Gnadenhütten Journal - Comprehensive
Report
|
|
|
Hereupon, the old speaker stood up for the second time, with a Belt of Wampum in his hand of eight strings, all together 1016 beads. Most of them were white, and six diagonal strings were blue. His speech was translated into English by the Indian White, into Mahican by Brother Nathanael, and into German by Br. Joseph and was as follows:
"Brother Mahican! I have lived over there (he pointed to the southwest) and have lived over there (he pointed to the northeast). At that time we knew each other well and we were brothers, the path between you and us was often used, and our forefathers have often visited each other. Afterwards the path between you and us was not used any more, and we became alien to each other. After that, Brother Mahican, you have come to Gnadenhütten and we settled ourselves in Wyoming: but we were strangers to each other. Finally, you have come to us, we have looked in each other’s eyes, and there we found that you are our brother. This is the Belt. That which, Brother Mahican, (here he pointed to the white and brown Brethren and said) I mean both of you, because you are one, you should keep safe and cherish, for I recognize you as my older Brother. It should stay this way, as long as we are alive, and as long as God lets this world stand." After the Mahican pronounced their "Kehenne", the Delawares their "Gehelle" and the Brethren their "very well" about this speech, the old speaker stood up for the third time with a Belt of Wampum in his hand, which was made of strings of Indian hemp, in which six rows of Wampum were interwoven, numbering 780 beads, most were white, with nine diagonal black rows. White translated his speech into English, Nathanael into Mahican, Brother Joseph into German and Jonathan repeated it once more in Mahican. Every one of the interpreters held the Belt in their hands as they spoke, and after our brown and white Brethren took a look at it one after another, it was returned to Brother Joseph’s hands. The speech itself was as follows: "My Mahican Brethren, and my Brethren from Bethlehem; I only want to combine you both under the word Gnadenhütten, for you are both one. Hear these words from the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee Nations, which are one, and hold on to each other firmly like this Belt of Wampum. This is the chain of brotherhood, which exists among us, and which should never be torn; not even one link should be severed from it, it should always be kept pure. We do not want to be two any more, but to be one, and it [the chain] should go on as long as God, the Master, lets the world stand, and as long as the sun shall shine (as long as we are alive, and as long as the world remains) and when a Chief dies, so there will always come another, who will be of the same mind, and even when we all die, our children will still be here, and will continue the brotherhood. Even the children in their mothers’ wombs will be happy when they come into this world and realize that their Chiefs had done such a useful thing for them. Take this Belt of Wampum, protect it for your own memory and hold on to it ever so firmly." Here the Chief of Shawnee Paxnous folded both of his hands firmly, and raised them high so as to show how closely we should cling together. All this was accompanied with a customary acclamation "atto" from their side, and with "Kehenne" from our side. After this speech was over, the old speaker stood up for the fourth time with a triple String of Wampum, of 260 beads, in his hand. The Nanticokes’ interpreter said: it is a shame, that we do not understand each other. Brother Joseph replied: and good after all, because we understand each other. That it is repeated in several languages serves us good. We keep every word in mind and don’t let any of them fall on the ground. He responded: I cannot express myself well, but where there’s a word lacking and if I should say something that doesn’t sound good, so take it in the right way and in a good sense, because I mean well. Brother Joseph: We understand you well, and you express yourself well. The speech was as follows: "My Mahican Brethren! And I mean brown and German Brethren with it, for you are all one. This String of Wampum says that we are not strangers to each other to each other any more as before, but we are brothers. When we encounter each other in the woods, or wherever we meet each other, we will not look upon one another as strangers, but as brothers. When one is hunting and meets someone from Nanticokes or Shawnee, they will look upon one another as brothers. If one is lacking gunpowder, or lead or provisions, so the other will share with him what he has. One shall help the other, however little he may have himself, and even if he has enough gunpowder left for only two shots, and only two bullets, he will nevertheless share with the one who has nothing; so that he can shoot something to refresh himself with. Our women think likewise and are of the same opinion. Our young men think the same, and want to abide by the same. Neither do our young women exclude themselves from it, on the contrary, they are proud of it. For example when a woman has a child and has something to do, so the other one, who has no child will help the first one, just as the men help each other with gunpowder and lead and provisions. Our children, many of whom are present and are listening to what we speak about with you, also agree with us. Even our children in their mothers’ wombs will follow the same path when they are born into this world. As long as God the Master keeps this world standing, so this will continue, as we become one with one another. All this was received with cheerful "Kehenne" and the first Chief of the Shawnee put in "atto" in addition. This triple String of Wampum was made of brown and white Wampum, which were fastened together, possibly to symbolize the brown and white Brethren, and one String consisted only of white wampum. In the end the Old Nanticoke stood up again with a triple white string of 340 pieces of wampum in his hand. His speech was translated punctually as the previous ones. He confirmed the first string with the words: "I know I have said everything that I wanted to say and this is the end of the whole speech." After that he took hold of the two remaining Strings and said: "My Mahican Brethren and my Brethren from Bethlehem! You have joined together and you are now one (here he put his right and left had index fingers tightly together to demonstrate). In three months from now we are thinking about visiting Bethlehem, but five days before our arrival we will send a messenger to let you know in the name of our Chiefs our arrival. And of that which you let us know in the spring (namely, that you wanted to tell us about our God and Master) we have given the Six Nations news. We also let them know of the chain of brotherhood we have with each other and of our journey here. They are well satisfied and approve. The Indian White expressed it in the following way "they are proud of it". All of this was sealed on both sides with cheerful sound of shouting. The Indian White remembered hereupon:
Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely
 |