Introduction

I began this project  in the fall of 1995.  My intentions were simple enough:  to examine Anishinaabe philosophy based on traditional Teachings.  Early on, I envisioned a comprehensive document that would present various aspects of Anishinaabe worldview.  I felt that this was necessary so that Anishinaabe philosophy could find its place with other world philosophies.

Earlier that summer, aware of the nature of my pending research and the scope of my work, I approached one of my traditional Teachers for some advice.  He answered simply that I had to Fast[1] for my direction.  He called this “Applied Anishinaabe Research”.  Initially I was confused by his use of the term research.  I was aware that Fasting was designed to give a person a spiritual insight into one’s identity and one’s place in the world; but to describe it as research was new to me.  Trained in academic philosophy, I had learned that research had to be an objectively systematic inquiry into a given subject in order to discover or elaborate on facts and theories.  How being hungry, thirsty and alone in the ‘bush’ would constitute an objectively systematic inquiry into Anishinaabe philosophy was totally beyond me.

At this point, I feel it is necessary to describe my Fasting experience.  Only then can my method and intention be fully revealed.  This is a very personal subject for me; nevertheless, I believe this kind of discussion is important in showing that ‘research means more than an examination of an ‘objective’ world.

I prepared for one month (one lunar cycle) before the makadekewin (the process of Fasting) began.  Gradually, as I approached the day of makadekewin, I began to feel frightened and apprehensive of the physical and spiritual experience of going without food and water for two days. 

One night, a week before my Fast, I experienced a naapewewin (vivid dream) in which I saw a makadekewigaan (Fasting Lodge).  It was enormous, nearly three meters long and two meters wide.  I stood before the makadekewigaan naked and very cold (which has been explained to me as the feeling of the unknown, of emptiness).  As I opened the front flap and looked inside for warmth, I saw Gchi-makade-makwa (a large black bear).  Gchi-makade-makwa looked out towards me, and without the use of the spoken word ¾ rather a direct sharing of communication ¾ told me to enter and that she would keep me warm.  Without fear, I entered and Gchi-makade-makwa wrapped her great legs around me, and as I snuggled into her I fell asleep, warm and safe.  When I awoke from my naapewewin, I immediately had a feeling of comfort and safety that allowed me to begin makadekewin without any hesitation.

The insight and revelations that I mention here are really gifts from Manidoo (Spirit).  Some of the insights that I received from Gchi-makade-makwa were the shape and dimensions of my makadekewigaan, as well as the fact that I would be protected while I was out in the bush.  I could have taken the usual steps in a rational investigation of what a Fasting Lodge is, and how it should be built, but I had been given my first lesson in Fasting directly from the Spirit of the great Faster herself, Makwa[2]. 

I approached one of my traditional Teachers with this naapewewin, and he told me that it had been a good one, full of knowledge and insight into my reason for Fasting.  He told me that I would find what I was looking for in my Fast, and that the answer would be definite and clear.

I went out a few days before my Fast was to begin, and built a makadekewigaan by myself.  Although I had never built a Fasting Lodge before, I knew, by what I had been taught by Makwa-manido, how to go about it.  I gathered the wiigiwaamaatig (Lodge poles) and placed cedar and hay on the ground as I had seen in the dream.  I built the Lodge and covered it with a canvas tarp.  I stood back when finished and was pleased to see the Lodge of my naapewewin.  I returned to that Lodge for the next three days, sitting near it and reflecting on the purpose of my Fast.  On the fourth day, I began my Fast.  I used cedar to form a circle around the Lodge for protection and I entered inside.  That first evening I fell asleep to the sound of people singing in the distance.[3]

I slept most of the time I was in that Lodge, losing complete track of time.  The next evening, a traditional Teacher came out to check on me, asking if I had seen or heard anything.  I then told him of a powerful and moving experience that I had had the previous evening.

