moonstruck about names

There’s less than a week remaining until the December moon is full (December 18). It occurs a few days ahead of the winter solstice and a week before Christmas.

Native Americans have a variety of names for each full moon. The American Indian Alaska Native Tourist Association provides the names listed below for December’s full moon.

Little Spirit Moon	Manidoo-Giizisoons	Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
Big Winter Moon	Gichi-bibooni-giizis	Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
Storytelling Moon (I will tell you)	Hiinaiwi Nuti (hee-ee-nah-ihwih noong-tee)	Catawba Language, Catawba Indian Nation, South Carolina
Snow Month	vsgiyi	Cherokee, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina
Dead of Winter Moon	Ukiugraq	Inupiat Language, North Slope, Alaska
Long Night Moon	Kwne tpoʔkut Neepãʔk	Mahican Dialect, Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Wisconsin
It’s a Long Night Moon	Wahsutes	Oneida
Winter Moon	Tahch’asap’ara	Tunica, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
	Joto:h	Seneca

December’s “Storytelling Moon"

Photo by J. Harrington

We find each of the Native American names more evocative than “December’s full moon.” December was, at one time in ancient Rome, the tenth month of the year. That accounts for the origin of the name. Since it’s now the twelfth month, perhaps we should seriously consider using Native American names in the US. I’m partial to “Storytelling Moon,” how about you? December could become Storymonth. According to Smithsonian Magazine:

Like many events in American Indian culture there is a proper time and place for all activities. Traditional storytelling is reserved for the winter months for many tribes. This was a practical choice given the fact that during the other season's, people were busy growing, gathering, and hunting food. It was in the winter, with the long dark evenings, the snow and wind blowing outside, that telling stories was a way to entertain and teach the children. Another reason is that many traditional stories contain animal characters. To be respectful, people waited until the winter when animals hibernate or become less active so they cannot hear themselves being talked about.

The Storyteller Gets Her Name

By Ari Tison

My dad used to call me Eagle Eyes. I was the one to find eagles, owls, blue jays

on a dark day. He called me so until my brother was born infant and grew to boy.

Having heard my name, as younger siblings often do,

he wanted to be called Eagle Eyes too. He studied the birds’ flight, kept his

eyes to the skies for hours, and soon he knew their long names

and could correct me. Except, at sixteen, I never liked to be corrected.

But my brother showed me the work, and I had to learn to give.

Give him all I could as my elders did for me.

So I tugged on my heart to let go, as I knew he had earned Eagle Eyes

more than I ever could. And what I found instead was new room, for a new name.

I am Siwa’köl, storyteller.

And my brother, he is Eagle Eyes.

I tell his tales and mine so someday when we join the elders,

my stories may be told and his birds can take to the sky.

But for now, I will share with you my story so that you can know who you are—

and maybe you are Siwa’köl too. 

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