Stories from the Land of Crane and Turtle, part 5: Wenabozho and the Disappearance of the Sun
- zhaawano
- Nov 28, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Iskigamizige-giizis/Ziisibaakwadoke-giizis (Boiling Sap Moon/Sugar Making Moon; April 8, 2024)
Boozhoo indinawemaaganidog, gidanamikawininim weweni miinawaa. Biindigeg miinawaa nindaadizooke wigamigong. Hello relatives, I greet you again in a good way! Welcome back to my storytelling lodge. Today, we will witness one of the most remarkable phenomena in nature: the alignment of Mother Earth, Grandmother Moon, and Grandfather Sun. This occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, obscuring the Sun and casting a shadow on Earth.
Today, the Sun and the Moon join in a sacred union, dancing together!
~~ ECLIPSE (THEY DANCED TOGETHER) ~~
I had a dream of The sun and the moon Lovers Their paths seldom crossed Longing, missing Chasing, circling One starlit day They did catch up They danced together They danced together The Universe gazed in awe Of their eclipse.*
The men's ring shown above is titled ‘‘Il Sole Nero." This translates from Italian to ‘‘Black Sun."
The ring is a designer band made of platinum with beveled edges and features a brilliant-cut black diamond. It is part of my platinum ring collection "IL Disegno della Purezza" (Pure Design). In Anishinaabemowin, the language of my Ojibwe ancestors, Il Sole Nero would be "Makadewaabikizi," meaning "The Sun Blackens."
Inspired by the circular paths of the moon and the sun, the elegant design of the ring represents the idea that everything in nature is round or circular. The black diamond set in the center of the platinum band tells the story of ANGOSHKAA GIMISHOOMISINAAN GIIZIS, "the Disappearance of Our Grandfather the Sun." My Anishinaabe ancestors, who called Grandfather Giizis the Grandfather of all Life and He Who Stands above All, were profoundly moved by the phenomenon of the solar eclipse. For them, it was an awe-inspiring time of reflection and awareness...
Ahaaw,'ngad aazooke noongom...Now I will narrate a sacred story...Wenabozho miinawaa Angoshkaa Omishoomisan Giizis Aadizookaan: the Story of Wenabozho and the Disappearance of Grandfather Sun...This narrative is loosely inspired by the story "Waynaboozhoo and the Solar Eclipse - The Relationship between Sun and Moon," as recounted by Ojibwe Elder Edward Benton Banai in his book The Mishomis Book - The Voice of the Ojibway.
~~ WENABOZHO AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SUN ~~
Wenabozho, the first man and hero of the Anishinaabeg, kept moving toward his brother Waaban, the Sunrise. He observed that the land flattened into an expansive mashkode (plain). Wenabozho couldn't see the end of these mashkoden (plains). Despite the apparent emptiness of the boundless mashkoden, he realized they were still full of life, songs, and energy.
After walking for many days, Wenabozho noticed something unusual! The weather had become extremely hot, and the animals around him had ceased their search for food. With a shiver, he realized they had even fallen completely silent! Even the yellow lady slipper wildflower he passed had stopped nodding its tiny makizinan (moccasins)! Could this be connected to oshki-agoojin, the rise of the new moon he witnessed last night? Then, tayaa! suddenly, in broad daylight, a shadow began to move across the face of Omishoomisan Giizis, Grandfather Sun. Dibishkoo makadeyaanaagwanaanakwad ina, he thought: "It is as if dark clouds completely cover the universe?"
Wenabozho grew increasingly frightened as the shadow expanded. The sound of a water drum beating and ceremonial rattles shaking, seemingly emanating from the nearby river bluffs, shattered the silence before abruptly ceasing... The light on Omizakamigokwe, the Earth Mother, faded with each breath he took! Eventually, a thick layer of darkness enveloped agotakamig, the surface of aki, the earth. Even the giizhig-waawanoon, the sky eggs, those oval eyes in the sky that serve as Doorways to the origin of life, vanished. All of earth's creatures, except for Wenabozho, turned their faces away. Geget, even the miigisag, the sacred seashells, retreated deep into the earth, and the hills and mountains averted their gaze...
The day had shifted into night!
For a moment, Wenabozho stood frozen, staring at the yawning black hole in the sky, his heart racing as he frantically searched for the sun. "Makadewaabikizi a’aw giizis! (The Sun has turned black!)" he cried out in terror. Then, he had a realization. He sat on the ground with his eyes closed, smoking his red stone pipe. A profound silence enveloped him, a calming stillness washed over him. The earth was motionless. Suddenly, tayaa! with a burst of light, Grandfather began to reappear, and light slowly returned to aki! The hills and mountains opened their eyes once more, as did the sky... Wenabozho heard the drumbeats echoing from the river bluffs again, and the sound of the rattles he had heard before the Sun turned black filled the air more than ever... Grateful for what had just occurred, he lifted his pipe above his head and thanked the spirit of darkness that had briefly reminded him of his smallness and vulnerability within the cosmic totality...
Now, you are probably curious about what led Wenabozho to settle down and silently smoke his pipe as the world lay in complete darkness?
Standing there in the dark feeling helpless, Wenabozho suddenly remembered that Nookomis’s spirit had once spoken to him from her resting place on Dibik-giizis (the Night Sun; the Moon). Grandmother had informed him that eventually, Omishoomisan Giizis would provide Wenabozho with a sign that would explain the relationship between the Sun and Nookomis Giizis (Grandmother Moon).
Wenabozho, feeling a great sense of relief, understood that he had witnessed Nookomis Giizis, representing woman, and Omishoomisan Giizis, representing man, coming together to honor their sacred connection. He decided that this sign, which would be known as Giizis Nibo (The Sun Dies) or Makadewaabikizi (The Sun Becomes Black), would serve as a reminder to all ikweg (women) and ininiwag (men) of the Anishinaabeg Peoples about their duties to one another, in their lives and in their interactions with all living beings, enh geget sa go! even amidst their daily, earthly tasks!
Nookomis had also told her grandson that initially, a spirit had populated Waawiyekamig (the Universe) with a vast family of stars, moons, and planets. This was done in a sacred order and for a sacred purpose. According to Nookomis, Angoshkaa Giizis – this sign of Makadewaabikizi, the Sun turning black – should be seen as evidence of the organic way these celestial family members interact. Wenabozho understood that what he observed, the Sun seemingly dying, was proof of the natural harmony existing throughout Creation. Enh, the temporary darkening of the Sun Grandfather serves as a reminder that death is simply a normal part of the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Darkness may briefly fall upon the earth, but the light—the fire of the Sun—will always return. The temporary death of the Sun reminds us to live and appreciate life to the fullest... to reseed and recommit ourselves to everything that holds significance in our life on earth...
Gimishoomisinaan Giizis, our Sun Grandfather, Wenabozho reflected, consistently provides Aki with his warmth and light. "Enh geget, indeed," Wenabozho thought, "maanoo, however, even for a short time, Grandfather deserved a rest! A rest to remind the Anishinaabeg not to take the Sun or any part of Creation for granted!"
"Furthermore," he continued, "this is especially true for one's own role!"
Mii sa ekoozid. Miigwech bezindawiyan noongom mii dash gidibaajimotoon wa’aw aadizookaan. That concludes the story. Thank you for listening today and for letting me share this sacred tale with you. Giga-waabamin wayiiba, I look forward to seeing you again soon....
Poetry inspired by the poem "Eclipse" (author unknown). Source: Word Porn.
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