As I slept, I had a ‘sense’ that something or someone was circling outside of the cedar circle that formed a protective barrier around my Lodge.  I could sense it, even though I was asleep[4].  I then sensed that someone was trying to go under the cedar circle from the outside so that they could enter up inside my Lodge from underground.  At that point I opened my eyes and saw Makwa emerge up from the ground at the eastern end of my Lodge.  I immediately edged to the opposite side, sitting with my knees to my chest trying to protect myself.  I remembered a traditional Teacher explaining to me that there was nothing that could harm me while I was in the ‘sacred’ place of my Lodge.  I also realized, with some shock, that I was fully awake and that there really was a large black bear inside the Lodge with me.  I was astounded; but at the same time, terrified, my heart pounding in my chest.  I had never been this close to a bear before.  In the complete darkness of that Lodge, Makwa was even darker, yet I could see her perfectly.  I then heard her say without spoken word, but directly into my O’de (heart)[5], that everything was going to be fine and that I would find what I needed.  And then it was over; I just lay back down and fell asleep.  As I told my traditional Teacher about my experience, he nodded and smiled.  He then left and I re-entered my Lodge.

I spent the next day sleeping and gradually preparing the objects I had brought with me for when my traditional Teacher would return to get me for the Coming-out Ceremony.  I did experience many other insights and dreams, but these will remain private.

This experience has completely altered my life.  In fact, I did find everything that I needed to work on this book.  In essence I have been shown the full dimension of Kenjigadewin (reality).  I knew that any work that I would do would be done with the recognition of the insights, knowledge and gifts that were given to me by Makwa-manido.  I also realized that I needed to approach a person of the Bear Clan and ask that person to be my main Teacher.  A few weeks after my Fast, I approached Professor Edna Asinii-kwe Manitowabi and offered her my asemaa (tobacco) for her guidance in my work.

Over the past three years, I have had many other dreams and insights into my work.  They have all come to me at times when I was unsure of my direction.  I have shared this one experience with you to give an example of what I mean by ‘more than an investigation of the external world.’

I struggled for some time with the idea of including this section in my work since it is taught that visions of a deep and personal nature should not be revealed publicly.  This is done out of respect to the sacred character of the vision as well as ensures that gifts of spiritual insight are not used by a person in an inappropriate manner.  At the same time, the knowledge that I have been given directly influences the scope of my work.  Thus, with counsel from my traditional Teachers, and an intuitive sense that it is proper for me to do so, I offer this to you as an example of experiential learning through personal experience. 

An Elder once told me that I am responsible for the Teachings and knowledge that I receive and that I must honour these gifts with respect.  But he also said that what others do with the gifts of knowledge that I may share goes beyond my ability as a human being.  Each is responsible for one’s own personal actions and intents.[6]

 A Few Comments Regarding My Intentions

I have come to realize, through my involvement in Ceremonies and with Elders and traditional Teachers, that Anishinaabe conceptions of Kenjigadewin (reality) still remain true to the Original Instructions given by Gzhe-mnidoo (the Creator) and the traditions that have been passed down through countless generations.  There are many Anishinaabeg who continue to share their knowledge and explore the complexity of Creation.  But it is also appropriate to suggest that we live in a time when new generations of Anishinaabeg are gradually beginning to discuss their traditions in new ways.

There has been a long-standing conversation, perhaps even argument, amongst Aboriginal peoples concerning the writing of philosophy.  Some are of the opinion that we should begin to share our various traditions and Teachings with others, while some are of the firm belief that any written discussion of philosophy or worldview amounts to a desecration of sacred oral Teachings.  I wish to be clear: I find myself somewhere between these opposing groups.  It is my firm belief that the time has come for the sharing of Anishinaabe philosophy, and I thank my Teachers for their encouragement in this matter.  But my Teachers also have taught me that the sacred oral Teachings, because of their dynamic nature, must continue in an oral fashion in Ceremony so that their unique quality can be preserved.  Thus, I intend to discuss the general philosophy that can be distilled or extracted from the traditional oral Teachings without reproducing those oral Teachings in written form.[7]

I wish, from the outset, to make clear the serious limitations there are to revealing ‘sacred’ knowledge and even the personal learning I have done with regard to this knowledge in this book.  The Teachings upon which I base this work  are not here made available for the opinions and analysis of  non-Anishinaabeg.  It is taught that these people, unfamiliar with the ceremonial and cultural environment, cannot possibly ‘feel’ the power of these Teachings from these pages written in English.  It is essential that these Teachings be experienced through the context and the protocol of traditional Ceremonies in the original language of the Anishinaabeg.  This context and protocol includes, for instance, the place and time that the Teachings are given, who gives the Teaching, as well as the ceremonial presence of the Spirit of these Teachings.  Without these aspects, the Teachings become static in presentation and meaning.

