Women of the Dawn - by Bunny McBride (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Women of the Dawn tells the stories of four remarkable Wabanaki Indian women who lived in northeast America during the four centuries that devastated their traditional world. Their courageous responses to tragedies brought on by European contact make up the heart of the book. The narrative begins with Molly Mathilde (1665-1717), a mother, a peacemaker, and the daughter of a famous chief. Born in the mid-1600s, when Wabanakis first experienced the full effects of colonial warfare, disease, and displacement, she provided a vital link for her people through her marriage to the French baron of St. Castin. The sage continues with the shrewd and legendary healer Molly Ockett (1740-1816) and the reputed witchwoman Molly Molasses (1775-1867). The final chapter belongs to Molly Dellis Nelson (1903-1977) (known as Spotted Elk), a celebrated performer on European stages who lived to see the dawn of Wabanaki cultural renewal in the modern era.

Review Quotes

"A bold, successful effort that defies classification. A prose poem of beauty and honesty."--Portland Press Herald

"I recommend Women of the Dawn, a short but rich exploration of the lives of four Wabanaki women, all named 'Molly.' . . . It is lyrical and poetic but based on many years of fieldwork and scholarship."--Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812


"Penobscot women, like all Wabanaki women, have long been the guardians of their people. The four women profiled by McBride possessed energy and power that strengthened and sustained them. They changed the lives of those with whom they came in contact. A rare glimpse of these women can be seen within the pages of this book."--Donna M. Loring, Penobscot Nation Tribal Representative

"Rich in historic and visual detail, Women of the Dawn gives a poignant and compelling voice to long silent Native American women. . . . The book evokes powerful and haunting emotions."--Jill E. Shibles, President, National American Indian Court Judges Association

"The narrative begins with Molly Mathilde, a mother, peacemaker, and daughter of a famous chief. Born in the mid-1600s, when Wabanakis first experienced the full effects of colonial warfare, disease, and displacement, she provided a vital link for her people through her marriage to the French baron of St. Castin. The saga continues with the shrewd and legendary healer Molly Ockett and the reputed witchwoman Molly Molasses. The final chapter focuses on Molly Dellis Nelson (known as Spotted Elk), a celebrated performer on European stages who lived to see the dawn of Wabanaki cultural renewal in the modern era. Women of the Dawn is a welcome, informative, and valued contribution."--Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Bunny McBride is the author of Molly Spotted Elk: A Penobscot in Paris, among other works. She is an adjunct lecturer of anthropology at Kansas State University and Principia College, and guest curator for an exhibit based on this book at the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, Maine.