Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration

Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration

Ergodebooks.com ReviewLong before the days of microwavable turkey, cranberry sauce from a can, and digestion in front of TV football, the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. And long before this, the Native Americans of the area celebrated the harvest during a feast called Nickommoh, which means "give away" or "exchange." This handsome book depicts the Nickommoh festivities of the Narragansett people of what is now Rhode Island. Every autumn they would have a giveaway dance during which the sachem (leader) distributed gifts such as donated food, clothing, and furs among widows, orphans, or anyone in need. But this was only one part of the festival. People feasted, played games, danced, prayed, sang, sweated in sweat lodges, and generally had a grand old time.Jackie French Koller's solemn, rhythmic, almost chant-like writing is accompanied by the earthy browns, reds, and yellows of Marcia Sewall's striking illustrations to create a mood that feels just right for the subject. Koller first explored early New England history in The Primrose Way, and is well established as author of over two dozen books for children and young adults, including the delightful One Monkey Too Many. A glossary of the Narragansett words used in the book is included. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie CoulterDescribes a typical Narragansett Nickommoh, or harvest celebration, as it has been performed by Native Americans since before the arrival of the first Pilgrims in New England.From Publishers WeeklyIf Squanto (reviewed above) offers background to the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, Koller (The Promise, reviewed p. 62) demonstrates that a celebratory gathering to commemorate the harvest, Nickommoh, had long been the custom on these shores. In prose with the cadence of a drumbeat, the author reveals the rhythms of Narragansett life, devoted to the Creator, Kautantawwitt, and punctuated by praise: "They come together, together to give thanks. Nickommoh!" In marked contrast to her usual style, Sewall's (The Pilgrims of Plimoth) scratchboard and gouache illustrations convey both simplicity and complexity. Even as she portrays individualsAmen cutting poles for the great lodge, women covering the poles with bark, children playing tug-of-warAher compositions build a unity among the characters. Almost hypnotic in their power, art and text are infused with the communal spirit of Thanksgiving. Ages 6-9. (Oct.)Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalPreSchool-Grade 4-"It is Taqountikeeswush, the Moon of the Falling Leaves. Time for the People to come together, together to give thanks. NICKOMMOH!" Koller's poetic narrative builds a sequence of activities: coming together, building a shelter, feasting, playing games, entering a sweat lodge, and dancing. Each double-page spread ends with the exclamation, "NICKOMMOH!," a word defined in the glossary as "a celebrational gathering." An author's note explains that "Long before the first Pilgrim set foot in the New World, Native Americans were celebrating rites of thanksgiving ." Sewall's strongly composed, impressionistic illustrations have black outlines and rich earth tones to anchor and solidify the poetic text. Vivid descriptions draw readers into the life of the Narragansett Indian tribe who once lived in present-day Rhode Island. The writing is studded with words from the Narragansett language, which are all defined in an informative glossary. This engaging partnership of art and text will be a natural read-aloud in the weeks before Thanksgiving.Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North AdamsCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Kirkus ReviewsKoller (Bouncing on the Bed, p. 143, etc.) portrays a Narragansett nickommoh, or celebratory gathering, from which it is very likely the tradition of Thanksgiving was drawn. As explained in an exemplary notebrief, clear, interestingat the end of the book, these gath