"He/She Whose Footprints Have Sunk Deep into Our Hearts"
Updated: Bibooni-giizis (Winter Moon) (January 19, 2024)
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"No footprints have sunk so deep into the soil of our hearts as those of our relative the bear."
- Zhaawano Giizhik
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== Giibwanasii and bagwaanishikwe ==
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“After Gibwanasii (the Winter Hawk) had painted his adventures and visions on the cliffs of the inland lake, he and his companions walked into the direction of the steep wajiw (mountain) that still bathed in the light of the sign that stood patiently in the sky straight above its top. They walked in a single file down a narrow path that, meandering through shrubs of miinagaawanzhiig (blueberries), led toward the east side of the mountain. Then, as they walked around a bend, oonyooy! suddenly, a big shadow cast over the path made the travelers stop in their tracks. A huge noozhek (she-bear), her strangely colored pelt covered with a multitude of mide-miigisag (sacred white sea shells) stood towering over them!
Since we of the bear
nation came from the sun
Since it was a bear
who from the bowels of aki
To the anishinaabeg
through the layers of the four worlds
Since our people and
your people are inawendaaganag (interrelated)
Since bear people possess
the skill of hibernation
Thus embodying death
of the old life
Since we guide your medicine
people in your travels
Since it us who preside
over the medicine plants
The power to enter the
dream world
In order to obtain,
through mishiginebig, the great horned serpent,
Because of all this,
noozis
Your people honor us
by calling us
As nooko (my
grandmother) or nimishoo (my grandfather)
And by making us the
leading doodem of your people
And by appointing us
as guardians
And as protectors of
the healing medicines
And by tying
bright-colored cloth and ribbons
And by making food and
asemaa offerings
I’ve also come to
understand, noozis, that
Your people have
danced and sung mystic songs
To ensure abundant
plant foods,
Haw dash bizindoshin
noozis
Since the bear people
are the progenitors of anishinaabeg
I therefore will not
fight you and your friends
I will grant you safe
passage instead
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The Six Nations of the
Ongwe-Honwe/Haudenosaunee have various names for the bear and the bear clan:
for instance, in Kanien’kehaka (Mohawk) the word for bear and its clan is ohkwá:ri,
in Onondowahgoh (Seneca) the word for bear is onyagwai’ and for bear clan is
agedzöní’ga, in (Guyohkohnyoh) Cayuga the word for bear is hnyagwai, and
in Onundagaono (Onondaga) the word for bear is ohgwá:ih. The Onayotekaono
(Oneida) word for bear is ohkwá:li and for bear clanohkwaliha·ká·, and the
Skaruhreh (Tuscarora)word for bear is uhchírę'.
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| "Sky Medicine Bear" sterling silver belt buckle by Zhaawano Giizhik |
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- Zhaawano Giizhik
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== Giibwanasii and bagwaanishikwe ==
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| Honouring My Mother, acrylic on canvas ©2014 Simone McLeod |
“After Gibwanasii (the Winter Hawk) had painted his adventures and visions on the cliffs of the inland lake, he and his companions walked into the direction of the steep wajiw (mountain) that still bathed in the light of the sign that stood patiently in the sky straight above its top. They walked in a single file down a narrow path that, meandering through shrubs of miinagaawanzhiig (blueberries), led toward the east side of the mountain. Then, as they walked around a bend, oonyooy! suddenly, a big shadow cast over the path made the travelers stop in their tracks. A huge noozhek (she-bear), her strangely colored pelt covered with a multitude of mide-miigisag (sacred white sea shells) stood towering over them!
Gibwanasii, who walked
in front, realizing the bear was no ordinary bear, asemaa in hand,
respectfully addressed the fearful creature that blocked the path as nooko
("my grandmother"). He explained to her that he and his friends came
in peace and did mean no harm. After Gibwanasii had handed her the gift of
tobacco and related to her the purpose of their visit, the Makwa Manidoo
explained to him that the mountain they were about to climb was a midewigaan
(Spirit Lodge) and that it was her task to guard it.
Then the bear spoke:
“Nindinawendaagan,
noozis, bizindoshin
My relative, my
grandchild, listen to what I have to say.
To teach anishinaabeg (humans)
to live in harmony with aki, the Mother Earth,
Delivered the gift of
life, including the sacred miigisag,
And under a vast body of
water to an island the shape of a shell,
And peacefully cohabit
the same world,
And arise again when
spring comes,
And resurrection into
the new life,
Between the upper,
middle and lower worlds,
And hereby gave your
healers
The power to guide
your visions
Powerful medicine to
cure the sick of body and mind;
I’ve come to
understand that
Anishninaabeg (humans)
and address us
And by incarnating us
in your aadizookaanan (stories) and midewii'iwewinan (rituals),
Entrusting us with the
noble tasks of Defence and Healing,
Of the east doorway of
your Medicine Lodges,
And sacred rituals of
your medicine men and women,
To the trees in the
forests and on the mountains,
As gifts in our honor.
Throughout the ages
and generations
To invite the spring
and heal the sick,
And to guard
yourselves against your enemies.
Now listen to me my grandson!
And long ago even had
a human form,
Nor will I use my bad
medicine on you.
And bless you with
these sacred shells.”
