National Anthropological Archives

MS 2776 Truman Michelson field notes from the Munsee in Kansas and the Delaware in Oklahoma

Summary

Collection ID:
NAA.MS2776
Creators:
Michelson, Truman, 1879-1938
Longbone, Silas
Elk Hair
Veix, Mr.
Veix, Mrs.
Caleb, Mr
Plake, Mrs
Eliot, Mr.
Caleb, Rufus
Samuel, Joab
Spooner, Mrs.
Dates:
1912-1913
Languages:
In
Delaware
, Munsee, and
English
.
Physical Description:
170 Pages
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Ethnological and linguistic notes collected by Truman Michelson during his fieldwork among the Munsee in Kansas and the Delaware in Oklahoma in 1912. Also letters received in 1913 from Silas Longbone, one of the Delaware with whom Michelson worked closely. The majority of the notes are on the Delaware, and include Delaware stories in English. According to Ives Goddard, most of the information was provided by Elk Hair, the last great Delaware ceremonialist. Longbone served as an interpreter.
Contents of Delaware files: F.1) Letters from Silas Longbone, Dewey. Oklahoma, January 10, 1913. 5 pages; F.2) Ethnological notes. Longbone, informant. 3 pages; F.3) Legend. 8 pages; F.4) Doll Dance. 11 pages. Notes on small sheets, 2 pages; F.5 ) Delaware linguistic notes. 4 unnumbered pages. Text with interl. translation. 8 pages. Notes on small sheets, 5 pages. (17 pages total); F.6) Notes from Elk Hair. December 12 [1912] 11 pages; F.7) [Story of Delawares and White People] 10 pages; F.8) "Doctoring. Otter Skin Dance, ritualistic origin." 9 pages. Plus small sheet numbered "2". (10 pages.); F.9) Story of Wehixamokas, "the Delaware Sampson." Possibly from Longbone, with comments at end by Silas and Elkhair. 21 pages; F.10) Delaware Meeting House. Elk Hair, age 62. English text. 18 and 1 page (Also 3 pages notes on small sheets, possibly unrelated.); F.11) Miscellaneous ethnological and linguistic notes, apparently Delaware of Oklahoma. 8 pages.
Contents of Munsee files: F.12) "Munsee notes," ethnological and linguistic. Informants: Mr and Mrs Veix, Mr Caleb, Mrs Plake, Mr Eliot, Rufus Caleb, Joab Samuel, Mrs Spooner. 6 and 6 and 1 plus 3 pages. (16 pages total); F.13) [Munsee. Mrs Plake mentioned as 1 inft.] Text with interlinear English translation. 10 pages. Vocabulary and other linguistic notes, 9 unnumbered pages and pages numbered 2-8. (26 pages, total)

Administration

Sponsor
Digitization and preparation of these materials for online access has been funded through generous support from the Arcadia Fund.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Manuscript 2776, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

More Information

Local Numbers

Local Numbers
NAA MS 2776

Bibliography

Bibliography
This field work is referred to in 34th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology. (Washington, 1922), page 16.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Delaware language Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Munsee language Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Language and languages -- Documentation Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Linguistics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ethnology Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Field notes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Folklore Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Narratives Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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