Native Languages of the Americas: Gluskabe Stories and other Abenaki Legends
This is our collection of Abenaki mythology and traditional stories that can be read online.
We have indexed our Native American legends section
by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same
legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to
each other, so you may also want to visit our page comparing
the stories from the Wabanaki tribes (which
include the Micmac, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Abenaki Indians), since the traditional stories of these
New England and eastern Canadian tribes are very similar to Abenaki tales.
Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend an Abenaki legend for this page or think one of the ones on here
should be removed, please contact us and let us know.
˜Gluskabe (also spelled Gluskabi, Gluskonba, Glooscap, Glooskap, and several other ways.)
Gluskabe is the benevolent culture hero of the Wabanaki tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.) His name is spelled so many different ways because
Abenaki and the other Wabanaki languages were originally unwritten, so English speakers just spelled it however
it sounded to them at the time. The correct Abenaki pronounciation is similar to glue-skaw-buh. Gluskabe shares
some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Anishinabe
Manabozho, Blackfoot
Napi, and Cree
Wesakaychak, and many of the same stories
are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist differing.
˜Gici Niwaskw (also spelled Kichi Niwaskw, Ktsi Nwaskw, Kchiniwaskw, Ktsi Nwaska,
Gichi Niwasko, Kechi Niuasuk, and several other ways.) This means "Great Spirit" in the Abenaki language, and is the Abenaki name for the Creator (God,) who is sometimes
also referred to as Dabaldak (Tabaldak) or Niwaskowôgan. Gici Niwaskw
is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in Abenaki folklore. The name is pronounced
similar to gih-chee nih-wahsk, with a slight whistle at the end.
˜Azeban (also spelled Azban, Asban or Azaban.)
Raccoon, the Abenaki trickster figure. Pronounced ah-zuh-bahn. Azeban does many foolish and/or mischievous things in Abenaki folktales,
but unlike animal tricksters in some other tribes, is not dangerous or malevolent.
˜Malsum (also spelled Molsum, Môlsem or Malsumis.)
This name, which simply means "wolf" in Abenaki, is sometimes given as belonging to an evil wolf who is Gluskabe's twin brother. However, some
Abenaki elders have been adamant this is not a real Abenaki myth. It is likely an Anglo corruption of Chippewa and other Great Lakes Algonquian
legends -- their culture hero, Nanabozho, does have a twin brother who is a wolf (though that character is Nanabozho's closest friend, not evil.) Here is an
academic article about the possible origin of this confusion.
˜Nokemes Agaskw (Grandmother Woodchuck.)
Gluskabe's wise old grandmother, who raised him. Pronounced noh-kuh-muss ah-gah-skw.
˜Giwakwa (male) or
Giwakweskwa (female.) These are the evil man-eating giants of Abenaki Indian legends.
Pronounced gee-wock-wah or gee-wock-ways-kwah, sometimes spelled Kiwakw or Kiwakweskwa or Kee-wakw.
˜Bemola (also spelled Bmola, Pmola, Pomola, Pamola, etc.) A
snow bird spirit that lived on Mt Katahdin and made cold weather. Pronounced buh-moh-lah.
Indian culture
Gluskabe 
Gluskab 
