2006-07 Essays
First Place High School Winner, Maridawn Lamb
Orono High School, 12th Grade
Penobscot Spirituality
Everybody knows that there were massive problems and confrontations between Native Americans and European settlers because of their almost endless list of differences, but very few understand one of the most significant things the two groups have in common: their creation stories. The similarity in creation stories is significant because it may help break social and racial barriers of the 21st century that are continually keeping Penobscot and Christians from seeing each other as equals. The fundamental similarities of the Penobscot and Christian creations stories aren’t obvious, but they are there and although the details may be a little off balance, overall the stories of creation run parallel.
The Penobscot creation story is little known to non-Natives, but is fortunately similar enough to the Christian creation story to be easily and briefly be explicated. I think John Bear Mitchell, the Director of the University of Maine Wabanaki Center and a member of the Penobscot tribe explains the creation of the Penobscot God, Gluskabe the best. “Gluskabe the word in itself means, “a man from nothing.” He kind of created himself, from dirt left over from when the creator formed the earth. When the creator formed the earth he dusted his hands and the dust that fell from his hands landed in one spot on the earth and from that dust Gluskabe formed himself. For instance from that pile of dirt out came an arm. It reached over and grabbed some more dirt and formed another arm. Those 2 arms together created the body of Gluskabe and Gluskabe [is known as] the man from nothing,” (Maine Public Broadcasting Network). It’s important to understand that Gluskabe is different from the creator (Chametux or Caginneywesk in Penobscot). The Creator first created all the mountains, valleys, vegetation and animals and then created Gluskabe. Gluskabe lived in and learned all about the woods and how to use the natural resources the earth has to offer. When he had learned everything he could and would be able to teach the humans all about it, he felt it was time to create humans. Gluskabe then took his bow and arrow and shot a brown ash tree. The ash tree split and out of it walked the first humans. The key aspects of this story are the order in which things were created on Earth and that after the Creator did his part, Gluskabe was the one and only remaining God, which the people depended on to teach them how to adapt and live in the world.
The Christian creation story in Genesis from the Old Testament of the Bible says that God created the world (the mountains, valleys, vegetation, animals, and humans), and prior to His creation of the world the Earth was “a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss” with no life-forms inhabiting it. Like the Penobscot creation story God/the Creator is consider to be male and He was responsible for creating mankind. Another common factor is that after the Creator did his work, Gluskabe was left being the only god, just as in Christianity there is only one God and all other gods are false beings. The link of monotheism between these two faiths is a strong similarity.
The last prominent shared characteristic between Penobscot spirituality and Christianity is what the Earth was believed to be former to creation. Both creation stories address the Earth as being filled with nothing, a complete abyss. The reasoning for this incredible similarity is unknown. It’s clear that these two people didn’t have contact when the creation stories first developed so the similarities are astonishing and unexplainable.
Aside from the creation stories there are definite similarities between Penobscot Spirituality and Christianity. In both stories there are direction connections with human beings through prophetic members of a community as well as communication with humans through symbols, dreams, and other objects. Prime examples of this include the Penobscot story of the Girl Who Married Mount Katahdin. In the story a young girl was picking blueberries, feeling lonely she looked up and saw Mount Katahdin on the horizon and wished Katahdin were a man so she could marry him. The Spirit of the Mountain took the girl as his and after a while she desired to return to her village. Eventually, she returned to her tribe carrying a baby. He was a beautiful child, but his eyebrows were made of stone. The wise men of the village said that he was born to become a mighty magician with strange gifts. He was able to point at a flock of ducks or a moose and it would drop dead feeding the whole village with some left over (First People 2007). This story is important because it can relate to a story in the Bible like tale of the Burning Bush communicating to Moses. As in many stories, two typically non-human things were used to relay a message to the community they inhabited. Characteristics in Penobscot and Christianity often match up, and some stories run close to almost being parallel.
It’s important to realize how similar the two creation stories of the Penobscot and Christian people are. Perhaps if they themselves had realized how similar their creation stories were originally, there would have been more collaboration and respect for each other. Maybe a partnership would have been built not leaving the traces of prejudice that are still very much alive today. It’s important in the 21st century to look at the similarities between Penobscot and Christian creation so a better understanding of the groups can be gathered and the harsh stereotypes, confrontations and problems of the past can be avoided in the future. Seeing the crucial differences between the Penobscot and Christians that give the two groups their individuality and uniqueness is also important, so that in the future these two peoples can live side by side as neighbors peacefully, still holding on to their original culture they had before they met.
