Last updated: September 27, 2024
Place
The Legend
NPS credit
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Once, long ago, in the land called Wisconsin across the great lake, there was terrible hunger and many people died. A bear and two little cubs were trying to leave that place and come around the lake where there would be more food.
They walked for many days on the beach together, but after a while the two little cubs began to whimper with hunger and so the bear decided to swim across the rest of the lake. They waded into the water, one cub on each side of the bear, and they swam off into the lake a long way. After a while the cubs began to get very tired, and so the bear said, Try hard, the land is not very far.' And very soon they did come in sight of land. But gradually the cubs got weaker, and only ten miles away, one cub sank into the water. Soon after the other also drowned.
The bear's heart was broken, but she could do nothing. She waded ashore and lay down, looking out on the water where her cubs had died. Eventually, the Great Spirit (Manitou) brought both of them to the surface as two little islands, and so the bear still lies there atop the dunes, looking after her children.
Speak Anishinaabemowin
The Anishinaabek told parables like this one to teach cultural values. They shared these teachings in the winter around their wigwam fires. For a people dependent on harvesting their own food, famine was the great fear. The choice the bear (makwa) had to make between starvation or a perilous journey would've been familiar to all.
Agoding kitchi jajigo iiaing agaming Wisconsin aki nongo
Once long time ago out where across the sea Wisconsin land now
ejnika-demigog, baka dewin gidago, apitchigo gisnagad gibati-nad
it is called, hunger existed very much difficult plentiful
gaie nibowin. Makwa miniwa nij makonsag, tibeiw, nibina so-gwan
and death. Bear also two little bears on the beach many days
gib-mosewag. Manpi agaming bagosend-mowad wibi-jawad.
they walked. Over here across the sea they were wishing to come here they.
Mawipi mises-sesnand-monid makonsan. Miiwi gi-gijen-dang
After a while whimpering with hunger they little cubs. So then made up her mind
makwa ji-manen-dong jidka-mada-gawad.
bear to attempt they to swim across.