Shingebiss

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Shingebiss is an Ojibwe/Ojibwa/Chippewa Native American Legend. Shingebiss is a classic Native American tale/fable which exemplifies the strength of the underdog and the virtue of perseverance and fortitude. Originating with the Ojibwe nation, the tale is traditionally told about a duck (often a merganser duck) who defies the harsh cold winter while others cower. Sometimes Shingebiss is depicted as a young woman(1) in the story, though more often we see the duck as the underdog hero. Despite the common portrail as a merganser duck, zhingibis in the Ojibwe language means "waterhen," "coot" or "grebe."

Contents 1 Story synopsis 2 Shingebiss’ chant 3 Sources 4 Trivia

[edit] Story synopsis

Shingebiss, a resourceful merganser duck, lives in a lodge by his lake and goes about his daily business of catching his fish and warming his lodge by burning large logs. When Kabibona'kan, Winter Maker (sometimes also referred to as NorthWest or North Wind, from the Ojibwe language, Gaa-biboonikaan), sees this small duck is not affected by his icy wrath while others cower, he sets out to defeat the little duck. Winter Maker does everything in his power to thwart Shingebiss' efforts to catch fish--he freezes the waters of his lake but the duck continues to make a hole in the ice and fish. Knowing that the clever duck has only four logs to last the winter, Kabibona'kan is certain he can blow drifts deep enough to freeze the bird. At one point Winter Maker even enters Shingebiss’ lodge but the tiny duck pokes his fire to burn higher and drives Kabibona'kan out. At this time Kabibona'kan acknowledges defeat and praises the strength and resilience of the persistent little duck that cannot be frozen or starved. Interestingly, throughout the story Shingebiss does not acknowledge Winter Maker as an enemy, simply a fellow creature who cannot harm him. According to Ojibwe legend, Shingebiss has ever since served as a reminder of perseverance and fortitude.

[edit] Shingebiss’ chant

'Windy god, I know your plan,

You are but my fellow-man.

Blow you may your coldest breeze,

Shingebiss you cannot freeze.

Sweep the strongest wind you can,

Shingebiss is still your man.

Heigh, for life - ho, for bliss,

Who is so free as Shingebiss?'

[edit] Sources

The Baldwin Project – The Red Indian Fairy Book by Francis Jenkins Olcott

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=olcott&book=indian&story=shingebiss

Shingebiss : An Ojibwe Legend by Nancy Van Laan, Houghton Mifflin (September 9, 1997) • ISBN 0-395-82745-0

1 Shingebiss and the North Wind -From a 19th century literary tale attributed to Chippewa sources retold by Fran Stallings http://www.healingstory.org/treasure/shingebiss/shingebiss_and_the_north_wind.html

[edit] Trivia

There was also an Order of the Arrow lodge of the Boy Scouts of America named Shingebis (single s). Founded in 1953, Shingebis Lodge #490, served North Essex Council in Lawrence, Massachusetts for 40 years.

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