Hereupon the Bear Spirit
gifted Gibwanasii with a few handfuls of miigisag from her
pelt, which he knew symbolized the sun and long life and the virtue of
selflessness. After Gibwanasii had thanked the bear and traded the glossy shells
with one of the round shiny stones from Kikonaang that he carried in his
medicine bundle (and that had become symbols of his quest), he and his
companions (who were still a bit shaky and counting their blessings) walked the
last stretch to the foot of the spirit lodge mountain. Gibwanasii, still
impressed by the encounter with the friendly bear spirit, looked over his shoulder
one last time, and he saw to his astonishment that the bear was nowhere to be
seen! Then he noticed a small stooping figure in the bush that seemed to be
picking blueberries; when he looked closer hoowah! he realized this
person was a gichi-bagwaanishikwe, an old Ojibwe grandmother, dressed in
poor rags that were, however, richly decorated with miigisag! He
smiled...”
- Excerpt from Giibwanasi and Thunder Eagle Woman: Encounter with a Bear Spirit.
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Bear, bringer of powerful dreams and medicine
Boozhoo, aaniin indinawemaaganidog, gidinimikoo miinawaa: Hello relatives, I greet you again in a good way!
Welcome to part 8 of my blog series titled "What's
Your Doodem," in which I connect my and kindred artists’ storytelling art
- in the form of jewelry and canvases - with stories of, and knowledge about, the odoodemag (clans) of the Anishinaabeg, Ininewuk (Cree), and Ongwe-Honwe (Haudenosaunee Peoples) of
the northern regions of Turtle Island - nowadays called Canada and the United
States.
We will learn that in Anishinaabeg as well as in, for instance, Ininewuk and
Ongwe-Honwe societies the families, which have an extended nature, are
organized into clans, or, in the case of the Anishinaabeg, into phratries
(clan groups) that in turn are divided into clans and subclans.
The purpose of these phratries and clans has always
been to divide labor and spiritual-ceremonial tasks, provide general support,
and to stress identity of self and the group.
To the Peoples of Turtle Island, a clan system basically acts
as family and marriage regulators and is still today an essential part of our
identity as a People and our
relations with Nations that surround us.
Today’s blog story will tell us about the meaning and
significance of the Bear, both in our everyday lives and in our teachings –
including our sacred star stories. We will get to know bear, “He/She Whose
Footprints Leave deep Marks in the Earth and the Sky,” as a clan progenitor, an
Earth Walker who is a giver and a keeper and a teacher of plant knowledge, and
as a Maker of Magic Stories who dwells in the Night Sky. Let's start off
with a brief introduction of the bear clans among the Anishinaabeg and Ininewuk
Peoples - who live around, and far to the west and north of, the Great Lakes
area - and also of the bear clans among our brothers and sisters, the
Ongwe-Honwe or Six Nations from the northeastern Woodland areas of Turtle
Island.
The bear is known as Makwa among the
Omàmiwininiwak Anishinaabeg (Algonquin), the Ojibwe/Mizisizaagiwininiwag and
Odaawaag Anishinaabeg, as M’ko among the Bodéwadmig Anishinaabeg,
and as Awaehsaeh among the Mamaceqtaw Anishinaabeg
(Menominee). The Nêhiyawak Ininewuk (Plains Cree), a cousin Nation to the
Anishinaabeg with a similar language, speak of Maskwa when referring to
the bear; the Aniywiya (who are related to to the Ongwe-Honwe) and Este Mvskokvike, both peoples from the Southeastern Woodlands, call the bear
respectively Yona and Nokose.
The Six Nations of the
Ongwe-Honwe/Haudenosaunee have various names for the bear and the bear clan:
for instance, in Kanien’kehaka (Mohawk) the word for bear and its clan is ohkwá:ri,
in Onondowahgoh (Seneca) the word for bear is onyagwai’ and for bear clan is
agedzöní’ga, in (Guyohkohnyoh) Cayuga the word for bear is hnyagwai, and
in Onundagaono (Onondaga) the word for bear is ohgwá:ih. The Onayotekaono
(Oneida) word for bear is ohkwá:li and for bear clanohkwaliha·ká·, and the
Skaruhreh (Tuscarora)word for bear is uhchírę'.
Boozhoo, aaniin indinawemaaganidog, gidinimikoo miinawaa: Hello relatives, I greet you again in a good way!
Bear as clan leader among the Haudenosaunee
Among the Haudenosaunee, the People of the Longhouse, each clan is linked by a common female ancestor with
women possessing a leadership role within the clan. These matrilineal clans are
represented by animals of water, land, and sky. The turtle, eel, and beaver
represent the water element; the bear, wolf, and deer represent the land
element; and the snipe, hawk and heron represent the air element. The
Bear Clan people are known as Medicine People, the healers of the Nation. Ongwe-Honwe tradition has it that the Bear Clan people were given the gift of Medicine by
an elder woman who had the knowledge of all the medicine plants on Earth.
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Bear as clan leader among the Anishinaabeg
Not only is the Bear Clan one of the more
numerous clans among the Anishinaabeg, it is also the most numerous of their
warrior clans; among the Ojibweg for instance, nooke doodem forms one-sixth of
the entire nation. To them, the Misizaagiwiniwag (Mississaugas), the Odishkwaagamiig
(Algonquin), the Oodaawaag (Odawa), the Bodéwadmiik (Potawatomi), and the
Mamaceqtaw (Menominee), the bear is a powerful and respected bawaagan (grandfather-appearing-in-dreams) who chose
the earth walk as a spiritual leader in order to show the People the way into
the dream world and teach the Medicine People the medicinal use of herbs.
