Star Stories, part 17: Jiingwan and the Blood Star
- zhaawano
- Oct 15, 2021
- 36 min read
Updated: Feb 5
Baashkaakodin-Giizis/Gashkadino-Giizis (Freezing Over Moon) (November 1, 2021)
Updated: Manidoo-giizis (Spirit Moon) (January 29, 2026)
The Fish Clan Massacre at the Great Sea River © 2023 Zhaawano Giizhik
The tale of how a brave Anishinaabe man called Jiingwan (Meteor) defeated the dreaded Wiindigoo in the Winter Bringer constellation and became a Name Giver of the children of his Nation. The tale of Jiingwan highlights the cultural importance of mapping human experiences, courage, and natural cycles onto the stars, transforming the sky into a living, teaching narrative.
Boozhoo, aaniin! Biindigen miinawaa nindaadizooke wigamigong; enji-zaagi'iding miinawaa gikendaasong. Ninga-aadizooke noongom giizhigad! "Hello my relatives, I greet you in a good way. Welcome back to my Storytelling Lodge, a place of love and knowing. Let's tell a story today!"
Apane dabasenindizon. Gego ani-izhaakegon Wiindigoo endaad.
"Always be modest. Don’t go where the Wiindigoo lives!"
- Anishinaabe sayingWESHKAD (HOW IT ALL BEGAN)
Long ago, the wiindigoog, those giants from the marshes and caves of the northern regions, were originally anishinaabeg (human beings) who followed Gichi-dibaakoniwewin, the Great Binding Law that guides us to live good and virtuous lives, showing kindness and respect to all living beings. However, something shifted, and they transformed into cannibals... they became wiindigoog!
It is believed that in a much more distant past, these wiindigoog were not humans but spirits residing along the shores of the Jiibay-ziibi, the great River of Souls winding through the Galaxy. They were eerie beings, resembling enormous, terrifying skeletons with bones protruding against their ash-gray skin, the color of death. In this celestial realm floating in the sky, they would lie in wait to capture and consume the unfortunate souls of deceased humans who were unprepared for their journey to Waakwi—the Land beyond the stars where their ancestors dwelled.
"Straight through the void of space from the stars the Wiindigoo came, moving through the earth to stabilize the tumbling, holding the Earth's poles constant." Illustration: "Wiindigoo and the Creation of the Ice Poles"
© 2023 Zhaawano Giizhik.
But then, countless strings of lives ago, the earth shifted, causing worldwide chaos. During this upheaval, the sky wiindigoog emerged to restore order. They journeyed directly from the stars, traversing the void of space, and moved through the earth to stabilize its rotation, ensuring the Earth's poles remained steady. As a token of gratitude, they were granted the gift of ice for maintaining the earth's poles. This event signified the creation of biboon (winter) and the beginning of the Anishinaabe calendar. From that point on, the cycle of the seasons began in January, aligning with the full moon when the suckerfish return from the spirit world to purify the waters.
Wiindigoo, with the plural form wiindigoog, is an Ojibwe term derived from wintekwewa. It describes an entity invoked or designated by higher powers, similar to the Windigoo, which is depicted as a creature driven by malevolent forces.Then, on a fateful day, some humans, who had previously been content with eating giigoonhyag (the fish) from the rivers and lakes, forgot the teachings. They neglected the benevolent acts of the wiindigoo spirits that had come to earth to save it. They disregarded the seven teachings passed down by their ancestors from the Dawn Land. Succumbing to evil ways, they found that the fish in the water could no longer satisfy their unending hunger. From that day forward, only the taste of human flesh could satiate them, leading them to become cannibals. Their spirit of greed and destruction spread to others, driving them to commit unspeakable acts...Many who were infected ended up killing and eating their own families...
Atayaa! They began to resemble the wiindigoo spirits from the sky! Not only did their appearance become like the wiindigoog: they truly transformed into wiindigoog! Their hearts became ice...
For many winters, this new race of wiindigoog brought death and destruction to our communities. They were never satisfied after consuming another human being. They not only killed our people but also made a habit of tearing apart children, elders, and women, scattering their body parts as they moved on. They did this to instill fear and terror in the hearts and minds of the Anishinaabeg, knowing that the place called Waakwi—the Land behind the stars where our ancestors reside—cannot be entered without all of our body parts intact.
It was widely recognized that, from the wiindigoo’s perspective, they weren’t merely consuming humans; in their view, when devouring human flesh and bones, they were actually consuming the doodemag (clans) of their victims. ¹ This represented the greatest threat imaginable to the Anishinaabeg, as consuming our clans would, both literally and metaphorically, result in the disintegration of our social structure. Consequently, the People as a whole would inevitably face extinction…
“Betag!” the parents and grandparents would say to their children and grandchildren, “Gaagige weweni onji ashwaabam wiindigoo! Aabanaabin bezhigo bimose’an ingoji! Be cautious! Watch out for the Winter Cannibal! Always keep an eye out for him! Check behind you when you walk alone!”
Consequently, the wiindigoog, those saviors from the sky world who had once restored balance to the planet, turned into the greatest threat our People had encountered since ancient times...
"Even though Gizhiiyaase outran all the hares he had gathered in his fur blanket, the Wiindigoo ogimaa’s legs were too long for him, allowing the latter to reach the finish line first. He waited by the campfire for the weary Gizhiiyaase to arrive. Then, in front of the frightened villagers, he grabbed the unfortunate Gizhiiyaase and, roaring 'Ondaas giigoonhs (come here, little fish!),' he slayed the poor man without mercy..." Illustration: Gizhiiyaase miinawaa Wiindigoo (Fast Runner and the Cannibal from the North), ©2021 Zhaawano Giizhik.
THE FISH CLAN MASSACRE AT THE GREAT SEA RIVER
At a summer camp near the Gichigami-ziibi, or “Sea River” (known today as St. Mary’s River, Ontario), there lived a proud young Anishinaabewinini (Ojibwe man) named Gizhiiyaase, or Swift Runner. He was a member of the Awaasii doodem (Catfish Clan), and his People recognized him as an exceptional athlete. Even during the summer, he would proudly walk around the camp wrapped in a waabowayaan (blanket) made from the pelts of rabbits and hares he had outrun and caught. Confident in his abilities, he believed he could defeat the cannibals and thus challenged the ogimaa (chief) of the Wiindigoo Nation to a race. They agreed to race from the campfire in the village center to the river and back.
