"When Oshkaabewis Follows the Wolf in the Night Sky"
Waagaabagaa-giizis/Waatebagaa-giizis (Leaves Turning Moon), September 14
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Boozhoo, aaniin!
Welcome to part 35 of a blog series titled "Star Stories," in which I connect my and kindred artists' storytelling art – in the form of jewelry and graphic art – with anang akiiwan (the star world) as perceived by our Peoples who since time immemorial inhabit the northern regions of Turtle Island – nowadays called Canada and the United States.
Today's story is about the new moon, the last of the month of September and the last of this year's Summer. We will also discuss the end of Planet Mercury's retrograde - which means it will no longer follow the backward trail of the Wolf across the night sky.
So, what's up with the new moon that will rise tonight? New moons occur when the moon is between the Sun and Earth, which happens about every 29.5 days. A new moon occurs tonight (Sept. 14) at 9:40 p.m. EDT (0140 UTC on Sept 15), and is clearing our path for a rich blessing as it aligns with the planets of Ogimaa (Chief), or Zhaawan-anang (Southern Star) - which are both names used by our People for planet Jupiter - and Waakwi, the Land of the Deceased (as we call Uranus). It is the last new moon of Niibin, as we call Summer season. Meanwhile, according to Western astrology, Planet Mercury is retrograding through the Zodiac sign of Virgo until tomorrow (September 15).
After a few weeks of chaotic energy, "Mercury retrograde" is coming to an end. Called Mercurius or Solis planet 1 in Western astronomy, Oshkaabewis, as our People call this aadawaa'am ogimaa (planet), is the smallest planet in the Solar System and the closest to Giizis, the Sun. In our culture, Oshkaabewis has several meanings, such as waiter, ceremonial helper or messenger, and pipe bearer. The term "Oshkaabewis" for Mercury is a post-contact name, which means that it stems from the era after the arrival of the Mooniyag (Europeans). In fact, it is a neologism, as it was borrowed from the ancient notion that this planet, since it is so close to the Sun, must be his helper. The Babylonians called the planet Nabu after the messenger to the gods in their mythology. The Maya may have represented Mercury as an owl (or possibly four owls; two for the morning aspect and two for the evening) that served as a messenger to the underworld.
Since it overlapped with retrograde season, and especially the retrograde of Giizhig Anang, the third retrograde of Oshkaabewis in 2023 was intense. From September 21 to September 28 (on September 24 in particular), Oshkaabewis will form a positive trine (one third of a circle) with Ogimaa in Taurus. Taurus is called Misaabe ("The Giant") by our People. Misaabe is a star constellation of the zodiac, which means the sun, moon and planets travel through it regularly.
On this day, Mercury will revisit its "cazimi point" that took place on September 6. Cazimi (or "conjunct the Sun)" - Cazimi comes from the Arabic term for “in the heart of the Sun” - takes place when the Sun and Oshkaabewis meet at the same point in the sky.
When Is Mercury in Retrograde in 2023?
In 2023, Mercury is in apparent retrograde motion during the following ranges of dates:
- December 28, 2022, to January 18, 2023
- April 21 to May 14
- August 23 to September 14
- December 13 to January 1, 2024
Please note that dates reflect Eastern Time U.S., not Universal Time.
Oshkaabewis retrograde is, in fact, a planetary slowdown. Unlike what it sounds like, a planet in retrograde isn’t actually moving backward; it’s just slowing down. Oshkaabewis normally moves faster than Earth around the sun. But when Oshkaabewis is retrograde, it is moving slower than Earth around the Sun. (Oshkaabewis usually moves 88 days around the sun versus the 365 days that Earth does.) This creates an optical illusion in which it seems as if Oshkaabewis were moving backward.
But there is more to this phenomenon besides the Western scientific theory.
To our Anishinaabe ancestors, seasonal changes on earth corresponded with the movement of stellar constellations, which, in turn, were reflected in their storytelling and ceremonies. They observed a circular movement of the sky throughout the year; this phenomenon they called Gizhibaa Giizhig ("the Revolving Sky"). Gizhibaa ("circle") referred to a circular, east-to-west movement of the sun, moon, stars and seasons in Waawiyekamig, the "round lodge" – the Universe/cosmos. It was also observed that a few times a year certain planets – such as Oshkaabewis (Mercury), Waakwi (Uranus), and Giizhig Anang (Venus) – traveled retrograde (westward in relation to the stars). This phenomenon was called Ma'iingan Giizhig Miikana, the Wolf Sky Trail.
Why the Wolf Trail? As keen observers of nature, the ancestors noticed that, although ma'iinganag (wolves) usually travel in packs, sometimes a lone wolf rebelliously sets off in a different direction for a while to hunt for moozoog (moose) before eventually rejoining the pack. This is why they saw Ma’iingan’s presence on earth mirrored in the night sky as Azhe'ose: a moose-hunting Contrary walking the backward path as it is disobeying the rules of the other Sky Beings. This phenomenon, of aadawaa'amoog ogimaag azhe'osewag (planets seemingly traveling the opposite path), is also known as Ode' Miikana: "Pathway of the Heart."
For more reading about the topic of the planets going retrograde, see: Star stories, part 10 : The Moose on Earth and in the Sky.
Illustration: "When Oshkaabewis Follows the Wolf Path in the Night Sky" © 2023 Zhaawano Giizhik. The painting depicts an Anishinaabe Bear Healer dancing in recognition of the new moon and the Oshkaabewis (Mercury) retrograde as it follows the backward trail of the Moose-hunting Wolf through the Misaabe (Taurus Zodiac sign). Also visible are the new moon and the Sun, as well as the planets of Ogimaa (Jupiter) and Giizhig Anang (Venus). The constellation of Ajiijaak (Cygnus) is visible in the upper right corner of the painting.
