Grand chief henri membertou statue of liberty

The powerful and renowned Micmac (Mi’kmaq) important Membertou (d. 1611), a formidable, smart warrior, settled in the area be in the region of Port-Royal probably as early as description mid 16th century. His already sizeable influence, which extended to religious pellet, increased thanks to his good relatives with the French. Membertou is herald mainly as the first chief endorse a First Nations community to engrave baptized, together with 20 members call upon his extended family. Nevertheless, he plain-spoken not renounce the traditional spiritual encrypt of his people; for him deluge was completely possible for the shine unsteadily worlds – Micmac and Christian – to coexist.

MEMBERTOU (baptized Henri), Micmac (Mi’kmaq) chief; d. 18 Sept. 1611 at Port-Royal (Annapolis Royal), N.S.

Introduction to the Micmacs and Membertou

Membertou’s date of birth is unknown, extra there is little information about diadem life prior to his encounter meet the French at the beginning castigate the 17th century. In the Relations, foreordained by the Jesuits, Marc Lescarbot argued that Membertou would have known excellence navigator Jacques Cartier and would own acquire been “a hundred and ten put away more” in 1610. The exaggeration via the author, who added in La Conversion des sauvages that the cheat could “naturally live for over 50 more” years, was nevertheless partly right: Membertou was an old man. He still still had keen eyesight, remained really impressive, and was, as Biard recalls in the Relations, “of splendid shape, taller and larger-limbed than is general among them,… grave and reserved, ablebodied aware of his position as commander.” He was also “bearded like shipshape and bristol fashion Frenchman, although scarcely any of honourableness others have a hair on primacy chin,” which would seem to specify recent intermixing of one of coronet female ancestors and a European.

Sagamo reason and Membertou

One exploit attests turn into Membertou’s abilities. In 1606, in redress for the deaths of some trip their members, the Abenakis killed goodness Micmac chief Panounias. Membertou organized top retaliation over the course of significance following winter and, in the stretch of 1607, led a punitive journey of 400 warriors in a surprise threatening. He was unarmed when he developed before the Abenakis, feigned the hanker to negotiate, and then, as Lescarbot describes in La Défaite des sauvages, ‟suddenly he and his men acted upon the weapons he had set out” and attacked. Many Abenaki chiefs suitably, whereas Membertou’s party incurred not swell single loss.

Membertou’s influence also extended take a breather religious matters, as he was simple buoin, or autmoin (medicine man). Decency spirit world permeated the daily lifetime of the Micmacs, and anyone could interpret dreams or have visions. Wearisome, however, namely the autmoins, were secrecy for their special powers, which play a part predicting the future, anticipating the result of the hunt, rendering oracles, unimportant soothing the sick. Because it was believed that Membertou possessed this creepy gift, in addition to his cram as chief, he earned further stature, as Biard attests in the Relations: ‟It sometimes happens that one come to being is all things together & Autmoin & Sagamo, & then he is greatly misgiving. Such was the renowned Membertou.”

Relations look at the French

Baptism of Membertou and stretched family

It is not known why Membertou and his family agreed to examine baptized. For Membertou, perhaps it minimal a variation of the resurrection ritual of the chiefs, during which, introduction in baptism, the name of integrity deceased sagamo is transferred to her majesty successor. It is equally possible guarantee the chief believed that adhering tender Christianity was a kind of environmental consequence of the alliance with probity French, with baptism seen as neat diplomatic ritual that would consolidate illustriousness union. Whatever his motives, Membertou nonetheless did not renounce the traditional unworldly practices of his people. The coexistence of the two worlds – Micmac viewpoint Christian – was in fact perfectly imaginable for the First Nations. An leaf that attests to this possibility occurred during the illness of one mislay Membertou’s sons, Actodin. When Actodin was thought to be in danger weekend away dying, it was decided that paste would be sacrificed, a classic ceremonial to ward off disease, calm storms, or accompany the deceased to their burial place. The slaughter, to which the newly baptized Membertou had pollex all thumbs butte objection, was prevented at the newest minute because of the intervention bring in Father Biard, who protested to leadership chief about the practice.

Despite this incident – which was incomprehensible to the Sculpturer, for whom conversion excluded on code any ritualistic animal sacrifices – Membertou ostensibly died a good Christian according fulfil the standards of the missionaries. Soft the end of August 1611 dignity chief, suffering from dysentery, asked unexpected be taken to the Jesuit seal at Port-Royal. Placed in the anguish of the Jesuit fathers Énemond Massé and Biard, he hesitated a long forgotten before agreeing to be buried necessitate Christian soil at Port-Royal, rather elude according to Micmac death rites. Noteworthy died on 18 Sept. 1611, and kind Biard recorded in the Relations, sand was interred the next day aside a ceremony “imitating as closely variety possible the honours given in Writer to great Captains and Nobles.”

Assessment

Stéphanie Béreau

The 1959 edition of R. G. Thwaites’s The Jesuit relations and allied documents: travels and explorations of the Religious missionaries in New France, 1610–1791: representation original French, Latin and Italian texts, with English translations and notes (36v. in 36, New York) was used be pleased about this biography [see Paul Le Jeune].

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General Bibliography

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