Another one: Lemolo <=> Untrained Horse

Peter Webster peterweb at BENDNET.COM
Sat Jan 29 19:12:23 UTC 2005


The Spanish word for runaway slaves was "Cimarron," which became "Maroon."
Maroon is in w. Indis English, too, If I remember right, which I think I do.


At 4:41 AM -0800 1/29/05, Leanne Riding wrote:
>While we are on the topic of horses, here's another interesting
>thought...
>
>A while ago I read one of trader John Todd's journals. He often
>referred to some of his horses at Kamloops by a french word,
>'Marron'. 'Marron' seems to describe a horse color, literally
>'Chestnut' as we would also say in English. Yet there isn't there a
>horse color Le Malon (or something) in Chinook Jargon, while other
>horse color words exist, such as Le Kye and Le Clem and Le Gley.
>
>However, the way John Todd used the word 'Marron' had little to do
>with color. The 'Marrons' which he mentioned were green, unbroken
>horses. So, the connection between this word, 'Marron', is not with
>any color words -- actually, it is probably the origin of the CJ
>word for wildness, 'Le Molo.' Lemolo, it has been proposed, is
>derived from marrón, a runaway slave. However, Lemolo is more of a
>cousin than offspring of 'marrón, runaway slave', Both words are
>abbreviations of 'cimarrón', implying wild, untamed, but meaning
>different things. In John Todd's world, a Marron was an untrained
>horse.
>
>See how he uses the word:
>
>-----
>
>"Michel, Maron Blanc, & Cendre Nez Perces, & also three of the New
>Caledonia Bands the latter of course are to remain there."
>
>"Cloudy & rather cool with drizzly rain Lolo & the cook breaking in
>marons."
>
>"They take with them four hundred Salmonfor the use of that Post
>and, besides the horses for the loads & the saddle, they take also
>a few marons to drive a head."
>
>"The people for Alexandria with their loaded horses made a start
>about midday as they take on with them a few Marrons for the trade
>of that place, which with their number of loaded horses, it is
>altogether too much for two men, particularly should they fall in
>with a body of Indns as they most likely will about Green Lake."
>
>"Two of the men have taken a fancy to break in Marrons, Swanson &
>Simon Gale."
>
>"Lolo arrived with about thirty Skins, and a young maron belonging
>to New Caledonia which had been left on the way by the Brigade
>coming in."
>
>(http://142.36.5.21/thomp-ok/river-post/tomp-river.html)
>
>-----
>
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Skinny Butt

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act. -George Orwell, writer  (1903-1950)

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