Memories, Myths, And Dreams Of An Ojibwe Leader (rupert's Land Record Society Series)

In the 1930s, Chief William Berens shared with anthropologist A. Irving Hallowell a remarkable history of his life, as well as many personal and dream experiences that held special significance for him. Most of this material has never been published. Contents Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments PART I: Introduction PART II: Reminiscences of Chief William Berens: “A Place in Your Mind for Them All” Introduction Childhood Memories Mission and Treaty at Berens River Hunting and Travelling with My Father Helping to Survey Lake Winnipeg, 1886 Fishing and Hauling on the Lake Working for the HBC, Berens River Surveying up the Berens River: Little Grand Rapids and Pikangikum, 1888 Back to HBC Service Return to the Fishing Business Bargaining over Fish Getting Engaged, and Travelling Again to Selkirk Working for Inspector McColl, 1897 A Mysterious Leg Injury Home for a Cure To Selkirk, Emerson, and the States Travelling with Agent Short Marriage and a Winter Trip to Selkirk, 1899 To Cross Lake and Norway House with Agent Short To Selkirk Again Two Frightening Experiences In Charge at Poplar River Fishing and Free Trading, 1903–1904: Cat and Mouse PART III: Dibaajimowinan, Stories and Dreams for Living Introduction MISDEEDS AND CONSEQUENCES 1 Murder Followed by a Daughter’s Sickness 2 Teasing and Retaliation: The Rolling Head 3 “The Animals Know When They Are Not Used Right” 4 The Boys Who Tormented the Pelicans THE DREAMED ONES: CHALLENGES, DANGER, GIFTS, AND THE POWER OF THE MIND 5 The Medicine Stone 6 The Steer with Metal-Tipped Horns 7 The Boy in the Red Tuque 8 Memengwécī, The Man in the Rock 9 A Fight with Mīcīpījìu, the Water Lion 10 The Priests and the Furnace LOVE MEDICINE, COURTSHIP, AND CROSS-COUSIN JOKING 11 A Love Charm at Pikangikum, 1888 12 Love Magic Captures a Girl (and Her Husband) 13 Dreaming of “The Girl Who Will Be Your Wife” 14 “Of Course You Can Joke with Kinim” SOUNDS AND SIGHTINGS IN WAKING LIFE 15 The Pawáganak of Yellow Legs Defeat a Wíndīgo 16 A Wíndīgo Voice in Summer 17 A Wíndīgo Winter Gale 18 Rescuing a Woman Wíndīgo 19 Hearing Pagak 20 Giant Frog Tracks 21 A Giant Snake AUSPICIOUS DREAMS OF TRAVEL AND HUNTING 22 Otters and River Rescue 23 The Girls and the Fisher 24 Meeting a Man with Money FORESHADOWINGS OF LOSS 25 An Apparition, Poplar River, 1900 26 “My Time Has Not Yet Come” A CHALLENGE TO NARRATIVE CATEGORIES 27 The Boy and the Trout Commentary: “The Boy and the Trout” and the Problem of Categories PART IV: Aadizookaanag, Myths Introduction CREATIONS AND RECREATIONS 1 The Birth of the Winds, Flint, and the Great Hare 2 South Wind Enters a Contest with His Brother, North Wind 3 The Origin of Summer 4 Wisαkedjak and the Water Lions 5 Aásī OTHER-THAN-HUMAN BEINGS AND HUMANS: BLESSINGS AND STRUGGLES 6 Mätcīkīwis 7 Mikīnäk, Big Turtle Marries a Widow 8 Misabe 9 Wisαkedjak Flies with the Geese 10 Wisαkedjak Discovers Women 11 Four Men Visit Wisαkedjak and Have Their Wishes Granted HUMANS AND ANIMALS: USING ONE’S POWER TO SAVE, KILL, OR SURVIVE 12 Rolling Head 13 Big Mosquito 14 The Bear, the Hare, and the Lynx 15 The Wolf and the Wolverine HUMANS AGAINST CANNIBALS 16 The Eleven Brothers 17 Wémtigóze Afterword Appendix: Thunder Bird by A. Irving Hallowell Notes References Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z Because the elderly chief wanted his visitor to understand the Ojibwe world, and because Hallowell was deeply interested in his subject matter and was such a good listener, Berens freely related his dreams and other stories about encounters with powerful beings. The fact that he also shared traditional myths in summer, when Ojibwe people thought it dangerous to discuss such things, shows the depth of his relationship with Hallowell. Berens' reminiscences and story and myth texts are unparalleled as sources for the life, experiences, and outlook of this important Ojibwe leader, and for the insights they provide into the history and culture of his people. Rooted in the collaboration between Berens as steward of his oral traditions and Hallowell as creator and guardian of their written versions, Memories, Myths, and Dreams of an Ojibwe Leader draws the reader into the world - and world view - of Chief Berens, showing how an Aboriginal Christian of the early twentieth century could simultaneously take part in "modern" and "traditional" Ojibwe life. Rooted in the collaboration between Berens as steward of his oral traditions and Hallowell as creator and guardian of their written versions, Memories, Myth, and Dreams of an Ojibwe Leader draws the reader into the world - and world view - of Chief Berens, showing how an Aboriginal Christian of the early twentieth century could simultaneously take part in "modern" and "traditional" Ojibwe life."--Pub. desc