Tag Archives: Split Rock

‘Navajos’ Weren’t The ONLY WW II ‘Code Talkers’ — There Were Other Tribes Too.

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by Anura Guruge
on September 15, 2023

Click to ENLARGE. Picture is mine. I took it during my last visit.
Click to ENLARGE. From ‘Amazon‘.

I am fairly sure that I have ONLY knew of the ‘Navajo’ ‘Code Talkers‘. I have read ‘the book’ (leftmost in above picture) & I have been to the ‘Code Talker’ Memorial at ‘Window Rock‘, New Mexico. I am sure THE book, THE movie or something else MUST have talked about others but it had never registered with I till this weekend.

On Sunday, at ‘Split Rock‘, at ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘, an elder, a Harvard-trained nurse told me that there have been Passamaquoddy Code Talkers during WWII. That blew me away. I started investigating as soon as I got back, i.e., yesterday.

The Wikipedia ‘Code Talker’ entry was quite insightful. They talk about multiple languages, in addition to Navajo. Interesting.

Passamaquoddy, however, is NOT mentioned.

I have learnt that Passamaquoddy served, with distinction, in WWI & WWII.

I have also seen, fleetingly, that Passamaquoddy may have served ALONGSIDE Navajo. Not sure whether they spoke Navajo. But, the Code Talkers needed helpers to carry the equipment & run messages. So Passamaquoddy could have done that.

But, I will now keep on checking — if & when I have the time. SMILE.

Passamaquoddy Traditional Song (With Hand Drum) By ‘Blawej’ Of ‘Bridgewater’, Maine.

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by Anura Guruge
on August 14, 2022

Click to ENLARGE.
Click to ENLARGE.

I LUCKED OUT. Serendipity at its best.

‘Split Rock‘, ‘Pleasant Point‘, Maine, Thursday, August 10, 2023, just ahead of 2023 ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘.

I had not been to Split Rock before, so went there, around 5.30pm, on my way to ‘Eastport‘, to check it out.

Saw a thin pair of legs poking from underneath a bright yellow (see above) ‘Indian Taco’ trailer. I casually inquired ‘do you need any help?‘.

Voice from underneath the trailer said: “grab that metal leg by you and pull it down“. That was the start … I was there for nearly 2 hours helping him get set up.

He then did this song for ME as a THANK YOU. WOW.

He performed a shorter version, on Saturday evening, for the crowds, under the tent. But, this is the FULL version.

WOW. I am so fortunate.

Blawej & I had fun together. My kind of man. We are roughly the same age. Much I can learn from him.