Legend of Hiawatha

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 16

Legend of Hiawatha

In the legends of the North American Indians the story of Hiawatha is perhaps the one that is best-known to us. The story was told in a long poem written by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in 1855.

Hiawatha was brought up by his grandmother, Nokomis, because his mother, Wenonah (daughter of Nokomis) died when he was born. The legend tells us that Nokomis was a daughter of the Moon and that Hiawatha’s father was the West-wind, mighty ruler of the kingdom of the winds. Hiawatha and Nokomis lived in a forest close to the southern shores of Lake Superior which lies across the boundary between the United States of America and Canada. In the language of the Indians, Lake Superior is called Big-sea-water. The forest on the edge of the lake was a wonderland of living creatures. Snug in his wigwam at night, Hiawatha would watch the dance of the

shining fire-flies and sing this lullaby that Nokomis had taught him, perhaps to comfort him in the dark:— “Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly, Little flitting white-fire insect, Little dancing white-fire creature, Light me with your little candle, Ere upon my bed I lay me, Ere in sleep I close my eyelids.” The birds and animals of the forest were Hiawatha’s friends and constant companions. He called them his brothers. In the words of the poem:— “Of all the beasts he learned the language, Learned their names and all their secrets, How the beavers built their lodges, Where the squirrels hid their acorns, How the reindeer ran so swiftly, Why the rabbit was so timid, Talked with them

whene'er he met them, Called them Hiawatha's brothers.”

Hiawatha grew up to be a strong and fearless warrior, skilled in all the crafts and sports that would qualify him to be a good Indian chief. He was an expert with a bow and arrow, a fearless hunter, a swift runner and a strong swimmer. From the good Nokomis he had learned the customs, legends and beliefs of his people.

From Nokomis he had also learned that he must seek out his father, the West-wind, to avenge the death of his mother.

Wearing his magic mittens which could smash large rocks into small pieces, and his magic moccasins in which he could cover a mile in one stride, Hiawatha travelled through the forests and across the prairies to the Rocky Mountains, to the kingdom of the west-wind, where his father ruled.

In that first meeting between Hiawatha and his father there was a feeling of awe on each side. The

West-wind was imnres«f>d bj' his strong brave son, and pleased to see lum.

Hiawatha was conscious of the power of the Ruler of the winds of Heaven; but he had come to avenge his mother’s death, and he forced the WestWind to fight.

It was a fierce conflict. Chaos reigned in the kingdom of the West-wind for three days while the determined Hiawatha attacked and pursued his invincible opponent. At last the ruler of the winds of Heaven called a truce, telling his son that he could not kill him because he was immortal. He asked Hiawatha to accept the prize of valour, and to return to his people to “cleanse the earth of all that harmed it.” The West-wind promised his son that he would inherit the kingdom of the north-west wind when his work on earth was fin-, ished. Next week we will learn how Hiawatha set about carrying out the tasks his father set him.