
Penobscot—
meaning Rockland
or It Flows on the
Rocks
› Referred to a
waterfall near their
village of Old Town,
Maine.
› Descendants of
Algonquian tribe
Penobscot
Tribe made
canoes,
fishnets, and
intricate
beading and
quill work
 Had a
reputation for
peacefulness
and
hospitality


Story of Jesus
› Last supper
 Eat this bread. It is my body. Drink this wine. It
is my blood.
› Crucifixion and death
› Resurrection from the dead after 3 days

Both the Penobscot Tribe and the Jews
were in need of a savior.
› Penobscot tribe was dying from starvation. The
Jews were dying under the control of the Roman
Empire.

Both the Corn Mother and Jesus
understood their own lives would have to
be sacrificed to save the people.
› The Corn Mother is killed by her reluctant
husband and her body is dragged across the
earth by her sons. Jesus is killed by his own
people’s choice.



The Corn Mother and Jesus both encourage
their followers to eat of their flesh—through the
symbols of corn and bread.
After Jesus death, he rises from the grave,
body intact. The Corn Mother does not rise
from the grave, but corn and tobacco rise
from the place where her flesh was torn and
her bones were buried.
Out of Corn Mother’s bones grow the tobacco
plant, which her spirit instructs is sacred. The
only possible parallel to this from the story of
Jesus is the descent of the Holy Spirit on the
disciples.
Both stories instruct the people to
remember sacrifice made every time
they eat.
 Both stories maintain that the hero is not
dead, but alive in the people.
 Both stories maintain that the hero died
because of how much he/she loved the
people.


Practical lesson?
› Conserving seeds to plant for the next
season
› Corn growing cycle of 7 moons (months)

Moral lesson
› Sometimes, self sacrifice for the good of your
people is essential to survival.

Explanation of a Natural phenomenon?
› Origin of tobacco and corn
› Origin of people on earth

Preservation of Tribal Culture
› Belief in a god-like mentor for humanity, Kloskurbeh
› People of the earth came from First Nephew and First
Mother
› There is something even more powerful than the creator—
the Great Mystery Above—that sends the First Mother to
Kloskurbeh and the First Nephew

Balance between humanity and nature
› Humans are starving because they have over populated
the earth and over hunted the animals
› First Mother tells people to save corn seeds to replant next
year so that people will never starve again.