Even though Gizhiiyaase outran all the hares he had gathered in his fur blanket, the Wiindigoo ogimaa’s legs were too long for him, allowing the latter to reach the finish line first. He waited by the campfire for the weary Gizhiiyaase to arrive. Then, in front of the frightened villagers, he grabbed the unfortunate Gizhiiyaase and, roaring “Ondaas giigoonhs (come here, little fish!),” bit off his head, arms, and legs, devouring his rump on the spot. Once finished, the bloodthirsty ogimaa began running around the camp, annihilating every person belonging to Gizhiiyaase's doodem, including women and children. Not a single member of the Fish Clan in the village survived the massacre!
As if that weren't enough, the Wiindigoo chief decreed that from that day on, all other doodemag — including bear clans, hoof clans, bird clans, little paw clans, and others — were to be banned as well. He declared that each day, a wiindigoo must visit the villages throughout Anishinaabe Aki to kill a child, turning their suffering into a sport and mockery. Geget! Due to Gizhiiyaase’s foolishness, the Anishinaabeg Peoples paid a terrible, terrible price!
JIINGWAN'S DREAM
"
Like a meteor he flashed through the giizhigoon (skies), four times around the sun....He traveled past countless planets and stars, with the river's dark shimmer always on his left. Four sturgeons, seemingly composed of star dust and each carrying a pipe, appeared from the corner of his spirit eye and danced before him in a single line. It seemed as though they were guiding him somewhere..." Illustration: "Jiingwan and the wenabozho Star - The Journey" ©2026 Zhaawano Giizhik.
Now, in a village across the Gichigami-ziibi, within a beautiful land of cascades and rapids, there lived another Anishinaabewinini (man) who, unlike the unfortunate Gizhiiyaase, was not an athlete. However, his gift was equally powerful! He possessed the gift of inaabandamowin (dreaming). His name was Jiingwan (Stone Falling out of the Sky), and he was part of the waabizheshi doodem (the Marten Clan).
One day, Jiingwan (pronounced: gene-GUN), who was in his forties, took his drum and pipe bag and climbed a bluff that overlooked the river. Upon reaching the top, he played his hand drum and sang a sacred song:
Nin debaab aazhawi-anangoong, Giga gikinoowezhigoog jiingwanan.
Nin debidan aazhawi-anangoong, Giga noondagoog aadizookaanag.
Gaagige gidebitaagooz. Nizoongitaagozi, niminowe.
Baashkanang giga mizhinawe-ig. Ji-mino-dodoman, nibawaajige.
"I can see beyond the stars The meteors will guide.
I can hear beyond the stars, The spirit helpers will hear.
Your voice is without time. My voice is strong and good. Through a Shooting Star will you speak And I will have good dreams.”
He sat there for three days, and on the subsequent night, he dreamt of departing aki (our world). Like a meteor, he soared through the giizhigoon (skies), circling the sun four times. His spiritual journey led him onto the Thunderbird Path, a shadowy, winding road lined with numerous ode’iminaganzhiin (strawberry bushes) and boodawaanan (campfires). The beings he met on this path were gray, shapeless, and silent, seemingly intent on avoiding him. Some moved slowly as if in a trance, each following their own rhythm. To his left, a ghastly river with still waters, smelling and appearing like death, flowed sluggishly alongside the road. Various creatures of the water clans sat silent and still on its barren banks, as if waiting for something or someone. He even caught sight of memegwesiwag, little people, vanishing from his view faster than the speed of light! "What are they doing here, and what are they waiting for?" he wondered. He journeyed past countless planets and stars, with the river's dark shimmer always on his left. In the distance, he saw turtles leaving a shimmering trail of cedar leaves behind them, and suddenly he understood the sacred connection between the cedar trees and the Anishinaabe people...reminding him of how intricately the physical and spiritual worlds, the earthly and the celestial, are linked. Then, four namewag (lake sturgeons), seemingly composed of star dust and each carrying a pipe, appeared from the corner of his right eye and danced before him in a single line, and from his left eye, he noticed several nigigwag (otters) with silvery pelts swimming and sliding up and down the river shore. It seemed as though they were guiding him somewhere...
Then, in the corner of his right eye, he noticed the Wenabozho constellation drawing near. He perceived what resembled a hunter to him, his long arms encompassing the entire sky, aiming his bow toward a vast opening in the sky, a bagonegiizhig (hole in the sky) surrounded by seven twinkling stars....² Suddenly, the gap engulfed him, and he was transported to another world, vibrant with colors and harmonious sounds...
In this far-off galactic realm, Jiingwan's journey, which had been eventful and lasted mere seconds yet seemed like years to him, abruptly came to a halt; still dreaming, he touched down on the surface of another aki.
THE GRANDMOTHER IN THE SKY LAND
Jiingwan journeyed for days through this mysterious celestial land among the stars, and after traversing a vast barren plain, he arrived at its boundary. There, at the very edge of this land, he met a gookominaan (elderly woman) with a face blackened and eyes filled with profound sadness. She was kneeling beside what appeared to him as a massive mishiginebig (Horned Underwater Snake). This river carried black, foreboding water that stretched wide and far across the Galaxy. It was so expansive that he couldn't see the other side! Jiingwan instinctively realized it was the same eerie river he had encountered before: it was Jiibay-ziibi, the river of souls! ³
The elderly woman was rocking slowly back and forth and wailed with sorrow and despair. After Jiingwan had greeted her with what he thought to be the proper deference and protocol, he asked her in a soft voice, aaniin dash wenji-mawiyan, nooko? Why are you crying, grandmother? After a long silence, her blank gaze — obviously caused by a terrible pain — directed at the cold river, the grandmother started to speak in a quavering voice. She told Jiingwan about the Wiindigoo ogimaa who had wiped out Gizhiiyaase’s Clan People.
“Ever since the Wiindigoo ogimaa killed Gizhiiyaase and annihilated all the fish clan members in his community, we, the survivors, have been on the run. They vowed to eradicate all our other doodemag as well! Once, there were numerous villages filled with many Anishinaabeg, but now only I and a few abinoojiinyag (children) remain! We had to escape to this land beyond the sun, moon, and stars, and we run, and we run, and we run, yet there is no hope for us. The Galactic River of Souls is the original home of the Wiindigoo Nation, and the chief of the Wiindigoo Nation, capable of moving through time and space to reach his prey, has found us and arrived at this sky land where we hide. Now he continues to prey upon us. ⁴ I am merely a mindimooyens, an old woman; ⁵ what can I do? Soon our People will be extinct, but until then, we must engage in the ritual of makadekewin (fasting) and waaseyaabindamowin (questing for dream). Until that day comes, we have no choice but to seek solace and relief from the aadizookaanag (spirit helpers) and bawaajiganag (dream visitors), and just keep running. I will be the last of my People, and this knowledge weighs heavy on my old heart.”
