The Traditional Anishinaabe World View.pdf

The Universe of The Ojibwe Anishinaabeg by Zhaawano Giizhik - 2014
MANOOMIN: the rhythmic sound of
paddles stirring the calm, transparent
waters of a lake is music to the
Anishinaabe ear; the same goes for rice
sticks gently knocking on stalks of
manoomin (wild rice). Within living
memory, manoomin, the sacred foodthat-grows-on-water,
forms the chief
cereal food in many a southern
Anishinaabe community. It abounds in
countless lakes, ripening earliest in the
shallow lakes fed by streams and later
in the lakes fed by springs. While
manoominike is traditionally an industry
essential to sustenance and trade, it
has, like the maple sugar camp, a
pleasant social phase. To this day,
manoominike is the activity in the
regions around the Great Lakes that
most enlivens Anishinaabe-sense of identity. So sacred is manoomin, that when
somebody leaves for the Land of Souls, the People offer a little rice for the spirit/soul of
the deceased to travel its journey. In the drawing, the long rice of manoomin is
represented by the hair of the dancing woman (top right in the drawing).
“Manoomin, Spirit Of The wild Rice”, bracelet of silver, gold, turquoise stones, and shell inlay, designed and
handcrafted by jewelry designer Zhaawano Giizhik. Click on image to view details of the bracelet.
The Universe of The Ojibwe Anishinaabeg by Zhaawano Giizhik - 2014
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