East (Spring)

According to my teachings, the proper time to peel birch bark is immediately after the first thunderstorm. The reason behind the birch bark and the thunderstorms is explained in the story, "Nanaboozhoo and the Thunderbirds".

Nanaboozhoo offered Native Americans the benefits of birch bark in gratitude toward the birch tree from sparing his life from the thunderbirds.

The housing primarily used during the colder months of the year, was the wigwam. It was occupied from fall through spring, in their wintering grounds. The rest of the time, they resided in summer housing, which in many cases, was close to the lakes, rivers and streams. The only thing our ancestors would take from each house to move to the next, was the floor mats.

The winter housing, or the wigwam, was constructed in a circular shape. Large saplings were filed down into points at each end and would be placed in the ground, approximately two feet apart, forming a circular shape. From there, the two saplings sitting opposite from each other would be arched to form a roof, where they would be tied together with sinew. This would be repeated a couple of times again to ensure a sturdy roof. From there more saplings were tied horizontally along the vertical roof saplings. This would support the matting on the outside and inside of the wigwam. Once the outside of the wigwam was constructed, the inside would also then have mats to create more insulation on the inside walls. Then for the floor, platforms were constructed that served as bedding and shelving for their supplies.

The summer housing, was a rectangular shape, approximately ten feet in width and up to twenty feet long. The structure consisted of poles of cedar. They would place 4 large posts of cedar in the ground as the main structure for the outer walls. Then longer poles are then bound to the top of the corner posts at the top for the roof line. Then they would fill in the walls with posts that were bound together horizontally approximately three feet apart. They would leave an opening for the smoke to escape, and a doorway, which the rest of the structure was then covered in sheets of bark. Some of these sheets were up to six feet in length. For the rain to be able to wash away from the structure instead of inside, the grain of the bark were placed vertically on the structure.

Often times when a family or tribe needed shelter but only for a short period of time, they would construct a tipi-like house. These were often used for hunting, ricing, and maple sugaring. There were also several other types of housing for special purposes used by the Ojibwe.

The menstrual hut was a small, almost tipi-like structure so a female may remove herself from her tribe and family to stay during her menstrual cycle. Her family would supply her with food, but she wasn't to touch anyone else, for it would bring bad things.

A sweat lodge was similar in construction as to a wigwam where it would be perfectly sealed to allow the steam from the hot rocks to put moisture into the air inside the structure. This was how one's body and spirit would have been purified, especially in ceremonial occasions.

And the medicine lodge was more like their summer housing, but it could range in length up to one hundred feet.

Tobacco is a gift from the Creator. It is used by our people from the cradle to the grave. An Anishinaabe is encouraged to carry tobacco with him or her at all times.

Tobacco is often offered in the morning and evening to give thanks for the day and to ask for special help before anything is harvested, like sap, wild rice, berries, medicine, and game.

Tobacco is present at most Ojibwe ceremonies. It is offered to the thunderbeings during a storm, and protection and safety are prayed for. It is given to other people when asking for knowledge or favors. For example, tobacco is given to a namer before a baby is named.

Tobacco is also offered before a legend is told and before a trip is taken. People who have died are given tobacco to take with them on their journey.

There are several ways tobacco can be used. It can be smoked in a pipe. It can also be put in a fire, or put in the water, or at special places, like a special rock, waterfall, tree or on a clean place on the ground.

It is a gift that is not to be abused.

Written By:
Jim Clark, Mille Lacs Band Elder

Addik Kum Maig or the Origin of the Whitefish -- Taken from the collection of legends compiled by Henry R. Schoolcraft

A long time ago, there lived a famous hunter in a remote part of the North. He had a handsome wife and two sons, who were left in the lodge every day while he went out in quest of the animals upon whose flesh they subsided. Game was very abundant in those days, and his exertions in the chase were well rewarded. The skins of the animals furnished them with clothing, and their flesh with food. They lived a long distance from any other lodge and very seldom saw anyone.

The two sons were still too young to follow their father to the chase, and usually diverted themselves within a short distance of the lodge. They noticed that a young man visited the lodge during their father's absence and these visits were frequently repeated. At length, the elder of the two said to his mother, "My mother, who is this tall young man that comes here so often during our father's absence? Does he wish to see him? Shall I tell him when we comes back this evening?"

