Glooscap the great chief, and other stories - ElectricCanadian.com

xiv
INTRODUCTION
savage or of civilised man, the wedding cere
mony of the Micmac may be said most truly to
represent him. Courtship was brief, but often
dramatic. If a suitor were acceptable to the
old people, who had the power of disposing of
their daughters, he was addressed as "son-inlaw
when he entered the wigwam, and was in
vited to the seat of honour. This consummated
the marriage. A feast was prepared; the
neighbours were invited in; they ate, danced,
and played games; then all dispersed and the
young man took the bride to her new home.
But l
the older order changeth, yielding place
to new." Now, the Micmacs live in houses and
till the ground and wear the garb and cultivate
the vices of civilisation. They no longer en
gage in war, and torture and burn their pris
oners. But they still maintain the custom of
electing their chiefs as of old, when envoys of
the ten tribes which range from Cape Breton
to Western Canada meet in council. And they
still hold their annual festival and mystic dance
of the sakawaclikik, Indians of olden times.
The legends of the Micmacs were buried
treasure until Dr. Band unearthed them. To
him belongs the credit of having discovered
Glooscap, the Ukchesakumou (Great Chief), the
Master, the Lord of Men and Beasts, whom the
Indians believed lived at Blomidon, still called