Martha Craig facts for kids

Martha Craig (born August 8, 1866 – died April 2, 1950) was an explorer, writer, and speaker from Ireland. She is known for being one of the first European women to explore the Labrador region of Canada in 1905. She had help from Indigenous guides during her journey.

Craig claimed that "Indian chiefs" in Labrador made her a princess. She then gave talks in the US, Canada, and Europe as 'Princess Ye-wa-ga-no-nee'. She shared her scientific ideas, which were based on what she saw in Labrador and her belief in reincarnation. She was even invited to meet US President McKinley. She was also the first woman to give a lecture at the University of Salamanca in Spain.

Martha Craig wrote many types of books, including poetry, non-fiction, and science fiction. Some of her poems were published under the name Maeve Carrig. She might have also used the pen name Mithra. In 2021, a special plaque was put up in her hometown of Gleno, Co Antrim, to remember her.

Early Life and Beginnings

Martha Craig was born on August 8, 1866, in Carneal, Gleno, Co Antrim. Her parents were William Craig and Mary Nelson. She went to school in England and France. When she was young, she was part of the Henry Joy McCracken Society. She believed that land ownership in Ireland needed to be fairer. She wanted to fix what she called "landlordism."

Adventures and Career

Craig started her career as a journalist. In the late 1890s, she left Ireland and moved to the United States. In 1898, she was invited to the White House by President William McKinley. They talked about Ireland's hopes and freedoms.

Later, she moved to Canada. In 1902, she wrote a book called The Garden of Canada, Burlington, Oakville and District. She was very interested in Indigenous cultures. She connected with Buhgwujjenee, an Anishinaabe chief. She might have lived for a while with the Ketegauneseebee people, also known as the Garden River First Nation. Craig said that this Nation adopted her and gave her the name Enookwasshooshah, which means "brave one."

In 1905, Martha Craig explored the inner parts of Labrador. She was joined by "two Indian guides." In July 1905, Cosmopolitan magazine published her story. She claimed to be "the only white woman who has explored Labrador." However, this claim was questioned by Mina Benson Hubbard, who also explored the area around the same time.

Craig also said that "the Indian chiefs of Labrador" made her a princess. She started giving talks as 'Princess Ye-wa-go-no-nee'. She would wear her hair in braids and a feather headdress. She described her adventures "in the land of Hiawatha." Today, this way of acting would be called cultural appropriation. This means taking parts of another culture without fully understanding or respecting it.

There was also a story that Craig gave a "talking machine outfit" (like an early record player) to an Indigenous tribe. In return, they supposedly gave her a gold mine.

Craig's Unique Theories

In her lectures, Martha Craig talked about her own scientific ideas. These ideas were based on what she saw during her explorations in Labrador. Some of these ideas are now considered pseudoscience. This means they sound scientific but are not proven by real science.

One of her main ideas was the Vortex Theory. She believed that "vortexian currents," not gravity, kept objects on Earth. She thought this because she wrongly observed that the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) seemed to be rushing away from Earth.

She also believed that "all life is vibration." She thought she was the reincarnation of an Indian princess named Meta. Some newspapers made fun of her unusual theories. But she was also given chances to write and speak about them. Her Vortex Theory even appeared on the front page of the American Register newspaper. She was invited to lecture at the University of Salamanca, making her the first woman to do so. Her theories were also "duly considered" by the Academie des Sciences in France.

Later Life and Legacy

After 1907, Craig returned to Ireland. She continued to write poetry, including a poem about her home area of Gleno. In 1914, she filed a patent in Belfast for an invention. It was "a method of constructing dirigibles" (airships) to make them safer from explosions.

The house she shared with her older sister Margaret was destroyed by fire in 1946.

Martha Craig passed away on April 2, 1950, at the age of 83. She died at her sister's house in Carneal. She is buried in Gleno Churchyard.

In 2020, an artist from Belfast named Lauren Gault gave a lecture and held an exhibition about Craig's writings. She focused on Craig's 1907 science fiction novel, The Men of Mars.

In October 2021, a blue plaque was put up in Gleno to honor Martha Craig. The Ulster History Circle placed it there. Her great, great nephew, Gordon McDowell, unveiled it. The plaque reads: Martha Craig 1866–1950, Enookwashwooshah ‘Brave Woman', Writer, Lecturer, Explorer, Born at Carneal, Gleno, Explored Labrador, Canada 1905.