Teachings of the Eagle Feather, part 24
- zhaawano
- Jun 29, 2020
- 18 min read
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
~HOW THE SMOKING OF THE PIPE BROUGHT PEACE AND HEALING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE THREE FIRES~
Odemiini-giizis (Strawberry Moon) / Baashkaabigonii-giizis (Blooming Moon), June 21, 2022. Updated: Gichi-biboon-giizis (Big Winter Moon) (December 16, 2025)
Boozhoo indinawemaaganidog, gidinimikoo miinawaa. Biindigeg miinawaa nindaadizooke wigamigong; enji-zaagi'iding miinawaa gikendaasong. Ninga-dadibaajimo noongom giizhigad! Hello my relatives, I greet you in a good way. Welcome back in my Storytelling Lodge where legends and teaching stories are told. Let's tell a true story today!
This blog post includes audio recordings that provide pronunciations of Ojibwe words!
The narrative revolves around a "story necklace" crafted at my studio bench, titled Manidoo Niswii-mishkodewin (Spirit of the Three Fires). The refined gold and stone-and-coral eagle feather chain necklace embodies my passion for the rich oral history of my ancestors, the Gichigamiin Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), who have lived in the heart of the North American Great Lakes for at least 1200 summers. The story is further enriched with four images of colorful paintings I created as illustrations for the narrative.
Before we delve into the story, let's look at the Ojibwe word for fire, as fire is a key element in our narrative. Below, you'll find some expressions and words related to fire, along with their conjugations. The pronunciations are given in non-standardized "folk-phonetics" using English phonology, though not according to the IPA standard.
ISHKODE - A FIRE
Pronounce: ISH-koh-TAY
NIBOODAWE - I BUILD A FIRE
Pronounced: nih-boot-tah-WAY
Note: The prefix "ni-" indicates the first person singular
GIBOODAWE - YOU BUILD A FIRE
Pronounced: gih-boot-tah-WAY
Note: The prefix "gi-" indicates the second person singular
BOODAWE - TO MAKE OR BUILD A FIRE; (S)HE MAKES OR BUILDS A FIRE (verb bimaadizi intransitive)
Pronounced: boot-tah-WAY
BOODAWAADAN - TO BUILD A FIRE IN IT; TO FIRE IT (A STOVE) UP (verb transitive bimaadad); IMPERATIVE FORM OF BOODAWE
Pronounced: boot-tah-WAA-tun
BOODAWED - A FIRE BUILDER
Pronounced: boot-tah-WAYT
Note: the suffix "d-" indicates the third person singular conjunct
BOODEWAADAMII - A HEARTH TENDER; A MEMBER OF THE POTAWATOMI NATION
Pronounced: boo-tay-WAAT-tah-mee
GANAWISHKODAWE - (S)HE KEEPS THE FIRE, TENDS THE FIRE (verb bimaadizi intransitive)
Pronounced: GUN-ah-wish-KOH-toh-way
GENAWISHKODAWED - A FIREKEEPER
Pronounced: GEN-ah-wish-KOH-toh-wayt (G as in Gun)
Note: the "ga-" becomes "ge-" and the suffix "-d" signifies the third person singular changed conjunct
MISHOOMISAG GANAWISHKODAWEWAG - "THE GRANDFATHERS TEND THE FIRE"
Pronounced: mih-SHOO-miss-ug GUN-ah-wish-KOH-toh-way-wug
Note: the suffixes "ag" and "-wag" indicate the third person plural form
Break-down of the verb ganawishkodawe:
ganaw = care, attend
-ishkodaw = fire
-e = incorporating vowel
Conjugations of the verb ganawishkodawe:
Niganawishkodawe - I tend the Fire
Note: The prefix "ni-" indicates the first person singular
Giganawishkodawe - You tend the Fire
Note: The prefix "gi-" indicates the second person singular
Ganawishkodawe - To tend the fire; (s)he tends the Fire
Niganawishkodawemin - We (exclusive) tend the Fire
Note: The prefix "ni-" and the suffix "-min" indicate the exclusive "we" form (only you and me)
Giganawishkodawemin - We (inclusive) tend the Fire
Note: The prefix "gi-" and the suffix "-min" indicate the inclusive "we" form (you, me, and everyone else)
Giganawishkodawem - You (plural) tend the Fire
Note: The prefix "gi-" and the suffix "-m" indicate the plural form of "you"
Ganawishkodawewag - They tend the Fire
Note: The suffix "-wag" indicates the third person plural form
ADDITIONAL AUDIO RECORDINGS RELATED TO ISHKODE:
ISHKODEKE—S/HE MAKES A FIRE
Pronounced: ish-koht-teh-ih-KEH
Niganawishkodawe - I tend the Fire
Giganawishkodawe - You tend the Fire
Ganawishkodawe - (S)he tends the Fire
Giganawishkodawem - You (plural) tend the fire
Giganawishkodawemin - We (inclusive) tend the fire
Niganawishkodawemin - We (exclusive) tend the fire
Ganawe'ishkode'iwe — (S)he keeps the fire over there, tends the fire over there
Miziweshkode—Fire is everywhere; "The fire of faraway stars."
