Iamo

Role: magician · First appears: Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1

In Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1, Iamo is a magician living in a remote northern place with his sister, Iamoqua, who has never seen another human being. When she returns to the lodge ill, he tells her, “But now you have killed me.” As his illness reaches his breast, he orders her to cut off his head; the animated head continues to command her and, in Part 3, directs her to use his medicine sack, bows, arrows and head against Mishemokwa.

In Part 5, the female magician who married Mudjikewis carries off Iamo’s head. With Iamoqua and the others’ help, Iamo is restored to life and his former appearance. He and his sister descend into the depths below.

Relationship record

Life events

• Iamo's sister returns to the lodge while ill, and Iamo says the accident has caused his death.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1)
  • With: Iamoqua
  • “She went back. Running in suddenly, she caught hold of it, and was coming out when her brother came in sight. He knew what was the matter. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘did I not tell you to take care? But now you have killed me.’”
• Iamo's inflammation reaches his breast, and he orders his sister to cut off his head.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1)
  • “In a little time his breast was affected. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘take the club and strike off my head.’”
• Iamo's sister cuts off his head, which remains animated and continues to command her.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1)
  • With: Iamoqua
  • “Mustering all her courage, she gave the blow and cut off the head. ‘Now,’ said the head, ‘place me where I told you.’ And fearfully she obeyed it in all its commands. Retaining its animation, it looked around the lodge as usual, and it would command its sister to go to such places as it thought would procure for her the flesh of different animals she needed.”
• Iamo directs his sister to use his belongings and head to defeat Mishemokwa.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 3)
  • With: Iamoqua
  • “When the bear is near, go out and meet him. You will take my medicine sack, bows and arrows, and my head.”
• Mudjikewis's wife untied the knots and carried off Iamo's head.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 5)
  • With: the female magician who married Mudjikewis
  • “This last night they were all driven out, and the young woman carried off the head.”
• Iamoqua and the others restored Iamo to life and his former appearance.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 5)
  • With: Iamoqua
  • “by the aid of medicines and various other means, succeeded in restoring Iamo to all his former beauty and manliness.”
• Iamo and Iamoqua descended into the depths below.(Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 5 · 📍 the depths below)
  • With: Iamoqua
  • “while Iamo, with his sister Iamoqua, descended into the depths below.”

Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 1

• siblings with Iamoqua “In a remote part of the north lived a great magician called Iamo, and his only sister, who had never seen a human being.”

Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 3

• siblings with Iamoqua “This lodge was the sacred spot of expected relief to which they had been fleeing, from the furious rage of the giant Bear, who had been robbed of her precious boon, the magis-sauniqua.”

Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 4

• siblings with Iamoqua “Meanwhile, for several days, the sister of Iamo had been waiting for the young men to bring back the head;”

Mishemokwa; or, the War with the Gigantic Bear · Part 5

• siblings with Iamoqua “His sister commenced cutting the neck part, from which the head had been severed.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Myth of Hiawatha, and Other Oral Legends. Made with Rho MD.