Johnot Deny on the Dennys River
Digital
John, or Johnot Deny, may have adopted this European surname from Nicholas Denys, a 17th century Frenchman who traded with the Micmac and Maliseets on the Bay of Fundy, and compiled the first natural history of this new world to be published in Europe, (seen at the end of this exhibit.) Tribal historian Donald Soctomah notes that the name given to the Dennys River by the Passamaquoddy was ‘Kethonohsk,’ which means a place to gather animal scents for hunting and trapping. The river and shores of Meddybemps Lake were also a rich source of medicinal plants for tribal members who knew how to find and use them. The abundance of fish and game drew tribal groups back to the river year by year. Soctomah describes the scene: "The Passamaquoddy came here when there was a run of fish and camped on the west side of the river. There was high ground there, and that is where the huts were placed. The river was literally full of fish, crowding side by side to get over the narrow areas of the river and into the spawning grounds in the lakes above. First came the alewives on the river, which was clear in color but would turn black from the thousands of alewives swimming up river. Many people said it was so thick with alewives you could almost walk across the river without getting wet. The run of alewives was so numerous the lake was always referred to as Meddybemps, which means lake of plenty of alewives. Then came the salmon a few weeks later. The tribal fisherman used no hooks or lines due to the fact the salmon would not take anything in their quest to go up stream. But here was a lively scene. Men and women and children lined the banks of the Dennys River, and if there was a chance to reach in and grab a fish it was quickly thrown onto the bank. At the outlet of the river in Cobscook Bay, when the tide went down, the older ones would wade into the pools with their spears and clubs, and then the real fishing began. It was a pleasant time for the tribe. There would be plenty to eat for some time."
