Importance of Our Birth Story

We are all human beginnings sharing the planet Earth and all the gifts that she gives.  Each of us has ancestors that received original teachings of how to look after her and how to interact with each other.  Understanding where we come from and the teachings that go with that culture is important to our identity and how we look at the world.  Our worldview.

Some of us have the privilege of being born into a family that practices their traditional culture, and we grow up rooted in that culture.  Most of us do not have that privilege.  If we are lucky, we find people to learn from and start the journey that way.  However, for others they are not so lucky and do not identify to any culture.

What is your story?

It is critical to understand your own perception, power, privilege and purpose moving forward; and how these 4 concepts affect your life daily when working with Indigenous peoples.

The sole purpose of this training is to give an opportunity for experiential awareness of Anishinaabe traditional knowledge and culture.  The intention is for Nogdawindamin employees to experience the crucial understanding of its importance to Anishinaabe identity and healing.

To begin this journey, it is important that an individual is grounded in their own identity and has an intention why there are working with Nogdawindamin.

Medicine Wheel Self Reflection

Anishinaabe Culture

An Oral Culture and Society

Many Indigenous peoples have oral based knowledge systems. The Anishinaabe People were renown for their ability to recite with accuracy over a long period of time.  Such speeches are implemented through other ancient texts such as pictograph, wampum belts and birch bark scrolls.  The governance system of the nation would gather throughout the year to recite these speeches to keep that knowledge alive.

Over time with the oppression of colonization, this practice stopped, and the knowledge became dormant.

Symbolism

There is a great deal of symbolism and imagery which mirrored the environment and relationships.

• Wampum, made from the quahog clam shells from the North Atlantic,  the shells were made into small purple and white beads and were very valuable to the Eastern Woodland Indigenous Nations.  This process was well established pre contact, and were used for ceremonial gifts, trade and for treaties between nations in the form of wampum belts.^[1]
• Every detail used within wampum belts were made to hold specific symbolism and meaning.  At council fires, identified individuals would have the responsibility to memorize the meaning and to be able to recite it.^[2]

Dr. Alan Ojiig Corbiere, ‘Their own forms of which they take the most notice’: Diplomatic metaphors and symbolism on wampum belts PDF

The Art of Listening  

Historical knowledge to be carried on from generation to generation depended on people’s listening and communication skills. It was and is very important to know HOW to listen!  Not like today where technology has replaced the art of listening.

Ancient Texts                  

These texts are very precious because they survived the history of genocide, colonization, and the Indian Act.  Some of these ancient texts, living documents have been “apprehended” from the original people and are being kept in museums.

Pictograph   

Prehistoric paintings that tell a story, made from natural pigments on rock.  Agawa Rock once had many that were visible, but now have been vandalized to only a remaining few.

Storytellers     

People that are held in high regard for the knowledge and gifts that they carry.

 Story Telling

It is very common for stories to have metaphorical imagery for the human brain to comprehend.  The practice of telling stories is also very important to give people an opportunity to share, be heard and seen.

• Passing on information, teachings (moral lessons)
• Vulnerability, a part of the healing journey

Anishinaabe Worldview & Fundamentals

Values and Ethics Chart Breakdown, Part I

This chart breaks down and compares the differences between Indigenous and Colonialism Worldviews.

Part I refers to teachings from the Creation Story.

Worldview: the belief and perception held by a group of people, this includes how they interact with each other and the natural world around them.

{Insert Part I of chart}

The Anishinaabe Creation Story

The Seven Fires of Creation poem written by Edward Benton Banai and Reflections of the Ojibway Creation story by Jim Dumont will be used.

13 Grandmother Moons

The symbolism of the circle continues with the creation of the Sun, Moon and Earth and the relationship that they have together.  This is seen in the cycles of grandmother moon, around Shkagamik-Kwe, Mother Earth.

A Traditional Calendar

The moon has four (4) main phrases if follows within a 28-day cycle.  Each phrase of the moon changes over 7 days.   It can be seen on the outside tabs of shell.

{Insert Grandmother Moon}

Clan System, Anishinaabe Governance

Interrelationship for Governance

In the Creation Story, the Anishinaabe Clan System came with its Original Instructions and is Natural Law.  The instructions identify leadership, order with processes for equal justice. The Clan system was complex and an important piece of an Anishinaabe’s identity.  Each clan and sub-clan has characteristics and responsibilities within the clan, communities, nations and ceremonies.  Each nation has their own translation and practices may differ from nation to nation.

Council Fire: the fire is the heart and is very significant.  When leadership came together to have discussions, it was around the fire.

There are different teachings about the clan system.  This is an example from Edward Benton-Bani and the Mishomis Book^[3].

{Insert Clan System Drawing}

{Insert Clan System Handout}

Summary

Indigenous worldviews are grounded in the interconnectedness of the sacred circle and web of life.  These concepts are based on the 4 principles of spiritual, emotional, physical and mental dimensions of knowledge.  As humans, we engage in this ancestral knowledge with how we interact with our environment and each other.