Mangi-waanakozidan, the Large Paws clan group of
the Ojibweg Peoples, is headed by Makwa,
the Bear, who was selected for his fierceness and bravery and is therefore in
charge of defense. Ojibweg Bear Clan people are the police force, the medics,
the historians,
and the legalists of their Nation. In former times they
were the war chiefs and warriors, keepers of the war pipe and the war club, and
the defenders who acted in the rearguard protecting their Nation against
enemies. Nooke Doodem members have
always served and protected their communities and since they possess “Makwa
DNA” and traditionally spend much time outdoors they have great knowledge of
medicinal plants and herbs used for treating minor diseases and
infections. It’s also the bear clan members whose task it is to guard the
entrance (on the eastern side of) the midewigaan,
the Lodge of the Midewiwin (more about this later).
As for their
physical appearance, it is common knowledge that Nooke doodem members possess thick black hair that seldom whitens
even in old age.
The colors
of the Ojibwe Nooke Doodem are maroon, black and white, red, and brown. The
predominant color, however, is black; bear clan people traditionally place
black marks on their ceremonial clothing, on the corpses of the deceased, and
on their grave effigies.
THE DEFENDERS AND HEALERS:
Nooke: Bear Clan heads the clans of the Warrior/Defenders
clans. They are also known as a Clan of Decision Makers and Healers
("Protectors").
- Makade-makwa (Black Bear)
- Waabi-makwa (Polar bear)
- Misko-makwa (Red bear)
- Ozaawi-makwa (Brown bear)
Among
the Ojibweg and Misizaawininiwag, Nooke, the Bear clan group, at one time used to be so numerous that it was
subdivided into body parts:
Nooke (Bear)
· Makoshtigwaan (Bear-skull)
(Ojibweg)
· Nookezid (Tender-foot)
(Ojibweg)
· Makokon (Bear's
Liver) (Misizaagiwiniwag)
· Miskwaa'aa (Blood)
(Odishkwaagamiig)
· Waabishki-makwa (White Black
bear) (Ojibweg)
· Mishimakwa (Grizzly
Bear) (Ojibweg)
Nowadays
these sub-clans are one single clan. Nooke doodem members, besides defenders who patrol the woods around
the community to watch for danger, are also looked upon as medics and as respected
guardians of Anishinaabe traditions; historically, many decision makers – often
Midewiwin members - and legal specialists have also emerged from the ranks of
the Bear Clan.
Among the Mamaceqtaw Anishinaabeg (Menominee), who have 34 clans in total, Awaehsaeh, the Bear, heads the Speakers and Peacekeepers
clan group. This clan group is made up of eight clan animals:
THE SPEAKERS/PEACEKEEPERS:
- Awaehsaeh (Bear)
- Namaew (Sturgeon)
- Mekēk (Otter)
- Namaeh (Beaver)
- Maehkaenāh (Mud Turtle)
- Ketaemīw (Porcupine)
- Oqsas (Muskrat)
- Nakūtih (Sunfish)
Bear as caretaker
That the Anishinaabeg chose
Makwa the bear to be a symbol of guardianship and motherhood stems from the origin story of the first Anishinaabeg, about how a mother bear volunteered to
give her life to the twins whom Giizhigookwe
(Sky Woman) had created and lowered to the Turtle Island/Earth; when the twins
nearly died from malnutrition after Sky Woman’s breasts had dried up, the bear,
who took pity on them, saved their lives by offering solid nourishment in the
form of her meat. And from the time of her sacrifice, when hunters take the
life of a bear, it is customary to pay tribute to its spirit; in the old days,
oftentimes its skull would be placed in a tree above the camp or village so
that its spirit continued to watch over the Anishinaabeg...
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Wii-da aangishkaakawen
Anaamakamig.
(“Your footprints
will fade
As if deep
into the earth.”)
- Ojibwe Midewiwin song to
the bear¹
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The close relationship between bear and Midewiwin
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According to the ancient
Teachings that our ancestors passed on to the present generations, Makwa represents
the laws of Truth and Bravery. Of all the seven
Sacred Teachings, the virtue of aakode’ewin
(bravery) was deemed especially meaningful, for, as the ancestors have taught
us, being brave is not about being audacious or acting the most daring or mighty
but being courageous enough to incorporate the other six teachings into one’s
life, even if that means standing alone in the community. This is why the Midewiwin chose Makwag to personify
their Lodge and why they represent the Anishinaabe Warrior doodem, in
charge of defense. Since bear presides over the medicine plants and
protects the healing ceremonies and sacred rituals that are being performed
inside the Midewigaan, the ceremonial
lodge of the Midewiwin, he/she was appointed to guard the Lodge’s eastern door.
(We will dwell some more on Makwa’s role as guardian of the Midewigaan later.)
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Medicine Bear by the late Carl Ray, 1977, acrylic on canvas, 73.7 x 99.1 cm. Collection of Sunita D. Doobay. The painting connects the bear and all other beings that live on, above, and beneath the earth and the water surface with the sacred lodges of the Anishinaabeg Peoples. The painting reminds us that we are surrounded by the medicinal, restorative power of nature and all the animals and spirits of the Universe.
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Heya~wya~whe~ H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
Heya~wya~whe~. H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
Manidoo-makwa, gaa-bi-naagozid
Manidoo-makwa, bi-gizhaawenimishinaan!
(Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Spirit Bear appears here.
Spirit Bear! Come, have zeal for us!))
- Ojibwe Anishinaabe Ogichidaa (Warrior) Sundance song to the spirit of the Bear
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So great are the spiritual and curative powers
possessed by the bear, that Mide healers traditionally follow makomiikana (the bear path) in
proceeding from a lower to a higher degree in the Midewiwin society (more about
this later). We are reminded here once more that
Makwa is symbolic of the Anishinaabeg themselves: both bear and humans are
known to “walk the bear path” both inside and outside the Lodge.