THE CHILDREN WHO WALKED UPON THE WATER
"The Wiindigoo and the Children Running Upon the Water" © 2026 Zhaawano Giizhik
Just as grandmother concluded her story, Jiingwan, still in a dream-like state, noticed movement in the river from the corner of his eye. He heard faint cries that he believed were from abinoojiinyag, and upon closer inspection, he was startled to see eight small ghostly figures, their tiny feet running across the river's surface. Like the grandmother before him, their hollow-eyed faces were painted black, the color of death! The echoes of their tiny footsteps on the river, bouncing between its misty banks and dark sandbars, sent chills down his spine!
“Aaniishnaa! Awenen igiwe abinoojiinhyag nookoo?” he asked the old woman. “What in the world! Who are those children, grandmother?” The old woman explained to Jiingwan that, in an effort to prevent her people from becoming extinct, she had gathered about forty children who had survived the massacre by the wiindigoog and taken them to the land beyond the sky dome. There, she had them practice running on the black river bank where she now stood, back and forth, all day, every day, to prepare for the return of the fearsome wiindigoo. When that day arrives, she said, one of the remaining children will need to outrun this wiindigoo. Many children had perished during previous encounters with the cannibal, and now only eight abinoojiinyag were left. She explained to Jiingwan that with each race, another child died. She was the last one to race the monster…
After a prolonged silence, during which he contemplated gookominaan’s tale, Jiingwan inquired of the old woman how the children managed to run on water without sinking. The grandmother then explained that water is fundamentally a healing source. However, due to the trauma they had endured, the children could only run on the water's surface. The old woman, having gathered them from different parts of Anishinaabe Aki at a young age to hide them from the wiindigoog, noted that they were unaware of their doodem or who their parents were. They couldn't even recall their own names! They were entirely lost and nameless to themselves, to one another, and to the old woman, who felt deep compassion for them. This is why she understood the vital importance of them undergoing the ancient healing ceremonies of their People.
Grandmother explained to Jiingwan that participating in healing ceremonies is akin to delving into one's subconscious, and that entering the healing water is analogous to this process. She noted that as children, we develop in our mother's womb, enveloped by water, which is a safe environment for most of us to grow and thrive. With a deep sigh, she added: “But nowadays, the world children are born into is not a safe place. Wiindigoog, in various forms, threaten them and harm their bodies and souls. Both the ceremonies and the water assist in healing these wounds and restoring their emotional balance. It is only when these unfortunate children partake in the ceremonies that they learn to submerge in the water once more, and only then can they begin to heal their spirits and emotions.”
“I understand what you’re saying, nookoo,” Jiingwan replied, “but why do you make them run constantly instead of holding a ceremony with them?” The old woman, with deep sadness in her hollow eyes, explained that she had no choice because the wiindigoo that emerged from the earth would only cease killing the Anishinaabeg if one of them could defeat it in a race. “This, ningwiise, ⁶ is why we keep running and running, until we can run no more…”
With a deep sigh, she continued, “Only after they have defeated this wiindigoo will the abinoojiinyag be permitted to enter the ceremony and heal. It is only then that they will no longer be condemned to walk on the water's surface; only then will they be able to swim in it rather than having to walk above it…”
THE COMING OF THE SKY WIINDIGOO
Early the next morning, Jiingwan, a guest at the riverside camp, awoke abruptly. The typically foggy sky was illuminated by an unusual glow. As he noticed the old woman and children already awake and standing at the riverbank, their bodies swaying and their voices filled with fear and despair, he saw a massive dark shadow approaching the land from his dream. It leaped effortlessly across the Jiibay-ziibi, the river of souls! It was the wiindigoo ogimaa the old woman had spoken of!
Before Jiingwan could blink twice, the monster's enormous shadow darkened the sky land. The ground beneath it trembled, and a voice like thunder echoed across the galaxy. With disgust, Jiingwan observed the creature. The giant in front of him was so thin it appeared emaciated, with its parched skin stretched tightly over its bones. Its bones protruded against its skin, its complexion was the ash gray of death, and its bloodshot eyes were deeply recessed in their sockets. To Jiingwan, it resembled a gaunt skeleton recently unearthed from the grave. Its lips were torn and bloody. Unclean and suffering from skin lesions, the Wiindigoo emitted a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption…⁷
With a thunderous sound that echoed across the sky land, the monster, who seemingly referred to humans as giigoonh (fish), roared: “Shkozin, ondaashaan giigoonhwensag. Wewiib, wewiib, ambesa, ambe omaa bi-izhaan. Nimaapiji-bakade noongom. Ambe gagwejikanidiwag noongom (Wake up!! Come here, little fish! Hurry, hurry, come on, come here! I am terribly hungry today! Let’s race each other today!)”
Jiingwan possessed the serene wisdom of the moon, yet he also had the intense temper of a comet circling the sun. Without hesitation, he sprang to his feet, gripping his war club tightly in his right hand, and charged toward the giant wiindigoo that had leaped across the River of Souls and now stood firmly in the camp. But then, tayaa! the old woman stepped between him and the cannibal, stopping him with a firm gesture of her hand.
“Gaawiin ningwiise,” she said, “gego babaamenimaaken a’aw wiindigoo. Maanoo da-ozhiitaa a’aw abinoojiinh daga (No my son. Don’t bother that cannibal. Let the child get ready, please).” With tears in his eyes, Jiingwan watched as one of the children painted her face with the color of death and walked toward the cannibal, who stood grinning and drooling, ready to race her. Feeling helpless and frustrated that he could do nothing to help, Jiingwan walked away from the horrific scene he knew was about to happen. He tried to soothe his conscience by telling himself he was merely a bystander and must let fate take its course, but it was in vain. He knew he had to do something to stop the senseless killing. He realized he could never outrun the wiindigoo; yet his intuition told him that a solution must be found in a dream or vision rather than through physical strength and speed…
Later that morning, the children stumbled back to camp, their frail shoulders sagging, their soot-covered faces showing silent agony. Jiingwan counted seven. The cannibal monster had departed, and he realized the little girl had lost the race and been torn apart by it, her body consumed without pity. He clenched his jaw and fists. “I wish I could find a way to defeat this wiindigoo ogimaa that preys on and devastates my People,” he thought to himself, “and I wish I could rescue the abinoojiinyag and restore their lives and names. I'm certain that destroying the monster will make its earthly kin cease their reign of terror over my People.”