NB: It's important to recognize that Ojibwe dialects differ throughout Anishinaabe Aki, and the pronunciations mentioned above may not represent those of any particular area.
Ahaaw! Ninga-dadibaajimo (Now, I will tell the story!) *
PART 1: THE MEETING
Many lifetimes ago, the Ojibwe, Odaawaa (Odawa), and Bodewadmi (Potawatomi) peoples were adversaries. An Ojibwe man named Inendaamowin (Mind) had ten sons, all of whom he raised to be ogichidaag (warriors), and all were killed in battle. Similarly, an Odaawaa man known as Owiiyaw (Body) also had ten warrior sons who met the same fate. At the same time, a Bodewadmi man named Achaak (Spirit) lost his ten sons in raids. Each father was left childless. Overcome with grief, the three men saw no reason to continue living. They left their families and wandered into the woods, seeking a place to begin their journey to the Land of Souls.
The Ojibwe man, who had become an akiwenziinh (caretaker of the earth, which is what we call the elders of our Nation), journeyed west until he was utterly exhausted. He then spotted a bright object in the western sky, recognizing it as a miigis (sea shell), and decided to head in its direction. Upon reaching a beautiful resting place—an island called Mishi-makinaak-ong, the Place of the Great Snapping Turtle—he saw the miigis hovering directly above a gichi-mitig (big tree). It was a giizhikaandag, a northern white cedar! The tree had a long ojiibik (root) extending toward the east. The root was as long as a tree is tall and very thick. Inendaamowin lay down to rest for a while, then looked southward. There, he saw another very long ojiibik—as long as the one stretching to the east—running toward the south. He went to the west and north sides of the tree and discovered two more ojiibikan, each as long as a tree is high. Around the tree, the grass grew lush and abundant. He circled the tree until he returned to the east and realized that the four ojiibikan pointed precisely in the four directions!
As he gazed at the tree, he noticed it had four massive wadikwanan (branches), extending one each to the East, West, South, and North. These were the only branches on the tree, stretching out as far as the roots. Upon closer inspection of the tree, which soared into the sky, he observed that there were no aniibiishan (leaves) until the very top, and even there, only a few were present. Surrounding the tree was the blue sky, and there was an absence of wind or breeze.
As the akiwenziinh circled the tree, he felt joyful and momentarily forgot his sorrow over losing his sons. He had never encountered such a beautiful place. While sitting there, he heard a sound resembling someone crying. He looked around but saw no one. Eventually, he noticed another akiwenziinh approaching from the south, walking toward the tree, weeping and mourning just as he had earlier. Upon reaching the spot, the newcomer was struck by its beauty and stopped crying. He observed the surroundings of the tree and then noticed the first man. Seeing that the man was mourning, he asked him why.
The Ojibwe man, seated at the foot of the great tree, remarked, "I had ten sons and lost them all in war. Feeling I had nothing left to live for, I wandered until that miigis led me to this beautiful place." He gestured with his lips toward the seashell still hovering above the tree. The Odaawaa man named Body said, "I did the same. I had ten sons, all of whom were killed, and I no longer wished to live. I wandered off to die, and that seashell brought me to this place." He also gestured with his lips toward the miigis in the sky.
