Azeban
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Azeban is a lower-level
trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story ( god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...
spirit in Abenaki mythology. The traditional homeland of the Abenaki is Wobanakik (''Place of the Dawn''), what is now called northern
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
, southern
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Azeban (also spelled Azban, Asban or Azaban) is a
raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
, the Abenaki trickster figure. Pronounced ah-zuh-bahn. Azeban does many foolish and/or mischievous things in Abenaki folktales, but unlike animal tricksters in some other tribes, is not dangerous or malevolent. Azeban deceives animals and other beings for food or other services. There is an Abenaki story where a woman names her six dogs after their characteristics. She named one of the dogs Azeban. This woman Cedar Girl of the Abenaki awn Land Peoplenaming her dog "Azeban" has caused some confusion, causing people to assume the Abenaki trickster figure is a dog, not realizing she called the dog Azeban because he has the characteristics of the raccoon, the actual Abenaki Trickster figure. In the story the dog Azeban is one of a litter of six dogs born to Awasosqua (''Bear Woman''). The others are Awasosis (''Little Bear''), Kwaniwibid (''Long Tooth''), Mikwe (''Squirrel''), Moosis (''Little Moose'') and Soksemo (''Good Nose''). All the spirits in Awasosqua's broods are dogs, and are named after their characteristics.


References

Abenaki legendary creatures Mythological dogs Trickster gods Fictional raccoons {{NorthAm-myth-stub