Tuesday, March 27 2001
DREAMERS ROCK
I was always told about dreams. I was being prepared and taught about them since childhood. It was expected that I would have many of them. Since childhood, dreams have fascinated me.
Anishinabe (pronounced Ah-nish-in-aw-bay) is the traditional name we call ourselves, meaning 'the original man', some call 'the good man', yet some call him 'man lowered from above' (Ah-nees-in-aw-bay). My family use 'Anishinabe' to refer to ALL Native Americans, if we do not know how to say their own names.
'Oochibweg' (pronounced Oh-chib-wayg) is what we use to call another Ojibway. Ojibway is a term referred to us, probably by the French of the early days. It is supposed to refer to 'the puckered seams of the mocassins' we wore. Mean while the English and British pronounced this word as Chippewa. These two names are still widely used by most Anishinabe. They both come from the same word 'Oochibweg'
The Ottawa people, we call 'Odaway', meaning people who trade things. The 'Potowatomi' people, or pootoowaytomi, are the fire keepers. They all belong to the Anishinabe/Ojibway Nation but split during the migration westward. We still consider ourselves the same people and practice the the same cermonial rituals called the Midiwin Society or the Three Fires Society. During times of war we would be called the 'Three Fires Confederacy'.
The Saulteaux people, pronounced 'soto', is a French word that refers to the Ojibway that moved west from the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario area, where the Great Lakes meet. The people are primarily located in northwestern Ontario, southern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, central Alberta. These people are also called the 'Plains Ojibway'.
'Bungees', translated to 'little ones' in Ojibway, refers to the people who are of little Ojibway blood. The are part Ojibway and part European or other Indian. They are scattered everywhere among the Ojibway. They are also called 'Metis' or half-breed. Some called them 'Aptoose' (pronouced Ahp-too-sag), meaning 'half' or 'cut in half'. They weren't fully accepted into old Ojibway society and Canadian/USA societies, they formed another NEW culture. These people are gaining strength every day. Many of these people fought in a rebellion called the 'Louis Riel Rebellion' in what is now called Manitoba, back in the 1800s.
We call the Sioux people 'bwonug'... it sounds like 'the people we dream about'. Some shorten them to 'bons'. This where the Assinibione get their name, 'assin' (pronounced Ah-Sin) meaning rock or stone in Ojibway language. Bionne is from the 'bwonug' word. So Assinibione Sioux are referred to the 'Rock Dreamers' by my people. Some of them use the term 'Stonies'. They were living among the rocks long ago, I believe it was the area known as the Canadian Sheild. They were pushed onto the the northern plains of Canada by the Ojibway during the migration.
We call the Iroqious people 'Nawdwaig' I do not live near these people and the origin of the name is unclear at this time.
I have been told of an ancient place where the Ojibway/Anishinabe upper class were taken to be buried. The medicine men, the prophets, the great teachers, the warriors, the gifted ones. I have been waiting to run into this place for many years. This place was a place were the dead would present gifts to the living. This was usually done through fasting or a vision quest. People that visit this place and place their offerings would be granted special things from the spirits. The dead would talk to the living and they would come in the dreams and visions of the person.
Any visions received from this place were from the rich and powerful Ojibway of the past centuries. Spirits that meet man, if man wants to meet them.
I was travelling and ran into this place. I was working as an actor in Wikewemkong Indian Reserve on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, one summer. We did a play called 'Dreamers Rock'. We were taken to this Dreamers Rock for inspiration. We climbed Dreamers Rock. I offered my tobacco and had a simple feast with the other actors. I was amazed to finally make it there. I have been waiting to find this place my entire life. I could feel the presence of the old ones around that area.
It is time to resurrect this place. I simply ask my people to travel to this rock and offer thier tobacco, cloth and have a feast on that rock. Say a prayer for your family, friends and the re-birth of the Anishinabe Nation. We will wake those sleeping spirits that have been waiting for us. The spirits of the powerful old Ojibway will talk to us.
Travel to the Whitefish River Ojibway Reserve on Birch Island in Northern Ontario. This island is a doorway to Manitoulin Island, (monitoo munising). It is a protected place and the Whitefish River/Birch Island Ojibway are the present day keepers of this fascinating place. You must ask for permission from the leaders of the Birch Island people. They will open the gate and let you in. Tell them you want to make an offering and they will let you.
I ask all pipe carriers, drum keepers, medicine men, sundancers, raindancers, midi ininni, midi equay, healers, ojibway language teachers, dreamers, historians, and prophets to make a pilgrimage to this sacred place and do thier ceremonies. Take a child(ren) with you and talk to them there. A person who has knowledge of this place should be talking to you, he or she is probably from Birch Island.
I will go, for now, and talk again when the spirit talks to me.
They are waiting!