Japanese

  05:00

 T ◆ ▼

J01

Words and Their Stories -- a program in Special English. Every word has its own story. Where did it come from? What does it mean? And how did it get into the language? Today's word is powwow.

T ◆ ▼

J02

Many years ago, there was an unusual Indian chief named Powhatan. He was chief of all Algonquin tribes from Virginia north to the Canadian border. Powhatan was not only a great chief, he was a man of magic -- a medicine man who could cure the sick. It was said that Powhatan could understand dreams. His dreams told him how to cure. In fact, the first part of his name, "powh " meant "he who cures through his dreams " The second part of his name "atan" meant "hill of the medicine man." And so, Powhatan was the medicine man who stood on the hill. There he listened to his dreams, talked to his gods, led ceremonies to drive out the evil spirits.

T ◆ ▼

J03

Of course, there were lesser medicine men in the tribes of Powhatan. They were called powahs. And whenever they led ceremonies to cure the sick, these ceremonies were called "powwows." Powwows and powahs puzzled the early settlers, the colonists. Curing through dreams and strange ceremonies seemed like some sort of magic -- worship of false gods. And so as the colonists grew in numbers and strength, they decided to stop this kind of medicine. In the year 1646, this announcement appeared in a newspaper in Massachusetts: "No Indian shall at any time powwow or perform outward worship to their false gods." Fifty years later, the word, "powwow " had changed in meaning. At first, it meant a medicine man or a strange ceremony of magic to cure the sick. Now, it meant any ceremony of great feasting and dancing.

T ◆ ▼

J04

One hundred years later, the word, "powwow," took on a more serious meaning -- a conference of Indian chiefs. A conference between Indian chiefs and white leaders was also called a powwow. If the conference was a good one, eating and drinking and dancing followed. As time passed, the Indians of the East either joined the colonists and became citizens, or they moved farther west to fight against them. By the year 1835, in a book written by an old settler these words appeared: "In the East, companies of all Indian warriors might be seen sitting together, smoking a pipe. They seem to be, under every bush, arguing, palavering or powwowing."

T ◆ ▼

J05

A few years later, where Indians in the West were still fighting the settlers, these words were written: "Toward the end of February, we had a few days of warm weather, and the snows melted away. It was then that the Indians held a powwow, and we knew that they were planning a battle against us."

T ◆ ▼

J06

Today, the word, "powwow," can be used loosely to cover any kind of a meeting or social get-together or even a discussion. For example, this headline appeared in a New York newspaper not long ago: "Warriors of the Democratic Tribe to Hold Powwow in City Next Tuesday."

T ◆ ▼

J07

And now, it is time to end this powwow, but we will bring you another one next week at this same time.

Voice of America

[TOP]