Culture
Anishinaabe Enaakonigeywin
“The way the law was set for us Anishinaabe here on Earth”
- Beyzhogoo eta Manidoo (There is one Creator)
- Aki Gookomisinaan (The Earth is our grandmother)
- Manidoo Gitigaan (This is the Creator’s garden)
- Gakina-gegoo dibaamenimon (Everything in moderation)
- Ji-mino-de’ed Anishinaabeg (Act with a kind heart)
- Gi-giikidowin gichitwaa (Your word is sacred)
- Gakina aweeya dibishkoo aya (Everyone is equal)
The Seven Principles of Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin
All along this red road of life, we are the Anishinaabe. Life that has been given to us by Gitchi Manidoo.
Each one of us has been given gifts of Gizhe Manidoo, including Mino Bimaadiziwin, Living the Good Life.
To live Mino Bimaadiziwin, we must return to the teachings, to the way of understanding and speaking Anishinaabemowin. Bishkaabayaang, the returning of our Teachings, is the first step in the process of being Anishinaabe.
The Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin Principles provide the means to live and learn as an Anishinaabe way of life. These principles will be used to guide the Earth Lodge in developing programs, education, research, and projects. The Lodge will be a place to unite our common vision and help guide the Anishinaabe, as we build a bridge between our ancestral past and our future.
Our Knowledge Keepers have provided us with Direction
We have been told by our Ancestors from across Turtle Island that it is not One Nation, but many Nations that inherit the responsibility of looking after the land.
We have been told that “All Creation Stories are true.” Our task is to understand and honour our own Creation Story, and the Creation Stories from the Anishinaabeg, as the Original Peoples, of the land.
We have been told that our ways of life can be found in our language. It is in our language that we learn our Anishinaabeg culture, customs, well-being, and history.
We have been told to stand strong and be proud to be Anishinaabe, and to remember our Ancestors, for what they stood for, what they lived through and to ensure that our children to come should receive these gifts. It is our responsibility and obligation to do so.
We have been told to use the knowledge of our Ancestors, the knowledge of who we are as Anishinaabe, and to develop an Anishinaabe way of life for today’s world. This will provide a better world for the Anishinaabe children of tomorrow.
Developing Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin Principles for the Lodge
These principles of Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin do not belong exclusively to the Anishinaabe. They are the principles of Peace, Power and Righteousness of the original peoples of Turtle Island.
These principles have been developed to help the Earth Lodge define who we are as Anishinaabe of First Nations Treaty 2 Territory.
Who we are, the language we speak, the way we think, the way we honour our Nation, these are what make us Anishinaabe.
The Seven Principles of Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin are to be used to describe, define, and support all endeavours of the Earth Lodge, Circles, FNT2T and local Nations. With the help of our Knowledge Keepers, we strive to uphold Mino Bimaadiziwin and prepare our communities for future generations, to live the Good Life.