Throughout the writing of this work, I have been very aware of constantly wondering; “Can I say this?  Am I revealing too much?”  I have come to learn, through my Teachers, that there are subjects and issues that this kind of philosophical investigation ¾ as good as the intention may be ¾ could potentially interrupt, change, disturb and even irritate certain spiritual forces, places, and dimensions.  These spiritual forces can be angered and even made vulnerable to the practices of some Native and non-Native peoples who like to borrow bits and pieces of various Aboriginal Traditions for their own personal use and gain.  The spiritual reality that I have begun to learn about in my journey is indeed a beautiful and life-changing one; but, it is also an incredibly powerful one, not meant to be toyed with.  For those who do not grasp the complexity of this context and protocol there is the very real possibility of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual injury.  It is for this reason that I will not reproduce the oral Teachings in written form, and why I progress through this book with the greatest of care.[8]

Nevertheless, I have found encouragement for this particular kind of project from Joseph Couture, a Cree-Métis scholar.  In his paper “Native Studies and the Academy” he states that:

The responsibility to interpret and apply the content of Tradition is a sanctioned enterprise.  In the early 70’s at the end of 12 days of discussion in a camp setting, summing up on behalf of Elders from Seven First Nations of Alberta in assembly, Elder Louis Crier stated:

We would like to say that in order to survive in the 20^th century we must really come to grips with the White man’s culture and with White ways.  We must stop lamenting the past.  The White man has many good things.  Borrow.  Master and use his technology.  Discover and define the harmonies between the two general Cultures, between the basic values of the Indian way and those of Western civilization — and thereby forge a new and stronger sense of identity.  For, to be fully Indian today, we must become bilingual and bicultural.  We have never had to do this before.  In so doing we will survive as Indians, true to our past.  We have always survived.  Our history tells us so…

So now, you younger ones, think about all that.  Come back once in a while and show us what you’ve got.  And, we’ll tell you if what you think you have found is a moose.[9]

This is what I have done and continue to do.  My moose are the ideas expressed in this book.  I have returned from time to time to my Elders and traditional Teachers to ensure that I had a moose in hand.  Most of the time I did; many times I did not.  This has been my process of learning and validation.

 Method and Foundational Tenets

There are many issues that bound a discussion about Anishinaabe philosophy.  Foremost is the need to situate this discussion within an intelligible framework that allows people not familiar with Anishinaabe thought to grasp the meaning of issues brought forward.  It is also important that I describe and explain the methodology of my research so that it is clear that I am using a method of learning and sharing based on culturally recognized Anishinaabe protocols.  With these introductory comments I hope that all readers, Anishinaabeg and non-Anishinaabeg alike, will be able to leave this experience with a new and deeper appreciation of a worldview that gives meaning and purpose to our lives and the way we, as Anishinaabeg, live.

As with any body of work, it is important to set out my method of inquiry and the source of this method so that the reader is able to have a point of reference from which they can examine what they read.  The source of my method of inquiry is “Applied Anishinaabe Theory”.  Applied Anishinaabe Theory is a philosophical system that finds its foundation in the traditional knowledge that forms the nexus of Anishinaabe culture.  This is based, in part, on the knowledge that everything (everyone) is alive and that we are all related.  It is also based on an understanding that there are two aspects to reality:  physicality and spirituality, and that they are ultimately two different expressions of one reality.  These are primary truths as expressed by our Creation Story.

The method of inquiry used for this book is “Primary Experiential Knowledge”.  Primary Experiential Knowledge is set out as an epistemic system that finds its source in various aspects of knowledge.  It is primary since it is the most basic form of knowledge upon which all other understanding is based, and it is experiential since knowledge comes out of one’s interaction with the world.  It is a process-oriented philosophical method interested in the theoretical and practical meanings of the metaphysics[10], epistemology[11], axiology[12], aesthetics[13], logic[14] and ontology[15] of Anishinaabe Mino-Bimaadiziwin (the Way of a Good Life). 

