The Wahconah Group takes its name from Western Massachusetts and the legend of a resourceful

 Indian Princess named Wahconah who had two young braves in a rivalry to determine whose

 squaw she would be. Mohawk warrior visiting her village was enchanted by her beauty and

 received her father’s permission to marry her the following spring, as her father saw him as a

 brave and stalwart man.  One day as Wahconah was collecting firewood, she was attacked by a bear

. As she struggled to escape its claws, a young warrior appeared. He was an Algonquin named

Nessacus. With but a light fish spear, Nessacus killed the bear, though the beast’s talons tore his

flesh. The young man was ill from his wounds for many days, and Wahconah nursed him tenderly wit

h her own hands. Her beauty and friendliness captured his heart and he asked her father for her hand

 inmarriage. Wahcoah’s father told him that although he was a brave man and had saved his

 daughter's life, he felt that he must keep his promise to the other warrior. Perplexed, the chief

 went to the lodge of the medicine man, and the two men smoked many pipes as they discussed

 the problem of the two warriors who were in love with Wahconah. Agreement that both warriors

 were brave men and had just claims. One of these men claimed Wahconah on a promise, the

 other because he had saved her life. Thus, only fate should judge the right warrior, and a contest

 should be held. Wahconah, it was decided, should be placed in a canoe without paddles at the base

 of the falls.

 The canoe would then be set adrift. In the shallow water of the falls there was a small island. If

 the vessel bearing Wahconah passed the island to the north side, she should belong to the

 Mohawk warrior, if it passed to the south side, Nessacus could claim her.

 Wahconah got into the canoe, sitting in a bundle of furs, and it was pushed out into the rushing

 water. The Canoe turned and rocked as it sped toward the bank where the Mohawk warrior was

 standing and then suddenly and inexplicably the canoe turned, hesitated, and then shot to the

center of the stream. As it rapidly approached the shallows close to the island, it grounded briefly

 then twisted free and moved toward the bank where Nessacus was standing. Nessacus ran into

  the water and dragged the canoe ashore, and gave his future wife a hug. Wahconah and Nessacus

 were married and lived happily ever after .
 

 Later that afternoon, Wahconah’s Father and the medicine man saw a canoe filled with water, lying

 several feet from the bank. As they waded out and pulled the canoe to shore. It was the one used

 by Wahconah. In the bottom was a bundle of soggy furs. The medicine man picked up the skins

 and saw a ragged hole in the bottom of the craft. From a fold in the furs a sharp, sturdy stick fell

 to the ground. They discovered that Wahconah had rigged the canoe with an ingenuous rudder - A

 sharp stick pushed through the bottom could guide a canoe in shallow water.

                  Determination and ingenious creativity -  Wahconah Group