JIINGWAN'S SECOND DREAM
"Jiingwan's second Dream," line art by Zhaawano Giizhik. ©Zhaawano Giizhik 2021.
Feeling both disgusted and frustrated, yet resolute in seeking strength through self-reflection and dreams, Jiingwan left the camp. He constructed a lean-to on a distant hill to fast in solitude. The beat of his hand drum echoed across the planet, and once more, he sang his sacred medicine song.
Nin debaab aazhawi-anangoong, Giga gikinoowezhigoog jiingwanan.
Nin debidan aazhawi-anangoong, Giga noondagoog aadizookaanag.
Gaagige gidebitaagooz, Nizoongitaagozi, niminowe.
Ozaawi-waseyaa giga mizhinawe-ig. Ji-mino-dodoman, nibawaajige.
.
"I can see beyond the stars The meteors will guide.
I can hear beyond the stars, The spirit helpers will hear.
Your voice sounds forever, My voice is strong and good. Through a yellow light will you speak, And I will have good dreams.”
On the fourth day, he entered a new level of reality. The dream he had sought finally arrived — or rather, a vision within a dream! Before his spiritual eye, an incredibly bright star appeared, seemingly emerging from behind the moon. He reached out to touch it, and suddenly, before he could blink, an even more intense light blinded him. When he opened his eyes, the woman from the camp stood before him — but this time, she did not appear as a mindimooyeh (elderly woman); she came to him as an oshki-ikwe (young woman) covered in star dust! She was the tallest and most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her hair, no longer white as snow, was instead a stunning glossy jet black. Her bright and vibrant yellow eyes, adorning a friendly round face, were free of the sorrow and despair he had observed in the elder woman he met by the riverbank.
Aaniin ningwiise, the woman spoke clearly, "Wezaawigiizhigookwe niin nindizhinikaaz, dibik-giizis niin nindoonjibaa (My name is Yellow Sky Woman and I come from the Moon). The first two Anishinaabeg (humans) are my children; long ago, I gave birth to them in the sky. Nookomis Dibik-giizis, Grandmother Moon, who is my mother and the grandmother of you and your People, sent me to you.”
After gazing deeply into his eyes, the celestial visitor continued: “As you know, my mother, the moon, watches over nibi (the waters) of the Earth below. Nibi always precedes new life. The waters are sacred and healing. My mother is especially close to ikwewag (women) because she governs the women’s cleansing cycle, the natural cycle of menstruation known as oshkizagiziwin, or “first moon time.” Just as my mother oversees the waters of the Earth, the women on earth protect the waters of the People. This moon cycle is a gift to women, a time for mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual cleansing. The moon time is regarded as a powerful period, second only to the life-giving powers of the Gichi-manidoo (Great Mystery of Life) and the Giizis (Sun). That is the strength of this power! I have come to you in this vision because it is time to save the abinoojiinyag from the glutton. With your assistance, we will harness the power from my mother to bring mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to the abinoojiinyag and restore their names, and thus, their identity.
Now, as the daughter and messenger of Nookomis the Moon, I present you with this eagle feather and a menstrual cloth from her. The eagle feather is the most potent messenger, symbolizing love, truth, power, and freedom, and embodies the balance between light and dark. Grandmother’s blood is equally potent, being the most powerful nibi (water) there is. Use both the eagle feather and the cloth soaked in grandmother's blood as you deem necessary in your battle with the wiindigoo of the Winter Bringer Star. But act swiftly, as you departed the camp four sunrises ago, and now only seven abinoojiinyag remain alive.
And keep in mind: when you confront the wiindigoo, your heart will be fortified by all the other doodemag of your People — including the bird clans, the fish clans, the big claws and the little claws, the hoof clans, and the clans of those that inhabit the space between water and land.”
Jiingwan quietly observed the feather and the blood-stained cloth placed before him by his dream visitor, uncertain of their significance. He pondered her words about his heart being strengthened by all the doodemag of his Nation. "How could anyone expect me to represent a doodem other than my own, one I wasn't born into?" he wondered to himself. "Wouldn't that be presumptuous?"
Just as he was about to ask her what she wanted from him, he realized his visitor had vanished. “Was she merely an illusion?” he wondered. “Could she have been a trickster spirit attempting to deceive me with the feather and ridicule me with this menstrual cloth? An eagle feather and a menstrual cloth, what a strange pairing! Could she have been a wiindigoo in disguise? If so, does she aim to confuse me and drive me to madness or self-destruction?”
THE CONTEST
Jiingwan miinawaa Ishpiming Wiindigoo ("Meteor and the Sky Cannibal"), pen and ink drawing by Zhaawano Giizhik ©2021. Jiingwan confronts the feared Sky Wiindigoo, shown here with a rattlesnake emerging from its bloodshot eye. Jiingwan presents an eagle feather to the Cannibal, symbolizing the power he gained through a dream. Symbols of the doodemag (clans) of his People are incorporated into his arms and the feather's tip.
This concept, known as x-ray view or vision, illustrates the internal structures of people and animals, symbolizing their inner spiritual life. Above Jiingwan, there is a red orb with blood drops seeping from it, representing the wiindigoo anang, or the star commonly known as Betelgeuse. ©Zhaawano Giizhik 2021.
All of a sudden, his focus shifted to the river. He heard the wailing voices and frantic cries of the children, overshadowed by the sound of heavy footsteps that made the ground tremble. Inspired by his vision, which he now realized was rich with meaning and strength, Jiingwan secured the eagle feather to his braid. He swiftly leaped up and, with his war club in one hand and the blood-stained cloth in the other, sprinted toward the riverbank.
There, he saw the giant cannibal in the center of the camp, its foul breath filling the air, growling and shouting its usual mantra, “Wake up!! Wake up Little Fish!! Hurry, hurry, come on, come here! I am terribly hungry today! Let’s race each other today!” The seven children, eyes wide with shock, screamed in terror as they tried to hide behind the old woman who stood before the monster, her face painted black, shaking her turtle shell rattle, and singing in a trembling, high-pitched voice. Grinning and showing his repulsive teeth, the giant took a step towards them. The children scattered from the camp, screaming, and hid in bushes, gullies, behind trees and rocks—anywhere they could find cover.
“Tayaa ookweg!” the monster bellowed, “You cannot hide, you maggots! Ondaashaan omaa bi-izhaan giigoonhwensag! You cannot escape from me, little fish! I will find you and destroy you all!”