Among
the Ojibweg, it is Makwa who guards and protects the midewigaan (Mide Lodge) as wel the jiisakaan (shaking tent; see above image) and the madoodison (sweat, or purifcation lodge, symbolizing the womb of the Earthmother) – which is where Mide
candidates cleanse their bodies and minds before entering the ceremony inside
the midewigaan. It was a bear who gifted his hide when the very first Ojibwe madoodison was built; thus, in a
symbolic way, his hide served to cover the Anishinaabeg as a People.
Traditionally,
of all bagwaj-awensiinhyag (the wild
land animals), Makwa the beer is perceived as the most spiritually empowered.
The Woodland Peoples, including the Great Lakes Anishinaabeg, not only harbored
feelings of awe and fear for makwag but also feelings of gratitude – to them,
bears were gifts of Gichi-manidoo as they had many uses for them; it is safe to say bears were as important to
them as the buffalo was to their cousins, the Nakawe- Anishinaabeg (Saulteaux) and Ininewuk
(Cree) of the high plains in the Northwest.
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Norval Morrisseau: Medicine Woman and Bear (acrylic on canvas)
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To
the Anishinaabeg, makwag (bears) are
icons of ziigwan, the spring season. Anishinaabeg
have always mirrored themselves in Makwa's yearly pattern of hibernation,
isolation, and emerging with new life as soon as the winter ends. This is why
still today certain initiation rituals, puberty rites, and ceremonies of the
Midewiwin - one of three Medicine Societies of the Anishinaabeg Peoples - follow his cyclic pattern and invoke the bear's
power of renewal. Anishinaabeg (humans) and makwag (bears) are considered
nearly-identical; this is demonstrated in many aadizokaanan (sacred tales) about humans transforming into bears ad
vice versa and, for instance, in the term wemakiwe
(“She Is Going to Be a Bear”) which was used to denote a young girl about to
start her first menstrual period. And then there is of course Bagwaanishikwe, the “bag lady,” a shapeshifter bear who
plays a role in many a tale as a grandmother dressed in rags who is seldom seen
– but more often perceived with the ears - and plays tricks on human beings
(see the tale “Giibwanasi and Thunder Eagle Woman: Encounter with a Bear Spirit” presented in the beginning of this blog story, in which the
protagonist of the story sees a bagwaanishikwe with his eyes).
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"Dreams of Bear" acrylic on canvas by the late Gelineau Fisher. Read the story.
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Countless tales, ceremonies, songs, and depictions
on birchbark and other items involve bears as “contraries,” embodiments of the
paradoxal nature of life, and as bush doctors and healers who transform and renew life and thus randomly shapeshift into humans and vice versa (see above image). In many
occasions bear is addressed as “Anishinaabe”: a human being. Up until today
bear plays a pivotal role inside and outside the Anishinaabe Medicine Lodges.
It
is safe to say that bears are not just important figures in aadizookewin (storytelling)
and in Midewiwin manidookewinan (ceremonies); makwa captures ojichaag (the
“soul” or “essence”) of Midewiwin, and of the Anishinaabeg as a whole.
Bear women, bush doctors, and guardians of the Mide Lodge
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"The Ojibways have great respect
for the Bear. According to their legends, in the distant past the Bear had a
human form and was in fact an ancestor of the Ojibways. Therefore he
understands the Indian language and will never attack or fight any Indian if he
is addressed properly."
- Miskwaabik Animikii (Norval Morrisseau)
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Healing Journey, Bear Paws Hidden in the Base of Mother Earth, acrylic on canvas ©2012 Simone McLeod
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Makwa,
the bear, is from of old the predominant figure in the Midewiwin ceremonies and
rituals and as such acts on all levels of their age-old society. Images and
effigies of Makwa pervade Midewigaan (the Ceremonial Lodge). The midewewe’igan or sacred drum traditionally has a bearskin casing. Birchbark song scrolls carry images of the bear and several
ceremonial objects, such as ritual pipes, stone and water carries, and
drumsticks bear the names of, or are shaped like, some of Makwa’s body parts. In
addition, the stakes of the Lodge itself are referred to as “bear legs.”
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Miskwaabik Animikii (Norval Morriisseau): Untitled.
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Makwa’s
body parts are always treated with great respect and serve many practices in
everyday life as well as in a spiritual sense. Bear’s blood is known to cure
osteoporosis, and mako-bimide, bear fat,
besides used for healing practices (it is known to, among other things, cure
liver and bile duct diseases) and frying and seasonig dried meat and serving as
skin and hair oil as a defence against mosquitos, is considered a powerful antidote
for wiindiigoog, the cannibalistic
winter monsters that dwell in the north. The bones are traditionally used by Mideg (Midewiwin practitioners) for
sucking rites and its teeth are fashioned into whistles and charms.
When
a bear is killed, a handful of its blood, which is considered gichi-manidoowan (possessing great spiritual
power) is poured on the ground and some of it is offered to the four winds. Smoke is blown into his mouth, and prayers of
forgiveness are offered so that ojiichaag (his spirit) will not be
offended, and the sanctity and balance of creation is preserved. Brigtly colored cloth and ribbons, food - mostly
blueberries, or a bowl of maple syrup or manoomin
(wild rice) -, and asemaa, tobacco, are
always placed nearby. Traditionally, a feast is given after the kill but never
without placing its paws in position on, for instance, a rush mat or, as is customary among northeastern
Ojibwe and Cree communities, attached to a pole.
