Jerry Lonecloud facts for kids
Jerry Lonecloud (born July 4, 1854 – died April 16, 1930) was a very interesting Mi'kmaq man from Nova Scotia. He was an entertainer, a traditional medicine man, and someone who studied cultures (an ethnographer). He helped keep the stories and history of the Mi'kmaq people alive.
Jerry Lonecloud shared his life story and many Mi'kmaq legends between 1923 and 1929. These recordings were later turned into a book in 2002 called Tracking Dr. Lonecloud: Showman to Legend Keeper. This book is special because it's seen as the first life story (or memoir) of a Mi'kmaq person.
Contents
Early Life and Journey
Jerry Lonecloud's parents were Mi'kmaq and originally from Nova Scotia. He was born on July 4, 1852, in Belfast, Maine. His parents taught him a lot about traditional medicine when he was young.
His birth name was Germain Bartlett Alexis. He started using the name Jerry Lonecloud when he became a showman in the 1880s. When he was 14, around 1868, both his parents had passed away. He then spent two years looking for his brother and two sisters. He wanted to bring them back home to Nova Scotia.
Becoming Dr. Lonecloud
In the 1890s, Jerry started calling himself Dr. Lonecloud. He worked in popular shows called Medicine Shows and Wild West shows. These shows often featured exciting acts and traditional remedies.
He performed with famous groups like John Healy and Charles Bigelow's Kickapoo Indian medicine show. He also joined Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show and the Kiowa Medicine Show.
A Keeper of Stories
Jerry Lonecloud was also an important ethnographer. This means he helped record and preserve the history, stories, and customs of his people. His work is shared in his biography, Tracking Dr. Lonecloud.
He worked with historian Ruth Holmes Whitehead and journalist Clara Dennis. Clara Dennis interviewed Jerry many times between 1923 and 1929. These interviews happened near the end of his life. They included Mi'kmaq legends, jokes, and details about their social customs. Many of these stories were not known to the public before the 2002 book. He also worked closely with another historian named Harry Piers.
Personal Life and Challenges
Jerry Lonecloud and his family lived in Tufts Cove in Dartmouth. This was near the city of Halifax. On December 6, 1917, the terrible Halifax Explosion happened.
During this disaster, Jerry lost two of his daughters. He also lost one of his eyes. He passed away in Halifax on April 16, 1930.
Legacy
Jerry Lonecloud's memory lives on in several ways:
- A musical group was named Lone Cloud after him.
- Lone Cloud Island in Fall River, Nova Scotia is named in his honor. This island was once a Scouts Camp.
- The Jerry Lonecloud Trail in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia carries his name.
- There is a special display about him in the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History.