The men reminisced about the past, and as they conversed, they forgot their sorrow and felt joyful. During their discussion, they heard the sound of someone crying. In the distance, they saw a man approaching, weeping and mourning. This man was about the same age as the other two, perhaps a few years younger, and he walked along wearily. He was the man mentioned earlier, known as Spirit. Both men watched him as he came from the west and approached the western root of the tree. Spirit paused to examine the root and began to appreciate the beauty of the tree and the place, wiping away his tears. As he reached the tree, the Ojibwe man and the Odaawaa man inquired about his identity and the reason for his mourning. He replied that he was a Bodewadmi and was mourning his ten sons lost in war. Like them, he had wandered off to die and, like them, had followed the bright sign in the sky.
Each of them shared their stories and realized that the same force had led them to this place. The Ojibwe man remarked, "It is the will of GICHI-MANIDOO (the Great Mystery of Life) that has brought us together here."
They all agreed. Once the sun had set, Mind brought a piece of wood, followed by Body and Spirit. The three Elders lit a campfire. It was already past midnight, and they noticed the air around the gichi-mitig was very still and calm. The silence was profound, and they felt that every word they uttered could be heard by anangoog, the stars, and Nookomis Dibik-giizis, Grandmother Moon. Together, they declared, "Manidoog, the spirits, have sent us here to hold council together. There has been too much conflict in our lives."
PART 2: THE GRANDMOTHER
All three men, each lost in contemplation, gazed into the fire when suddenly the figure of a Grandmother appeared within it. In her left hand, she held a small water drum with a miigis (sea shell) resting on its membrane; her right hand grasped a braid of freshly picked sweetgrass. She gently placed the drum on the ground. Crossing her arms and looking each man in the eyes—first the Ojibwe man, then the Odaawaa man, and finally the Bodewadmi man—she spoke these words:
"Boozhoo Nindawemaadog! Greetings, my brothers! Manidoo Ishkodekwe nindizhinikaaz, I am Spirit Fire Woman. Today, I will impart an important teaching, eye'." After a brief pause, she continued: "Each of you holds a fire within. Each of you holds water within. You all originate from the sky. You were all born on the same earth. This is why I present to you the water drum, which comes from the sun and is filled with the sacred water, a sea shell from the Ocean symbolizing life, and a braid of sweetgrass, which is the hair of our mother, the Earth.
For life to exist, water is essential. Similarly, sunlight is necessary for growth on earth. This duality of fundamental elements in nature, such as water and fire, earth and sky, moon and sun, along with female and male, and naawe-nangweyaabe—an identity that is 'in the middle'—is what enables Creation to function as it does. Water is linked to our mother, the Earth, and our grandmother, the Moon, while fire is associated with our Grandfather, the Sun. Both natural and spiritual energies, evident in your rituals and ceremonies, are interdependent, just as you, as brother Nations, rely on one another. Just as female, male, and 'in the middle' energies must collaborate to generate and sustain life, it is crucial for you, the brother nations, to coexist and cooperate to restore life to and ensure the continuity of the Anishinaabeg as a whole.
Inaa! So! The spiritual division of primary female and male roles, as well as the 'in the middle' responsibilities you observe in nature, in your ceremonies, and within yourselves, is mirrored in the allocation of tasks that will be assigned to each of you starting today. The conflict between the brother nations will soon end! In ten sun-ups, your Peoples will gather around a shared fire, the pipe of peace will be lit and passed around the circle, and the little water drum will resonate again across Turtle Island, soon joined by the Grandfather Drum of the Medicine Lodges. Its rhythm will echo the heartbeat of our Mother Earth and the heartbeat of the three Anishinaabe Nations that walk upon her. Haw sa! Yes! The sound of the water drums will reaffirm the spiritual connection that once existed between the brother nations of the Anishinaabeg. Eye'! Soon, your renewed collaboration and social ties will thrive, enabling you to start healing and focus on nurturing and sustaining the inner fire that burns within each of you since you departed the Dawn Land in the East. ¹
Nindawemaadog! My brothers! The common fire you lit today symbolizes your historical bond. The peace that will soon be confirmed by the smoking of the pipe will foster trade and strengthen the warrior bond between the three tribes, forever nurturing and protecting all three nations during both conflict and peacetime!"