"Bad boy," said the mother petishly. "Mind your bow and arrows, and do not be afraid to enter the forest in search of birds and squirrels with your little brother. It is not manly to be ever about the lodge. Nor will you become a warrior if you tell all the little things you see and hear to your father. Say not a word to him on the subject."

The boys obeyed, but as they grew older and still saw the visits of this mysterious stranger, they resolved to speak again to their mother and tell her that they meant to inform their father of all they had observed, for they frequently saw this young man passing through the woods and he did not walk to the path, nor did he carry anything to eat. If he had any message to deliver, they had observed that messages were always addressed to the men, and not to the woman.

At this, the mother flew into a rage. "I will kill you," she said, "if you speak of it."

They were again intimidated to hold their peace. But observing the continuance of an improper intercourse, kept up by stealth, as it were, they resolved at last to disclose the whole matter to the father. They did so. The result was such as might have been anticipated. The father, being satisfied as to the infidelity of his wife, watched for a suitable occasion when she was seperated from the children that they may not have their feelings excited, and with a single blow of war club, dispatched her. He then buried here under the ashes of his fire, took down the lodge, and removed, with his two sons, to a distant position.

But the spirit of the woman haunted the children, who were now grown up to the estate of young men. She appeared to them as they returned from hunting in the evening. They were also terrified in their dreams, which they attributed to her. She harassed their imaginations wherever they went. Life became a scene of perpetual terrors. They resolved, together with their father, to leave the country and commenced a journey toward the south. After traveling many days along the shores of Lake Superior, they passed around a high promontory of rock where a large river issued out of the lake and soon after came to a place called Pauwateeg (Sault Ste. Marie).

They had no sooner come in sight of these falls than they beheld the skull of the woman rolling along the beach. They were in the utmost fear and knew not how to elude her. At this moment, one of them looked out and saw a stately crane sitting on a rock in the middle of the rapids. They called out to the bird, "See, grandfather, we are persecuted by a spirit. Come and take us across the falls so that we may escape her."

This crane was a bird of extraordinary size and great age. When first described by the two sons, he sat in a state of stupor in the midst of the most violent eddies. When he heard himself addressed, he stretched forth his neck with great deliberation, and lifting himself by his wings, flew across to their assistance.

"Be careful," said the crane, "that you do not touch the back part of my head. It is sore, and should you press against it, I shall not be able to avoid throwing you both into the rapids."

They were however, attentive on this point, and were safely landed on the south shore of the river.

The crane then resumed his former position in the rapids. But the skull now cried out. "Come, my grandfather, and carry me over, for I have lost my children and am sorely distressed."

The aged bird flew to her assistance. He carefully repeated the injunction that she must by no means touch the back part of his head, which had been hurt and was not yet healed. She promised to obey, but soon felt a curiosity to know where the head of her carrier had been hurt, and how so aged a bird could have received so bad a wound. She thought it strange, and before they were halfway over the rapids, could not resist the inclination she felt to touch the affected part.

Instantly the crane threw her into the rapids. "There," said he. "You have been of no use during your life; you shall now be changed into something for the benefit of the people, and it shall be called Addik Kum Maig."

As the skull floated from rock to rock, the brains were strewed in the water in a form resembling roes, which soon assumed the shape of a new species of fish, possessing a whiteness of color and peculiar flavor, which have caused it, ever since, to be in great repute with the Indians.

The family of this man, in gratitude for their deliverance, adopted the crane as their totem, or ancestral mark; and this continues to be the distinguishing tribal sign of the band to this day.

The Ojibwa mokizin is puckered at the top. This was usually made of three pieces, each a different kind of leather -the sole of the heaviest moosehide, the ankle flaps of thin, soft buckskin, and the inset or tongue of the finest caribou leather, elaborately decorated.

According to legend, maple syrup was found accidentally by sticking a tomahawk in a tree (happened to be a Maple tree) and a bucket underneath. After years of experiments Native Americans perfected the collection and boiling down of the natural sugar.

