In which star stories continue with a tale about the Big Dipper

The Big Dipper/ The Hunt (Micmac-Iroquois/Rome/American South)


The Micmac Indians of Nova Scotia and the Iroquois Indians
along the St. Lawrence seaway share a story about the constellation Ursa Major,
also known as the Big Bear and the Big Dipper.

In this story, the quadrangle of the dipper represents a bear
that is pursued by seven hunters; the three closest hunters are the handle of the dipper.

As autumn approaches, the four farthest hunters dip below the horizon
and abandon the hunt, leaving the closest three hunters to chase the bear.
These hunters are birds.
The closest hunter to the bear is named Robin,
the second closest is Chickadee,
and the third is Moose Bird.
Chickadee is carrying the pot in which the bear will be cooked.
The second star in the handle is actually two stars [the famous double star system]
called Mizar and Alcor which represent Chickadee and the pot.

In autumn, as the bear attempts to stand up on two legs,
Robin wounds the bear with an arrow.
The wounded bear sprays blood on Robin,
who shakes himself and in the process colors the leaves of our forest red;
some blood stains the breast feathers of the Robin.


The bear is eaten, and the skeleton remains traveling through the sky
on its back during winter,
but the following spring a new bear leaves the den and the eternal hunt resumes once more.


Will and Lisa with the goats, 2010

Comments

Popular Posts