top of page
Search
Writer's picturezhaawano

Star Stories, part 19: The Blood Moon, When Great Changes Begin

Updated: Apr 15


 

Manidoo-Giizisoons (Little Spirit Moon) (December 28, 2021)

 

Wenabozho Sings at the Blood Moon, Zhaawano Giizhik

 

Boozhoo, aaniin! Today we will take a closer look at a visually stunning appearance of Dibiki-giizis (ᑎᐱᑭ ᑮᓯᔅ, The Moon) called MISKWI-DIBIK-GIIZIS (BLOOD MOON). The moon turns red during ᑰᑯᒥᓯᓈᐣ ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ ᒪᑲᑌᐚᐱᑭᓯᐏᐣ(gookomisinaan dibik-giizis makadewaabikiziwin); this is when our Grandmother is fully eclipsed, especially during the summer moons. The appearance of a Miskwi-dibik-giizis carries powerful spiritual and religious relevance in our culture, symbolizing new beginnings and transitions. She brings with her the energy of fertility, healing and growth, in nature as well as within ourselves.


ᑰᑯᒥᓯᓈᐣ ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ ᒪᑲᑌᐚᐱᑭᓯᐏᐣGookomisinaan dibik-giizis makadewaabikiziwin, a total lunar eclipse, is sometimes called a ᒥᐢᑷ-ᑎᐱᐠ ᑮᓯᐢ (blood moon) because of the reddish tinge ᐚᐏᔦᓯ-ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ (waawiyezi-dibik-giizis; "Full Moon") takes on when fully eclipsed. The atmosphere of ᐊᑭ (Aki, the Earth) scatters and refracts the light from ᑮᓯᐢ (Giizis, the Sun), so Aki appears to be surrounded by a reddish glow on the edge of its disk. Since the blue wavelengths coming from Giizis are scattered by our atmosphere, the light that reaches the Moon is reddish — and we see that effect when the Moon is almost totally obscured by Aki's shadow and turns red. The term "blood moon" is also frequently used to describe four total lunar eclipses that occur in a row. The Ojibweg sometimes call this moon: ᒥᐢᑯᒥᓂ-ᑮᓯᐢ (MISKOMINI GIIZIS) or ᒥᐢᑷᐤᒥᓂ-ᑮᓯᐢ (MISKWIWMINI GIIZIS) - Raspberry moon; the seventh moon of Creation, when great changes begin. It is a time for focusing on healing and restorative activities.


 

Wolf Howling at the Blood Moon © 2022 Zhaawano Giizhik

 

This year, in the sixth moon called ᐅᑌ'ᐃᒥᐣ ᑮᓯᐢ (ODE'IMIN GIIZIS; the Strawberry Moon; June), we saw a total Lunar Eclipse, a Super Flower Blood Moon, a "ring of fire" Solar Eclipse, and a host of bright stars around the Summer Solstice and the WENABOZHO constellation (Scorpio). On the 24th day of this moon, GIIZHIG-ANANG (Venus) and the "Pollux "star appeared closest to each other in the evening sky. The Strawberry Moon was the last supermoon of the year.


ᓅᑯᒥᐢ Nookomis, our word for "Grandmother," has since time immemorial been associated with ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ Dibik-giizis or grandmother moon who, as we know, controls the menstrual cycle of women on earth. Some of our aadizookaanan (sacred stories) connect menstrual blood of women with the Moon and certain stars. One story explains the bright red color of the star commonly called Betelgeuse, or, according to its Latinized Greek name, alpha Orionis. A long time ago, Wenabozho (the Great Hare) and his brother Ma’iingan (Wolf) once fought and defeated a wiindigoo (the spirit of starvation) by taking a menstrual clot from Nookomis, their grandmother, and throwing it at the wiindigoo, covering him in blood.


Since then, Anishinaabe star stories relate of a celestial being with the same name that lies in ambush along the Jiibay-miikana (Milky Way) to snatch those unprepared for the celestial journey. Wiindigoo Anang, which is part of the Gaa-biboonikaan (Bringer of Winter) constellation, is how Anishinaabeg call it...


Images:

Wenabozho Sings at the Blood Moon © 2021 Zhaawano Giizhik

Wolf Howling at the Blood Moon © 2022 Zhaawano Giizhik


 

585 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page