PART 3: THE PIPE
Following a short pause, the Spirit Grandmother motioned toward the campfire.
"Nindawemaadog! My brothers!" she finished. "See the fire that I am composed of! Observe the miigis, a sign from the sky that led you here. And notice the braid of sweetgrass I bring to you tonight! This braid is crafted from three strands to remind us that as a People, you are strong when mind, body, and spirit are united! From today, you will become one fire, one braid, one People, eye'!"
Suddenly, the fire before the men flickered. The Spirit Grandmother, who had emerged from it, vanished from their sight, and they felt her presence ascending toward the moon. The sweetgrass braid, the small water drum, and the seashell placed on the ground beside the fire bore witness to the spirit that had visited them moments ago. They sat silently for a while, letting the teachings she imparted to them settle in.
The Ojibwe man spoke first. "I believe I should return to my people." The Odaawaa man concurred, saying, "Ahaaw, I realize it has been a mistake for us to constantly fight. We have endured hardships and ignored our children. It's best for us to return home." The Bodewadmi man added, "Geget sago gii-debwe, this is absolutely true. It is wrong to let our children suffer because of the conflict between us. We should all go home, cease the fighting between our Nations, and live peacefully."
They lit their pipes and smoked, agreeing on what had been discussed. As they smoked, the Ojibwe man—being the first to reach the tree—felt it was his responsibility to speak before they returned to their villages. "Nishiimedog! My younger brothers! Our people should unite as one. I will be the eldest brother. The Odaawaa will be our second brother, and you, Bodewadmi, will be the youngest brother." They all agreed.
The Ojibwe man named Mind stated, "My brothers, I will craft a pipe and its stem. Once I return home, I will offer it to my people. I will inform them that I had ten children, all lost in war, but I will cleanse that sorrow. I will paint the pipe's stem blue, resembling the sky, and we will use this pipe to establish peace with other nations."
The Odaawaa man called Body declared, "I will do likewise. I will remind my people of my sons and urge them to cease fighting." The Bodewadmi known as Spirit continued, "I will also craft a bawaagan, a friendship pipe. I will gather a council of our people to convey our decision and talk about the futility of allowing harm to come to our people."
The Ojibwe repeated, "This is good. Our spirits have united us here and led us to consensus." They decided to reconvene in ten days, bringing their Nations to the roots of the gichi-mitig, where the three Nations would reside, each under one of the great branches. Afterward, they all returned to their respective homes.
PART 4: THE OLD ONE
Ten days later, the three men led their people to the island. Upon arrival, each group set up camp at one of the roots of the magnificent gichi-mitig. Once more, Mind, Body, and Spirit each brought a piece of wood. The three Elders ignited a fire at the same spot where they had kindled a campfire 10 days before, bringing food to cook together. Seven wooden effigies were placed on the ground, symbolizing the doodemag (totemic clans) of Ajijaak (Crane/Thunder), Maang (Loon), Noka (Bear), Awaasii (Catfish), Aa'aawe (Pintail), Moozoonii-Waabizheshi (combined clans of Little Moose and Marten), and Migizi (Bald Eagle). A drum began to beat and a voice chanted as Mind revealed the blue-stemmed bawaagan (Pipe of Friendship), after which a helper lit the pipe with a coal.
The old man sang an ancient invocation song, after which he directed the blue pipe stem straight up into the air. He then pointed the okij toward the spirits of the South, followed by the spirits of the West, and finally the spirits of the North. Turning the stem downward, he offered it to the spirit that links the middle world (the earth) with the waters of the underworld. One by one, the Elders of the three Nations present that day smoked the bawaagan, exhaling puffs of smoke onto the clan images, thus honoring the peace that would now settle upon all the Three Fires People gathered beneath the Tree of Peace.
