Nanabozho facts for kids
 Pictogram of Nanabozho on Mazinaw Rock, Bon Echo Provincial Park, Ontario
|
|
| Other name(s) | ᓇᓇᐳᔓ, Nanabush |
|---|---|
| Region | Southern Canada, and midwestern / Northern Plains United States |
Nanabozho, also known as Nanabush, is a special spirit in the traditional stories of the Anishinaabe people, especially the Ojibwe. Nanabozho is very important in their tales, including how the world was made. Nanabozho is often seen as a trickster (someone who plays tricks) and a culture hero (someone who teaches people important things). These two roles are often combined in stories from First Nations.
Nanabozho can change into many forms, like male or female animals or humans. Most often, Nanabozho appears as a clever animal, such as a raven or coyote. These animals usually live near human tribes and are smart enough to be hard to catch. The stories about Nanabozho are not just for fun. They also help pass down important information and life lessons to younger generations.
Contents
Understanding the Nanabozho Spirit
As a trickster, Nanabozho often creates problems. These problems can show the challenges that many Native people face. For example, some scholars say Nanabozho sometimes acts greedy or tries to get rich. When Nanabozho focuses on these worldly desires, things can get chaotic.
However, as Nanabozho builds strong relationships with others, they learn more about themselves and the world around them. Nanabozho becomes more aware and learns to respect others. This helps teach important lessons about how people should treat each other and the land. The stories of Nanabozho guide people through life and teach them good morals.
Nanabozho's Amazing Shapeshifting Powers
Nanabozho is a shapeshifter, meaning they can change their form. This spirit can appear as an animal (zoomorphic) or as a human (anthropomorphic). Nanabozho takes on many different forms in stories, often changing depending on the tribe telling the tale. Most stories show Nanabozho as an animal.
In different parts of North America, the trickster spirit might be called by different names and appear as different animals:
- In the Arctic, the trickster is often a Raven.
- In areas like California and the Great Basin, it's usually a Coyote.
- In the Southeast, the trickster is a Rabbit or Hare.
- In the northern plains, it's a Spider.
- In parts of Canada, it can be a Wolverine or Jay.
Nanabozho often takes the shape of these animals because they are commonly found near human settlements. These animals also share similar behaviors; they are very cunning and hard to capture.
Nanabozho's Fluid Gender Identity
The gender of Nanabozho can change depending on the story. Because Nanabozho is a shapeshifter, they are often seen as androgynous, meaning they have both male and female qualities. While many stories use "he/him" pronouns for Nanabozho, some stories use feminine pronouns. This ability to change gender allows Nanabozho to be part of a wider range of stories and adapt when needed.
Important Stories of Nanabozho
Nanabozho is one of four sons, who some scholars believe represent spirits of the four directions. Nanabozho has a human mother and a spirit father named E-bangishimog ("In the West").
Nanabozho most often appears as a rabbit and is known for playing tricks. In this rabbit form, Nanabozho is called Mishaabooz ("Great rabbit" or "Hare") or Gitchii-waabooz ("Big rabbit"). It is said that Nanabozho was sent to Earth by Gitche Manitou to teach the Ojibwe people. One of Nanabozho's first jobs was to name all the plants and animals. Nanabozho is also thought to be the founder of Midewiwin, a traditional Ojibwe spiritual society. This spirit is also credited with inventing fishing and hieroglyphs. Nanabozho is a shapeshifter and helped create the world.
The Epic Fight with Paul Bunyan
An Ojibwe legend tells of Nanabozho's meeting with the famous lumberjack Paul Bunyan. As Bunyan was cutting down many trees, Nanabozho confronted him in Minnesota. Nanabozho asked Bunyan to leave the state and stop logging. A long fight began, lasting for forty days and forty nights!
Nanabozho ended the battle by slapping Bunyan across the face with a walleye fish from Red Lake. After this, Bunyan stumbled, and Nanabozho pulled his whiskers. Bunyan then promised to leave the area. Some unofficial stories add that Bunyan landed on his rear end at the end of the fight, which created Lake Bemidji.
This story helps explain why the statue of Paul Bunyan in Lake Bemidji is beardless and faces west. A statue of Nanabozho is located across the street from the Bunyan statue.
Similar Characters in Other Native Cultures
Many other Native cultures have similar trickster figures to Nanabozho.
- Among the eastern Algonquian peoples north of the Abenaki, a character called Tcakabesh exists.
- The eastern James Bay Crees have Chikapash.
- The Naskapi have Chaakaapaas.
- The Innu have Tshakapesh.
- The Atikamekw have Tcikapec.
These characters also change forms, from animals to humans (adults to children), and even to mythical animals like the Great Porcupine or Big Skunk. They often use tricks or shapeshifting to defeat or shrink these mythical creatures.
- Among the Meskwaki, Wīsakehā plays a similar role.
- Wisakedjak is a similar figure among northern Algonquian peoples and the Saulteaux in the Great Plains.
- The Abenaki-influenced Algonquin have a similar figure called Kanòjigàbe (or Ganoozhigaabe; Abenaki Gluskabe).
Nanabozho Name Variations
The name Nanabozho can change in the Ojibwe language depending on how it's used. For example, it might be Nanabozho, Wanabozho, or Manabozho. The "Manabozho" form is often linked to the Menominee language versions of these stories.
The name can also be said with or without the final "o" (like Nanabozho or Nanabozh). Sometimes, the "oo" sound is used, making it Nanaboozhoo. In some dialects, the "zh" sound might be said as "z". These changes can make the name sound like the word for "rabbit" (waabooz).
Because of how words are stressed, some parts of the name might be shortened. For example, it could be Winabozho or Nanabizho. Also, depending on whether French or English was used to write down the name, it might look different. Examples include "Winnaboujou" and "Nanabijou" (French versions) or "Nanabush" (English version).
Many other name variations exist, such as "Winneboujou, Winabojo, Wenabozho, Wenaboozhoo, Waynaboozhoo, Wenebojo, Nanaboozhoo, Nanabojo, Nanabushu, Nanabush, Nanapush, Nenabush, Nenabozho, Nanabosho, Manabush, Manabozho, Manibozho, Nanahboozho, Minabozho, Manabus, Manibush, Manabozh, Manabozo, Manabozho, Manabusch, Manabush, Manabus, Menabosho, Nanaboojoo, Nanaboozhoo, Nanaboso, Nanabosho, Nenabuc, Amenapush, Ne-Naw-bo-zhoo, Kwi-wi-sens Nenaw-bo-zhoo [...] Michabo, Michabou, Michabous, Michaboo, Mishabo, Michabo, Misabos, Misabooz," and "Messou."
Nanabozho in Popular Culture
- In 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a long poem called The Song of Hiawatha. This poem retells several Nanabozho stories, based on research by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft.
- Nanabozho appears as a trickster rabbit in the Belgian comic series Yakari.
See also