I feel that my method is the beginning of an active incorporation, recognition and use of one’s own perspective as a critical source of inquiry and means of knowing.  The sensing of the ‘self’ and my cultural intuition are what necessitate a different approach because in Anishinaabe philosophy this method is a fundamental way of knowing; a fundamental epistemology, the absence of which would render this study invalid.  This method is about coming to objective truths through a subjective method of inquiry and analysis not explicitly characteristic of any Western systems, but of Anishinaabe culture.  I have learned that it is not possible to separate myself from the world; I am a spirit walking in this world.  ‘Others’ guide me in this world, but it is, ultimately, an individual journey.  Thus, my method is a qualitative inquiry built on a blending of participant observation and participant participation[16] incorporating my thoughts, reflections, emotions, spirituality and actions in my personal learning.

Again we are reminded that this is a system of interconnection, consequently any discussion of theory and practice is artificial in its categorization.  As an example of the difficulty of categorizing interconnected ideas and concepts, Paul Bourgeois (Ojibwe), in his examination of the drum as a source of knowledge and the role that the drum plays in teaching, concludes that:

Emphasis on the individual’s lived-ethical concerns in relation to the cosmos makes Odewegewin an “Onto-axiological Anishinaabe Epistemology,” that is, an Anishinaabe system of knowledge that is based on the existential imperatives expressed by the quality of Creation.  Nevertheless, there is a difficulty in creating these conceptual abstractions for various aspects of Anishinaabe worldview for the simple reason that terms like epistemology, philosophy and religion do not specifically exist in Anishinaabemowin, as we understand them in English.  Yet, the concepts do exist, but not in isolation of each other due to the interconnected nature of the philosophical system.[17]

Primary Experiential Knowledge, thus, as an epistemic system, takes into consideration that there are various aspects of knowledge that are expressed in life.  This is seen as the “Seven Directions”[18] of Kendaaswin (knowledge); namely, Bzindamowin (learning from listening), Anishinaabe-Kendaaswin (traditional knowledge), Manidoo-waabiwin (seeing in a spirit way), Gnawaaminjigewin (to look, to see, to witness), Eshkakimikwe-Kendaaswin (land-based knowledge), Kiimiingona manda Kendaaswin (the Original Instructions given to the Anishinaabeg by Gzhe-mnidoo) and Manidoo-minjimendamowin (spirit memory).

Primary Experiential Knowledge also recognizes that there are given assumptions or beliefs that must be acknowledged.  Assumptions and beliefs are thorny issues in philosophy; nevertheless, they exist as a foundational structure within this method.  Assumptions and beliefs are generally defined, in the West, as suppositions or opinions, something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.  This definition can be misleading, potentially leading one to conclude that there is no rigorous system implied in my method.  It is here that we have the first instance of confusion based in language.  As Paul Bourgeois (Ojibwe) has discovered in his own work on Anishinaabemowin:

I began to see a vertical and horizontal layering of concepts.  I found ideas within ideas with parallel Teachings related to the other.  Each [Anishinaabe] word and idea [was] independent and yet simultaneously dependent upon the other idea and teaching for its meaning.  In other words, it is within Anishinaabe thought and worldview that we find an interconnectedness that precedes language and behavior.[19]

When English terms like ‘assumption’ and ‘belief’ are defined there invariably is a lexicological reference to their Greek and Latin roots, and as such, their meaning is directed by those traditions[20].  In Anishinaabemowin the term for ‘belief’, and by association ‘assumption’ (as it would be categorized in English), is n’debewetawin[21].  N’debewetawin, on the surface, is translated as “My belief”, but literally means “the truth that is evident in the way of the action.”  “In the way of the action” refers to the Primary Experiential Knowledge one gains when using a process-oriented method.  And it is ‘truth’ that is evident, not ‘opinion’ or ‘conjecture’.  This understanding of the Anishinaabe meaning of ‘belief’ reveals some of the philosophical structures that underlie my method.

 Human Beings and the ‘Other’

For the Anishinaabeg, the aliveness of natural entities, what many Western traditions consider material objects, means that they have the same kind of consciousness, self-awareness and volition as a human being.  The Anishinaabeg make a general assumption of consciousness in others based on the similarity that they have with human beings.  It is essential that the definition of the ‘other’ be understood as being much broader than the standard Western definition.

