FISHING

(AÔMAWÔGAN)

Fishing was not only a form of subsistence, it was a way of life for the Abenaki people. They fished the bay areas, lakes, rivers, and streams in accordance with the signs and balance of nature. The lightning bugs alerted our fishermen that the salmon were beginning their annual run upstream. The annual birth of certain insects told us what fish would be available for gathering. Other signs, such as the speed of the currents and the depth of the water, within the seasons of the year, also gave our fishermen an insight as to how good the fishing would be for the season.

Our fishermen had established fishing grounds that they and their families would migrate to during the year. These grounds were shared by other tribes of the Wòbanaki Nation. Fishing camps also served our people as a means of socialization, intermarriage, and competition.

The act of fishing is, and was, done with great reverence. Our teaching tells us of a time when there were no waterways on this land. The Creator gave birth to the waterways. It was a sign of great medicine. It is told that some of our ancestors were so elated that they jumped into the currents and their spirits were transformed into fish. To this day many Wòbanaki families claim various fish as their ancestral family. Many Wòbanaki documents were signed with the sign of the Sturgeon, Salmon, Trout, and Eel.

The Abenaki people used various fishing techniques, such as fishing with a hook and line, spearing, netting, trapping, damming, jigging, and poisoning with Pokeberries and Indian Turnip roots - especially during August - if there was low water.

BODY PARTS OF THE FISH

Please Note the following:

fish anal fin = namas kwelbi kaskilji (one fin)

fish anal fins = namas kwelbi kaskiljial (more than one fin)

fish's anal fin = namasi kwelbi kaskilji (the anal fin belonging to the fish)

fish's anal fins = namasi kwelbi kaskiljial (the anal fins belonging to the fish)

To pluralize the word fish (more than one fish) would be as follows:

fishes anal fin = namasak kwelbi kaskilji (more than one fish with one anal fin)

fishes anal fins = namasak kwelbi kaskiljial (more than one fish with more than one anal fin)

ENGLISH	ABENAKI SINGULAR	ABENAKI PLURAL
Fish	Namas	Namasak
Fish Anal Fin	Namas Kwelbi Kaskilji	Namas Kwelbi Kaskiljial
Fish's Anal Fin	Namasi Kwelbi Kaskilji	Namasi Kwelbi Kaskiljial
Fish Blowing Hole	Namas Padowasin	Namas Padowasinal
Fish's Blowing Hole	Namasi Padowasin	Namasi Padowasinal
Fish Bone	Namas Mskan	Namas Mskanal
Fish's Bone	Namasi Wskan	Namasi Wskanal
Fish Brain	Namas Mlidbôn	Namas Mlidbônal
Fish's Brain	Namasi Wlidbôn	Namasi Wlidbônal
Fish Caudal Fin	Namas Mzogna Kaskilji	Namas Mzogna Kaskiljial
Fish's Caudal Fin	Namasi Wzogna Kaskilji	Namasi Wzogna Kaskiljial
Fish Cheek	Namas Wanowa	Namas Wanowal
Fish's Cheek	Namasi Wanowa	Namasi Wanowal
Fish Dorsal Fin	Namas Pskwan Kaskilji	Namas Pskwan Kaskiljial
Fish's Dorsal Fin	Namasi Pskwan Kaskilji	Namasi Pskwan Kaskiljial
Fish Egg	Namas Wôwan	Namas Wôwanal
Fish's Egg	Namasi Wôwan	Namasi Wôwanal
Fish Egg Out Burst	Namas Kloskamagwôn	Namas Kloskamagwônal
Fish's Egg Out Burst	Namasi Kloskamagwôn	Namasi Kloskamagwônal
Fish Eye	Namas Msizukw	Namas Msizukol
Fish's Eye	Namasi Wsizukw	Namasi Wsizukol
Fish Fin	Namas Kaskilji	Namas Kaskiljial
Fish's Fin	Namasi Kaskilji	Namasi Kaskiljial
Fish Gill	Namas Mpan	Namas Mpanal
Fish's Gill	Namasi Wpan	Namasi Wpanal
Fish Gill Cover	Namas Agwanosa Mpan	Namas Agwanosa Mpanal
Fish's Gill Cover	Namasi Agwanosa Wpan	Namasi Agwanosa Wpanal
Fish Gullet	Namas Kwedôgan	Namas Kwedôganal
Fish's Gullet	Namasi Kwedôgan	Namasi Kwedôganal
Fish Gut	Namas Mlagzi	Namas Mlagzial
Fish's Gut	Namasi Wlagzi	Namasi Wlagzial
Fish Head	Namas Mdeb	Namas Mdebal
Fish's Head	Namasi Wdeb	Namasi Wdebal
Fish Heart	Namas Mlawôgan	Namas Mlawôganal
Fish's Heart	Namasi Wlawôgan	Namasi Wlawôganal
Fish Liver	Namas Mskwen	Namas Mskwenal
Fish's Liver	Namasi Wskwen	Namasi Wskwenal
Fish Mouth	Namas Mdon	Namas Mdonal
Fish's Mouth	Namasi Wdon	Namasi Wdonal
Fish Nostril	Namas Mlôdhigan	Namas Mlôdhiganal
Fish's Nostril	Namasi Wlôdhigan	Namasi Wlôdhiganal
Fish Pectoral Fin	Namas Mdolka Kaskilji	Namas Mdolka Kaskiljial
Fish's Pectoral Fin	Namasi Wdolka Kaskilji	Namasi Wdolka Kaskiljial
Fish Pelvic Fin	Namas Mzabi Kaskilji	Namas Mzabi Kaskiljial
Fish's Pelvic Fin	Namasi Wzabi Kaskilji	Namasi Wzabi Kaskiljial
Fish Scale	Namas Plagadagen	Namas Plagadagenol
Fish's Scale	Namasi Plagadagen	Namasi Plagadagenol
Fish Skeleton	Namas Chibai Mskan	Namas Chibai Mskanal
Fish's Skeleton	Namasi Chibai Wskan	Namasi Chibai Wskanal
Fish Skin	Namas Madagen	Namas Madagenol
Fish's Skin	Namasi Madagen	Namasi Madagenol
Fish Skull	Namas Chibai Mdeb	Namas Chibai Mdebal
Fish's Skull	Namasi Chibai Wdeb	Namasi Chibai Wdebal
Fish Soft Dorsal Fin	Namas Pskwan Nokikaskilji	Namas Pskwan Nokikaskiljial
Fish's Soft Dorsal Fin	Namasi Pskwan Nokikaskilji	Namasi Pskwan Nokikaskiljial
Fish Spin Fin	Namas Môigan Kaskilji	Namas Môigan Kaskiljial
Fish's Spin Fin	Namasi Wôigan Kaskilji	Namasi Wôigan Kaskiljial
Fish Tongue	Namas Wilalo	Namas Wilaloal
Fish's Tongue	Namasi Wilalo	Namasi Wilaloal
Fish Tooth	Namas Wibid	Namas Wibidal
Fish's Tooth	Namasi Wibid	Namasi Wibidal
Fish Whisker	Namas Witwa	Namas Witwal
Fish's Whisker	Namasi Witwa	Namasi Witwal

NOTE: KASKILJI means (a wide open hand)

I have not included the Abenaki singular/plural locatives because they are shown in the section for the Human Body Parts.

However, the Abenaki Locative for the word KASKILJI is KASKILJIK and the plural is KASKILJIIKOK

Respectfully, Elie Joubert

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