Land of the Shapeshifter

Through this book, Land of the Shapeshifter, long silenced voices are once again heard. In the Land of the Shapeshifter author Stephen Berwick, uses interpretive short stories based on historical events as a guide to the world of Passaconaway and his descendants to explore the questions unanswered by the European-American perspective. Many of the stories take place from 1621 to 1692, a pivotal period in American history. Although there is peace, the peace is like a lid on a boiling pot. Much of the warfare that occurs later is based on what takes place during this time. Passaconaway, 17th century Great Chief of the Penacook (Penagok) Confederation as well as renowned Person-of-Medicine, was one of America’s greatest peacemakers. To the Penacook people of central New Hampshire, Passaconaway was not only the Great Chief of the Penacook Confederation as well as Shapeshifter, he was and is the star that lights their universe and whose spirit will never die. A fierce warrior who defended the Penacook homeland against Mohawk and Mi’kmaq invaders, Passaconaway knew the futility of war. On the heels of war came a deadly disease that devastated much of present-day northeast New England and became known as the Great-Dying-Time. It was then that the greatest threat to Penacook peace and security arrived; the Pilgrims, followed nine years later by the Puritans. As English settlers encroached on his peoples’ lands Passaconaway shape shifted from a formidable warrior into a peacemaker for not only the Penacook people of New Hampshire, but for the peoples of Massachusetts Bay Colony, as well, thereby making compassion and friendship his people’s refuge against destruction. As the years passed that compassion and friendship would be threatened as land hungry settlers broke peace treaties and encroached further and further into the Penacook heartland. Although humiliated again and again; once when his son, Waolinasad (Wonalancet) was arrested and led by noose to jail in Boston, and again when over 110 years old he petitioned Boston for a few acres of land to live on, Passoconaway remained a steadfast friend. Why?