The Origin Story of Gichi, the Great Spirit

This blog focuses on the Abenaki Trails Project and intends to inform the reader of the culture, history, and people known as the Abenaki. Together, we will explore their Pre-Colombian times, discussing how they lived before Columbus and other European powers set foot on the shores of America, to the colonization of America by those European powers, all the way up to modern times.

For this entry, we will be discussing one of the many origin stories the Abenaki people have as well as some key figures in their tales. It is the goal of this blog to inform the reader of all aspects of the Abenaki people, and there is no better place to start than in the beginning.

But before we begin, there are some important figures we will need to know. Many stories are filled with amazing heroes and diabolical villains, and the traditions and stories of the Abenaki are no different.

Let’s take a look at some of the most well-known figures in their traditions. One of the most important figures in our stories is Gichi Niwaskw (pronounced Gih-chee Nih-wahsk) who was known as the Great Spirit. While never taking physical form in our tales, Gichi is an extremely important figure that is akin to other creator gods from other pantheons. Similar to Ra from Egyptian mythology, Gichi is the one the Abenaki credit with creating the world we live in. In Egyptian mythology, Ra sprouted from a lotus blossom in a sea of chaos and decided to shape the universe.

In Abenaki tradition, Gichi stared out into the void, seeing nothing but shadows and darkness, and wanted to craft a world of beautiful purpose and balance.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

There are still two more figures that we need to cover before we can really get into the story of Gichi creating the world. The next popular figure in our stories is known as Gluskabe, who was a benevolent hero credited with giving humanity various things, such as hunting, fishing, and weaving, to name a few. Gluskabe was made from the dust that had built up upon Gichi’s hands, as was his twin brother Malsum. Whereas Gluskabe was benevolent and gave many great things to the Abenaki (which we will cover in blog posts to come), Malsum was a malevolent being, causing harm to the humans and creating creatures that would torment the populace of Earth, such as snakes and biting insects. Malsum was said to have taken the form of a large wolf, and his name is also the Abenaki word for wolf.

We will cover these two figures more in depth in subsequent posts, but these three figures will be essential to understand the values of the Abenaki people and how their culture became what it was.

With our knowledge of Gichi, the Great Spirit, we will now begin our tale of how the Earth was created. In the beginning, there was nothing but shadows and stormy waters. The Great Spirit gazed upon this maelstrom, a void bereft of any color, sound, or beauty. The waters of the void were murky and dark, and as Gichi looked upon it he summoned his will, birthing the sparks of creation into existence. He called forth Tolba, the Great Turtle, who had made his residence within the waters, and requested that he become a canvas in which the Great Spirit could craft a world of perfection and balance. Tolba agreed, rising from the depths and resting on the surface, his shell peeking out over the waves. Setting right to work, Gichi began placing forests and greenery all over the shell of Tolba, lush vibrance spreading over it like moss on a rock. The Great Spirit breathed out over the Great Turtle, skies of blue and wispy white clouds forming over the growing creation of Gichi.

He was pleased with what he had created, gazing upon his work with a smile. But something was missing, and the Great Spirit began to ponder what that could be. Trees now stood where before there was nothing, pristine waters now resided where before there was nothing, and winds cascaded over both where before there was nothing. And it was then that he realized what was missing. There was no one to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and so Gichi sought out to create life to live upon Tolba. But what kind of life should he create? Would they be four legged or two? Would they live communally or isolated? What would their songs sound like? How would they create? Would they create? Would they love? He wanted paradise for those that would come but the questions only buzzed around the Great Spirit’s mind without answers until he eventually grew weary and fell asleep.

In his slumber, visions raged of a world filled with chaotic colors, strange plants, and a myriad of animals. The winds carried a cacophony of sound, birds chirping, dogs barking, and a strange creature on two legs huddled around a fire, their own barks seeming to weave a tale of life and hope. The world was full of chaos, with countless insects soaring through the air and consuming the plants and crops that grew. The longer he dreamed, the more and more Gichi became filled with sadness. Who would create such a world full of imbalance and chaos? Who would take the world he created and make it a world where no one had a purpose, where creatures would have to huddle around a fire just to feel safe? The dream he had had turned into a nightmare, and he saw the very world he never wanted. A world without purpose, without balance.

When the Great Spirit awoke, the first sight that came to his eyes was that of a beaver chewing on a stick. He observed the animal for some time, watching it carefully craft the material in its hand until it was suitable for its needs. Gichi watched as the beaver carried it over to a makeshift dam, placing it lovingly and with purpose into the structure. The Great Spirit continued to watch the beaver, observing three more heads pop out from beneath the water. It had a family, noted Gichi. He watched as the beaver played with its offspring, he watched as they took care of each other and protected one another. They had a purpose, and that made Gichi smile. It became evident to the Great Spirit that while he slept, his visions and dreams had manifested themselves into reality. The nightmare world he had dreaded was, in reality, the paradise he wanted. Every creature had a purpose, everything was in balance. The Great Spirit knew from then on not to question his dreams, for they were his creation.

And that is the story of how Gichi, the Great Spirit, crafted the world.

It is our hope that you enjoyed this entry, and we look forward to you coming back. Next post, we will discuss some of the feats and accomplishments of Gluskabe, and the various misdeeds of his brother. Our posting schedule for the blog will be every other Monday for the moment, but that could change to every Monday so keep an eye out. Also, we’d like to let everyone know that on July 9th and 10th, the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum will be having a Powwow, with members of the Abenaki Trails Project being there to demonstrate basket making and ash pounding.

Help support the community and have a great time. Intertribal! Everybody Powwow!

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Sources for this entry:

https://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/AbenakiCreationStoryandTheImportanceofDreaming-Abenaki.html

https://www.britannica.com/topic/GlusKabe

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/abenaki#:~:text=Creator
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http://www.native-languages.org/abenaki-legends.htm
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Ethan Peasley

A huge Star Wars nerd, Ethan Peasley has been writing for 15 years and enjoys various mythology and folklore. He's a self-proclaimed "lover of history" and is working on a modern retelling of Dante's Inferno with a few twists, in his spare time.