Anishnawbe ~ Clan Relations
In a day, in a minute, in a dream
Six human beings came out of the seas
Bullheads; Wawaazisii and Crane; Ajejauk
Bear; Makwa and Marten; Waabizheshi
Little Moose; Moosance and Thunderbird; Bineshii
But Thunderbird would have to cover his eyes
His look would make them die
His power too strong he returned to the seas
And the clans became five
Gitchie Manito gave us these Clans
To govern, strengthen and organize
To survive a 500 year trek from east to west
Each would bring a way, a purpose, a continuance
It was the way of the circle to play a part to the whole
And the clans became more
The Fish Clan; Giigo
Were the teachers and scholars
Smoothed the conflicts between Crane and Loon
Crane and Loon clans were Chieftains
Cranes clear voice was deep and stark
He became the speaker, orator
Loon the spirit song of heart
He became the voice of reason
Crane and Loon worked together as Chieftains
Finding their balance in governance
Becoming the test of each other
They flapped and waded and dove
Until their voice was the colour of truth
And Bear carried this truth as a protector
A War chief and police
He patrolled and kept watch over the village
And found medicines on his way
For healing and curing
Bringing back to the circle kept them growing
Marten clan were pipe bearers
And carried messages to the Chiefs
They hunted and gathered
Planned strategies as a warrior
Defended the people while the ones up above
The Bird Clan were the spiritual leaders
The Wolf Clan, were the scouts
Little Moose Clan grew into the Hoofed Clan
Made sure that lodging and recreational needs were met
They were the pacifists, the artists
All would be needed for what was to come
In the day of the Seven Fire Prophecy
Seven prophets came and gave seven futures
Seven places to move to, or suffer and die
Turtle-shaped Island (Montreal)
Niagara Falls, Detroit River
Manitoulin Island, Sault Ste. Marie
Duluth, and Madeline Island
East to West, through the Great Lakes
Nine hundred A.D. would last 500 more
Before they reached the place of rice
Magis; Sacred Cowrie Shell
Guided the way, ascended out of the waters
Reflected the day in each new place
Became Sacred with the Creator’s breath
Breathing life into all beings
Through the Magis
New villages were built with each move
And Moosance took care of this
As all the clans completed the circle to survive
But they lost their ways along the way
And it would be
The dreams of a young boy
Foretold in the Second Fire
Would lead a lost people back to the ways
A new home would be identifiable
By the food on water where it grew
Foretold in the Third Fire
The place of rice
Sickness, war, death, and lies
Would come with the pale people in the Fourth Fire
This prophet came two faced with two ways
One would join and grow
The other would divide and diminish
The loss of the ways through the imbalance of mind
And the scarcity of spirit came in the Fifth
In the Sixth, Elders would hold no purpose,
As their ways had been determined by the 2nd face
Children would be taken away
And with no one to tell
600 years would be severed off tomorrows
And so now
The day of the Seventh Fire
Witnesses a sick mother
Suffering with poisons, carnage of her living
The remains of the ways are spent on the mind
Barred of spirit, sunken stories spilt in dust
Lost in glory and the silent ones speak no more
But Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg, a new people are emerging
From the place of illusion,
Nish Artists retrace their steps
And return to the circle
Summoning Elders to return to their teaching
To create a world of peace
The pale ones from the Fourth Fire
Must choose the right road
To last to the Eighth and final Fire
The pale race must learn the lesson of the clans
That all races have something to offer and work together
Or all will be destroyed.
LauraLee K. Harris
(Anishnawbe Prophesy)
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