Then, when the pipe was back in Mind's possession, he held its stone bowl in his right hand and the wooden stem in his left. Chanting in a high-pitched, throaty voice, he performed the bawaaganagaawin (Dance of the Pipe of Friendship), rocking the pipe rhythmically—starting slowly and gently, then increasing in speed as if in a trance. After some time of dancing and singing, he handed the pipe to his right, and it was passed among the Elders in the circle who repeated the process, thus continuing an ancient ritual of sharing and celebrating significant events and achievements among the Anishinaabeg Peoples.
After the pipe had circulated around the circle twice in this way, the old man gave it to the oshkaabewis (ceremonial helper), who then put it away. A magnificent rainbow, displaying vibrant hues of green, yellow, pink, orange, red, blue, and purple in a mysteriously beautiful array, arched over the tree of peace. Sensing something very special about the occasion, the people gathered beneath the tree fixed their gaze on Gete-aya’aa (The Old One), a Medicine Man and Prophet of the Misi-zaagiwininiwag (Mississauga), a subgroup of the Ojibwe Nation, who was fifty winters old. He emerged from the northeast and approached the assembly of Three Fires Anishinaabeg with calm and dignity.
Addressing the war chiefs of the Odaawaag and Bodewadmik, The Old One began to speak. “Niijikiwenidog!” he exclaimed, “my brothers!” “As the rainbow arching over the great tree of friendship demonstrates, with its seven colors representing the GrandFather Teachings, I extend with sincerity and clarity my hand and the hand of my People in friendship to you and yours. For too long, our Peoples, descendants of the same ancestors, have been at war, diminishing the strength of our great nation that once originated from Waabanaki, the land of Dawn in the East. Too many of our finest boys and men rest in the soil of our cherished land, too long have our women mourned, and too long have our children been restless by night and cautious by day. It was not Gichi-manidoo's intention, the Great Spirit of Life, for our nations to harm each other; rather, they should coexist in harmony as brothers.”
After a brief pause, The Old One raised a fan made of three migizi (bald eagle) feathers, wrapped in bright red cloth, handed to him by the oshkaabewis. He then continued, addressing the three elders gathered under the Tree of Peace: “Ahaaw! These feathers from our relative, the Eagle, symbolize the bond being formed between our Peoples here today in this place known as Mishi-makinaak-ong, the island of the Great Snapping Turtle. This bond will endure as long as rivers flow and the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Future generations will know this bond as the Niswii-mishkodewin (Council of Three Fires). The red cloth around the feather shafts signifies the embers that lit the peace pipe being smoked here at the base of gichi-mitig, the four-branched tree. The three-part fan represents a sincere heart, mind, and spirit, and the pursuit of spiritual truth, knowledge, and healing in life; values that embody mino-bimaadiziwin, the Way of a Good Life, grounded in the Seven Teachings of our Midewiwin Lodge, guiding us to live honestly and wholesomely.”
Then, The Old One carefully disassembled the eagle feather fan and distributed the three feathers among the three Elders, saying solemnly, “Our Mide-wigamig (Great Midewiwin Lodge) is regarded as a special place, both in the earthly realm and the Spirit World, bestowed upon all Anishinaabeg by Gichi-manidoo, the Great Spirit of Life. The Three Fires holds dual meanings: on an earthly level, it represents the political alliance and collective warrior strength of the Ojibweg, Odaawaag, and Bodwewaadamiig; ² on a spiritual level, it reminds us that nothing is more powerful than Mind, Body, and Spirit working together in perfect harmony. Receive these feathers and bring them home as a symbol that from this moment forward, you will be brothers. Here, beneath the Tree of Peace in the Place of the Snapping Turtle, you will pledge to collaborate, each taking a task."
