Oochigeas (Dance Remix Song)
Name: Oochigeas Tribal affiliation: Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy Alternate spellings: Oochigeaskw, Oochigea'skw, Oochigeaska Pronunciation: probably wudge-ig-eesk Also known as: Rough-Faced Girl, Little Scarface Type: Heroine Oochigeas is the heroine of a 19th-century Mi'kmaq and Maliseet fairy tale which is a fusion between the French "Cinderella" story and Wabanaki folktales. This is a more modern story, not a traditional one, and so none of our Mi'kmaq or Maliseet speakers knew what the native name of the heroine originally was, but they guess that perhaps it was Wijikiskw, which is pronounced wudge-ih-geesk and means "scabby woman" or "scarred woman" in Mi'kmaq. There are a number of versions of this story but in most of them the plot is similar to the "Cinderella" story: Oochigeas is neglected by her father and tormented by her sisters, but in the end is chosen over her sisters by the "prince" (in this case an invisible medicine person named Team, possibly even the culture hero Glooskap himself in disguise) and becomes his wife. As is typical of Wabanaki folktales, Oochigeas must pass several tests of her character in order to achieve her objective, demonstrating her courage, honesty, and respect.