Without hesitation, Jiingwan, holding the eagle feather high above him, stepped between the trembling grandmother and the cannibal. He stared directly into the eyes of the agitated monster and calmly said, “Bizaanabin. Amii ninik (Stop. That’s enough).” The sight of the eagle feather — a symbol embodying everything a wiindigoo fears and detests, such as courage, nobility, respect, humility, and most importantly, love — made the Giant flinch and even momentarily retreat, though he quickly regained his hostile demeanor.
Awenen giin? it asked, shaking its head at the absurdity. "Who are you? And what are you doing with that bineshiwigwan (little bird feather)?"
“Nindizhinikaaz Jiingwan (I am Meteor),” responded the courageous Anishinaabe standing before him. “Waabizheshi nindoodem (the marten is my clan). This migizi miigwan (eagle feather) that I present to you came to me in a dream.”
“Aa!” the monster replied, “Ambe sa. Ambe waabizhens. Biidii biidii. Geyaabi nimbakade. Nizhiga’jibii. Ambe gagwejikazhiba'idiwag (Come! Come here then little marten! Come here chicky chicky! I am still hungry and tired of waiting. Let’s race each other!)”
“You will be defeated” Jiingwan said.
“Atayaa! How dare you think you can defeat me in a contest!” roared the cannibal. As he examined his opponent from head to toe, he scoffed, “how can you even start to believe you can prevail against me? You are nothing more than a memegwesiins, a little goblin!” ⁸
“I dreamed I would defeat you,” Jiingwan replied calmly, concealing his war club and the bloodied cloth behind his back. “Tayaa!” his opponent exclaimed. “A dream? Whatever you dreamed of cannot surpass the vision I experienced. I have fasted for as many days as there are children remaining, and in this dream, my challenger was none other than the mighty trickster Wenabozho, ⁹ who, by the way, was no match for me! He hadn't even emerged from his little rabbit hole to race me before I reached the finish line! As soon as his sorry self reached the finish line, I defeated him and skinned him alive!”
“Ha!” the giant, who was obviously bragging,¹⁰ continued, looking at the Anishinaabe in front of him. “I wonder what futile dream you had? How many days have YOU fasted? What do you have to show for it? Do you have proof of this dream you speak of so vainly, other than that pitiful feather of a nestling that you are waiving in my face? Where is your medicine? Where is your amulet?” And he triumphantly pointed at a large gashkibidaagan (pouch) he wore around its neck. The pouch, made of the skins of many jack rabbits, was obviously a show of his magical speed.
“I do not wear one,” Jiingwan simply answered. “All I have is this feather, and my dream. My dream is my power.”
“Aanish ambe gagwejikanidiwag memegwes, then let’s race dwarf,” the giant cannibal retorted, snorting with contempt, and they ran, from the river bank to the other side of the land they were on, and back. Jiingwan, the eagle feather fastened to his braid, his war club stuck in the back of his belt and the bloody cloth of the grandmother in his medicine pouch around his neck, ran easily and in long, loping strides — yet he allowed the giant to take the lead from the start. His dream and the honor that he now knew lay in representing not just his own but all of the doodemag of his People, gave him formidable courage and running strength. He sensed that his ancestors ran with him! He ran like a lynx, making no sound, staying close to his contestant, but he made sure to restrain his speed in order for the Giant to reach the finish line first. Once there, the wiindigoo, clearly wearied by the race he had run, stood leaning forward hands resting on his knees, panting.
Gasping for air, his eyes briefly widened with a mix of terror and disbelief, then narrowed in anger at his tormentor, who appeared unfazed. He snarled, “Tayaa ookwe, gibejibatoo sa (Psaw, maggot! Aren't you slow!)” With contempt in his bloodstained eyes and death in his labored breath, he rose. But before he could strike Jiingwan with his claws, Jiingwan, retrieving the menstrual blood cloth from his pouch, leaped forward with a shout. He hurled the cloth at the monster's face with all his strength. The blood of grandmother Moon immediately blinded him. Covered in blood, his blinded eyes darted around in horror as he growled and wailed, his arms flailing wildly. A giant zhiishiigwe (rattlesnake) emerged from his right eye and lunged at Jiingwan's throat, but Jiingwan fiercely struck it with his club. The stunned reptile, its tail rattling, quickly slithered away, trying to hide in the undergrowth at Jiingwan's feet. Grunting, the wiindigoo sat down, muttering to himself, his hollow eye sockets bleeding as they stared into nothingness.
"Zhawenimishin daga!" grunted the Giant. Disoriented and defeated, he begged Jiingwan for mercy, promising to allow the remaining abinoojiinyag to live and to leave, never to return. However, Jiingwan, determined to end the wiindigoo terror once and for all and empowered by the presence of all the doodemag of his People, gripped his war club tightly in his right hand. Carefully avoiding the writhing snake in front of him, he leaped forward in one smooth motion. Before the monster realized what had happened, Jiingwan split its head with a mighty blow of his weapon. As the Giant's skull cracked open, the soil of the sky land was stained red with a river of blood...
Mii go gichi-wiiyagaaj, but unfortunately, the Wiindigoo, though bleeding heavily, was not dead! How could it be? After all, it wasn't human. Jiingwan realized he needed to take more drastic measures than just clubbing it. So, before the maji-manidoo (evil spirit) could regain its strength, he asked the grandmother to assist in creating a very strong medicine cord to tie it up. Together, they constructed a dome-shaped structure low to the ground, called madoodoowigamig (sweat lodge), a place for purification and healing. They dug a shallow fire pit in the center of the lodge, which was completely sealed with blankets. A fire was built in front of the lodge, and seven grandfather stones — which they and the children had brought from more inland areas since river rocks would be too wet for the purpose — were heated in it, then placed inside the lodge.
As the Grandfather stones radiated within the fire pit, Jiingwan dragged the bound body of the injured wiindigoo into the lodge's damp darkness. He poured a mysterious liquid, given to him by the grandmother, over the heated stones and sprinkled giizhik aniibiishan (cedar leaves) from his medicine pouch onto them. Chanting and shaking his turtle shell rattle, he kept his gaze fixed on the wiindigoo, continuing to pour and smudge until the spirits instructed him to stop. In the steaming hot vapor and intense aroma released by the magical liquid and herbs, the wiindigoo began to twist and squirm its bound body vigorously. Suddenly, gagging, the creature threw its head back and tayaa! a large block of ice fell from its ghastly mouth! That was when Jiingwan realized the wiindigoo before him was not only defeated; it had transformed back into an anishinaabe (human being)!
