Synopsis
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?
About the Author
Stephen Berwick, a descendant of northern New England and Quebec’s Native American peoples as well as French and English settlers, was born in Laconia, New Hampshire in 1962. In his life and work Stephen strives to open minds and hearts, believing as Buddha did that “In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” Stephen, who speaks Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and French and is also conversant in Swedish, Indonesian and Thai, has traveled widely throughout Northeast and Southeast Asia. A practicing Buddhist since 1981, Stephen underwent ordination as a Buddhist monk in 1994. His preceptor, the Venerable Luang Po Chan Kusalo, one of Thailand’s foremost theologians, consented to Stephen’s ordination only after considerable persuasion, allowing him to become the first Westerner in 600 years to ordain at Chiangmai’s Wat Chedi Luang, a temple famous as the former home of the Emerald Buddha. Upon returning to New Hampshire Stephen began publishing Asia-Link Journal with the goal of promoting cultural understanding, respect and peace. Stephen also wrote a biography about a Korean-American woman entitled “From Ch’ongnyangni to Northfield” which was published by the Korean Cultural Service as well as two biographies about Vietnamese refugees which were published as part of the anthology “Voices of the Vietnamese Boat People.” Stephen has received a number of awards for his poetry and was named International Poet of Merit in 1995 by the International Poetry Association as well as nominated as the Association’s 1995 Poet of the Year for his poem “Exile,” a poem that embodies the spirit of America’s immigrants. Stephen is currently writing a series of seven historical fiction books about the effects of European settlement on the Abenaki peoples of New Hampshire with the hope of promoting understanding of America’s past as well as respect and peace amongst all peoples.
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