Tribes used baskets and troughs to gather the maple sap. Then their collection would be boiled over an open fire until enough water evaporated out that the maple syrup was left.

40 gallons of maple sap boil down to 1 gallon of maple syrup.

pictures courtesy of:
http://www.nativetech.org/sugar/sugarbush.html

Ojibwe people believe that Mother Earth is our one and only person who can provide everything we need. She provides us with plants, vegetables (meedjim) and herbs to heal our illness and provide nutrients and energy, animals (owayseug) for food and clothing, and materials for us to make tools, weapons and shelter.

Just as she creates life on earth, she also removes life from earth. As a plant grows, it stretches out away from Mother Earth's skin, and as it whittles, it heads back towards Mother Earth's womb, for comfort. The same goes for animals. It is not the human that kills the game; it is Mother Earth who honors you with food for your family. As the arrow enters the skin, the animal retreats to Mother Earth, with the wound on her skin, asking for healing powers. If Mother Earth wishes to honor your game, she won't save the animal; she'll allow the arrow to penetrate further.

(Johnston, xviii)
(not done)

Sacred fires are burned for ceremonies, such as a death of a tribal member, ..... A sacred fire is kept burning for four days and nights. According to Basil Johnston from his book "Ojibway Ceremonies", the fire is kept for four days and nights in order to keep the soul and spirit of person as it transforms from one state to another.

(not finished)

Our elders where taught by their elders that after our life here on Mother Earth, our journey follows the Medicine Wheel. We believe that life follows the circumference of a circle, because everything naturally is formed in a circle. Stems and trunks of trees are circular, the sun, and lakes all start in a circular shape. The Medicine Wheel pertains to our day to day cycles, yearly cycles, and our lifelong cycles. Anishinabe people believe our life is in balance if we are connected to Mother Earth and our spirit within us. If we are able to respect everything around us, we will live in harmony and balance, only then we will enter the Land of the Souls at the end of our journey here on earth.

We begin in the east (waabinong), which is spring time (mnookmi), as a newborn (binojiinhs), where the earth is blossoming, coming back to life after the dormant winter months. Spring is the time where everything is flowing and abundant. It is the time of making maple sugar, and fishing. This direction is represented by the color yellow (ozawaa), the bald eagle (migizi), and our mental growth (nedimowin). This direction also represents the beginning of our day, morning (kizhep). To thank the creator for all the life that has been given during this time of the year, and "grateful in the way of being humble that we will always require guidance and protection" (Pitawanakwat [cited below]), we smudge tobacco (sema).

Our second part of our journey is in the southern direction (zhaawanong), our summer time (niibin). This direction is given the color red (mskwaa), like the berries that are full and ripe. It is the time of berry gathering, games such as Lacrosse, a time of ceremonies, like Pow wows and a time for taking in all of Mother Earth's warm rays. The southern direction represents our adolescent age (shkiniigi), the deer (wawashkesh), and our physical growth (wiiyow), and to give thanks to our creator, we smudge cedar (kiishig) to purify our soul and body.

The third direction of the Medicine Wheel, is the western direction (epangishmok), which represents autumn (dqwaagi), a time for harvesting rice and cranberries. This direction is where a majority of the hunting, fishing and gathering takes place, to stock up for the long, cold winter months. This direction is the color black (mkaadewaa), where it represents the evening time (naakshi), and our adult stage (ntaawgi). In this direction we need to get in touch with our emotions (enmanjiwang). The buffalo (bgwaji) also represents this stage. In this direction we smudge sage (mshkwaadewashk), so that we can prepare our minds and souls for our remaining duration of our journey.

The fourth and final direction on our path of life is the northern (giiwe-dinong) direction, which is the winter (peboon) or the elder (kikaa) direction. This is the time were the elders prepare to go home, to their place in the Land of the Souls. It is the time where we make baskets, regalias, and go ice fishing. This direction is symbolized by the bear (mukwa), the night time (niibaadibikat), and the color white (waabshkaa). In this final direction, the elders are encouraged to pass down their teachings to the youth, so the youth are able to continue their journey as well. According to my teachings, it is said that this is the time of year, where we are able to tell stories about our spirits without offending them, since they are sleeping. In this direction, we smudge sweetgrass (wiingash), Mother Earth's hair.