The metaphysics and ontology of the Anishinaabeg place them in a large, all-encompassing social, physical, spiritual and environmental reality.  Community is one of all life, all relations.[22]   In other words, Anishinaabe worldview is concerned with the Being-structure of reality.  The Anishinaabeg live in a world which is peopled not only with human beings, but also by persons and personalities that are other-than-human.  In dreams and visions, for instance, these other-than-human persons are directly encountered, and develop a personal relationship with the dreamer and the vision seeker.  The old people remember that:

In the old days our people had no education.  They could not learn from books or teachers.  All their wisdom and knowledge came to them in dreams.  They tested their dream, and in that way learned their own strength.[23]

Even though the ‘old days’ are past, the underlying truth and reality of this quotation still exists for many Anishinaabeg.  Joseph Couture (Cree/Métis), when discussing Aboriginal ‘knowing’ states that:

A corollary to the issue of “knowing” is that of mysticism.  From a Native spiritual standpoint, as I see it, mysticism is a question of becoming/being rooted or grounded in relationships with all constituents or dimensions of reality.  I like Fox’s description of mysticism because it is congruent with my understanding of Native spiritual experience.  He holds that “… the essence of the mystical experience is the way we are altered to see everything from its life-filled axis, to feel the mysteries of life as they are present within and around us.”  That’s Indian.

To arrive at a direct experiential understanding of that definition is a primary learning task.  To discover how ceremonies, for example, mediate helping energy and Teachings takes some doing.  Prayer, ritual and Ceremony ground one in life….[24]

This philosophical reality allows the people to find their place in a very complex world.  It also allows the people to learn about that complex world, situating themselves directly in the web of Creation. 

A Primary Experiential Knowledge method is a personal method.  In essence, it is finding ‘objective truth(s)’ through a necessarily subjective method and process.  In the case of research dealing with the Way of a Good Life, knowledge and identity, it not only develops the necessary structures for an investigation, but also ultimately provides a degree of self-revelation for the investigator.  A. Irving Hallowell[25] explains that this “self-image” depends on the fact that: 

… the world of personal relations in which the Ojibwa live is a world in which vital social relations transcend those which are maintained with human beings.  Their culturally constituted cognitive orientation prepares the individual for life in this world and for a life after death.  The self-image that he acquires makes intelligible the nature of other selves — human and other-than-human persons — for the conceptualization of the latter presumes an essentially similar nature, with added power.

If we do not take the qualitative aspects of their world into account, the behavior of the Ojibwa cannot be fully understood or explained.  The cognitive process of individuals — perceiving, remembering, imagining, conceiving, judging, and reasoning — are integrally related to the cognitive orientation that is derived from their culture. The “set”, “the silent organization” which they possess as a consequence of their training, experience, and values, provides them with a part of the necessary psychological structure which enables them to function not only as human beings but as Ojibwa.[26]

This foundational understanding is necessary so that the role Anishinaabe worldview has in developing a research method concerning identity, traditional knowledge, and other areas of study, can be fully understood.  Paul Bourgeois (Ojibwe) remarks that:

Anishinaabe culture is Onto-Axiological.  In asking what the cultural imperative is for Anishinaabe culture, I saw that it is concerned with what is good and ethical.  The values and their metaphysical nature intertwined.  The name of the Anishinaabe means, “the good male being, lowered to the Earth from the above, created from nothing.”  An Ojibwe Elder spoke at length regarding the idea of being good in relation to doing good.  The nature of Anishinaabe Onto-axiology is a cultural imperative of Anishinaabe life, because it is concerned with the essence of the self in relation to ethical questions. It is a philosophy and an epistemology concerned with what is ethical in relationship to the essence of the self.[27]

What follows is a deeply personal exploration of what I am still in the process of learning.  In a way it may be seen as non-academic in the traditional academic sense due to the autobiographical nature of this work.  However, I have used a traditional Anishinaabe philosophical method as a template from which to better distinguish the key components and concepts of this system.  To some extent, this work consists of assumptions and beliefs based in part on Teachings but mostly on Primary Experiential Knowledge.  I am fortunate that I have met and befriended some exceptional Anishinaabe traditional Teachers who have gently and lovingly shown me the path of life.  And I am also very fortunate that those Teachers cared enough to allow me to explore that path on my own (with a few directions on the way).

