Storytelling, Animism, and the Native Cosmos ~ NorthEastern Maritimes

In the time before The Change (arrival of Columbus at Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) - 1491), Indigenous storytelling was a “sacred” process and the soul of The People. Without a written language traditional culture and customs were handed down using the Oral Narrative as the base. They provided social, cultural and historical contexts, and acted as a social cohesive for the entire tribe. In other words, they constituted the ‘cultural grounding’ of Indigenous people.

Storytellers were respected and were usually Elders or Spirit Doctors who carried the history and knowledge of their people and were much revered in the tribes for the simple reason that it was assumed that with age came wisdom and experience. Children were taught gently about their Nation’s traditional beliefs. Hearing the words from an Elder who told it with solemnity and dignity added weight to the importance of the knowledge.

In other words, the oral narrative was a highly developed, sophisticated medium supported by ages old teachings and explanations that were based on fact, observation, oral claims and contracts (in front of witnesses), and a complex set of social and cultural customs for dealing with the sacred and the supernatural.

Native people did not distinguish between the physical and supernatural because everything was viewed as a vast continuum; whether it be animate or supernatural, the world existed in ‘real time’ and in a conscious state of existence. Every living thing was a member of one large family: the four elements (earth, air, fire and water), plant, animal and human worlds were connected to each other in often complex and sophisticated ways. In other words, every object that existed in the physical world or sprang from the rich imaginations of the storytellers was in effect in possession of ‘real’ life and co-existed in perfect harmony with all other living beings - all were considered human.

Later science and technology explained a lot of the workings of Mother Earth, why the tides come in twice a day, why the world is in light and in darkness, the origins of the star nation, etc. In the time of the Ancestors, however, it was the rich imaginations of the storytellers who tried to explain the relationship of humans to their natural and supernatural environments.

Just like any human, Native people were eager to understand their place in the cosmos and in the long winter months the storytellers obliged by weaving magical tales. Spectacular stories are found on the Pacific Northwest coast and all across Turtle Island for that matter.

The People were kept enthralled with the relationships between humans and animals, humans and the cosmos, they laughed and cried with Culture Hero Raven as he sought to bring order to the world. Stories and dramas abounded through the Sun Dance ceremonies of the northern Great Plains (Blackfoot, Peigan, Blood, Sarcee); the Central and Eastern Woodlands (Ojibwa, Cree, Huron, Iroquois); Inuit; the wondrous stories of the Mi’Kmaq and other maritime tribes.

As noted above, speeches/stories were a crucial part of ceremonial occasions, such as ceremonies. Again, without a written language, the dance/music/storytelling dramas sought to ground The People in their history. Often long and complex, they covered a variety of topics and claims in the the best of the oral tradition were designed to pass on knowledge, history and ownership of, for example, important crests, totems, names, beliefs, history and territory.

Stories of how to behave, of overcoming obstacles, of exceptional courage and sacrifice, how to make clothing, prepare food, build long houses, carve totems, deal with cowardly denial, selfishness and jealousy, generally how to behave with others (i.e. manners, protocol), understanding the world of the supernatural, and explanations about the place of humans in the natural world were vital to the overall health and future of the tribe. Storytelling and Truth were interconnected and it was with the utmost trust that The People received the tales of those who had gone before.

Most Native stories contained malevolent and evil-doing spirits which had to be confronted or counteracted by an opposing positive power. Power was an important concept for Native people. It primarily was the property of the spirit world, therefore the ‘crying for a vision’ to acquire guardian spirits was an important event in the life of a young person, since one had to possess at least minimal amounts of spiritual power in order to carry survive in often harsh environments.

In the Mi’kmaq tradition, Glooscap was chosen by the Creator to take a portion of the heavens for the Mi’kmaq people.

The messenger sent by the Creator to perform this task was Loon; who instructed Glooscap how to create Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River.

The Mi’kmaq say that when Gisoolg, the Great Spirit, was making the Continent of the New World, he found that he had much material left over in the shape of rocks, swamps, and useless trees. So he formed a big rubbish heap by casting it all into the sea to the northeast, and called it Wee-soc-kadao. A millenia later, it was to become known as Newfoundland.

After the Mi’kmaq world was created and after the animals, birds and plants were placed on the surface, Gisoolg caused a bolt of lightening to hit the surface of the land. This bolt of lightning caused the formation of an image of a human body named Glooscap. He was the first human. And was shaped out of the basic element of the Mi’kmaq world: sand.

After Glooscap stood up on his feet, he turned around in a full circle seven times. He then looked toward the sky and gave thanks to Gisoolg for giving him life. He looked down to the earth or the ground and gave thanks to Ootsigamoo (Sand Spirit) for offering sand for Glooscap’s creation. He looked within himself and gave thanks to Nisgam for giving him his soul and spirit.

Glooscap then gave thanks to the four directions east, north, west and south. He was then instructed to shoot an arrow into an Ash Tree, and as it split down the middle, two human forms emerged, ones Male and one Female.

The Mi’kmaq suffered through many long winters, the snow refusing to abate because it had put Glooscap to sleep. He finally awoke and travelled on the back of a whale south where he met a beautiful maiden called ‘Summer’. Their combined powers were enough to expel winter and create the Seasons.

Glooscap’s essential role in Mi’Kmaq creation stories was to bring order to a world that was in chaos before he arrived. As is the case with most Transformer Figures, Glooscap was not responsible for ‘creation’ but responsible for organizing it.

Shared with other Algonquians the concept of a Supreme Being known as Gisoolg the Great Spirit (The word Gisoolg in Mi’kmaq means ” you have been created “). The word does not imply gender. Gisoolg is not a He or a She because gender is not important. It also means ” the one credited for your existence.” In pre-European contact time, the Mi’Kmaq identified this Creator as the Sun, to which they prayed twice daily; lesser deities included humans who were immortal and had supernatural powers. Glooscap, the most important was one such figure. Another Great Spirit figure was Kji-niskam who controlled the destinies of all things. Although invisible his power was manifested through the sun, moon and Father Sky.

Another supernatural figure who could bestow supernatural powers of humans was M’Kmuesu (Mi’Kmaq is derived from the word). Like most Native nations, all animals and plant life have souls. For example, Wa’so’q was a wondrous place where the souls of all living beings lived in perfect harmony, there was no hunger there.

Mi’kmaq also believed in Reincarnation when the the life-soul (physical body) and the free-soul (animism) which existed apart from one another, but at the end of days combined to bring an individual back.

Like most hunter-gatherer peoples, the Mi’kmaq had spirit doctors called puoin. They had the power to cure ailments (and to cause them - Sorcerers.). They were relied upon to interpret the spiritual world to the people. Although Christian missionaries tried to discredit the puoin and the world-view that they represented, many traditional beliefs and practices persisted, some down to the present day.

As is the case with most Native beliefs, the Mi’kmaq people do not explain how the Great Spirit came into existence only that Gisoolg is responsible for creating everything.