Reading the American Past: Printed Page 4

DOCUMENT 1-2

A Penobscot Origin Narrative

In 1893, Joseph Nicolar, an elder of the Penobscot people of Maine, published an account of stories which, he wrote, "have been handed down from the beginning of the red man's world to the present time." Nicolar was the descendant of well-known Penobscot leaders who summarized the story of Klose-kur-beh, The Man from Nothing, after "forty years of search and study." According to Nicolar, Klose-kur-beh "was claimed by all the children of the red man, to be the first person who came upon the earth." The excerpt below introduces Klose-kur-beh, recounts the sacrifice of the first mother, and describes her gift of love for all, as interpreted by Klose-kur-beh.

Joseph Nicolar

The Life and Traditions of the Red Men, 1893

Klose-kur-beh, "The Man from Nothing" . . . [came] into the world when the world contained no other man, in the flesh, but himself. When he opened his eyes lying on his back in the dust, his head [pointed] toward the rising of the sun and his feet toward the setting of the sun. ... Having no strength to move any part of his body, yet the brightness of the day revealed to him all the glories of the whole world. ... [H]e saw the land, the sea, mountains, lakes, rivers, and the motion of the waters, and in it he saw the fishes. On the land were the animals and beasts, and in the air the birds. ...

While the body clung to the dust he was without mind, and the flesh without feeling. At that moment the heavens were lit up, with all kinds of bright colors most beautiful . . . and soon all the colors intermingled, forming a beautiful brightness in the center of the heavens over the front of his face. Nearer and nearer came the brightness toward his body until it got almost to a touching distance, and a feeling came into his flesh, he felt the warmth of the approaching brightness, and he fell into a deep sleep. The wind of the heavens fanned his brow, and the sense of seeing returned unto him, but he saw not the brightness he beheld before, but . . . a person like unto himself, standing at his right hand, and the person's face was toward the rising of the sun. ... The first thought that came unto him was, that he believed the person was able to bring strength unto him, and the "Great Being" answered his thought saying these words: "Thou doest well believing in me, I am the head of all that thou beholdest, and as thou believest, arise from thy bed of dust, and stand on thy feet, let the dust be under thy feet, and as thou believest, thou shalt have strength to walk." Immediately strength came unto him, and he rose to his feet and stood beside the "Great Being."

After this the "Great Being" . . . turned . . . facing the sun. Lifting both hands and looking up he said: "Go thy way!" and immediately the whole heavens obeyed. The sun, moon and all the stars moved towards the setting of the sun. The night coming slowly toward their standing, when the Great Being sending up his voice, saying: "Let us make man in our own image[.]" . . . [T]he Great Being said unto [Klose-kur-beh] . . . "go thy way, toward thy right hand and seek thy companions! I will be thy teacher and you will be their teacher"; and [Klose-kur-beh] obeyed his command. ...

As soon as the news of the return of Klose-kur-beh reached the ears of the first mother of the people, she became very much agitated and her action gave much alarm; nothing seemed to give her relief, and she showed a discontented mind day after day. ... [S]even little children came and stood . . . looking into the woman's face saying, "We are in hunger and the night will soon come; where is the food?" Upon hearing this, water came from the woman's eyes seven drops came and dropped upon the earth. ... [T]he woman said to the little ones, "hold your peace little ones, in seven moons you shall be filled and shall hunger no more." . . . [T]he woman turned her pleading eyes to [her husband] saying, "Take the stone implement, [and] with it slay me unto death[.]" . . .

[S]he gave directions as to what should be done. She told the man [her husband] after he had slain her, to get twisted branches of the small trees and tie the branches around her neck and drag her body to a large open space of land and to drag it all over the open space, and when the flesh was worn away to the bones turn it and wear away the other side, and after he had dragged her body all over the land to bury her bones in the middle of it and then come away, and in seven moons to go and gather all he found on the land, - gather and eat, but not all of it - save some to put in the land again. Let seven moons pass before you put my flesh in the ground again; put it under the ground so the birds will not devour it. ... [T]he man did slay the woman and he dragged her body over a large open land and did bury her bones in the center of it as directed. ...

When the seven moons had passed the man went to the place where his wife's bones lay, and when he came to the place he beheld the place filled with tall plants but not green because the sun had faded them to a yellow shade, and upon examining the stock found substance in them which he tasted and it was sweet, and he called it "Skar-moo-nal" - Corn, and upon reaching the place where the bones lay he found a plant, large, with broad leaves, without substance; because it was bitter in taste he called it "Ootar-Mur-wa-yeh" - Tobacco. Upon his return to the people and made known what he had found[,] there was great rejoicing among them and all went to help the man in the harvest; all the corn and tobacco were properly taken care of. And here corn and tobacco raising began.

The man whose heart had been so heavy with sorrow since slaying his wife, began to be cheerful when seeing such a general rejoicing and happiness so universal. He began to see that granting the request of his wife was for the good of all, and he no longer lay sorrow to his heart. The only perplexity to him was how to dispose of the fruits of the great event. He saw that something must be done and that in the future some wholesome management would be needed. As he was not able to come to a just conclusion of it, he called together seven young maidens and sent them to the north part of the country to get Klose-kur-beh to come among them and tell them what to do with the harvest which was then in the peoples hands. ...

[W]hen the time arrived, which was appointed by the young maidens, all the people gathered to welcome them home, and when the sun began to cast its shadows toward the setting of the sun the maidens appeared and said, "Klose-kur-beh will come immediately." When the sun was highest, Klose-kur-beh came and immediately the people began to show him the harvest. Upon seeing the great store before him Klose-kur-beh showed signs of joy and said, "There was one thing the Great Spirit did not mention to me, therefore we must be careful in our minds what we do with it. And because this has come from the good of a woman's heart I must first give thanks to the Great Spirit in the name of the seven young maidens who brought the message to me. ...["]

[T]hen he began to speak to the people, saying: ["]The first words of the first mother, have come to pass. When she first came she claimed her origin from the beautiful blade of the plant and that her power shall be great and it shall be felt all over the world; that she was all love, - even the beast will steal her body - for the love of it. And now that she has gone into the substance, which every living being will love we must take care that the second seed of the first mother be always with you, because this is her flesh. When you are filled with it, it gives strength; her bones also have been left behind for your good. These also are the blades of the plant. This blade will not give strength to the body, but will give strength to the mind; burn it and inhale the smoke it will bring freshness to the mind and your heart will be contented while the smoke of it be in you. These two things must always bring memory to your minds, when you eat remember her, and do the same when the smoke of her bones rises before you; yea more, whatever your work be, stop in your labor until the smoke has all gone to the Great Spirit. And as we are all brothers, divide among you the flesh and bone of the first mother, and let all shares be alike, and then the love of your first mother will have been fully carried out.

A little more I wish to say for your good. By the change made in your first mother, other changes in the world shall follow. There shall be weeping and shedding of tears, and there shall be rejoicing causing the body to move to suit the joy. There shall be a season to put the seed in the ground, and a season for it to grow and then the harvest shall come. There shall be a season for heat and a season for cold, so prepare yourself for all these, that when each one comes you may be ready for it. I shall leave you and shall hearken no more to your calling, but shall wait the calling of the Great Spirit. Strange things shall happen, but those who bring about the changes will tell you all about them so you may understand them." Here Klose-kur-beh took leave of his people to come no more.

From Joseph Nicolar, The Life and Traditions of the Red Men (Bangor, ME: C. H. Glass, Printers, 1893), 7-11, 57-67.

Questions for Reading and Discussion