…and other folktales that tell us who we are and where we come from.
Folklore inspires curiosity in our natural world and encourage observation.
New England is home to a variety of folklore traditions, mythologies, and beliefs. Many of these stories come from the natural world, while others derive from religious beliefs and spiritual practices. A rich body of Indigenous folklore and teaching stories were already widespread when European settlers arrived in the 17th century. Those stories have been passed down, mixing with tales from more recent immigrants and imaginations, peppering our shared landscape with new ways to see the land.
Farms, Open Space, and Animal Forecasters
Animal folklore is particularly embedded in agriculture. Publications like Old Farmers’ Almanac and Farmers’ Almanac have shared the folk wisdom from earlier generations. Sayings like “If sheep huddle up in a tight group, expect rain or snow,” or, “The more brown a Woolly bear caterpillar has on its body, the milder winter will be” were common during pre-industrial times in New England. If you’ve tried to remember just how brown that caterpillar was, last October, you know the lasting charm of old timey wisdom!
With Groundhog Day right around the corner, here’s some of the folklore and perceived wisdom surrounding that charismatic ground squirrel:
Grandmother Woodchuck: In Wabanaki traditions, the woodchuck was considered a figure of ancient wisdom and patience. In folk tales, she teaches the folk hero spiritual lessons of life in balance with nature. Grandmother Woodchuck is considered a counterpart to Squannit, a Makiawisug (nature spirit) of the Wampanoag tribes native to Southern New England.
The Call of the Whistle-Pig: The groundhog has been called many names, including woodchuck or whistle-pig. Farmers believed that the high-pitched “whistle” of the groundhog was alarm, as well as an indicator of a sudden shift in air pressure.
Wuchak: The name “Woodchuck” is actually not English, at all. Rather, it comes from the English mispronunciation of the Narragansett Wuchak.
Rodent as Meteorologist?
As we approach Groundhog Day this coming Monday, it’s interesting to take note of the history of these pieces of folk knowledge. We check in with a woodchuck to understand the future forecast thanks to a convergence of our ancestors’ traditions, including an ancient connection between the Christian celebration of Candlemas and mid-Winter. The Scottish rhyme, “If Candlemas is fair and clear / There’ll be two winters in the year,” is awfully close to perceiving an extension of winter should the groundhog see its shadow. When the Pennsylvania Dutch settled in the Mid-Atlantic, bringing the German tradition of consulting a badger for its winter forecast, it slowly morphed into our fun wintertime tradition.
While there doesn’t seem to be a discernable connection between the groundhog’s shadow and the length and strength of winter, there’s something to be celebrated in the merriment and historical connection to traditions past.
The folks who preceded us were curious about and cognizant of the connection between the natural world and ours. Seeking out the wisdom of animals as an intermediary between those worlds didn’t seem like much of a stretch for them. As we look at the natural world with curious eyes of our own it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
Imagination Ignited?
Join us for an upcoming program!
- If you have a toddler or preschooler, join us for story hour on Tuesday at 10. We’ll be rhyming along with a tiny groundhog who does not want to hibernate!
- We have a Woods in Wintertime Walk on Tuesday, Feb 10th at Herb Hadfield. The woods are sheltered from the icy wind, but hopefully we’ll be out of the arctic blast by then.
- Quench your curiosity indoors with our Nature ID Challenge, Thursday Feb 12th.
And, as always, our trails are open dawn to dusk. Who knows, maybe you’ll catch sight of your own Westport Woodchuck!