Pitawanakwat, Lillian. [http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/transcripts/ojibwe.pdf]

Overall narrative, Julie Timmer.

Traditional gill nets used wooden floats, nets of inner cedar bark twine and stone sinkers. This type of net angles out from riverbanks. Fish are trapped by their gills within the netting. These nets might be secured by posts on shore or suspended between two canoes. The nets, often about six feet in depth, were pulled to shore and the trapped fish were harvested. The whitefish gill nets were made the same way but were fished in the open lake. They would have been anchored to the bottom of the lake and would be made deeper then the river gill nets. Cork floats, nylon nets, and lead sinkers have replaced the former traditional resources.

http://www.fnep.sd83.bc.ca/2004sas/fish/tools/nets.html

perma-link
http://web.archive.org/web/20050509052942/http://www.fnep.sd83.bc.ca/200...

To Sisters on a Walk in the Garden, After a Shower by an Ojibwe female pen.
Ancient Ojibwe Custom by Diana Disrobed.

The Creation Story of Turtle Island (North America)

For the Ojibway/Anishinabe people, the legend is as follows. Long ago, after the Great Mystery, or Kitchi-Manitou, first peopled the earth, the Anishinabe, or Original People, strayed from their harmonious ways and began to argue and fight with one another. Brother turned against brother and soon the Anishinabe were killing one another over hunting grounds and other disagreements. Seeing that harmony, brotherhood, sisterhood, and respect for all living things no longer prevailed on Earth, Kitchi-Manitou decided to purify the Earth. He did this with water

The water came in the form of a great flood upon the Earth destroying the Anishinabe people and most of the animals as well. Only Nanaboozhoo, the central figure in many of the Anishinabe oral traditions was able to survive the flood, along with a few animals and birds who managed to swim and fly. Nanaboozhoo floated on a huge log searching for land, but none was to be found as the Earth was now covered by the great flood. Nanaboozhoo allowed the remaining animals and birds to take turns resting to the log as well. Finally Nanaboozhoo spoke.

"I am going to do something," he said. "I am going to swim to the bottom of this water and grab a handful of earth. With this small bit of Earth, I believe we can create a new land for us to live on with the help of the Four Winds and Kitchi-Manitou."

So Nanaboozhoo dived into the water and was gone for a long time. Finally he surfaced, and short of breath told the animals that the water is too deep for him to swim to the bottom. All were silent. Finally, Mahng, the Loon spoke up. "I can dive under the water for a long way, that is how I catch my food. I will try to make it to the bottom and return with some Earth in my beak."

The Loon disappeared and was gone for a very long time. Surely, thought the others, the Loon must have drowned. Then they saw him to float to the surface, weak and nearly unconscious. "I couldn't make it, there must be no bottom to this water," he gasped. Then Zhing-gi-biss, the helldiver came forward and said, "I will try next, everyone knows I can dive great distances." So the helldiver went under. Again, a very long time passed and the others thought he was surely drowned. At last he too floated to the surface. He was unconscious and not till he came to could he relate to the others that he too was unable to fetch the Earth from the bottom.

Many more animals tried but failed, including Zhon-gwayzh', the mink, and even Mi-zhee-kay, the turtle. All failed and it seemed as though there was no way to get the much needed Earth from the bottom. Then a soft muffled voice was heard. "I can do it," it spoke softly. At first no one could see who it was that spoke up. Then, the little Wazhushk, muskrat stepped forward. "I'll try," he repeated. Some of the other, bigger, more powerful animals laughed at muskrat. Nanaboozhoo spoke up. "Only Kitchi-Manitou can place judgement on others. If muskrat wants to try, he should be allowed to."

