PolarBear
Major
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- Feb 24, 2007
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John Jenkins Raid on St. Francis Series
For an Abenaki perspective on the 1759 raid on the Village of St. Francis by Rogers Rangers I would recommend checking the website of the Vermont Folklife Center which features a book written about this tragic event for children called Malian's Song. The book is based upon the oral history of an Abenaki girl named Malian Obomsawin, passed down through many generations to the present time. It provides a very different view of the events than the official report of Robert Rogers. The website includes a reading of the book by Jeanne Brink, one of Malian's descendants and also other narrations by her related to the raid. All of this oral material may be listened to on your computer or downloaded to an Ipod free of charge. Brink is critical of how Hollywood inaccurately portrayed the raid in the film Northwest Passage starring Spencer Tracy. For me Malian's story is as powerful as The Diary of Anne Frank.
http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/childrens-books/malians-song/audio-photos.shtml
From a review of Malian's Song:
"Malian's Song provides fresh insight on an historical event maintained by Abenaki storytellers about the 1759 raid by Rogers' Rangers on the Abenaki community of St. Francis. Marge Bruchac, Abenaki storyteller and scholar, retells this oral history in her recent picture book for younger readers. Although the events may be disturbing, both author and illustrator combine their talents to produce a sensitive and engaging story through historically accurate text and non-violent images. The story is told through the eyes of Malian, a young Abenaki girl, who is whisked away from danger by her father prior to an impending deliberate attack on their village near Montreal. The family has just celebrated a wedding and Malian is weary from the day’s activities and goes to bed. She awakes to find her father, Simon Obomsawin, carrying her to the safety of the pine grove where he leaves her with the command to run. After this night, Malian never sees her father again. The village was warned of a surprise attack by the British under the command of Major Robert Rogers. The people escape to the woods and sorrowfully watch the smoke from their burning homes and church. The survivors flee to another safe village and try to manage through the winter without their food supply. Malian and her family are in mourning until the following spring. She sings the Abenaki lyrics for their Lonesome Song to show the depth of her grief. Despite their hardship and loss of family members the Abenaki survive and continue with the memory of this event retained through oral history. Malian continues her story by telling readers how she grew older, married and had children. They eventually return to Odanak to live. She concludes by saying that she passed on the tradition to her granddaughter and generations following. The Abenaki remember. The author provides a two-page historical note about the events in the book and explains how Abenaki history differs from the official British version as recorded by Rogers. Rogers claims that his men surprised the village and killed 200 Abenaki. In actuality only 32 Abenaki died most of them women and children. The oral tradition was passed on by Malian Obomsawin who told her granddaughter, Mali Msadoques. From Mali the story went on to her niece, Elvine Obomsawin who in turn told the history to ethnologist Gordon Day. This picture book is based on this tradition. Bruchac effectively weaves Abenaki words seamlessly throughout the text. Illustrator William Maughan produced historically accurate and sensitive watercolour drawings that capture the warmth of this Abenaki family and avoids the violence of the story with life-affirming illustrations. This picture book is a valuable contribution to Abenaki history in Canada from the Abenaki perspective."
For an Abenaki perspective on the 1759 raid on the Village of St. Francis by Rogers Rangers I would recommend checking the website of the Vermont Folklife Center which features a book written about this tragic event for children called Malian's Song. The book is based upon the oral history of an Abenaki girl named Malian Obomsawin, passed down through many generations to the present time. It provides a very different view of the events than the official report of Robert Rogers. The website includes a reading of the book by Jeanne Brink, one of Malian's descendants and also other narrations by her related to the raid. All of this oral material may be listened to on your computer or downloaded to an Ipod free of charge. Brink is critical of how Hollywood inaccurately portrayed the raid in the film Northwest Passage starring Spencer Tracy. For me Malian's story is as powerful as The Diary of Anne Frank.
http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/childrens-books/malians-song/audio-photos.shtml
From a review of Malian's Song:
"Malian's Song provides fresh insight on an historical event maintained by Abenaki storytellers about the 1759 raid by Rogers' Rangers on the Abenaki community of St. Francis. Marge Bruchac, Abenaki storyteller and scholar, retells this oral history in her recent picture book for younger readers. Although the events may be disturbing, both author and illustrator combine their talents to produce a sensitive and engaging story through historically accurate text and non-violent images. The story is told through the eyes of Malian, a young Abenaki girl, who is whisked away from danger by her father prior to an impending deliberate attack on their village near Montreal. The family has just celebrated a wedding and Malian is weary from the day’s activities and goes to bed. She awakes to find her father, Simon Obomsawin, carrying her to the safety of the pine grove where he leaves her with the command to run. After this night, Malian never sees her father again. The village was warned of a surprise attack by the British under the command of Major Robert Rogers. The people escape to the woods and sorrowfully watch the smoke from their burning homes and church. The survivors flee to another safe village and try to manage through the winter without their food supply. Malian and her family are in mourning until the following spring. She sings the Abenaki lyrics for their Lonesome Song to show the depth of her grief. Despite their hardship and loss of family members the Abenaki survive and continue with the memory of this event retained through oral history. Malian continues her story by telling readers how she grew older, married and had children. They eventually return to Odanak to live. She concludes by saying that she passed on the tradition to her granddaughter and generations following. The Abenaki remember. The author provides a two-page historical note about the events in the book and explains how Abenaki history differs from the official British version as recorded by Rogers. Rogers claims that his men surprised the village and killed 200 Abenaki. In actuality only 32 Abenaki died most of them women and children. The oral tradition was passed on by Malian Obomsawin who told her granddaughter, Mali Msadoques. From Mali the story went on to her niece, Elvine Obomsawin who in turn told the history to ethnologist Gordon Day. This picture book is based on this tradition. Bruchac effectively weaves Abenaki words seamlessly throughout the text. Illustrator William Maughan produced historically accurate and sensitive watercolour drawings that capture the warmth of this Abenaki family and avoids the violence of the story with life-affirming illustrations. This picture book is a valuable contribution to Abenaki history in Canada from the Abenaki perspective."