Works Cited
Penobscot Legend, “Native American Legends.” First People. First People of American and First People of Canada. 8 Jan 2007 http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Legends-PS.html#Penobscot
Mitchell, John Bear. “Program 8: People of the Dawn.”
More Creation Stories. Maine Public Broadcasting Network. 24 Jan 2007
http://www.mainepublicradio.org/homestom/p8creationstories.html
First Place Middle School Winner, Ethan Swedberg
Old Town, Home School, 6th Grade
Maine Native Americans Penobscot Indians People of The Rocky River
The river was named for the Penobscots – Native Americans who lived along the banks thousands of years ago. The Penobscots called themselves Panawampskik, which means, people of the Rocky River.
Samuel de Champlain came to the Penobscot territory and the Indians invited him to come to shore. Soon they became friends.
The villages along the river were their homes, but they also had camps they visited once a year. In the spring they lived in wigwams, which were beautifully made by poles covered with bark.
Penobscots planted crops, made clothes, canoes and tools. They also tapped maple trees for the sweet sap. What was great is they traded with the other tribes. They planted beans, squash, corn and I am sure other kinds of vegetables also. They loaded their canoes and went down river to the seashore to catch fish. The children would help look for clams, crabs, lobsters and I think maybe oysters. The Penobscots would catch their fish with spears or wooden fish traps.
The Penobscots would gather fruits and berries, and the women and children would gather fresh eggs from the shorebirds nests.
When summer was almost over they would go back up the river again to harvest their crops.
Penobscots love music and dancing and they express many wonderful things through the drums and flute.
When night comes it is so very special because around the campfire there is storytelling, where they would learn about ideas and their beliefs of their people.
The Autumn is when the hunting and trapping begins. Generally they travel north to get moose, deer, caribou, bear, and I’m sure many other animals.
Penobscot families camped in the woods. The children were even able to make snares and set traps, and shoot with bows and arrows.
In the winter season, the ice and snow covered the land, they would travel with snow sleds and snowshoes. This is when they go to their villages along the river.
There was a time of pain for the Penobscots. They only wanted to use the land. They were friends with the French, but the English started the problems. They believed they had every right to own the land. Then there was major conflict between the settlers and Native Americans. Now the French sided with the American Indians against the English settlers.
There were changes with spiritual ideas, we have to respect them.
There were many different people who came to live with the Penobscot natives and to share their territory. The small families at the time would band to form larger tribes and do well with peace and trade. The Penobscots were part of these larger groups. They called themselves Wabanki which means people of the dawn.
The major tribes were I believe Micmac, Malecite, Passamaquoddy, and of course Penobscot. They all had their own territory on a major river.
Many different stories have been told of the fighting of the Wabanaki and the Iroquois, the fighting began because the Native Americans were supporting different groups in the European country.
What was very sad was that the Europeans would carry diseases and pass it on to them, and because of that a lot of wonderful Native Americans died.
Now in their time they had many hurdles to jump and battles to win. This was the French and Indian Wars, 1689-1763. The new U.S. Government promised the land would be theirs. The treaties were signed.
What was so wrong in the 1800’s many promises were broken throughout the United States and 2/3 of the land was not given to Indian settlers.
The Penobscots were left with about 6,000 acres of land - that is all - on islands in the Penobscot River.
Now they have a nation of heroes. The governor of the tribe serves two years. The job is not easy.
The state and U.S. Government have passed a lot of laws to help them. They also had victory in courts, and a lawyer by the name of Mr. Tureen, helped them.
On the date October 10, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a law that gave the Penobscot and the Passamaquoddy the right to buy back their land.
Now the Penobscot natives have a lot of land, 150,000 acres or more I think.
Now things can happen, new building, homes, church, schools all great and fun things all started to come together.
The wounds of the past can heal, but can hurt and be passed on with great pride and power to their culture.
As like they weave a basket their life is weaved with each reed of strength. They are strong, and filled with wonderful knowledge.
The work of their craftsmanship in canoe building is amazing. They are a beautiful sight to see, so smooth, on the rivers.
I like the designs they have when they do their canoes or head pieces, and jewelry. The eagle is a mighty piece to them.
The Maine Native Americans are a part of the world I’m in, and I’m so glad that I have had the privilege to appreciate who they are.
Thank you for all your wonderful strong stories of strength.
The power we all have to stand for and all have a rising example in this nation, to come together to have a true respectful peace of each others cultures.
