Abenaki Songs for the Old Man of the Mountain: Live Free

Abenaki Songs for the Old Man of the Mountain: Live Free Sometime in the hours between darkness and dawn the Old Man’s spirit walked away from the mountain Sometimes, when they are ready to travel alosada, nônegônniak . . . that is how the old ones leave us paliwlôbi, bedegwôbi. . . when we are looking away At some unknown hour, between May 2 and May 3, 2003, one of the most prominent geological formations in Abenaki territory fell apart, when the rocks that made up the feature known as the “Old Man of the Mountain” tumbled into Profile Lake, popularly known as the “Old Man's Mirror.” Five red granite rock ledges, forty feet high, situated high up on Cannon, or Profile Mountain, across from Franconia Ridge, formed a facial profile with a prominent brow and outthrust jaw. Those mountains, thrust out of the earth millions of years past, were left in their present form when the Wisconsin glaciation retreated some 12,000 years ago. Archaeological records suggest that offerings were periodically left at sites that had human or animal features. A rock face like this would not have gone unnoticed to those generations of Wôbanakiak, or Abenaki Indian people who have continuously inhabited Vermont and New Hampshire, the territory known as Ndakinna – our homeland – since the glacier’s retreat. Today, the resonance of Native people is perhaps best preserved in place names, like Pennacook, Pemigewasset, Pequawket, Cowasuck, Missisquoi and others. When asked how New Hampshire got so many rocks and where the glaciers got to Yankee farmers would say, them glaciers went back fer another load an’ left th’ Old Man here, alone, to wait on ‘em Despite Yankee folklore about Indian disappearance, there are still extensive networks of Abenaki families living throughout Ndakinna. There are also many Native oral traditions about the stone faces and other anthropomorphic rocks and mountains. Some formations represent the work of the creator; others stand as the physical evidence of the movements of ancient earthshapers, like the glaciers (bemidegwadsoiak), or mythical beings like Gluskabe, who pushed up earth and carved out rivers. Some traditional stories say that the stone beings took solid form so they could watch over the people, and that they only move when transformation is called for. The oldest stories of the Old Man say the rock face shared his knowledge and experience with those who brought gifts of tobacco. One 17th century story relates how the “Great Stone Face” terrorized a band of Kanien’kehake Mohawk warriors, turning them to stone. In another story, he himself turned himself to stone, out of grief. Colonial settlers created their own romantic fictions about Abenaki history as they claimed the local landscape. In 1805, two different parties of white travelers claimed to have “discovered” the face. Writer Edward Roth, in his 1864 book titled “Christus Judex – A Traveller’s Tale,” said the stone face had been happy before white men arrived. He claimed that the efforts of French missionaries to Christianize the Indians caused the stern expression, and that this change was a foreshadowing of “the utter annihilation of the Indian race and name.” Nathaniel Hawthorne believed the rock face resembled Daniel Webster, but Daniel Webster declared the face to be an advertising sign, hung out by “God Almighty,” to “Show that in New England He Makes Men.” In 1916, Charles Greenleaf, proprietor of the Profile House tourist resort, hired Edward Geddes to install 1,350 pounds of anchor irons to secure the ledges. Subsequent caretakers found that the rock face, even with the addition of rods, turnbuckles, and cement, demanded constant tending to prevent cracking. The State of New Hampshire, now grieving for the loss of its cherished landmark, is already considering a reconstruction. Many of New England’s indigenous people, however, believe that it would be a mistake to restore those rock formations that natural forces have shaped to their liking. When you inhabit a place for thousands of years, you learn that change, even in great earth formations, is inevitable. Some traditions call it a good sign when certain of the old rock people decide to move around. Many of my kin believe that the spirit of the old chief embodied in the rock face has been freed from his modern imprisonment, and is walking the land again. On Sunday, May 4, an Abenaki drum group, including members of the New Hampshire Intertribal Council, gathered by the lake, at the foot of the mountain, to sing honoring songs. Some of us wrote poems for the Old Man. Nanibosad, the night walker, whispered to him that night when the caretakers were looking away, the turnbuckles and chains and braces broke the Old Man yawned, and smiled, and dove, headfirst, into the lake ah, kadosmida, he is saying, wligonebi, the water feels good the people need me - Marge Bruchac, May 4, 2003 Abenaki Indian, historical consultant and traditional storyteller, and member of the Board of Directors of Historic Northampton. Guest editorial for North American Indian & Indigenous People News Path.