Ojibwe
Beliefs
Deeply
spiritual, the Ojibwe believe spirits control all natural events.
The spirit Manitou lies at the center of that spirituality. Manitou
resides in all things - the trees, birds, sky, animals - and is
particularly fond of tobacco, which the Chippewa provide through
offerings and pipe smoke. Wenebajo, is central to Chippewa myth.
A clever but kind trickster, Wenebajo offers the people the secrets
of corn, tobacco and medicinal plants. The Ojibwe honour Wenebajo
by passing on these secrets from one generation to the next. In
the Spring the men hunt and fish, while the women harvest maple
syrup and gather early wildflowers, berries and healing herbs for
food and medicine ~ the gifts of Mother Earth. There is an interesting
list of plants that were used for food, medicine and technology
at Native
Indigenous Plants & Native Uses in the Northeast.
The Midewiwin
The
Midewiwin or Medicine Lodge was the most important communal
religious function, and initiates sought health and long life through
its teachings. Although the antiquity of the Midewiwin has been
doubted by some, it's wide spread across the Great Lakes region
suggests that it developed among the Ojibwe since it referred most
basically to their ideas of cosmology, spiritual health, and individual
behavior.
Native
American tribes all over Turtle Island paid particular attention
to their dreams in days gone by. The aboriginal concept of “dream
time” wasn’t viewed as mere illusion or fantasy. On
the contrary, it represented a glimpse into the “real world”
where spirit rules all else. Children were also encouraged to dream,
and to remember their dreaming. At an early age when children reached
puberty they were encouraged to do “dream fasting”.
The children withdrew to a secluded area, built a tiny wigwam and
fasted for a period of four to ten days according to their endurance.
Dream Catchers
A
feather was traditionally placed in the center of the dream catcher
as a symbol of breath (or air) which is essential for life. The
owl is a feminine symbol of wisdom, and the eagle feather is a masculine
symbol of courage. While use of these feathers is not necessarily
restricted to gender, it is important to be aware of the properties
being invoked. (Native people are in general very specific about
gender roles and identity.) Babies were entertained by the air blowing
the feather on their cradleboards while learning the importance
of good air. Feathers are not traditionally used in the woven dreamcatchers
of adults.
Children's
dream catchers are made of willow and sinew and are not meant to
last. The willow eventually dries out and the tension of the sinew
collapses the dream catcher. This is meant to happen as it represents
the transience of youth. It is customary to make adult's dreamcatchers
of woven fiber which reflects their adult dreams, and in many parts
of Canada and Northeastern America dreamcatchers are shaped in the
form of a tear-drop or snow shoe.
Legend of the Ojibwe Dream Catcher
Long
ago in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, when all the Clans
lived on Turtle Island, say the old Ojibwe storytellers, Asibikaashi
(Spider Woman) helped Wanabozhoo bring giizis (sun) back
to the people. To this day Asibikaashi builds her special lodge
before dawn. If you are awake at dawn, as well you should be, look
for her lodge and you will see the miracle of how she captured the
sunrise in as light sparkles on the dew.
Asibikaasi
took care of her children, the natural people of the land, as she
continues to do to this day. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to
the four corners of North America, to fulfill a prophecy, Asibikaashi
had a difficult time making her rounds to all those cradle boards,
so the mothers, sisters, and Nokomis (grandmothers) took up the
practice of weaving the magical webs for the new babies using willow
hoops and sinew, or cordage made from plants.
Dream
catchers are made in the shape of a circle to represent how giizis
travels each day across the sky. The dream catcher will filter out
all the bad bawedjigewin (dreams) and allow only good thoughts
to enter our minds when we are just abinooji. The small hole in
the center of each dream catcher is where the good bawadjige
may come through. With the first rays of sunlight, the bad dreams
perish. When we see little asibikaashi, we should not fear
her, but instead respect and protect her. In honor of their origin,
the number of points where the web connected to the hoop numbered
8 for Spider Woman's eight legs, or 7 for the Seven Prophecies.
Ojibwe
Dream Catcher Legend
Drumming
from the Heart
The
drum is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. The animal who provided the
hide did so with intention and purpose. In the drum the spirit of
the animal nation lives. The honor and respect you show the drum
also honors the four-legged, the winged ones, the crawlers and the
bugs.
The
birch tree who contributed the wood for the frame did so with intention
and purpose. In the drum the spirit of the plant nation lives. The
honor and respect you show the drum honors the trees, bushes, flowers,
and grasses.
The
stone in the heart of the drum asked to be a part of the drum so
that you would remember the stone nation. The honor and respect
you show the drum is honor and respect for the rocks, the soil,
the waters and the air.
When
you drum, prayers from the Web of Life are sent to the Star Web
connecting Mother Earth and Father Sky.
The
purpose of the stone in the handgrip is so that you can hold in
your hand the spirit of the foundation of the Web of Life, the First
Order of Being, upon which all other beings depend for their life.
The
plant nation—the trees, the grasses and flowers—receive
their life from the rocks, the waters and the air. Plants are the
Second Order Of Being in the Web of Life upon which the animal nation
depends.
The
Third Order of Being gives its own flesh so that the younger brother,
the human can live. These are the Four Orders of Being in the Web
of Life, each interwoven with the other, interconnected in the One.
When
a drum has been smudged the drummer can beat on it and say this
prayer, either in English or Anishinaabemowin, the language of the
Anishinabeg:
Midewewewigun,
nindo-wiyauh.
I seek the drum.
And
then:
N’midewewewigun,
manitouwiyauwiwih.
Upon my drum bestow the mystery.
And
to Ishpiming, All That Is:
M’gwech, Giidji manidou
Thanks, Great Spirit
Finally, an acknowledgement of the gift:
Kikinowautchi-beegaudae
It is so.
