Nokomis
Encyclopedia
Nokomis is the name of Nanabozho
's grandmother in the Ojibwe traditional stories and
was the name of Hiawatha
's grandmother in Longfellow
's poem, The Song of Hiawatha
, which is a re-telling of the Nanabozho stories. Nokomis is an important character in the poem, mentioned in the familiar lines
According to the poem, From the full moon fell Nokomis/Fell the beautiful Nokomis. She bears a daughter, Wenonah
. Despite Nokomis' warnings, Wenonah allows herself to be seduced by the West-Wind, Mudjekeewis
,Till she bore a son in sorrow/Bore a son of love and sorrow/Thus was born my Hiawatha.
Abandoned by the heartless Mudjekeewis, Wenonah dies in childbirth, leaving Hiawatha to be raised by Nokomis. The wrinkled old Nokomis/Nursed the little Hiawatha and educates him.
In the Ojibwe language
, nookomis means "my grandmother," thus portraying Nokomis of the poem and the aadizookaan (Ojibwe traditional stories) from a more personal point of view, akin to the traditional Ojibwa narrative styles.
Canada
. She has a son called Anda Nokomis.
Nanabozho
In Anishinaabe mythology, particularly among the Ojibwa, Nanabozho is a spirit, and figures prominently in their storytelling, including the story of the world's creation. Nanabozho is the Ojibwe trickster figure and culture hero...
's grandmother in the Ojibwe traditional stories and
was the name of Hiawatha
Hiawatha
Hiawatha was a legendary Native American leader and founder of the Iroquois confederacy...
's grandmother in Longfellow
Longfellow
Longfellow may refer to:* Longfellow, Minneapolis, United States** Longfellow , Minneapolis, United States* Longfellow, Oakland, California, United States* Longfellow , one of America's first great thoroughbred racehorses...
's poem, The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem, in trochaic tetrameter, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, featuring an Indian hero and loosely based on legends and ethnography of the Ojibwe and other Native American peoples contained in Algic Researches and additional writings of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft...
, which is a re-telling of the Nanabozho stories. Nokomis is an important character in the poem, mentioned in the familiar lines
- By the shores of Gitche Gumee,
- By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
- Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
- Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
- Dark behind it rose the forest.
According to the poem, From the full moon fell Nokomis/Fell the beautiful Nokomis. She bears a daughter, Wenonah
Wenonah
- Places :* Wenonah, Alabama, a community of ore mining camps near Birmingham, Alabama* Wenonah, Illinois, a village in the United States* Wenonah, New Jersey, a borough in the United States* Wenonah, Minneapolis, a neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
. Despite Nokomis' warnings, Wenonah allows herself to be seduced by the West-Wind, Mudjekeewis
Mudjekeewis
In Ojibwe mythology, Mudjekeewis is a spirit, and figures prominently in their storytelling, including the story of the world's creation...
,Till she bore a son in sorrow/Bore a son of love and sorrow/Thus was born my Hiawatha.
Abandoned by the heartless Mudjekeewis, Wenonah dies in childbirth, leaving Hiawatha to be raised by Nokomis. The wrinkled old Nokomis/Nursed the little Hiawatha and educates him.
In the Ojibwe language
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
, nookomis means "my grandmother," thus portraying Nokomis of the poem and the aadizookaan (Ojibwe traditional stories) from a more personal point of view, akin to the traditional Ojibwa narrative styles.
Places named after Nokomis
United States- Camp Nokomis, all girls sleepaway camp ran by the Merrimack Valley YMCA. Camp Lawrence is the boys camp that is on the same island and ran by the same YMCA.
- Nokomis, Alabama, a community in Escambia County, Alabama which was a railroad stop
- Nokomis, FloridaNokomis, FloridaNokomis is a census-designated place in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, a census-designated placeCensus-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages... - Nokomis, IllinoisNokomis, IllinoisNokomis is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,389 at the 2000 census, and 2,230 at a 2009 estimate.-Geography:Nokomis is located at ....
, a city - Nokomis, MinneapolisNokomis, MinneapolisNokomis is a community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It takes its name from Lake Nokomis. It is composed of 11 smaller neighborhoods.-Official neighborhoods in the Nokomis community:* Diamond Lake* Ericsson* Field* Hale* Keewaydin* Minnehaha...
, Minnesota, a neighborhood - Lake NokomisLake NokomisLake Nokomis is one of several lakes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The lake was originally named Lake Amelia in honor of Captain George Gooding’s daughter, Amelia, in 1819. Its current name was adopted in 1910 to honor Nokomis, grandmother of Hiawatha...
, part of a chain of lakes connected by Minnehaha Creek in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States... - Nokomis Regional High SchoolNokomis Regional High SchoolNokomis Regional High is a secondary school located in Newport, Maine. It is the only public high school located in Maine Regional School Unit 19 and accepts students from Newport, Corinna, Palmyra, Hartland, St...
, in Newport, Maine - The Nokomis Native American Cultural Learning Center in Okemos, MichiganOkemos, MichiganOkemos is an unincorporated community in Meridian Charter Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and does not have any separate legal existence as a municipality. Local government is provided by the township...
Canada
- Nokomis, SaskatchewanNokomis, Saskatchewan-Famous residents:* Jordan Hendry, Chicago Blackhawks player.* Elmer Lach, former NHL player and Hall of Famer .* Ken Shields, lead singer in Streetheart.* Max Braithwaite, author....
Maia
Nokomis is also a character in Richard Adams Fantasy novel MaiaMaia (novel)
Maia is a fantasy novel by Richard Adams, published in 1984. Although not marketed as a romance novel, it also fits into that genre.-Plot introduction:...
. She has a son called Anda Nokomis.