Addressing Mind, the Ojibwe Elder, he said: “As the Oldest Brother, you will be the Faith Keeper, keeper and protector of the Midewiwin and the traditional Anishinaabe way of life. You will harvest manoomin (wild rice) in the autumn and gather heavy furs in the winter.” The prophet then turned to Body, the Odaawaa Elder, and said: “As the Middle Brother, you belong to the Trader People. You will transport the sacred food and the furs to our Third Brother, the Bodwewaadamii, the Hearth Tender who resides in the south.” He then addressed the Bodewadmi man called Spirit, saying: “As the youngest brother, you will receive the sacred food and furs from the Middle Brother in exchange for corn, beans, and squash, which will then be taken back north. The three brother nations will work closely together, remaining perpetually connected in an unbroken cycle. Soon, in a time known as the Sixth Fire, a Gichi-ajijaak (Great Sandhill Crane) will lead our Peoples to a place where the waters of the Great Sea (Lake Superior) flow into Rattlesnake Sea (Lake Huron). Here, the Mide water drum will resonate once more across the islands and waters of our Great Lakes. Each summer, the Three Nations will rekindle the flames of the sacred Fire and celebrate together at the fish harvest at this place, which will forever be known as Baawitigong, the Place of the Rapids.”³
Once he concluded his speech about the significance of the eagle feather fan and his prophecy regarding the Great Sandhill Crane, The Old One passed his pipe to the ogichidaag (braves and warriors) of the three Nations. They all took turns smoking, their solemn faces illuminated by the crimson hues of the sunset sky. From that moment on, they lived as ANISHINAABEG (One People), declaring, “We are now One People, unified not by legislation but by the will of Gichi-manidoo, the Great Mystery of Life. The common fire ignited at the roots of the great spirit tree symbolizes our connection to each other, and the Bodwewaadamiig will be the caretakers of this ishkode, this sacred fire.”
Mind, Body, and Spirit, the three elders who had gathered at the base of the large tree on the island of the Great Snapping Turtle, set forth guidelines for harmonious living among the people, presenting them as a path to follow. Since their gathering under the tree, the three Nations lived together in peace and friendship. From that point forward, they followed these rules, living in harmony, forming connections, and intermarrying. They remained as ANISHINAABEG.
~~ THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE THREE FIRES NECKLACE ~~
The eight chain segments, designed as stylized eagle feathers that form the necklace, represent Niizhwaaso-ishkoden (the Seven Fires), a prophecy originating from a distant past when the Anishinaabeg resided in the Dawn Land. This prophecy signifies phases or epochs in their history and existence. The feathers symbolize the legendary migration journey marked by the Seven Fires, which led the Anishinaabeg from the northern shores of the Dawn Land (adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean) to the Great Lakes. The eighth feather, a concept recently integrated into the original Seven Fires Prophecy, represents the ignition of a new fire, known as Eko-nishwaaching (the Eight Fire). This eighth fire harkens back to a better era when the Anishinaabeg lived in harmony with the Seven Grandfather Teachings, bestowed by the Great Mystery to guide the People in abiding by the laws of nature and moving as one.
The pendant's three gold feathers and the "crown" of three pear-shaped red corals, positioned just above the sapphire stone, symbolize the founding of Niswii-mishkodewin (the Three Fires). The vivid red of the corals represents the embers that illuminated the pipe of friendship smoked at the base of the sacred four-branched tree in the narrative. The Three Fires holds two interconnected meanings: on a worldly level, it represents the political and military alliance among the Ojibweg, Odaawaag, and Bodewadmik, while on a spiritual level, it signifies Mind, Body, and Spirit.
Giiwenh. Miigwech gibizindaw noongom mii dash gidibaajimotoon wa’aw dibaajimowin. Bi-waabamishinaang miinawaa daga!
And that's how the story unfolds. I appreciate you listening to me today and letting me share this true story with you. I hope you'll visit me again!
Footnotes:
* A metaphorical tale that I loosely adapted from a traditional Ojibwe story as recounted by RedBird Gallery. The establishment of the Council of Three Fires is believed to have occurred in 796 AD at what is now Michilimackinac, Michigan. ^
¹ The Dawn Land refers to the Atlantic Ocean's coastlines where, according to Midewiwin tradition, the Anishinaabeg resided before they migrated westward, guided by a shining miigis (sea shell) in the sky, to the Great Lakes region and further. ^
² The Ojibweg refer to the Bodewadmik as Bodwewaadamiig, Hearth Tenders, or Keepers of the Sacred Fire. ^
³ Baawitigong: The present twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie located at the border between Michigan and Ontario. ^
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