Hi holamuchacha!
In North America, a period of relatively warm weather in late autumn,
occurring after the first frost or cold spell is called "Indian
Summer."
There are several theories or possibilities of the explanation and
origin of the term "Indian Summer", yet no one theory has actually
been proven.
Below you will find excerpts, information and links to interesting
articles that discuss the origins of the term Indian Summer.
?The term "Indian Summer" originated in New England and is most likely
derived from the Indian custom of using this time to prepare for the
winter by storing food. Indian summer may occur several times in some
years or not at all in other years. When it occurs, it may persist for
a week or even longer.?
This late autumn warming period is also experienced in other countries.
?England and Mediterranean countries refer to this late fall warming
as "Saint Martin?s Summer" -- a season of mild, damp weather during
late autumn. This English counterpart of the American Indian Summer is
so called from St. Martin's Festival, which occurs every November 11.
The Britain?s also refer to this time as "All-hallows Summer" (hence
Halloween) or "Old Wives? Summer."
INTELLICAST
http://www.intellicast.com/DrDewpoint/Library/1143/
-------------------------------------------------------------
Keith C. Heidorn, PhD discusses the origins of the term Indian Summer
in The Weather Doctor's Weather Almanac.
Excerpts:
?The origin of the term Indian Summer to describe this weather regime
is uncertain. One explanation suggests that Native Americans
recognized the pattern, which they attributed to the good graces of
the god of the Southwest. When the Eastern tribes described it to the
first European settlers of what is now the United States, the event
became known as the Indian's Summer.?
?Another explanation attributes the name to the belief that the
haziness of Indian Summer days was caused by prairie fires
deliberately set by midwestern tribes.?
?A more remote origin to the name links it with the marine shipping
trade in the Indian Ocean. During the predominately fair weather
season, ships would carry extra cargoes. To determine safe load
limits, the mariners marked their hulls with the initials I.S. for
Indian Summer to indicate the safe loading line for this period. How
this term relates to autumn weather on the other side of the globe,
however, is uncertain and likely only the coincidental joining of the
two words into a similar phrase.?
Read the complete article here:
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2001/alm01oct2.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------
From Random House Word of the Day: Indian Summer
?The first known reference to Indian Summer appears in a 1778 book
written by a French-American named J.S. St. John de Crèvecoeur who was
farming in the Colonies: "Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares
[the earth] to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to
follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and
mildness, called the Indian Summer."
Another possibility: ?In a sermon in 1812 J. Freeman spoke of "the
Indian Summer, a name which is derived from the natives, who believe
that it is caused by a wind, which comes immediately from the court
of...the south-western God."
Read more about it her:
http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20001004
-------------------------------------------------------------
According to weather-watcher and New England folklorist Eric Sloane
"...no one is completely certain as to its exact date, its origin, or
even what the term implies:'
?One leading theory holds that the periods of warm, still weather in
autumn were the times when Native Americans began their fall hunting
trips. Another theory claims that the haze characteristic of these
periods was at first thought to be caused by, or at least to resemble,
the smoke from Native American campfires in the hills.?
?Although many parts of the United States have spells of such weather,
the most common and exemplary episodes of Indian summer occur in the
region where the term first appeared, in records written during the
Revolutionary War: the Mid-Atlantic states and the Ohio Valley. Indian
summer in this region is generally caused by high-pressure systems
that frequently stall near West Virginia at this time of year.?
?? some authorities maintain that Indian summer occurs not after the
first frost but after the first freeze?and that the intermediary spell
of freezing weather is known as "squaw winter."
Mother Earth News
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1993_October_November/Indian_Summer
-------------------------------------------------------------
From the 1999 issue of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine:
The term "Indian summer" is most often heard in the northeastern
United States, but its usage extends throughout English-speaking
countries.
?It dates back at least 200 years, but the origin is not certain; the
most probable suggestions relate it to the way the American Indians
availed themselves of the extra opportunity to increase their winter
stores. According to New England Native American folklore, Indian
summer is sent on a southwest wind from the spirit Countantowit.?
?European folklore has Indian summer equivalents: "Old wives? summer"
in central Europe, probably from the widespread existence of "old
wives? tales" concerning this striking feature of autumn weather;
"halcyon days" also in central Europe, based on a period of fine
weather described in Greek mythology; and "all-hallown summer," "St.
Luke?s summer," and "St. Martin?s summer" in England, depending on
when the autumn time the weather occurs.?
Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine
http://www.wnrmag.com/stories/1999/oct99/insummer.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Word Detective answers a question about the origins of the term Indian Summer.
Excerpts:
"Indian summer" first appeared in the 1770's in an essay about winter
in the colonies written by a French immigrant farmer named, hold on to
your hat, J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur. J. Hector described Indian
summer as "a short interval of smoke and mildness," which raises
several possibilities about the name. The smoke may have been due to
the Indians setting fires to drive game out of hiding before heavy
snows made hunting more difficult, or they may have been burning
grasslands to prepare for the next spring's planting. It is also
possible that the Indians were taking advantage of this last bit of
good weather to move to their winter hunting grounds.?
?It is possible, on the other hand, that "Indian summer" is a
disparaging use of "Indian" to mean "false" or "unreliable." The most
well-known example of this syndrome is the term "Indian giver,"
meaning someone who gives a gift, only to later take it back. ("Indian
giver," incidentally, is based on a misunderstanding of Indian
traditions, where a gift was given in expectation of receiving one of
greater value in return, but never "taken back.")?
Word Detective
http://www.word-detective.com/120398.html
-------------------------------------------------------------
Here are two excellent articles that might interest you:
William R. Deedler, Weather Historian of the National Weather Service
Detroit describes some of theories in an interesting article titled
?JUST WHAT IS INDIAN SUMMER AND DID INDIANS REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH IT??
Read the full text of this article here:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/?page=stories/i-summer
BALMY DAYS OF INDIAN SUMMER'S AMERICAN ORIGINS DATE TO REVOLUTIONARY WAR TIMES
By Dallas Bogan
What does the term "Indian Summer" mean?
How and why was it originated?
Read the full text of this article here:
http://www.tngenweb.org/campbell/hist-bogan/IndianSummer.html
Search terms used:
Origin New England Indian Summer
I hope the information provided is helpful!
Best Regards,
Bobbie7 |