In the old days, to ensure mino-bimaadiziwin
(long life) and ensure success in future hunts, it was customary to paint a
bear’s head and skull and shoulder bones and decorate them with ribbons and beadwork,
and sometimes baby clothes. Nowadays, artists working in the Woodland School of Art tradition
(called “Medicine painters”) and known for their unique, very powerful line
drawings, depict “X-ray forms” inside bears and “power lines” radiating from
bears to demonstrate great personal spirit power and a continuous, omnipresent,
and all-pervading cosmic energy (see below image).
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“Ojibwa Midawiin Sacred Bear” by Norval Morrisseau (ca. 1960). The painter placed ritualistic Mide “X-ray”
symbols inside the figures in the painting.
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Among
the Ojibweg, it is Makwa who guards and protects the midewigaan (Mide Lodge) as wel the madoodison (sweat, or purifcation lodge) – which is where Mide
candidates cleanse their bodies and minds before entering the ceremony inside
the midewigaan. It was a bear who gifted his hide when the very first Ojibwe madoodison was built; thus, in a
symbolic way, his hide served to cover the Anishinaabeg as a People. In addition, Makwa plays an important role in the ceremony of jiisakaan, the shaking tent (see below image of a canvas by Norval Morrisseau).
Traditionally,
of all bagwaj-awensiinhyag (the wild
land animals), Makwa the beer is perceived as the most spiritually empowered.
The Woodland Peoples, including the Great Lakes Anishinaabeg, not only harbored
feelings of awe and fear for makwag but also feelings of gratitude – to them,
bears were gifts of Gichi-manidoo as they had many uses for them; it is safe to say bears were as important to
them as the buffalo was to their cousins, the Nakawe- Anishinaabeg (Saulteaux) and Ininewuk
(Cree) of the high plains in the Northwest.
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Norval Morrisseau: Shaking Tent Theme No.2, 10x1, 1962 acrylic on paper
________________________________________________________________
To
the Anishinaabeg, makwag (bears) are
icons of ziigwan the spring season. Anishinaabeg
have always mirrored themselves in Makwa's yearly pattern of hibernation,
isolation, and emerging with new life as soon as the winter ends. This is why
still today certain initiation rituals, puberty rites, and ceremonies of the
Midewiwin - one of three Medicine Societies of the Anishinaabeg Peoples - follow his cyclic pattern and invoke the bear's
power of renewal. Anishinaabeg (humans) and makwag (bears) are considered
nearly-identical; this is demonstrated in many aadizokaanan (sacred tales) about humans transforming into bears ad
vice versa and, for instance, in the term wemakiwe
(“She Is Going to Be a Bear”) which was used to denote a young girl about to
start her first menstrual period. And then there is of course Bagwaanishikwe, the “bag lady,” a shapeshifter bear who
plays a role in many a tale as a grandmother dressed in rags who is seldom seen
– but more often perceived with the ears - and plays tricks on human beings
(see the tale “Giibwanasi and Thunder Eagle Woman: Encounter with a Bear Spirit” presented in the beginning of this blog story, in which the
protagonist of the story sees a bagwaanishikwe with his eyes).
Countless tales, ceremonies, songs, and depictions
on birchbark and other items involve bears as “contraries,” embodiments of the
paradoxal nature of life, and as bush doctors and healers who transform and
renew life and thus randomly shapeshift into humans and vice versa. In many
occasions bear is addressed as “Anishinaabe”: a human being. Up until today
bear plays a pivotal role inside and outside the Anishinaabe Medicine Lodge.
It
is safe to say that bears are not just important figures in aadizookewin (storytelling)
and in Midewiwin manidookewinan (ceremonies); makwa captures ojichaag (the
“soul” or “essence”) of Midewiwin, and of the Anishinaabeg as a whole.
Bears as political leaders
Nooke
doodem, the bear-totemclan,
in addition to determining the life’s path and social obligations of the
individual who is a clan member, traditionally conveys important meanings for
the Anishinaabeg as a whole. The typically impressive physical characteristics
and mental capabilities of bear clan members, often explained as being similar
to those of bears, provide a powerful framework for Anishinaabe government. Mideg (Midewiwin members) are looked upon as Elders whom others rely on for
advice and decision-making concerning the welfare and stability of the entire
community. Therefore they have always had a prominent place in
Anishinaabe government. This is why bear clan members, because their doodem is
so important socially, traditionally hold important posts in the Mide Lodges.
It is commonly understood that the survival of the Anishinaabeg, their cultural values, and their traditional organizational community/doodem structures have always depended a great deal upon the ability of high-ranking Mideg – with Nooke doodemag (bear clans) leading the way - to deal with enemies and with the gigantic political and environmental challenges that faced - and still face - the entire Anishinaabe Nation.
Norval Morrisseau Ancient Bear God of the Ojibwa - Half Human and Animal - Interdependence of Power and Life (1965)
Historically, when the Ojibwe Anishinaabeg were confronted with the
aggressive expansionism of the Haudenosaunee from the east as well as with the
European and American military and political powers and settlers encroaching
and flooding the borders of Anishinaabe
Aki, Mideg of the Bear Clan, because of their exceptional powers and
skills, were chosen to represent the Three Fires Confederacy. Midewiwin members were looked upon by their
communities as able war leaders who defended the land against the war parties
of the Haudenosaunee and as apt political leaders, advisers, and decision
makers fit to represent the Confederacy in trade and treaty negotiations with
the Zhaaganaashag (British) and Gichi-mookomaanag (Americans). It was Nooke Doodem, along with the doodem of Ajijkaak (Crane) that welcomed the
Europeans to Mikinaakomonisin (Turtle
Island). Thus, the Mideg, and particularly those who were members of nooke doodem, earned and achieved the
kind of status, prestige, and authority that was otherwise only reserved for
hereditary ogimaag (chiefs).
