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Native American Legends: Sabawaelnu (Halfway People)
Name: Sabawaelnu
Tribal affiliation: Micmacs
Alternate spellings: Sapowanilnu, Sapoqwanilnu
Pronunciation: sah-buh-wahn-ill-noo
Also known as: Halfway People, Halfway-People, Half-way People
Type: Little people,
mermaids,
nature spirits
Related figures in other tribes: Lumpeguin (Maliseet),
Waterbabies (Western tribes)
Sabawaelnu are Mi'kmaq water spirits.
Like European mermaids, they have human upper bodies and fish tails. They have power over
storms,
but do not harm people who show them proper respect, and Mi'kmaq people who learn to interpret their
songs correctly can predict the weather.
Their name literally means "water people." They are sometimes also called the Halfway People.
Sabawaelnu Stories
Halfway People:
Article about the Sabawaelnu and their place in Mi'kmaq folklore.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
The Micmac Indians of Eastern Canada:
This ethnography of the Micmac tribe includes four legends about the Halfway People.
On the Trail of Elder Brother:
Good book of traditional stories told by a Mi'kmaq author and illustrator.
Giants of the Dawnland:
Another good collection of Wabanaki legends, told by a Penobscot Indian author.
Algonquian Spirit:
Excellent anthology of stories, songs, and oral history from the Mi'kmaq and other Algonquian tribes.
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Additional Resources
Micmac creation myth
Mi'kmaq Indians
Micmac language translation
Maine Wabanaki
Prince Edward Island First Nations
Eastern Woodlands location
Algonquian folklore
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Learn more about the Micmac Indian tribe.
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