Jiingwan dragged him outside and untied him. "Na," he remarked with a cynical expression, "gidandawi'aaganiw noongom (Look, you are cured now).” “Oo gaawiin! Gaawiin! Gaawiin! (Oh no! No! No!)" the man in front of him cried out, his bloodied, eyeless face twisted in agony. "Geget sa!" Jiingwan replied, “Oh yes! You were possessed by a heart of ice, see what you did with it! You and your kind killed your own families and consumed them, then you became the ogimaa (chief) of all the cannibals and devoured many children. You even pursued the poor children into the sky world, continuing to terrorize them. Now that I have expelled the ice from your evil heart, you can no longer harm the children. The children are now safe from your crimes, and you must live forever with the consequences of your terrible actions. You are condemned to remain here eternally as a ghost in the twilight realm, endlessly wandering the ghostly banks of the Jiibay-ziibi, the River of Souls.” The man, no longer a shadow of the giant monster he once was, rose and departed. Jiingwan watched his silhouette quietly fade into the night until it disappeared... He sighed deeply, suddenly feeling very weary.
THE RETURN
Jiingwan awoke from his dream. Sitting on his bluff overlooking the great sea river, he surveyed his surroundings. It was still summer — which confused him since it seemed as though he had been gone for many moons! He realized that the dream which had taken him to the sky land had likely lasted only a short time — perhaps just seconds. It was still night. The moon smiled, and the Wenabozho in the Thunderbird Path still pointed at the hole in the sky through which he had been transported in his dream, to the sky world, and then back to earth. This reassured him. Aapiji mino-dibikad ("tonight is a very good night"), he said to himself, his gaze fixed on the stars, and then, smiling, "Grandfathers, I sense your quiet mystery behind the moon and sit here knowing you are near." He strained his eyes to see the distant land his dream had taken him to, but as he studied the starry pattern of the Wenabozho constellation, he became distracted by a comet flashing by.
He recalled the wiindigoo Chief he had defeated and the purification ceremony that had restored his humanity. His mind wandered to the children and the grandmother whom the Giant had compelled to run on top of the water. Where might they be now? What had happened to them? Were they safe? Then he remembered the vision within his dream about the sky woman who had given him the eagle feather and the bloodstained cloth of her mother, the moon. He reflected on the courage these items had provided him to conquer the dreadful cannibal monster, thereby breaking the cycle of violence. He looked at his hands but found no trace of blood! As he touched his hair, tayaa! he was relieved to find the feather still there, reassuring him that the dream was not an illusion. Once more, he gazed up at the moon; she continued to smile at him.
He rose, collected his ceremonial items, and headed towards the river. As he followed a trail beside the river leading to the village, hoowah! he heard the joyful sounds of children playing in the water. Then, as he rounded a curve in the path, he saw them! Seven children were bathing and playing in the moonlit water. He recognized their faces. They were the same abinoojiinyag he had left behind in the sky land he had visited in his dream!
When they saw him, their faces, no longer bearing the hues of mourning and death, brightened at his presence. They gathered around him, calling him mishoo, “grandfather,” and grasped his hand to show their relief and gratitude. They told him that the wiindigoog who had invaded the land of rapids and waterfalls, slaughtering and consuming their parents and grandparents, had retreated to the far north where snow and ice persist year-round, lamenting the loss of their leader, slain by Jiingwan in the celestial realm among the stars. When he inquired about the old woman, the children replied that she had disappeared into a column of stardust after ensuring their safety. Smiling, Jiingwan took out his drum and sang an ancient song, to which the abinoojiiyag listened intently. He looked into the eyes of each abinoojiinyag and said, gizhawenimik nookomis dibik-giizis, “Grandmother Moon is generous with you all.”
“Ambe izhaadaa oodenaang, ambe wiisinidaa miinawaa nibaadaa, Come on, let’s go to the village, let’s eat and sleep,” he told the children, who then followed the path to his village. Upon arrival, he was relieved to find that most villagers had escaped the wiindigoog's terror. Everyone was delighted to see him and thankful that the wiindigoog had left the area. His wife greeted him and his protégés with a warm smile and loving eyes. They welcomed the tired and hungry children into their wiigiwaam. After the children had eaten and fallen asleep, he shared with his wife the dream that had taken him to the sky land — and back.
THE SIGN
"Tayaa! that is when he saw the big sky hunter shoot an arrow across the firmament. It was an onwaachigewin anang (prophecy star)!"
Summer transitioned into fall, and fall into winter. With the wiindigoog gone, life had returned to normal, bringing peace and stability back to the land. One night during Manidoo-Giizisoons (Little Spirit Moon), Jiingwan stepped outside and gazed at the Gaa-biboonikaan (Winter Bringer constellation) in the southwestern sky. Tayaa! That was when he witnessed the great sky hunter shoot an arrow across thefirmament. It was an onwaachigewin anang (prophecy star)! ¹¹
Suddenly, the star stopped directly above him, its flame reaching a peak before fading and disappearing into the distance. Straining his eyes, he could just make out the faint blue shimmer of its tail moving, as it seemed to him, toward the frozen river. He recognized it as a sign, understanding that the meteor was a message wrapped in flame and dust. He took out his drum and walked toward the bend in the river where he had met the abinoojiinyag, who now lay peacefully asleep in his wiigiwaam.
Upon arrival, he observed that the beach and the silver aspen trees lining it were illuminated by a radiant blue light. He settled on the sand and built a campfire. Then, he retrieved his hand drum from its case. Abruptly, the light shifted from blue to a dazzling yellow, nearly blinding him. He felt the campfire's flames flicker against his cheeks and forehead. With his eyes shut, he began to drum and chanted his song in a high-pitched voice.
Niin jiingwan.
Jiingwan nindizhinikaaz.
Nin debaab aazhawi-anangoong, Giga gikinoowezhigoog anangoog.
Nin debidan aazhawi-anangoong, Giga noondagoog aadizookaanag.
Gaagige gidebitaagooz, Nizoongitaagozi, niminowe.
Gookomisinaan giga mizhinawe-ig, Ji-mino-dodoman, nibawaajige.
"I am a meteor.
Stone Falling out of the Sky is my name.
I can see beyond the stars The stars will guide.
I can hear beyond the stars, The spirit helpers will hear.
Your voice sounds forever, My voice is strong and good. Through Our Grandmother shall you speak, And I will have good dreams.”
While he sang, a shadow emerged in his mind's eye from behind the moon, moving gracefully toward the earth. In an instant, a woman appeared beside him. It was the grandmother who had visited him in his dream among the stars! Her face was no longer painted with the color of death, nor was it twisted in terror and grief. Though she did not appear as a young woman this time, she was just as he remembered from his dream in the sky land: beautiful, kind, and loving.