__________________________________________________________________________________
Click on the image to read the story "Dream of the Spirit Berries"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________
That the Anishinaabeg chose Makwa the bear to be a symbol of guardianship and motherhood stems from the origin story of the first Anishinaabeg, about how a mother bear volunteered to give her life to the twins whom Giizhigookwe (Sky Woman) had created and lowered to the Turtle Island/Earth; when the twins nearly died from malnutrition after Sky Woman’s breasts had dried up, the bear, who took pity on them, saved their lives by offering solid nourishment in the form of her meat. And from the time of her sacrifice, when hunters take the life of a bear, it is customary to pay tribute to its spirit; in the old days, oftentimes its skull would be placed in a tree above the camp or village so that its spirit continued to watch over the Anishinaabeg...
Wii-da aangishkaakawen
Anaamakamig.
(“Your footprints
will fade
As if deep
into the earth.”)
- Ojibwe Midewiwin song to
the bear¹
The close relationship between bear and Midewiwin
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________________________________________________________________
According to the ancient
Teachings that our ancestors passed on to the present generations, Makwa represents
the laws of Truth and Bravery. Of all the seven
Sacred Teachings, the virtue of aakode’ewin
(bravery) was deemed especially meaningful, for, as the ancestors have taught
us, being brave is not about being audacious or acting the most daring or mighty
but being courageous enough to incorporate the other six teachings into one’s
life, even if that means standing alone in the community. This is why the Midewiwin chose Makwag to personify
their Lodge and why they represent the Anishinaabe Warrior doodem, in
charge of defense. Since bear presides over the medicine plants and
protects the healing ceremonies and sacred rituals that are being performed
inside the Midewigaan, the ceremonial
lodge of the Midewiwin, he/she was appointed to guard the Lodge’s eastern door.
(We will dwell some more on Makwa’s role as guardian of the Midewigaan later.)
________________________________________________________________
Heya~wya~whe~ H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
________________________________________________________________
Medicine Bear by the late Carl Ray, 1977, acrylic on canvas, 73.7 x 99.1 cm. Collection of Sunita D. Doobay. The painting connects the bear and all other beings that live on, above, and beneath the earth and the water surface with the sacred lodges of the Anishinaabeg Peoples. The painting reminds us that we are surrounded by the medicinal, restorative power of nature and all the animals and spirits of the Universe.
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Heya~wya~whe~ H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
Heya~wya~whe~. H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw! H ͤya~whe~yawhe~yaw!
Manidoo-makwa, gaa-bi-naagozid
Manidoo-makwa, bi-gizhaawenimishinaan!
(Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Manidoo-makwa, bi-gizhaawenimishinaan!
(Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-sey, yes-sey, yes, yes, yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Yes-yes-yes! Yes-yes-yes!
Spirit Bear appears here.
Spirit Bear! Come, have zeal for us!))
Spirit Bear! Come, have zeal for us!))
- Ojibwe Anishinaabe Ogichidaa (Warrior) Sundance song to the spirit of the Bear
________________________________________________________________
So great are the spiritual and curative powers
possessed by the bear, that Mide healers traditionally follow makomiikana (the bear path) in
proceeding from a lower to a higher degree in the Midewiwin society (more about
this later). We are reminded here once more that
Makwa is symbolic of the Anishinaabeg themselves: both bear and humans are
known to “walk the bear path” both inside and outside the Lodge.
Among
the Ojibweg, it is Makwa who guards and protects the midewigaan (Mide Lodge) as wel the jiisakaan (shaking tent; see above image) and the madoodison (sweat, or purifcation lodge, symbolizing the womb of the Earthmother) – which is where Mide
candidates cleanse their bodies and minds before entering the ceremony inside
the midewigaan. It was a bear who gifted his hide when the very first Ojibwe madoodison was built; thus, in a
symbolic way, his hide served to cover the Anishinaabeg as a People.
Traditionally,
of all bagwaj-awensiinhyag (the wild
land animals), Makwa the beer is perceived as the most spiritually empowered.
The Woodland Peoples, including the Great Lakes Anishinaabeg, not only harbored
feelings of awe and fear for makwag but also feelings of gratitude – to them,
bears were gifts of Gichi-manidoo as they had many uses for them; it is safe to say bears were as important to
them as the buffalo was to their cousins, the Nakawe- Anishinaabeg (Saulteaux) and Ininewuk
(Cree) of the high plains in the Northwest.
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
 |
| Norval Morrisseau: Medicine Woman and Bear (acrylic on canvas) |
To the Anishinaabeg, makwag (bears) are icons of ziigwan, the spring season. Anishinaabeg have always mirrored themselves in Makwa's yearly pattern of hibernation, isolation, and emerging with new life as soon as the winter ends. This is why still today certain initiation rituals, puberty rites, and ceremonies of the Midewiwin - one of three Medicine Societies of the Anishinaabeg Peoples - follow his cyclic pattern and invoke the bear's power of renewal. Anishinaabeg (humans) and makwag (bears) are considered nearly-identical; this is demonstrated in many aadizokaanan (sacred tales) about humans transforming into bears ad vice versa and, for instance, in the term wemakiwe (“She Is Going to Be a Bear”) which was used to denote a young girl about to start her first menstrual period. And then there is of course Bagwaanishikwe, the “bag lady,” a shapeshifter bear who plays a role in many a tale as a grandmother dressed in rags who is seldom seen – but more often perceived with the ears - and plays tricks on human beings (see the tale “Giibwanasi and Thunder Eagle Woman: Encounter with a Bear Spirit” presented in the beginning of this blog story, in which the protagonist of the story sees a bagwaanishikwe with his eyes).
