A Key Into the Language of America, or an Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New-England: Together with Briefe Observations of the Customes, Manners, and Worships, &c. of the Aforesaid Natives, etc.Williams, Roger
History
A Key Into the Language of America, or an Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New-England: Together with Briefe Observations of the Customes, Manners, and Worships, &c. of the Aforesaid Natives, etc.
Williams, Roger
Narragansett Indians; Narragansett language
Secondly, After Harvest, after hunting, when they enjoy a caulme of
Peace, Health, Plenty, Prosperity, then Nickómmo, a Feast, especially
in Winter, for then (as the Turke saith of the Christian, rather the
Antichristian,) they run mad once a yeare in their kind of Christmas
feasting.
Powwáw, A Priest.
Powwaûog, Priests.
Obs: These doe begin and order their service, and Invocation of
their Gods, and all the people follow, and joyne interchangeably in
a laborious bodily service, unto sweating, especially of the Priest,
who spends himselfe in strange Antick Gestures, and Actions even
unto fainting.
In sicknesse the Priest comes close to the sick person, and performes
many strange Actions about him, and threatens and conjures out the
sicknesse.
They conceive that there are many Gods or divine Powers within the
Body of a Man: In his pulse, his heart, his Lungs, &c. I confesse to
have most of these their customes by their owne Relation, for after
once being in their Houses, and beholding what their Worship was,
I durst never be an eye witnesse, Spectatour, or looker on, least
I should have been partaker of Sathans Inventions and Worships,
contrary to Ephes. 5. 14.
Nanouwétea, An over-Seer and Orderer
of their Worship.
Neennanowwúnnemun, I will order or oversee.
They have an exact forme of King, Priest, and Prophet, as was in
Israel typicall of old in that holy Land of Canaan, and as the Lord
Jesus ordained in his spirituall Land of Canaan his Church throughout
the whole World: their Kings or Governours called Sachimaûog, Kings
and Atauskowaûg Rulers doe govern: Their Priests performe and manage
their Worship: Their wise men and old men (of which number their
Priests are also,) whom they call Taupowauog they make solemne
speeches and Orations, or Lectures to them, concerning Religion,
Peace or Warre and all things.
Nowemasúitteem, I give way at the Worship.
He or she that makes this Nickòmmo Feast or Dance, besides the
feasting sometimes twenty, fifty, an hundredth yea I have seene
neere a thousand persons at one of these Feasts: they give I say a
great quantity of money, and all sort of their goods, (according to
and sometimes beyond their Estate) in severall small parcells of
goods, or money, to the value of eighteen pence, two Shillings, or
thereabouts to one person: and that person that receives this Gift,
upon the receiving of it, goes out and hollowes thrice for the health
and prosperity of the Party that gave it, the Mr. or Mistris of the
Feast.
Nowemacaûnash, Ile give these things.
Nutteaugûash, My money.
Nummaumachiúwash, My goods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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