A Miami Origin Story

Close relatives of the Illinois, the Miami tell a story of their origins at the “Coming Out River” :

“At first the Myaamia came out of the water. The place they emerged is called ‘Coming Out Place’. The first ones emerged from the water. ‘Grab ahold of tree limbs’, they told each other. And they came out. They formed a town there. From there they went away. They left the town… They call the river ‘Coming Out River’ at the place where the came out from…”

waapanaakikaapwa (Gabriel Godfroy)
b. 1834  d. 1910
(Costa 2010)