By the shores of Gitche Gumee
By the shining Big-Sea-Water
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis

The Song of Hiawatha was one of the most loved and quoted narrative poems of the 19th century. It tells the story of a young Ojibway chief growing up, facing his father, the West Wind, in a revenge battle from which they emerge reconciliated, and wooing and marrying Minehaha. The lively narrative, coloured by vivid descriptions of nature and underpinned by the famous Hiawatha metre, makes it a powerful experience to hear, even in the 21st century.