I offer this not as the final word, but simply as an attempt to encourage an ongoing, and in some cases, a new discussion.  I am not a traditional Teacher.  I am only an apprentice in the early stages of learning the complexity of Anishinaabe thought.  My personal experience (both spiritual and cultural) has been so liberating that I only wish to share what I have learned.  I do not want to be seen as an authority in Anishinaabe philosophy.  The real authorities are the Elders and traditional Teachers.  Paul Bourgeois (Ojibwe) explains that:

Many hours are spent listening to these Teachings in Ceremony, and repeated seasonally over one’s life.  Carried with the Teachings are values, principles, attitudes, and codes for Bimaadiziwin.  A significant aspect central of an Anishinaabe worldview is faith, belief and understanding of a parallel spiritual realm.  Having an appreciation and respect for the existence of a spiritual reality supported by faith and belief is necessary then.[28]

I must also stress that I am not a fluent speaker of the Anishinaabe language.  Any Anishinaabe terms used in this book come from conversations with many fluent speakers, especially Lillian Osawamick-Bourgeois (Odawa), Brian McInnis (Ojibwe) and Prof. Edna Manitowabi (Odawa).  It is these discussions which first revealed to me that many philosophical answers could be discovered when Anishinaabe terms are ‘unpacked’.

I am constantly reminded in my dealings with fluent Anishinaabeg that a worldview is only accurately, or fully perhaps, accessible to Anishinaabemowin speakers who have the Teachings and who are ‘schooled’ in this system of traditional life ¾ who interactively associate and commune with the land in their daily life.  Thus they are reminded daily of respect and humility, because we as humans forget so easily when we live in vast impersonal cities.  Very few Anishinaabeg have the complete intersection of these realities simultaneously in their everyday life.

It is also necessary that I prepare the reader for my use of repetition.  Repetition is a vital component of oral traditions.  Throughout the life of a person, one may hear a Teaching one hundred times or more.  Each time the Teacher will accentuate different parts of the Teaching to ‘bring out’ a new or complex philosophical aspect.  Gradually, there is a refinement of the ‘thought’ of the Teaching.  I will also re-visit many concepts and ideas throughout these pages and, as I progress through this story, there will be an ongoing refinement of thought.

Finally, I have decided to use the term Anishinaabe (g) as a general term for various Nations of people related by common traditions, history, language and ancestry rather than the often used Ojibwe (Chippewa) — only one Nation among many.[29]

Since Anishinaabe philosophy is based on interconnection it is very difficult to isolate various aspects of this worldview into neat and tidy chapters.  Thus, I have decided to divide this book into two parts:  “Traditional Knowledge, the Academy and a Spiritual Renaissance” and “Anishinaabe:  The Good Being.”  Part one, which is in essence an extended introduction, examines some foundational tenets of Anishinaabe philosophy in order that a general context for examination is presented.  I also discuss the traditional educational methods of the Anishinaabeg and the role of Native Studies in the development and implementation of a culturally-based method that remains true to traditional protocols, but also, necessarily, uses academic methods in projects such as this book.  I have also included a short chapter on the Spiritual Renaissance that Aboriginal peoples have experienced in the last 30 years.  I feel that this chapter is necessary to show that Aboriginal peoples are continuing the discovery and investigation of traditional knowledge.  There has been an incredible growth in various Aboriginal traditional philosophies and spirituality in the last few decades and this has led directly to a general re-emergence of the intellectual traditions (the Chinshinabe[30]) that are key components of Anishinaabe societies.

Part two examines various aspects of Anishinaabe epistemology, metaphysics, axiology, and aesthetics in a more detailed manner.  The last chapter “Eyaa’oyaanh” is devoted to an examination of identity.  At its core I attempt to answer the question:  “What does it mean to be an Anishinaabe person?”

I see the various sections of this book as circles within a larger circle.  Moreover, like a circle, it does not matter where I begin because I will eventually return to my starting place.  So it may appear that I am wandering from topic to topic but I am like the little boy who, long ago, went out on a spiritual search.  He wandered to the Four Sacred Directions before he found himself back where he started.  In the end, he found the Way of a Good Life where it had always been ¾ at home.[31]