
The Lenâpé and Their Legends (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Ethnological study of the The Lenâpé Indians in Eastern PennsylvaniaBy Daniel G. BrintonLength5h 49m
About this audiobook
The Lenâpé and Their Legends is a landmark nineteenth-century study of the Lenape, or Delaware, people, combining ethnology, linguistic analysis, oral tradition, and antiquarian inquiry. Its central feature is Brinton's presentation of the Walam Olum, a purported pictographic and poetic migration chronicle, alongside translations, commentary, and comparative reflections. Written in the dense, classificatory style of Victorian anthropology, the book stands at the intersection of folklore, philology, and early Americanist scholarship. Daniel G. Brinton, a physician, linguist, and pioneering American anthropologist, devoted much of his career to Indigenous languages, myths, and symbolic systems of the Americas. His training in medicine and philology, together with his interest in comparative mythology, shaped his effort to recover Native intellectual traditions from fragmentary colonial records. Though some of his assumptions reflect the limitations of his era, his work helped establish Indigenous oral literatures as serious objects of scholarly study. This volume is recommended for readers interested in Native American history, early anthropology, myth studies, and the development of American ethnology. It should be read critically, especially in light of later debates over the Walam Olum, but it remains an important document in the history of scholarship on Lenape tradition.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenrePsychology
Length5 hrs 49 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 19, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
26Manufactures.
2Introduction
27Paints and Dyes.
3Synopsis
28Dogs.
4Historical Context
29Interments.
5PREFACE.
30Computation of Time.
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6THE LENAPE AND THEIR LEGENDS.
31Pictographic Signs.
7CHAPTER I.
32Record Sticks.
8§ 1. The Algonkin Stock.
33Moral and Mental Character.
9§ 2. The Iroquois Stock.
34Religious Beliefs.
10CHAPTER II.
35Doctrine of the Soul.
11The Confederated Tribes.
36The Native Priests.
12The Mohegans.
37Religious Ceremonies.
13The Nanticokes.
38CHAPTER IV.
14The Conoys.
39§ 1. Literature of the Lenape Tongue.
15The Shawnees.
40§ 2. General Remarks on the Lenape.
16The Sapoonees.
41§ 3. Dialects of the Lenape.
17The Assiwikales.
42§ 4. Special Structure of the Lenape.
18CHAPTER III
43CHAPTER V.
19Derivation of Lenni Lenape.
44§ 1. The Lenape as "Women".
20The Lenape Sub-Tribes.
45§ 2. Historic Migrations of the Lenape.
21The Totemic Animals.
46§ 3. Missionary Efforts in the Provinces of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
22The New Jersey Lenape.
47CHAPTER VI.
23Political Constitution.
48Cosmogonical and Culture Myths.
24Agriculture and Food Resources.
49National Traditions.
25House Building.
50CHAPTER VII.