Nanabozo

Nanabozo (Nanabozho or Nanabush) is a mythological culture hero found in the cosmological traditions of the Algonquian tribes of central and eastern Canada. Nanabozo is the impersonation of life, with the power to create life in others. His gender is undefined and changeable. She also appears as diverse personalities and forms - including a raven, a coyote, a hare - which represent the various phases and conditions of the life cycle. In some myths Nanabozo creates animals and causes plants and roots to grow so men can eat. He also features in many comic, bawdy tales that emphasize his immense earthly appetites for food and sex. She plays a dual role in mythology, both as benefactor to the native people and as a prankish and obscene fool. He is both a powerful creator, and a ridiculous clown.

Nanabozo, also known as the Trickster, appears as a character in a number of late 20th-century literary works. He is the main character in Thomas KING's short story "The One About Coyote Going West" and also appears as a coyote in King's novel Green Grass Running Water. Nanabush is a seagull, a nighthawk, and a bingo master in Tomson HIGHWAY's play The Rez Sisters. In the foreword to this play, Highway describes Nanabush as being "as pivotal and important a figure in the Native world as Christ is in the realm of Christian mythology."

Author RENÉ R. GADACZ

Links to Other Sites
Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge
The website for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge, which features Canada's largest essay writing competition for Aboriginal youth (ages 14-29) and a companion program for those who prefer to work through painting, drawing and photography. See their guidelines, teacher resources, profiles of winners, and more. From the Historica-Dominion Institute.

Four Directions Teachings
Elders and traditional teachers representing the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi’kmaq share teachings about their history and culture. Animated graphics visualize each of the oral teachings. This website also provides biographies of participants, transcripts, and an extensive array of learning resources for students and their teachers. In English with French subtitles.