With her eyes sparkling with stars of light and hope, the mindimooyeh spoke to him gently and warmly, telling him that the spirits had chosen him to protect, heal, and save the children who had survived the feared wiindigoog. Only seven had survived, and these fortunate ones, the grandmother explained, were essential for the Anishinaabeg's survival. She told Jiingwan that when spring arrived and the ice melted, he needed to take them to the river for a ceremony. She reminded him again that participating in the ceremony and entering the water would aid in healing their traumas.
“It is only after they, as survivors of the wiindigoog terror, participate in the ceremonies that they learn to return to the water,” she explained, “and only then can they start to heal their spirits.”
After a short pause, the grandmother went on to tell him that he, Jiingwan, had received a unique gift in a dream: the sacred ability to give his People spiritual names…
Before Jiingwan could ask her what that meant, the grandmother gently touched the eagle feather in his hair and rose, singing and dancing away in a spiraling column of yellow stardust. Just before vanishing behind the moon, her voice echoed once more:
Gizhaazh abinoonjiinyag. Abinoonjiiyag mikwendaagoziwag.
“Watch over the children! The children will be remembered.”
THE CEREMONY
Jiingwan sat quietly under the starlit night, reflecting on the vision he had experienced. Suddenly, he realized what was expected of him. Rising, he returned to the village. Three moons passed. One day during the Pokwaagami-giizis (Broken Snowshoe Moon), he woke his wife just before dawn and reminded her of the vision he had received the previous summer. He instructed her to get up, gather the abinoonjiinyag, and take them to the river. There, he explained, she must conduct a women’s water ceremony to honor ogashinan (the earth grandmother), nookomis dibik-giizis (the moon grandmother), and aanikoobijiganan (the ancestors).
His wife, recognizing the significance of her role, followed the instructions given to her. A madoodoowigamig (sweat lodge) ¹² was constructed by the water. Asemaa (tobacco) was offered to the fire; nibi (water) was prayed for. Sacred foods were shared and offered to the fire. Prayers were recited, and teachings were imparted. At last, the healing of the children had commenced!
As the story concludes, Jiingwan began conducting ceremonies to bestow names upon the abinoonjiinyag — the names by which the spirits of the Universe would recognize them. They no longer needed to run across the water. They started to identify themselves as Anishinaabe.
BIRTH OF THE BLOOD STAR
"To his astonishment, he noticed a very bright star hanging from the right shoulder of the Winter Bringer, something he hadn't observed before. The star was as red as blood! With a jolt, he recognized it as the sky land from his first dream..."
Seven moons had passed since Jiingwan had conducted the ceremony for the children and bestowed names upon them. The children, who had started to heal from their emotional scars and finally recalled their identities and origins, had returned to their respective villages—where they were warmly embraced by the few uncles and aunties who had survived the wiindigoo massacres. One night, Jiingwan emerged from his wiigiwaam to observe the flashing jiingwanan (meteors) in the winter sky. His gaze wandered toward the River of Souls; he noticed that the Wenabozho constellation had dipped below the western horizon, making way for the Winter Bringer, the mighty hunter whose arms would soon extend wide and far across the northern part of the galaxy.
To his astonishment, he noticed a very bright star hanging from the right shoulder of the Winter Bringer, something he hadn't observed before. The star was as red as blood! With a jolt, he recognized it as the sky land from his first dream. It was tinted red by the moon's blood, which he had used to defeat the wiindigoo ogimaa! He smiled...
EPILOGUE: THE WIINDIGOO AS A METAPHOR
Many years later, the Anishinaabeg continue to honor Jiingwan for rescuing the children by defeating the wiindigoo ogimaa and becoming their name-giver. The Chief of the Cannibal Nation, whom he defeated, is still remembered through the red star known as Wiindigoo Anang (The Cannibal Star), ¹³ where it is believed his tormented and restless spirit still resides.
But listen! Although Jiingwan succeeded in defeating the ogimaa of the Cannibals and permanently exiled the rest of his tribe to the far north, the wiindigoo still lingers among us in spirit! His footprints remain all around us! Today, wiindigoo aadizookaanan (wiindigoo stories) serve as cautionary tales about isolation, self-destruction, greed, and selfishness. They emphasize the importance of community spirit and a strong sense of responsibility toward the collective.
The wiindigoo will remain until the world's end. The elders among us understand the link between them and the ice ages. Cannibalism is a remnant from the beings that inhabited the earth during the last ice age. Granting the wiindigoowag spirits the ability to envelop the earth in ice forever unleashed the wiindigoo's innate desire to consume its own kind throughout every era; this desire will continue until the earth is destroyed by fire. It is also believed that any creature—not just humans—can become a wiindigoo, and there have been numerous accounts of a psychosis that overtakes the minds of creatures, leading to sudden and intense madness. This condition is known as wiindigoo psychosis.
Today, the wiindigoo symbolizes various negative forces that threaten and harm us as a People — such as forced displacement, the intergenerational trauma from the boarding/residential school experience, racism, unchecked consumerism, cultural appropriation, widespread and systematic exploitation and pollution of our lands and waters by multinationals, the prevalent substance abuse and violence within our communities including the rampant issue of 'Pretendian Hunting,' and particularly, the extensive child abuse and sexual aggression against our young women and men, committed by both outsiders and our own people. Underneath all of this, the wiindigoo likely embodies the deep fear of losing our identity and land...
Haw sa, make no mistake about it. The bloodthirsty ghost of the Wiindigoo still lurks, not only along the Jiibay-ziibi in the night sky, where it hunts the souls of the deceased to prevent them from reaching Gaagige Minawaanigozigiwining, the Land of Everlasting Happiness. Though no longer physically present among us, its toxic spirit of greed, gluttony, and excess continues to exist on earth, always on the lookout. It subtly manifests itself, disguising as innocence, deceit, detachment, rationalization, and self-denial. The Wiindigoo spirit still infects otherwise healthy individuals or communities with the evils of gluttony and weakness. Some of its victims suffer from mental or behavioral disorders or commit suicide. It is even said that humans corrupted by greed, laziness, or religious zeal will eventually turn into a wiindigoo themselves, only to infect others who will eventually follow the same path of abuse, delusion, and destruction.
Enh, gaagige weweni onji akawaabam wiindigoo! Be cautious of the feared wiindigoo, constantly be vigilant for his presence as he infiltrates our homes, hearts, and minds, causing depression and anxiety, and posing a threat to our children, our culture, and our existence as a People...