To
read the rest of the drum article, click on Drumming
from the Heart.
For
a really interesting glimpse into Ojibwe beliefs, I highly recommend
visiting Paul
Peter Buffalo's ethnobiography on Drums.
The
Seventh Fire
More
than 1,000 years ago the Anishinabe lived along the shores of the
Atlantic Ocean in peace and plenty.
They
developed their natural heritage of wisdom and power through dreams
and the way of the circle.
They
followed the path of the spirit, walking in balance and harmony
with all beings.
They
communicated with the animals and fish that provided them with food.
Trees
and plants told them of their medicines, and they knew the magic
and mystery of the spirals.
The Prophecy of the Seven Fires
Then
seven prophets appeared to the people.
The First Prophet told the people that in the time of the First
Fire they would leave their homes by the sea and follow the sign
of the megis west into strange lands in search of an island
in the shape of a turtle.
They would stop seven times to create villages but would not settle
until they found food growing on the water.
The
Second Prophet told them they could recognize the Second Fire because
while they were camped by a sweet water sea they would lose their
direction and the dreams of a young boy would point the way back
to the true path.
The
Third Prophet said that in the Third Fire the Anishinabe would find
the path to the lands prepared for them and they would continue
their journey west to the place where food grows upon the water.
The
Fourth Prophet was two who came as one. The first told them of a
race of light-skinned people whose faces would wear the future of
the Anishinabe.
If they come in brotherhood there would be a time of wonderful change
in which new and old knowledge would be joined and a mighty nation
created. Two
other nations would join to make four and they would become the
mightiest nation of all.
The
second being of the Fourth Prophet warned that the light-skinned
race might wear the face of death that would look almost like the
face of brotherhood.
"If
they come carrying a weapon and if they seem to be suffering, beware.
Behind this face is greed. You shall recognize the face of death
if the rivers are poisoned and the fish are unfit to eat."
The
Fifth Prophet said that in the time of the Fifth Fire there will
be a struggle between the way of the mind of the light-skinned people
and the path of spirit of the natural people.
"As
this fire loses its heat there will come among the people those
who promise great joy and salvation. If the people accept this promise
and abandon the old ways, the struggle will continue for many generations.
This promise is false and it will nearly destroy those who accept
it."
The
Sixth Prophet told them that in the time of Sixth Fire it would
be clear that the promise accepted during the Fifth Fire was false.
"Those
who were deceived by this promise will take their children away
from the teachings of the elders. The elders will lose their purpose
in life and many will become sick and die. Many people will be out
of balance and the cup of life will become the cup of grief."
The
Seventh Prophet was younger than the others, and there was a glowing
light from his eyes. He said that there would come a time when the
waters had been so poisoned that the animals and plants that lived
there would fall sick and begin to die. Much of the forests and
prairies would be gone so the air would begin to lose the power
of life.The
way of the mind of the white nation would bring danger to the whole
earth.
In
this time a new people will emerge from the clouds of illusion.
They find the lost stories and treasures, remember the Original
Instructions and find strength in the way of the circle. Their search
will take them to the elders for guidance.
But
many elders will have walked the Path of the Souls to the Star Web,
will have forgotten their wisdom, and they will not be able to help.
Some will point in the wrong direction, and some will remain silent
out of fear, while others will be silent because no one has asked
them for their wisdom.
If
the New People will find trust in the way of all things, in the
circle, they will begin to trust their inner voice. Wisdom will
once again be found in dreams, and the sacred fire will once again
be lit.
The
Light-skinned People will be given a choice between two paths. If
they choose the right path, the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth
and final fire of brother- and sisterhood.
If
they remain on the path of the mind, then the destruction they brought
with them will destroy them, and the people of the earth will experience
much suffering and death.
How the Birch Tree Got Its Claw Marks
Once
there was a spirit-boy named Winabojo who taught the Ojibwa how
to live in the natural world.
One
day Winabojo went searching for feathers for his arrows. He climbed
to the highest cliff and discovered a nest of the Thunderbirds and
saw their babies.
Winabojo
turned into a rabbit so the Thunderbirds would bring him to their
nest for their babies to play with. Winnabojo stayed in the nest
for a long time; the babies were cruel to him and tossed him around.
Eventually
Thunderbirds went away to hunt for more food for their babies. Winabojo
turned back to a boy, clubbed the baby Thunderbirds and pulled out
their feathers Before their parents could return, Winabojo jumped
from the high nest with the bundle of feathers but he was knocked
out, though he was not killed because he was a manido.
When
they returned to their nest, the angered Thunderbirds flew after
Winabojo!! Thunder rolled from their beaks and lightning flashed
from their eyes.
Winabojo
ran for his life clutching his bundle of feathers, but soon grew
so tired he began to fear he would be caught.
As
the Thunderbirds reached for him with their claws, Winabojo saw
an old fallen birch that was hollow inside. He crept into the hollow
in the nick of time.
The
Thunderbirds ended their attack because they knew they could not
reach Winabojo through the birch bark. Winabojo was safe.
After
the Thunderbirds went away, Winabojo came out of the hollow and
proclaimed that the birch tree would forever protect and benefit
the human race.
You
can still see the short marks on the birch tree made by Winabojo
to commemorate the sharp claws of the Thunderbirds who almost killed
him. The Thunderbird parents put "pictures" of their baby
birds with out-stretched wings into the birch bark so the sacrifice
of their children would always be remembered.
An
Ojibwe Forest Tradition
When
the forest weeps, the Anishinabe who listens will look back at the
years. In each generation of Ojibwe there will be a person who will
hear the si-si-gwa-d, who will listen and remember and
pass it on to the children.
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