Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe and the Gift from the Great Lake

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Aaniin! Biindigen miinawaa nindaadizooke wigamigong ji-maamawoo-nanda-gikendamang. Hello! Welcome once again to my Storytelling Lodge where we can learn together.

Ningad-aadizooke noongom giizhigad! Let’s tell a sacred story today!1

Many lifetimes ago, an abinoojiiyens (young child) vanished into the dense forest near a bay filled with many spirits. 2 Her grieving parents aged and eventually lost hope of ever seeing her again. Ten summers later, to their amazement, the child returned to the lakeside camp where her people spent their summers. Now a young girl, she communicated to her parents using bear gestures and language, explaining that she had been raised by makwag, the black bears! Not used to human company, she spent her time playing by the waters of the nearby bay. The villagers at the summer settlement, recognizing her uniqueness, left her undisturbed.

One day, the girl became friends with a spirit that rose from the bay's waters. She spent a lot of time with this being, which lived in an underwater cave, and they became very close. As time passed, she grew into an oshkiniigikwe (young woman). Her community began calling her Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe, 3 meaning “Middle of Lakeshore Standing Woman,” because she was always seen by the bay and sometimes seemed to vanish into the lake behind it. A young man, observing her from afar, noticed she returned his glances, and they soon decided to marry.

After Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe and her husband settled into a wiigiwaam at the summer camp and hung their garments together, she went to the bayshore to bid farewell to the underwater cave spirit she had come to know. The spirit, feeling her sorrow, reassured her, telling her she could rely on it if she ever needed help; she only had to call its name into the wind, and it would rise from the lake's depths to assist her.

As time went by, Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe, who had left behind her bear habits and learned to speak her people's language, had many children. She became an important ogimaakwe (female leader) in her community, and her renown spread far and wide. One spring day, a mizhinawe (messenger) came to her village, announcing that she and her entire community were invited to a ceremony in a large village located in the heart of a beautiful area of rapids and waterfalls, a few weeks' journey to the east. 4

After loading their wiigwaasi-jiimaanan (birchbark canoes) with items for the ceremony, the villagers embarked onto Anishinaabewi-gichigami, the Great Ojibwe Lake (Superior). The fleet consisted of at least thirty canoes! They had only been paddling for a few hours when atayaa! a massive storm erupted on the lake, and in the blink of an eye, the sky and water shifted from blue to black! The Anishinaabeg, who saw fierce swirling water and waves turning in front of them, quickly tossed handfuls of asemaa (tobacco) to pacify the sky spirits- but it was too late!

A huge sound of thunder rumbled from within the storm, and the frightened travelers saw animikiiwag, the winged thunder beings that had their home on top of the Thunder Mountain, 5 fighting mishiginebigag-huge horned reptiles that lived at the bottom of the lake. The mishiginebigag, seemingly having the upper hand in terms of numbers, pushed the thunder beings away, and they came after Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe's fleet, dragging a few of the jiimaananan (canoes) under. Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe, who was in one of the jiimaanan, managed to pull her children out of the water and lift them into one of the canoes that was still floating. The serpents, however, would not stop attacking, so she cried her spirit-friend's name in the wind: "Mishibizhiw! Mishibizhiw!" Faster than the eye could blink, ahaawa! a shadow with spikes and horns came running on the waves toward the terrifying snakes! Immediately, the serpents turned against the advancing water lynx, and a great battle ensued in the churning water . When the battle was over, they saw to their horror that the mishibizhiw was pulled under...

