Legendary Native American Figures: Pomola (Pamola, Bemola)

Name: Pomola
Tribal affiliation: Penobscot, Abenaki
Alternate spellings: Pamola, Bemola, Bmola, Bemohla, Bmohla, Bahmolai, Pomolo, Bumole, Pamolai, Pamole, P'mula, P-mol-a
Pronunciation: buh-moh-lah
Type: Monster, giant bird

In Penobscot folklore, Pomola was a bird spirit that lived on Mt Katahdin and made cold weather. Pomola was associated with night, wind, snow, and storms. Apparently it had a moose's head according to some legends. The only version we've been able to find just says that Pomola was large enough to carry off a moose, not that it looks like one. Either way, Pomola definitely is not a creature any human would want to mess with, and the Penobscots and Abenakis avoided climbing to the top of this mountain so as not to disturb it.

Pomola Stories

Pamola, A Penobscot Legend:
Penobscot story about a woman who married Pamola.

Pamola

Pomola:
Articles about the storm bird Pomola.

Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends

Giants of the Dawnland:
Good collection of Wabanaki legends told by a Penobscot Indian author.

Seven Eyes, Seven Legs:
Another good book of myths and folktales, told and illustrated by an Abenaki author.

Turtle Island: Tales of the Algonquian Nations:
Anthology of legends from the Penobscot and other Algonquian tribes.

Additional Resources

Penobscot mythology
Abenaki language
Abenaki words
Maine language
Eastern Woodlands of the United States
Algonkian
American Indian birds

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