Aaniin igo, bekish, simultaneously, we must remember that everything in our world possesses a dual nature. We should not forget that the wiindigoo was once a savior who descended to earth to restore order by forming the ice poles, thereby starting the seasonal cycle we recognize today. For this, he is worthy of our everlasting praise...
Ahaaw sa. Mii sa ekoozid. Miigwech gibizindaw noongom. That concludes today's teaching. Thank you for listening. Giga-waabamin wayiiba giishpin manidoo inendang, I will see you again soon, if the Great Mystery allows. Mino bimaadizin! Live well!
NOTES
¹ The Anishinaabe peoples are divided into a number of doodemag, or clans, (singular: odoodem) named mainly after animals. In Anishinaabemowin, "ode'" means heart. "Odoodem" or clan literally would translate as the expression of, or having to do with one's heart; in other words odoodem refers to the extended family. Each odoodem represents a core branch of knowledge and responsibility essential to Anishinaabe society. The doodemag used to be instrumental in traditional occupations, intertribal relations, and marriages. ^
² Binesiwi-miikana, the Thunderbird Path, also called Jiibay-miikana or Jiibay-ziibi (Path/River of Souls), is an Ojibwe expression denoting the Milky Way Galaxy. Wenabozho Anang (the Nanabozho constellation) is a summer constellation in the galaxy which is taking turns with Gaa-biboonikaan, a winter constellation, called Orion on Western star maps. The Wenabozho/Winter Bringer, which uses many of Orion’s stars and whose arms stretch from Aldebaran (in Taurus the bull) to Procyon the Little Dog Star, embraces the whole of the summer/winter sky. The presence of Gaa-biboonikaan heralds winter; when spring appears, Gaa-biboonikaan sinks into the west and Wenabozho Anang (the Nanabozho constellation) appears. Wenabozho points the jiibayag (soul-spirits of the deceased) the way to our source and our origin: the Bagone-giizhig –“Hole in the Sky,” a constellation the ancient Greeks named the Pleiades. As soon as the first snow falls Gaa-biboonikaan returns and takes the place of Wenabozho Anang again. ^
³ River of Souls: the Milky Way. ^
⁴ Wiindigoo, the cannibal winter monster from the North, does not only live in the below-world; old Anishinaabe star stories relate of a celestial being with the same name that is known to lie in ambush along the Jiibay-ziibi (Milky Way) to snatch deceased humans who are unprepared for the celestial journey. In some ancient stories this sky wiindigoo is represented by a bright red star called Ishpiming Wiindigoo. This “Cannibal in the Sky,” which sits right above the shoulder of the Gaa-biboonikaan winter constellation (Orion), is called alpha Orionis on Western star maps. ^
⁵ The Ojibwe word for an elderly woman (mindimooyenh or mindimooyens) is a term of respect as it describes one who holds everything together, from the family to the Nation. ^
⁶ Ningwiise: an archaic expression meaning “my son.” ^
⁷ Source: Basil Johnston. ^
⁸ Memegwesiins, or memegwesi: a good-natured but also mischievous bank-dwelling water spirit with a hairy face that lives on steep slopes in rocky areas around the lakes, and famous for its medicine. Memegwesiwag are said to travel in stone canoes and although they were in possession of stone paddles, their canoe moved alone, as if powered by some external force... Their name means "Persons Who Speak Strangely." Once they were looked upon as powerful dream guardians, and if a person fasted in search of a vision, he or she would sometimes dream of the Memegwesiwag, which would protect the dreamer against the evil spell of a jaasakiid or shaking tent seer. ^
⁹ Wenabozho: The Great Trickster Hare. Wenabozho literally means "Trembling Tail." He is also known by a variety of other names and spellings, including Wenaboozhoo, Wiinabozho, Nanabozho, Manabozho, Nanabush, and Wiisagejaak. Wenabozho is half man half manidoo (spirit), considered to be the source and embodiment of the lives of all sentient things, such as humans, animals, and plants. Every living thing on, beneath, and above the earth he gifted with a spirit and a soul, and to each he taught – through his magic powers or through his parabolic stories – the necessary tricks needed to outsmart and outwit their enemies. Not only did he impart to the Anishinaabeg the best remedies for treating illnesses, he, being an expert shape shifter himself, taught the animals how to disguise themselves so that they could survive. Although he often presents himself as a trickster and a mischievous fantasist, the Anishinaabeg regard Wenabozho first and foremost as a aadizookaan (spirit grandfather) possessing great wisdom in the prolonging of life. Wenabozho was, and still is, without doubt the best friend of the Anishinaabeg Peoples. ^
¹⁰ Wenabozho was a manidoo (spirit) and could therefore not be killed. ^
¹¹ Onwaachige-anang: Prophecy Star. Also called Gichi-anang, enwaachiged anang and niigaanaajimo anang. These names are sometimes used to denote Halley’s comet. The Orionids that typically appear each year around October/November are believed to come from this comet. The Prophecy Star takes about 76 years to orbit Giizis (the Sun) once.
It is understood that the Prophecy stars, which contain rock, ice, and dust, are sent down by GICHI-MANIDOO to deliver a message for all who are open to it. Some Elders say that the great miigis (sea shell) was a meteor and that the Anishinaabeg followed this star to the west. This was the first seven fire sign. The story of the prophecy star tells that, when nature becomes out of balance and the People lose their spiritual path and purpose, a star spirit would return and either restore life from a new beginning or help the People to survive and thrive again. ^
¹² A sweat lodge or madoodoowigamig is a domed-shaped and circular structure built low to the ground. Symbolizing the womb of Mother Earth, a madoodoowigamig is a place of purification and refuge and healing but also a sacred place to get answers and guidance by praying to the aadizookaanag (spirit grandfathers), to the bawaaganag (guardian spirits appearing in dreams), to the personal doodem (clan) helpers, to Gichi-manidoo(the Great Mystery), and to Nimaamaa-aki(Mother Earth herself). The Lodge is basically a place where a small group of people combine their spirits ‘‘to create an opening through which this Great Mystery can flow freely." Only those persons chosen, trained, or otherwise specifically directed by qualified tribal Elders are allowed to work with the Sweat Lodge. Source: The Way of the Heartbeat. ^
¹³ Wiindigoo Anang, which is part of the Gaa-biboonikaan (Bringer of Winter, Orion) winter constellation, is called alpha Orionis in Western star maps. Also known by its more popular name Betelgeuse. ^
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