Classics and the Western Canon discussion

This week’s reading includes:

V — Hiawatha’s Fasting
VI — Hiawatha’s Friends
VII —Hiawatha’s Sailing
VIII — Hiawatha’s Fishing
IX — Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather

Hiawatha’s Fasting — Hiawatha fasts for a week. Looking at the animals, wild plants, and fish, he asks the Master of Life: “Must our lives depend on these things?” On the fourth day of the fast, the Master of Life sends a youth, Mondamin, with a challenge and a promise to Hiawatha: “How by struggle and by labor/You shall gain what you have prayed for.” They wrestle every evening until on the last day, Hiawatha wins. Hiawatha buries Mondamin and tends his burial as he requested. “And before the Summer ended/Stood the maize in all its beauty…This new gift of the Great Spirit.”

Hiawatha’s Friends — Hiawatha’s two human friends are introduced: Chibiabos, a musician, and Kwasind, “the very strong man.” Chibiabos’ music influences birds, brooks, and men: “All the many sounds of nature/Borrowed sweetness from his singing;/ All the hearts of men were softened/ By the pathos of his music.” Kwasind is incredibly strong, but his strength is not merely physical; it is “allied to goodness.”

Hiawatha’s Sailing — Hiawatha receives help from the forest plants and animals in building and decorating a birch bark canoe and help from Kwasind in clearing out the river.

Hiawatha’s Fishing — In the new canoe, Hiawatha goes after a very big fish and has an epic battle with the sturgeon, Nahma. He prevails with help from the squirrel and the sea-gulls and gives them new names in gratitude.

Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather — Nokomis tells Hiawatha to kill the great magician Pearl-Feather who killed her father and sends diseases among the tribe. Hiawatha battles with the magician’s fiery serpents and then with the magician himself. He conquers, thanks to help from the woodpecker.

Some questions:

1) Hiawatha is presented as a great warrior, but he often succeeds only with help from his friends. Is he less of a hero because of their aid?

2). The poem pairs great physical strength (Kwasind) and music (Chibiabos) in Hiawatha’s two human friends. Why are these two Hiawatha’s best friends? Is there something special about their abilities and different from Hiawatha’s?

3) Was there anything that stood out for you this week in the language /musicality of the poem? Any favorite lines?

I don't have any answers to the posed questions.
In section V I thought Hiawatha's fasting and praying was reminiscent of Jesus's 40 days in the desert.
Section VII. It has been discussed about the Native American approach and connection to the animal kingdom, I felt that strongly as Hiawatha once again showed a connection with the natural world as he utilized the flora & fauna to build his canoe. I was also struck with the emotions expressed by the trees, sighs of sorrow, wailing & weeping etc as they gave up part of their "bodies". So, although the connection between human and nature, is illustrated, I felt in this section as well as the sections on sailing and fishing demonstrated man's dominion over the natural world.

1) Hiawatha is presented as a great warrior, but he often succeeds only with help from his friends. Is he less of a hero because of their aid?"

So do Hercules, Perseus, etc. If they less of a hero because of would be a rhetorical question, accepting aid from some (magical) creature is the trope for cultural heroes and tricksters, and Hiawatha seems to be both.

Susan wrote: "1) Hiawatha is presented as a great warrior, but he often succeeds only with help from his friends. Is he less of a hero because of their aid?..."

Interesting question. To me, it sounds more like we are building an image of a hero with good relationships with several elements: animals, wind, trees, humans. It is actually part of what makes him a hero, this ability to have so many different friendly relations or at least respectful ones.

Monica wrote: "To me, it sounds more like we are building an image of a hero with good relationships with several elements: animals, wind, trees, humans. It is actually part of what makes him a hero, this ability to have so many different friendly relations or at least respectful ones..."

I read it the same way you do, Monica.

A couple of thoughts that emerged from the story of Mondamin’s wrestling match with Hiawatha.

Mondamin praises Hiawatha because he has chosen to fast to benefit his community and not because he seeks glory for himself. He will be rewarded for this selfless act. His reward comes in the form of Mondamin teaching Hiawatha to grow maize to benefit the people. Hiawatha follows Mondamin’s instructions to strip him of his clothing, bury him, and protect the gravesite. In this way, Mondamin becomes the seed we bury in the ground. We nurture and protect it until it emerges as food. The cycle is repeated. We eat the maize, strip it of its “clothing,” and bury the seed until it grows as maize to feed us.

