hidden by the mani- 

 tos. Upon returning to the lodge, Nana- 

 bozho, missing Chipiapoos and surmising 

 his fate, became inconsolable. Every- 

 where over the face of the earth !ie sought 

 for him in vain. Then he became en- 

 raged and waged relentless war against 

 all manitos, wreaking vengeance by pre- 

 cipitating a multitude of them into the 

 aljyss (jf the world, lie next declared a 

 truce in order to mourn for his l^rother, 

 disfiguring his person and covering his 

 head to indicate grief, bitterly weeping, 

 and uttering from time to time the name 

 of the lost and unhappy Chipiajjoos. It 

 is said Nanabozho secluded himself for 

 six years in his lodge of mourning. 

 During this truce the evil manitos, 

 knowing the unlimited powers of Nana- 

 bozho and recollecting the destruction 

 of the vast numbers of manitos by their 

 metamorphosis to gratify his anger, 

 consulted together to devise means 

 for pacifying Nanabozho's wrath; but 

 through fear of their great adversary 

 their plans came to naught. At last four 

 of the manitos, hoary with age and ripe 

 in experience and wisdom, and who had 

 not been parties to the death of Cliipia- 

 poos, undertook a mission of pacification. 

 Having built a lodge of condolence near 

 that of Nanabozho, they jirepared a feast 

 of welcome, filling with tobacco a pipe 

 the stem of which was a calumet, and 

 then silently and ceremoniously moved 

 toward their antagonist. The four am- 

 bassadors severally carried a bag made 

 from the entire skin of an otter, a lynx, 

 a beaver, or of some other animal, which 

 contained magically potent medicines 

 and powerful fetishes. Arriving at the 

 lodge of Nanabozho, they chanted to, 

 him with ceremonial formality their good 

 intentions and kind greetings, and asked 

 him to l)e pleased to accompany them to 

 their lodge. Moved by these greetings, 

 Nanabozho uncovered his head, and, 

 arising, washed himself and then accom- 

 panied them. On his entering the lodge 

 the manitos offered him a cup of purifica- 

 tion medicine preparatory to his initia- 

 tion into the Mide, or Grand Medicine 

 Society. Nanabozho partook of the draft, 

 and al once found himself completely 

 freed from feelings of resentment and 

 melancholy. Then the prescribed ritual 

 was performed by the manitos. The 

 proper dances and the chants of the Mide 

 were chanted, and the four manitos, hu- 

 manized primal beings, gently applied to 



