Native Languages of the Americas: Glooscap Stories and other Micmac Legends
This is our collection of Mi'kmaq folktales 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 Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Abenaki, Penobscot, and Micmac Indians), since the traditional stories of those
tribes are very similar.
Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Mi'kmaq legend for this page or think one of the ones on here
should be removed, please contact us and let us know.
Glooscap (also spelled
Glooskap, Kluskap, Kuluskap, Glousgap, and several other ways.)
Glooscap 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
Micmac and the other Wabanaki languages were originally unwritten, so English speakers just spelled it however
it sounded to them at the time. The correct Micmac pronounciation is similar to klue-skopp,
but with very soft k and p sounds. Glooscap shares
some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Anishinabe
Manabozho, Blackfoot
Napi, and Cree
Wesakechak, and many of the same stories
are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist differing.
Kisúlkw (also spelled Kisu'lkw, Kisu'lk, Kisulk, Gisoolg,
and several other ways.) This means "Creator" in the Micmac language, and is the Micmac name for God.
Kisúlkw is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in traditional Micmac folklore,
though more modern tales occasionally have the Creator taking human form.
The name is pronounced similar to kih-soolk, but with very soft k sounds.
Nákúset (also spelled Na'ku'set, Naguset,
and several other ways.) The Sun, who was the first being created by Kisúlkw and the one who carried out most divine plans.
Often personified as an old man in Micmac myth, and frequently referred to as Niskam or Nishkam ("grandfather.")
Nákúset is pronounced nah-koo-set, and Niskam is pronounced niss-kahm.
Nukumi (also spelled Nogami.)
Glooscap's wise old grandmother. Pronounced noo-koo-mee.
Malsum. This name
is sometimes given as belonging to an evil wolf who is Glooscap's twin brother. However, this is probably not an
original Micmac myth -- the character does not appear in older Micmac texts, "Malsum" is not a Micmac word, and the wolf
is not a malevolent figure in Micmac folklore. Here is an
academic article about the possible origin of this confusion.
Ableegumooch and
Keoonik (also spelled Aplíkmuj and Kiwnik). Rabbit and Otter, respectively. Two light-hearted
trickster figures from Mi'kmaq folktales who are constantly robbing and deceiving each other. Like modern cartoon characters, they sometimes kill
each other with their tricks and then randomly return to life. Their names are pronounced similar to ah-pleek-uh-mooch and cue-nick, with very
soft k and p sounds.
Chenoo (also spelled Jenu.)
Giant cannibal monsters associated with winter and the wind, similar to the Windigo of the Cree and other northern tribes. The name is pronounced cheh-noo.
Kukwes (also spelled Gugwés, Kukwej, Kookwes,
Kookwe, and other ways.) A kind of man-eating ogre. They are greedy, hairy and have bear-like heads.
Mikumwessuk (also spelled Míkmwesúk, Mikumwessu, Mikumwess,
and several other ways.) These are little people like sprites or dwarves. They are generally benevolent wood spirits but can be dangerous if they are disrespected.
Indian culture
Glooscap 
Gluskab 
