At one point, I used to distinguish the moon by its shape — crescent, half, or full — often marked on calendars and notably in the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The Harvest Moon, occurring in fall around September, was the only specific name I could recall. It represents the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, a throwback to an era when farmers relied on its light to harvest their crops without electricity.
Occasionally, a rare event called a Blue Moon emerged, featuring two full moons in a single calendar month. The term, signifying ‘extremely rare,’ was coined back in 1528 in ecclesiastical references and only recently became linked to our magnificent celestial companion in its orbit around the sun.
In the midst of a new year, the Wolf Moon graces our skies once more. Yet, a Wolf Moon on the Washington Coast seems peculiar. We lack a substantial wolf population here, unlike the early settlers in New England, who adopted the term from their Algonquin-speaking neighbors. Back then, it was fitting — January nights echoed with the haunting howls of wolves. However, in this era of widespread internet influence, such terms transcend their cultural origins, reaching far beyond their original context.
My attempt to find information hit a snag, not due to a lack of data, but due to conflicting findings from various sources. It’s one of those scenarios where “the internet gives, and the internet also confuses.” Supposedly, a compilation of moon names in Chinuk Wawa (Chinook jargon) was assembled in 1924, drawing from linguistic studies conducted by Father Paul Le Jeune (1591-1664). He, a French Jesuit missionary, linguist, author, and newspaper publisher, documented the Chinook Jargon names for the moon.
Nevertheless, the lengthy time span of two-and-a-half centuries between the collection and compilation of that list raises some concerns. Moreover, considering that the Salish speaking people, from whom Father LeJeune gathered his insights, resided in New France (1534–1763), encompassing the French colonies in continental North America, including the St. Lawrence River, Newfoundland, and Acadia (Nova Scotia), their January experiences likely differed from ours, even in those ancient times.
No matter how hard I search, I’m unable to uncover the lunar names used by our neighboring Chinook community. Hence, for the time being, I’ll rely on Father LeJeune’s list. According to his findings, we’re presently in the Mid-winter Moon. The sequence of other moons includes the Chinook Moon, Windy Moon, New Grass Moon, Flowery Moon, Berry Moon, Salmon Moon, Hot Weather Moon, Spawning Moon, Falling Leaves Moon, Cold Wind Moon, Winter House Moon, and Deep Snow Moon.
Thirteen Moons?
I’m a bit uncertain about that last one, although just a generation ago, we often experienced “deep snow” right here in Oysterville. But why, you may wonder, did LeJeune mention thirteen moons? Well, according to experts: “The moon phases actually span 29.5 days, totaling 354 days for 12 lunar cycles. Hence, approximately every 2.5 years, a 13th full moon appears within a calendar year.”
Follow so far? No need to stress. It’s that rare event, like a blue moon. However, I’m unsure how or where it would fit into Father LeJeune’s list of thirteen moon names for each year. If this extra moon occurred in August, for instance, would it then merge with the Hot Weather Moon or the Spawning Moon? And would the salmon spawn regardless of the moon’s name?”
Indeed, the answer is affirmative. “Spawning can take place in spring, summer, fall, or winter, contingent upon the salmon species,” as per my inquiry from online experts. As I’ve said before, “the internet gives, and the internet also perplexes.” Nevertheless, regardless of differing names used elsewhere, here in the realm of the Chinook, on Jan. 23 this year, the Mid-winter Moon will illuminate our skies! To howl or not — the decision is yours!