A tremendous thunderclap resounded from the storm, and the frightened travelers saw the animikiiwag, the winged thunder beings, fighting against the mishiginebigag—huge horned reptiles living at the lake's depths. The mishiginebigag appeared to outnumber the thunder beings, driving them back to their sanctuary on Thunder Mountain, and pursued Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe's fleet, pulling several jiimaananan (canoes) underwater. Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe, aboard one of the jiimaanan, managed to rescue her children from the water and lift them into a remaining canoe. The serpents, however, continued their assault, prompting her to call out her spirit-friend's name into the wind: "Mishibizhiw! Mishibizhiw!" In the blink of an eye, ahaawa! a shadow with spikes and horns charged across the waves toward the menacing snakes! Instantly, the serpents turned to confront the approaching water lynx, leading to a fierce battle in the turbulent waters. When the battle concluded, the Anishinaabeg were horrified to see that the mishibizhiw had been pulled under...

Then, suddenly, the storm cleared, and the Anishinaabeg paddled their canoes to the nearest shore. As soon as she pulled her jiimaan onto the land, Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe knelt on the beach. She cried for her friend, the spirit lynx, who had sacrificed itself to save her and her people...but, ahaawa! unexpectedly, her thought-to-be-lost friend emerged from the bay, holding mishiginebig ogimaa (the chief of the water serpents) in its mouth. After dropping it on the sand, Mishibizhiw repeatedly dove under the water until it had placed all the dead serpents before Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe's people. The dead snakes transformed into copper! Then, Mishibizhiw spoke to them: "Inawemaaganidog! My relatives! I brought you these gifts from the depths of the lake. Remember this moment and ensure you honor them as long as the sun rises in the east and there is water in the lake!"

Giiwenh. This is the story of how the Anishinaabeg came to possess miskwaabik, the sacred ore known as copper. And Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe? She is still honored as the courageous woman who was deeply connected to the lake and the introduction of copper to the Anishinaabe people. Because of this, I like to think of her as the first nibi-ogichidaakwe: warrior of the water. One might say that, being the pioneer in a lineage of water protectors (Those Who Walk for the Water; "Mother Earth Water Walkers"), a movement that gained prominence with the Annual Women’s Water Walk,

Geget sa go, Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe, She-Who-Stands-in-the-Middle-of-Lakeshore, was the true forerunner of its founder, the late Thunder Mountain-based water warrior Josephine Mandamin...

FOOTNOTES:

1 "Naawagaamigaabawi'ikwe and the Gift from the Great Lake" is a free adaptation of an Ojibwe aadizookaan (a ceremonial narrative of a sacred nature), as recounted by Ogimaawab Sutherland from Pagwachuan (Pagwa River), Ontario. The tale emphasizes a mutual and respectful relationship between the Anishinaabe people and the water spirits. The author chose to set his narrative against the backdrop of Animikii-wiikwedong, known today as Thunder Bay in Ontario, the legendary home of, among others, Animikii-binesiwag (the Thunderbirds); mishibizhiwag (horned underwater spirits); and nibaad-misaabe (the rock formation called Sleeping Giant).

2 A bay that harbored many spirits: Animikii-wiikwedong, present-day Thunder Bay in Ontario. This bay in Lake Superior, which derives its name from the presence of amimikii-binesiwag  (Thunderbirds) in the area, holds a deeply spiritual meaning for the local Indigenous people as the dwelling place of mishibizhiwag, powerful cat-like water spirits that control the moods and tides of the water. Mishinizhiwag are often depicted with copper horns, which are symbols of great power, and with palmed paws that enable them to swim fast; their backs and long tails are believed to be covered with scales, often made of pure copper as well, which is a sacred metal in Ojibwe and Ininew (Cree) culture. The Ojibweg, Odaawaag, and Bodewadmik as well as the Ininewak honor the Mishibizhiw as one whose long, slashing tail controls the moods of the Lakes and as a (potentially) dangerous guard of rapids and swift or troubled waters. Yet, no matter how scary and potentially dangerous mishibizhiwag are to Anishinaabe and Ininiw peoples, they love and respect them greatly because they provide them with protection and medicine and secure successful hunts and an abundance of food.

Besides the mishibizhiwag, Thunder Bay is also known for harboring Wenabozho, the long-time friend and teacher of the Anishinaabeg peoples, who rests in the bay in the shape of rock formation called nibaad-misaabe (the Sleeping Giant).Tradition has it that one day Wenabozho was turned into stone to act as a guardian of sacred silver and copper deposit in the bay.