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"Dreams of Bear" acrylic on canvas by the late Gelineau Fisher. Read the story.
_______________________________________________________________
Countless tales, ceremonies, songs, and depictions
on birchbark and other items involve bears as “contraries,” embodiments of the
paradoxal nature of life, and as bush doctors and healers who transform and renew life and thus randomly shapeshift into humans and vice versa (see above image). In many
occasions bear is addressed as “Anishinaabe”: a human being. Up until today
bear plays a pivotal role inside and outside the Anishinaabe Medicine Lodges.
It
is safe to say that bears are not just important figures in aadizookewin (storytelling)
and in Midewiwin manidookewinan (ceremonies); makwa captures ojichaag (the
“soul” or “essence”) of Midewiwin, and of the Anishinaabeg as a whole.
Bear women, bush doctors, and guardians of the Mide Lodge
________________________________________________________________
"The Ojibways have great respect
for the Bear. According to their legends, in the distant past the Bear had a
human form and was in fact an ancestor of the Ojibways. Therefore he
understands the Indian language and will never attack or fight any Indian if he
is addressed properly."
- Miskwaabik Animikii (Norval Morrisseau)
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Healing Journey, Bear Paws Hidden in the Base of Mother Earth, acrylic on canvas ©2012 Simone McLeod
________________________________________________________________
Makwa, the bear, is from of old the predominant figure in the Midewiwin ceremonies and rituals and as such acts on all levels of their age-old society. Images and effigies of Makwa pervade Midewigaan (the Ceremonial Lodge). The midewewe’igan or sacred drum traditionally has a bearskin casing. Birchbark song scrolls carry images of the bear and several ceremonial objects, such as ritual pipes, stone and water carries, and drumsticks bear the names of, or are shaped like, some of Makwa’s body parts. In addition, the stakes of the Lodge itself are referred to as “bear legs.”
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Miskwaabik Animikii (Norval Morriisseau): Untitled.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
 |
| Miskwaabik Animikii (Norval Morriisseau): Untitled. |
When
a bear is killed, a handful of its blood, which is considered gichi-manidoowan (possessing great spiritual
power) is poured on the ground and some of it is offered to the four winds. Smoke is blown into his mouth, and prayers of
forgiveness are offered so that ojiichaag (his spirit) will not be
offended, and the sanctity and balance of creation is preserved. Brigtly colored cloth and ribbons, food - mostly
blueberries, or a bowl of maple syrup or manoomin
(wild rice) -, and asemaa, tobacco, are
always placed nearby. Traditionally, a feast is given after the kill but never
without placing its paws in position on, for instance, a rush mat or, as is customary among northeastern
Ojibwe and Cree communities, attached to a pole.
In the old days, to ensure mino-bimaadiziwin
(long life) and ensure success in future hunts, it was customary to paint a
bear’s head and skull and shoulder bones and decorate them with ribbons and beadwork,
and sometimes baby clothes. Nowadays, artists working in the Woodland School of Art tradition
(called “Medicine painters”) and known for their unique, very powerful line
drawings, depict “X-ray forms” inside bears and “power lines” radiating from
bears to demonstrate great personal spirit power and a continuous, omnipresent,
and all-pervading cosmic energy (see below image).
________________________________________________________________
“Ojibwa Midawiin Sacred Bear” by Norval Morrisseau (ca. 1960). The painter placed ritualistic Mide “X-ray”
symbols inside the figures in the painting.
________________________________________________________________
“Ojibwa Midawiin Sacred Bear” by Norval Morrisseau (ca. 1960). The painter placed ritualistic Mide “X-ray”
symbols inside the figures in the painting.
Among
the Ojibweg, it is Makwa who guards and protects the midewigaan (Mide Lodge) as wel the madoodison (sweat, or purifcation lodge) – which is where Mide
candidates cleanse their bodies and minds before entering the ceremony inside
the midewigaan. It was a bear who gifted his hide when the very first Ojibwe madoodison was built; thus, in a
symbolic way, his hide served to cover the Anishinaabeg as a People. In addition, Makwa plays an important role in the ceremony of jiisakaan, the shaking tent (see below image of a canvas by Norval Morrisseau).
Traditionally,
of all bagwaj-awensiinhyag (the wild
land animals), Makwa the beer is perceived as the most spiritually empowered.
The Woodland Peoples, including the Great Lakes Anishinaabeg, not only harbored
feelings of awe and fear for makwag but also feelings of gratitude – to them,
bears were gifts of Gichi-manidoo as they had many uses for them; it is safe to say bears were as important to
them as the buffalo was to their cousins, the Nakawe- Anishinaabeg (Saulteaux) and Ininewuk
(Cree) of the high plains in the Northwest.
