This article came from MFNERC’s magazine.
By Tamara Eaker Content Development
⟳ Last updated | Monday, July 3, 2023
OSHKAABEWIS DIBAAJIMOWIN
Jason Bone is from Keeseekoowenin First Nation and studies the teachings of the Ojibwe language. This is the third of a six-part series about Anishinaabewin giondaadiziiwin (birth of the human way). He will relate a little bit of the Anishinaabe worldview in each edition of his column.
And as all these things blossomed on earth, there was something occurring up in that sky world: a war. There was a war happening in several areas. There were different people, different beings out there that were fighting with themselves, with each other. But there was a species that was already traveling. And one of them was what we called nenaanikwe, a woman.
She was given the instruction of finding a source of life to bring them to. And she sent her thoughts out like static electricity. And as she sent her thoughts throughout the universe, she was given replies. So she went to all these different places that responded to her. And she was introduced to these life forms, but she knew it just wasn’t the place it wasn’t what she was being attracted to. So finally, again, she was desperate.
She sent out her voice again, her thoughts, and very faintly, she heard what we call matwaywii (the pulse). The sound that is made is a thump. That’s what she was hearing faintly. And she was so attracted to it. She didn’t know what was making that sound. But she could see that doorway bagano giizhig (the hole in the day). That is where she was at, on the other side of this milky way, what we see, dabishkoo giizhig (the other side of the universe). She was on the other side of that Moon. Gabekina (what we call Pleiades, or the seven sisters), that is what direction she was coming from. And she entered that doorway it was zhaabaandawin (it was this tunnel).
She was so amazed at that and it propelled her so quickly, she was able to meet every planet along the way. And as she approached this earth, she had never seen anything so beautiful. And she realized the pulse was coming from the sun. The sun was talking to her. It was that pulse that invited her. This is where we want you. This is a place that we made specifically for you. But you must learn about it, the sun was telling her. As she came closer and closer to the world, she saw how unique it was and she didn’t want to disturb it.
So, she went around the planet several times and learned by observing the animals, the plants, how they work, how they function, and the science behind them. She saw how unique this planet really truly was because she went to different places before coming here. This was the only place she thought, “Man, this is the most beautiful place. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