3 Pronounced:  nahw·a-gahm·ih-gah-baw'ick-KWEH. "Naawagaamigaabawi'ik" ([nahw·a-gahm·ih-gah-baw-'ICK]) was the the vocative form (the name used when directly addressing her). Refer to Phonetic Writing Chart #1 for pronunciation guidance.

4 A beautiful place adorned with numerous rapids and waterfalls: Baawiting, "the Place at the Rapids," the area around Baawitigong (present-day Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario and Michigan)).

Anishinaabeg used copper for thousands of years. Copper is sacred to the people of the great lakes. Alongside shores of lake superior lives a water being known to the Anishinaabeg as Mishibizhiw the water panther. Ogiishkimanisii kingfisher. Kingfisher helped Wiinabooz long ago. This bird was ugly at one time and when the kingfisher helped Wiinabooz, and made him beautiful. His name ogiishkimanisii means ricochets off the water because he warns us of a water spirit called Mishibizhiw.Anishinaabeg are known as lake, river and woodland people. Long ago, the Anishinaabeg lived on the great lakes, they were known for they built birchbark canoes. People that come and barter trade for the canoes. A little girl named Naawagamikgabokwe (???) NAAWAGAMIKGAABAWIKWE said she was raised by bears when her parents lost her in the woods when she was a baby and some years later the bear nation returned her to the people. Naawagamikgabokwe would play by the water and she befriended a water spirit. Her father and others saw her playing and they let her be. Naawagamikgabokwe had grown to be a beautiful lady and was set to marry her love. She had to say goodbye to her water spirit that she grew to know. The spirit told her if she ever needed help to call onto the wind his name and the spirit would be present. Time had passed and she had many children. She became one of the great leaders in her community and was invited to a ceremony in Bawating many miles away. They stocked their canoes with goods for the ceremony with thirty canoes in all. They set off into the great lakes and in the distance a great storm erupted, then a huge sound of thunder within the storm. The people were traveling they saw the thunder beings fighting huge serpents. The serpent's pushed the Thunder beings away, and the serpents came after the canoes taking a few of them under. Naawagamikgabokwe was in one of those canoes. She gather her children in water and uplifted them into other canoes. The snakes would not stop advancing. She cried in the wind, her friend name Mishibizhiw. In the distance this huge creature is running on water. The snakes slammed towards Mishibizhiw, eventually Mishibizhiw was pulled under. The storm cleared and Naawagamikgabokwe and the people canoa back to the shores. She was on her knees on the shore lines crying for her friend. Out of nowhere Mishibizhiw appeared out of the water holding a great snake in his mouth, bringing body after body to the shores. Mishibizhiw said to the people I brought you gifts and remember and honor these gifts. Watch the bodies of these beings turn, the snakes turned to copper. This is how Anishinaabeg received copper.

Ogimaawab

The Ojibwe name Naawagamikgabo (often spelled Naawagaamigabaw in standard orthography) combines elements referring to standing in the middle of a body of water or shore. 

Based on Ojibwe linguistic components, the name breaks down as:

·         Naaw- / Naawa-: Means "in the middle" or "center".

·         -agaam-: Refers to a body of water, shore, or edge.

·         -gabo / -gabaw: Derived from noogabaaw, meaning "s/he stands" or "standing" (often used in names to denote a person standing in a specific place or position). 

Ojibwe People's Dictionary +1

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Meaning:Naawagamikgabo translates to "He stands in the middle of the water/lake" or "Standing in the middle of the shore." 

It likely refers to a person standing in a significant, central position on a lake or shoreline. 

One Anishinaabe aadizookaan (traditional Ojibwe story) that beautifully highlights the link between the Mishibizhiw and another important creature from the lake, the mishiginebig, the horned underwater serpent, goes as follows: