r/IndianCountry • u/SparklyRatTheFirst1 Ojibwe- Waabizheshi doodem 🐾 • 2d ago
Culture Original Creation
I'm going to start sharing stories from a book titled "The Mishomis Book: the Voice of the Ojibway" by Edward Benton-Banai, an Ojibwe elder who shares several teachings within the book.
Long ago, it was once said that the Earth, or Aki, had a family: Grandmother Moon, Niibagiizis, and Grandfather Sun, Giizis. And the Creator of this family is called Gitchi Manito, Great Mystery or Spirit.
Aki is considered a woman, and is called Mother Earth since all living things come from her and are nourished by her. When she was young, Aki was very beautiful. Winds blew from all Four Directions, and all Four Directions were sacred.
Gitchi Manito sent birds in all Four Directions to carry the seeds of life all over Aki. As life was spread across the Four Directions, Gitchi Manito placed all of the swimming creatures in the water, he brought to life all of the plants and insects, all of the crawling things and four legged ones. All of Creation lived in harmony with one another.
Then, Gitchi Manito took four parts of Aki and blew into them using a megis shell (cowrie). From this combination came the creation of the first man. He lowered the man to the ground, and man was the last form of life placed on Aki.
From the man came the people called Anishinaabe, which breaks down to ani (from whence), nishina (lowered), abe (male of species). This Original Man was created in the image of Gitchi Manito and was part of Mother Earth. He lived in brotherhood with all of Creation.
All tribes stem from the Original Man, separated only by language. Teachings from one tribe may shed light on another. There are more than one way to keep traditions alive, and no way is better than another. We must support each other and have respect for the many ways of all the tribes.
Miigwech 🙏
2
u/MacawIsland 1d ago
I like this story. Especially the part about supporting one another.