Culture

Legends of the Abenaki

1. Lake Champlain was made by Odzihozo, “the Man Who Made Himself.” Before he had legs he dragged himself around creating valleys and piling up dirt to make mountains. After creating Lake Champlain, he hoisted himself onto the rock in the middle and turned to stone, thereby making Rock Dunder a sacred place.
2. Explanation for such colorful autumn foliage: a star hunter killed the Great Bear (possibly Ursa Major) and spilled his blood, dying the leaves.
3. Viewed themselves as descendents of animals.
4. When fishermen drowned it’s because they were pulled under by lake and river monsters.
5. Hunters rarely went to the tops of mountains for fear of offending the spirits who lived up there. Pomola, a birdlike creature lived on top of Mount Katahdin and disliked the invasion of mortals.

Current things with Abenaki origins

1. Maple syrup
2. Snowshoes
3. Lacrosse


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