Knowledge is power. Notice how Hiawatha does not hoard the knowledge of how to grow maize. He shares it with his community.

I think the story illustrates the perception of the earth as sacred and life-sustaining. It cultivates a respect for the earth as vital and necessary for our survival. When we eat the maize, we are eating the body of Mondamin, a sacred being. So, we have to treat it and the food we eat with respect. And to ensure Mondamin returns the following year to feed us, we have to follow his instructions of how to bury the seed and nurture it. The relationship between humans and maize is interrelated, mutually beneficial, and reciprocal. Each needs the other to survive.

The values promoted in this section are generosity; collaboration; recognition of the spiritual dimension of all things, including the food we eat; knowledge-sharing; and individual and collective responsibility to maintain balance and harmony in the world.

I think it is quite beautiful.

We learn in several places that Hiawatha does things to benefit his community. That doesn't sound like the motives of Achilles, Odysseus, Beowulf, or Roland. Maybe it's a bit like Aeneas.

Susan wrote: " Hiawatha is presented as a great warrior, but he often succeeds only with help from his friends. Is he less of a hero because of their aid?"

The hero (or heroine) always has a cast of characters that accompany him or are along the way on his journey. He is never truly alone, because the task before him is greater than himself. If it weren't so, we wouldn't have a hero. Odysseus, Don Quixote, Snow White, Frodo Baggins, or Luke Skywalker all have a supporting cast.

Susan wrote: "Hiawatha’s Fishing — In the new canoe, Hiawatha goes after a very big fish and has an epic battle with the sturgeon, Nahma. He prevails with help from the squirrel and the sea-gulls and gives them new names in gratitude."

In a way this story is just as comical as that of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. Here Hiawatha goes out fishing, and all the smaller fish are not good enough, he wants the biggest fish in the lake, the sturgeon. Nahma tired of this posturing cuts Hiawatha down to size and swallows him and his canoe. Now he is in a real fix. He kills the sturgeon from the inside, the dead fish floats to shore, but he still has to be rescued by the gulls. Realizing how lucky he is he asks Nokomis not to harvest any of the meat from the fish until the sea-gulls have had their fill. This was a close one!

Kerstin wrote: "The hero (or heroine) always has a cast of characters that accompany him or are along the way on his journey...."

The same is true in some fairy tales and myths as in, for example, the story of Psyche who completes her tasks with the help of various creatures.

Chris wrote: "I don't have any answers to the posed questions.
In section V I thought Hiawatha's fasting and praying was reminiscent of Jesus's 40 days in the desert.
Section VII. It has been discussed about th..."

I notice an emphasis on spirituality and sacrifice in this week’s reading. In Book V, there’s Hiawatha’s fasting and the willing sacrifice of Mondawin’s life, both to benefit the greater good of Hiawatha’s people. In Book VI, Kwasind’s great strength is linked with his fasting and prayers. In Book VII, the willing but painful sacrifice of the trees and plants is so Hiawatha can build his canoe, which he then uses in Book IX on his mission to destroy the magician who is injuring the people.

Susan wrote: "I notice an emphasis on spirituality and sacrifice in this week’s reading. In Book V, there’s Hiawatha’s fasting and the willing sacrifice of Mondawin’s life, both to benefit the greater good of Hiawatha’s people. In Book VI, Kwasind’s great strength is linked with his fasting and prayers. In Book VII, the willing but painful sacrifice of the trees and plants is so Hiawatha can build his canoe, which he then uses in Book IX on his mission to destroy the magician who is injuring the people."

Yes, very much so. You mention fasting twice. I find it fascinating that throughout human history around the globe fasting has been a way to prepare for difficult tasks or to gain clarity for life-changing decisions. For us moderns this seems quite foreign.

Kerstin wrote: "Susan wrote: "I notice an emphasis on spirituality and sacrifice in this week’s reading. In Book V, there’s Hiawatha’s fasting and the willing sacrifice of Mondawin’s life, both to benefit the grea..."

Good point, Kerstin. It is true that we do not use fasting as a way of preparation for specific tasks but it survived in some religious practices, like ramadan for islamic groups or lent (the period of 40 days before Easter) for catholic ones.

It's one day of fasting for Yom Kippur in Jewish tradition.