________________________________________________________________
Norval Morrisseau: Shaking Tent Theme No.2, 10x1, 1962 acrylic on paper
Norval Morrisseau: Shaking Tent Theme No.2, 10x1, 1962 acrylic on paper
________________________________________________________________
To
the Anishinaabeg, makwag (bears) are
icons of ziigwan the spring season. Anishinaabeg
have always mirrored themselves in Makwa's yearly pattern of hibernation,
isolation, and emerging with new life as soon as the winter ends. This is why
still today certain initiation rituals, puberty rites, and ceremonies of the
Midewiwin - one of three Medicine Societies of the Anishinaabeg Peoples - follow his cyclic pattern and invoke the bear's
power of renewal. Anishinaabeg (humans) and makwag (bears) are considered
nearly-identical; this is demonstrated in many aadizokaanan (sacred tales) about humans transforming into bears ad
vice versa and, for instance, in the term wemakiwe
(“She Is Going to Be a Bear”) which was used to denote a young girl about to
start her first menstrual period. And then there is of course Bagwaanishikwe, the “bag lady,” a shapeshifter bear who
plays a role in many a tale as a grandmother dressed in rags who is seldom seen
– but more often perceived with the ears - and plays tricks on human beings
(see the tale “Giibwanasi and Thunder Eagle Woman: Encounter with a Bear Spirit” presented in the beginning of this blog story, in which the
protagonist of the story sees a bagwaanishikwe with his eyes).
Countless tales, ceremonies, songs, and depictions
on birchbark and other items involve bears as “contraries,” embodiments of the
paradoxal nature of life, and as bush doctors and healers who transform and
renew life and thus randomly shapeshift into humans and vice versa. In many
occasions bear is addressed as “Anishinaabe”: a human being. Up until today
bear plays a pivotal role inside and outside the Anishinaabe Medicine Lodge.
It
is safe to say that bears are not just important figures in aadizookewin (storytelling)
and in Midewiwin manidookewinan (ceremonies); makwa captures ojichaag (the
“soul” or “essence”) of Midewiwin, and of the Anishinaabeg as a whole.
Bears as political leaders
Bears as political leaders
It is commonly understood that the survival of the Anishinaabeg, their cultural values, and their traditional organizational community/doodem structures have always depended a great deal upon the ability of high-ranking Mideg – with Nooke doodemag (bear clans) leading the way - to deal with enemies and with the gigantic political and environmental challenges that faced - and still face - the entire Anishinaabe Nation.
|
| Norval Morrisseau Ancient Bear God of the Ojibwa - Half Human and Animal - Interdependence of Power and Life (1965) |
Historically, when the Ojibwe Anishinaabeg were confronted with the
aggressive expansionism of the Haudenosaunee from the east as well as with the
European and American military and political powers and settlers encroaching
and flooding the borders of Anishinaabe
Aki, Mideg of the Bear Clan, because of their exceptional powers and
skills, were chosen to represent the Three Fires Confederacy. Midewiwin members were looked upon by their
communities as able war leaders who defended the land against the war parties
of the Haudenosaunee and as apt political leaders, advisers, and decision
makers fit to represent the Confederacy in trade and treaty negotiations with
the Zhaaganaashag (British) and Gichi-mookomaanag (Americans). It was Nooke Doodem, along with the doodem of Ajijkaak (Crane) that welcomed the
Europeans to Mikinaakomonisin (Turtle
Island). Thus, the Mideg, and particularly those who were members of nooke doodem, earned and achieved the
kind of status, prestige, and authority that was otherwise only reserved for
hereditary ogimaag (chiefs).
|
| Click on the image to read the story "Dream of the Spirit Berries" |
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________
So goes the Teaching...
Giiwenh. So goes the Teaching Story about the Bear and what it means to the Peoples of the great Turtle Island...Miigwech gibizindaw noongom mii dash gidaadizookoon. Thank you for listening to my storytelling today. Giga-waabamin wayiiba, I hope to see you again soon...
________________________________________________________________
Sources:
¹ Basil Johnston, Ojibway Ceremonies. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London, Bison Book Edition 1990; p. 103.
2 A
wooden kettle drum, also called midegwakik or mitigkwakik
________________________________________________________________
My name is Zhaawano Giizhik.
As an American artist and (non-commercial) jewelry designer currently living in the Netherlands. I like to draw on the oral and pictorial traditions of my Ojibwe Anishinaabe ancestors from the American Great Lakes area. For this I call on my manidoo-minjimandamowin, or "Spirit Memory"; which means I try to remember the knowledge and the lessons of my ancestors. The MAZINAAJIMOWINAN or ‘‘pictorial spirit writings’’ - which are rich with symbolism and have been painted throughout history on rocks and etched on other sacred items such as copper and slate, birch bark and animal hide - were a form of spiritual as well as educational communication that gave structure and meaning to the cosmos. Many of these sacred pictographs or petroforms – some of which are many, many generations old - hide in sacred locations where the manidoog (spirits) reside, particularly in those mystic places near the coastline where the sky, the earth, the water, the underground and the underwater meet.
As an American artist and (non-commercial) jewelry designer currently living in the Netherlands. I like to draw on the oral and pictorial traditions of my Ojibwe Anishinaabe ancestors from the American Great Lakes area. For this I call on my manidoo-minjimandamowin, or "Spirit Memory"; which means I try to remember the knowledge and the lessons of my ancestors. The MAZINAAJIMOWINAN or ‘‘pictorial spirit writings’’ - which are rich with symbolism and have been painted throughout history on rocks and etched on other sacred items such as copper and slate, birch bark and animal hide - were a form of spiritual as well as educational communication that gave structure and meaning to the cosmos. Many of these sacred pictographs or petroforms – some of which are many, many generations old - hide in sacred locations where the manidoog (spirits) reside, particularly in those mystic places near the coastline where the sky, the earth, the water, the underground and the underwater meet.
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