WANDERINGS OF AN ARTIST

AMONG  THE

INDIANS OF NORTH AMERICA

FROM CANADA

TO VANCOURVER'S ISLAND AND OREGON

THROUGH THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S TERRITORY

AND

BACK AGAIN.

BY PAUL KANE.

Paul Kane, ca. 1850

(40) I found some Indians of the Winebago tribe at the camp on a visit. The word Winebago signifies "dirty water;" and they are so called from living on the margin of a lake of that name. They are easily distinguished from other tribes, as they have the custom of pulling out their eyebrows.

Paul Kane
Mauza-pa-Kan, 1845

I took the likeness of their chief, Mauza-pa-Kan, or the "Brave Soldier." I remained here for three weeks, and received much kindness and attention from the Manomanees.

Commentary. "Paul Kane (1810-1871)" — born in Ireland of English parents, his family emigrated to the small town of York, afterwards known as "Toronto," when he was between 8 to 12 years old. He eventually arose to be the greatest painter of his generation in Upper Canada. He is most noted for his Native American paintings done a expeditions he took to western lands in both Canada and the northern United States.¹

"pulling out their eyebrows" — this claim has not been encountered anywhere else.

"Mauza-pa-Kan" — the word for "brave, warrior" is wągwášošé, and for "soldier," mą́ną́pe. It is conceivably a corruption of the name Mąną́pega, although it appears that it is more likely, Mązapaka, from mąs, "iron"; hapak, "to strike"; and -ka, a definite article affixed to a terminal consonant to indicate a personal name. Mązapaka would therefore mean, "He Strikes with Iron," or "Iron Striker."

Notes to the Commentary

¹ Dennis Reid. A Concise History of Canadian Painting (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014) 50-58.

Source

Paul Kane, Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians of North America: From Canada to Vancouver's Island and Oregon, Through the Hudson's Bay Company's Territory and Back Again (Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, and Roberts, 1859) 40.