Stories and Teachings from the Earth, part 11: The Meaning of Aadizooke: To Explore the Meaning of Life

zhaawano
Feb 11, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Feb 12

Namebini-giizis/Makwa-giizis (Suckerfish Moon/Bear Moon )- February 11, 2023

This post includes phonetic transcriptions of Ojibwe words and audio recordings.

Sunset Ceremony painting by Zhaawano Giizhik

Gete-gekinoo'amaaged waawiindamaage aadizooked noongom. "Today, the elder storyteller explains the sacred stories to his people."

TO TELL A STORY IS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF LIFE

Aaniin! Biindigen miinawaa nindaadizooke wigamigong; enji-zaagi'iding miinawaa gikendaasong -- Hi! Welcome back to my Storytelling Lodge, where there is love and learning.

The illustration shown above, a painting I created in the summer of 2022, portrays an Anishinaabewinini (Ojibwe man) who has been on the earth for so long that I depicted him as Akiwenzii, a "Long Dweller on the Earth." He is conducting a ceremony in which he shares aadizookanan (sacred stories) with the People. The lake in the background and the campfire symbolize the habitat and cultural unity of the People of the Three Fires, while the glowing sunset behind the lake represents the land in the West where Wenabozho, our most cherished aadizookaan (story figure), is believed to currently reside.

Now, let's take a moment to consider the literal meaning of the Ojibwe Anishinaabe term for "tell a traditional story/storytelling."

Aadizooke/aadizookewin. The verb aadizooke literally means "make life-way of something."

Consequently, aadizookewin, which involves telling traditional stories or legends, goes beyond merely narrating legends; it is about examining the life-way, a way of living.

It's truly the essence of life!

So, If you're curious about the akiwenzii depicted in the painting and his role, he is gigekinoo'amaagedinaan, our teacher and an aadizookaan or "maker of stories," who is explaining to the People the meaning and purpose of life.

Miigwech gibizindaw, thank you for listening!

>Read about Debaajimod, the original storyteller of the Ojibwe Anishinaabe people