So muskrat dove into the water. He was gone much longer than any of the others who tried to reach the bottom. After a while Nanaboozhoo and the other animals were certain that muskrat had give his life trying to reach the bottom. Far below the water's surface, muskrat, had in fact reached the bottom. Very weak from lack of air, he grabbed some Earth in his paw ans with all the energy he could muster began to swim for the surface. One of the animals spotted muskrat as he floated to the surface. Nanaboozhoo pulled him up onto the log. "Brothers and sisters," Nanaboozhoo said, "muskrat went too long without air, he is dead." A song of mourning and praise was heard across the water as muskrat's spirit passed on to the spirit world. Suddenly Nanaboozhoo exclaimed, "Look, there is something in his paw!" Nanaboozhoo carefully opened the tiny paw. All the animals gathered close to see what was held to tightly there. Muskrat's paw opened and revealed a small ball of Earth. The animals all shouted with joy. Muskrat sacrificed his life so that life on Earth could begin anew.

Nanaboozhoo took the piece of Earth from Muskrat's paw. Just then, the turtle swam forward and said, "Use my back to bear the weight of this piece of Earth. With the help of Kitchi-Manitou, we can make a new Earth." Nanaboozhoo put the piece of Earth on the turtle's back. Suddenly, the wind blew from each of the Four Directions. The tiny piece of Earth on turtle's back began to grow. It grew and grew and grew until it formed a mi-ni-si, or island in the water. The island grew larger and larger, but still the turtle bore the weight of the Earth on his back. Nanaboozhoo and the animals all sang and danced in a widening circle on the growing island. After a while, the Four Winds ceased to blow and the waters became still. A huge island sat in the middle of the water, and today that island is known as North America.

Traditional Indian people, including the Ojibway, hold special reverence for the turtle who sacrificed his life and made life possible for the Earth's second people. To this day, the muskrat has been given a good life. No matter that marshes have been drained and their homes destroyed in the name of progress, the muskrat continues to survive and multiply. The muskrats do their part today in remembering the great flood; they build their homes in the shape of the little ball of Earth and the island that was formed from it.

http://www.gct3.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/creation_story.pdf

Petition to keep the school running.

Hon. Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington D.C

Dear Sir:

Where as, having been informed that the Superintendent stationed here at Bay Mills, has sent his resignation into the Indian Office: and where as, having approached the Township Supervisor with the proposition that the Indian School be dispensed with and the present attendance take over by the township: and

Whereas, knowing that it will be utterly impossible for the Indian children to attend same, during the severe winter months: and

Whereas, having always had a good attendance at all times warrants the retaining of the school: and

Whereas, knowing positively that rather than work for the benefit and uplift of Indian, he has been very antagonistic with same, and for this reason, we respectfully petition your honor to ignore the reccomendations [sic] of the teacher, and that the school be retained same as heretofore.

Very truly,
[Signed by many]

Maple sap consists primarily of sucrose, which is sugar, and water. From the process of evaporation through boiling, the sap turns into syrup, which has a higher density of sugar. Depending on the sugar content, it can take up to 50 gallons of sap to be boiled down into a gallon of syrup. The approximate sugar content of sap is 2.5%, and the sugar content of maple syrup is approximately 66.5%.

In order to collect sap from a maple tree, the tree must be at least eight inches in diameter, else you would be taking away its nutrients required to grow, and the tree will die. The tree must also be healthy, else it won't make its sap. For its overall general health, make sure its tree-top is full, without any dead branches, and make sure there aren't too many scars on the bark. A maple tree that is approximately eight inches in diameter, can be around thirty years old, depending on the climate. As the tree ages, you may add up to four taps into one large, healthy tree.

A tree may be able to produce one gallon of sap a day, which can yield a large amount of sap during the season. A season may last a week, or for a month or more. In order to have a proper season, it should be sunny at about 40 degrees during the day, and freezing at night. This typical weather occurs in the spring sometime in March to April. This is the time of year when the trees are dormant, meaning they do not need their sap in order to produce their leaves to start photosynthesis. The only other time the trees are dormant during the year is in the fall. Some sugar bushes are able to receive sap during this time, but the season is a lot shorter.

There are two kinds of maple (inin-autik) trees, soft maple (zhee-maewish) and hard maple. Soft maple starts to bud sooner than hard maple, so it is required to pull their taps once they start. Else they won't produce enough sap to collect, since its using it as energy.

translation - Basil Johnston " Honour Earth Mother"