Indian Languages Database
Record Details
Indian good book, made by Eugene Vetromile, S. J., Indian Patriarch, for the benefit of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, St. John’s, Micmac, and other tribes of the Abnaki Indians. LANGUAGE ID notes: Campbell 153: Cree-Montagnais Sebeok 315: Montagnar, Montagnards, Montagnaise, Montagnais-Naskapi, Mountaineers, Montagnie all listed under Montagnais in Algonquian family MARC: Cree UF Montagnais (Algonquian) BUT Montagnais (Athapascan) USE Chipewyan
New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother (James B. Kirker), 1857
Physical Description: 12, [2], [13]-449, [1] p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 17 cm.
Call number: D857/ V589i
Accession number: 05809
Notes: This Roman Catholic prayer book contains services, catechisms, hymns, etc. in several Eastern Algonquian languages and dialects. Some texts appear exclusively in Indian language, sometimes with English or Latin titles; for some English or Latin equivalent is given on facing pages; some appear in only one dialect or language, most in two or more; the languages are sometimes but not always identified.
Begins with “Rules for reading the language of the Abnaki Indians” in English (p.[13]-17). Sections entirely in Indian languages include p. [19]-75; p. [82]-148 (except 129-131 partly in Latin); p. [186]-220, hymns; p. [221]-254, prayers in Micmac language; p. [255]-267, “Prayers for the Montagnais Indians of Tadussak. This tribe lives in Labrador, north of Bellisle”; p. 268-269, “The Lord’s Prayer and the Angelical Salutation, in pure Passamaquoddy language, as we find them in an old manuscript belonging... to Rev. Sebastian Rasles, S.J.”; p. [418]-427, catechism in Montagnais.
Texts exclusively or partly in Latin include: p. 76-81, mass in Latin only; p. [149]-163, Vespers and other prayers in Latin only; p. [166]-185, Litany of Saints in unlabeled Indian language with Latin on facing verso; p. [428]-435, Latin mass with Montagnais interjections.
Three catechisms appear with literal English translation facing: p. [272]-297: “Penobscot catechism”; p. [298]-351, “Catechism in St. John’s Indian and Passamaquoddy language. The Passamaquoddy Indians generally know the catechism in Penobscot language”; p. [352]-405, “An abridgment of the Christian doctrine in Micmac Indian language”.
Concludes with a table of festivals, terms for seasons, days of the week, and months of the year, a “list of names most commonly used by the Indians in Baptism”, and an index (p. 436-449).
With an added t.p. in Abenaki: Alnambay uli awikhigan. Second edition.
To access digital facsimile copy of book, click here.
Languages: Abenaki / Cree-Montagnais / Micmac / Passamaquoddy / Penobscot
Genre: Bible selections / Catechisms and Creeds / Vocabulary
Region: North America
