Ode’imini-giizis (Strawberry Moon) / Baashkaabigonii-giizis (Blooming Moon), June 6, 2023
"If only our eyes saw spirit instead of matter, souls instead of bodies, essence instead of profit. How different would we view the world. How different our ideals of beauty and humanity would be." — Zhaawano Giizhik
Boozhoo! Today I want to share with you a visual teaching about a topic that lies close to my heart.
A painting and a thought, inspired by a famous quote by the late Mahmoud Salem, who was one of the leading voices of the Egyptian revolution.
When the Europeans planted their boots on Turtle Island and renamed it into America, our ancestors were already running it for a great many generations...They had a completely different outlook on the land and on life in general. Their spirits and worldview have been trampled on by the newcomers, in such a massively destructive way that they have now been completely erased in the minds and the conscience of dominant society.
As an artist and storyteller, I see it as my task to help bringing my ancestors' cultural heritage and Turtle Island worldview back to life, no matter what it takes.
Our voices aren't broken yet, and our eyes still see. It is time we give our ancestors their spirit back.
Miigwech.
Illustration: "When Our Eyes Still Saw," ©2023 Zhaawano Giizhik. Visit the webshop to view a photo wall print of the painting.