Somewhere along the line, when the Great Manitou was playing with ducks and sticks, and making a raft into a world-sized island, and creation was going at a cracking pace, some mother who had been a deity gave birth to four divine sons.

Chakekenapok was her last born son, as sadly his mother died at his birth. This was doubly unfortunate for him, as the oldest brother Manabozho blamed Chakekenapok for this disaster and declared himself the protector of humanity. Then another brother, Chibiabos, died and became protector of the dead.

Chakekenapok worked out how to make flints and fire and to take care of winter. However Manabozho would not leave him alone — they fought and knocked hell out of each other when and wherever they met.

With a piece of magic deerhorn, Manabozho eventually managed to knock poor old Chakekenapok to pieces. Some became flint, his bones became the roots of mountains, and his squidgy insides turned into grapevines. So it wasn’t all bad. The last brother Wabasso took over fire duties.

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Article last revised on May 19, 2019 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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