Bibooni-giizis (Winter Moon) (December 28, 2021)
Updated: Onaabani-giizis (Snowcrust Moon) - March 14, 2025
Boozhoo, aaniin! Today we will explore the breathtaking sight of Dibiki-giizis (ᑎᐱᑭ ᑮᓯᔅ, The Moon) known as MISKWI-DIBIK-GIIZIS (BLOOD MOON). The moon appears red during ᑰᑯᒥᓯᓈᐣ ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ ᒪᑲᑌᐚᐱᑭᓯᐏᐣ (gookomisinaan dibik-giizis makadewaabikiziwin); this occurs when our Grandmother is fully eclipsed, particularly during the spring and summer moons. The sight of a Miskwi-dibik-giizis holds significant spiritual and religious importance in Anishinaabe culture, representing new beginnings and transitions. She brings with her the energy of fertility, healing, and growth, both in nature and within ourselves.
ᑰᑯᒥᓯᓈᐣ ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ ᒪᑲᑌᐚᐱᑭᓯᐏᐣ Gookomisinaan dibik-giizis makadewaabikiziwin, a total lunar eclipse, is sometimes called a ᒥᐢᑷ-ᑎᐱᐠ ᑮᓯᐢ (blood moon) because of the reddish tint ᐚᐏᔦᓯ-ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ (waawiyezi-dibik-giizis; "Full Moon") takes on when fully eclipsed. The Earth's atmosphere scatters and bends light from the Sun, giving Aki a reddish glow around its edge. As the atmosphere scatters the blue wavelengths from Giizis, the light that reaches the Moon appears red, which is seen when the Moon is almost fully covered by Earth's shadow, turning it red. The term "blood moon" also often describes a series of four consecutive total lunar eclipses. The Ojibweg might call this moon ᒥᐢᑯᒥᓂ-ᑮᓯᐢ (MISKOMINI GIIZIS) or ᒥᐢᑷᐤᒥᓂ-ᑮᓯᐢ (MISKWIWMINI GIIZIS)—Raspberry moon; the seventh moon of Creation, signaling the start of significant changes. It is a time to focus on healing and restorative practices.
No two miskomini giizisag, incidentally, are identical. The shade of red changes based on the atmospheric conditions present at the time.
In 2021, the year this blog post was originally created, during the sixth moon known as ᐅᑌ'ᐃᒥᐣ ᑮᓯᐢ (ODE'IMIN GIIZIS; the Strawberry Moon; June), we witnessed a total Lunar Eclipse, a Super Flower Blood Moon, a "ring of fire" Solar Eclipse, and numerous bright stars around the Summer Solstice and the WENABOZHO constellation (Scorpio). On the 24th day of this moon, GIIZHIG-ANANG (Venus) and the "Pollux "star appeared closest to each other in the evening sky. The Strawberry Moon was the final supermoon of the year.
In 2022, a miskomini giizis was visible in the early morning hours from Thursday, March 13 to Friday, March 14.
There were no miskomini giizisag in 2023 or 2024.
In 2025, on March 14, Dibik-Giizis will once more be transformed for a few hours—immersed in a mystical crimson light, as if painted by gookomisinaan herself. *
Gookomisinaan: Our grandmother—a variation (inflection) of the term "nookomis."
ᓅᑯᒥᐢ Nookomis, our term for "Grandmother," has always been linked to ᑎᐱᐠ-ᑮᓯᐢ Dibik-giizis, or grandmother moon, who, as we understand, governs the menstrual cycle of women on earth. Some of our aadizookaanan (sacred stories) associate women's menstrual blood with the Moon and certain stars. One tale describes the bright red hue of the star commonly known as Betelgeuse, or by its Latinized Greek name, alpha Orionis. Long ago, Wenabozho (the Great Hare) and his brother Ma’iingan (Wolf) fought and overcame a wiindigoo (the spirit of starvation) by taking a menstrual clot from Nookomis, their grandmother, and hurling it at the wiindigoo, covering him in blood.
Since that time, Anishinaabe star stories speak of a celestial being with the same name that waits in ambush along the Jiibay-miikana (Milky Way) to seize those not ready for the celestial journey. Wiindigoo Anang, which is a part of the Gaa-biboonikaan (Bringer of Winter) constellation, is what the Anishinaabeg call it...
*What time does the total lunar eclipse start on March 14??
According to the Gregorian solar calendar, the initial phase of the eclipse, called the penumbral eclipse, begins at 11:57pm ET and 8:57pm PDT Thursday.
The Moon begins to dim as it enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
The partial eclipse begins at 1:09am ET Friday, which is 10:09pm PT.
Totality begins at 2:26am ET Friday or 11:26pm PT Thursday.
In totality, the Moon is "tinted a coppery red."
When does the lunar eclipse end?
State of play: Totality ends at 3:31am ET/12:31am PT.
The partial eclipse ends when the Moon has set in 4:47am ET or 8:47am PT.
The penumbral eclipse ends when the Moon has set in 6am ET or 3am PT.
When will the next total lunar eclipse take place?
Another miskomini giizis will show herself in 2025, on September 07 (or on the first day of Waagaabagaa-giizis (Leaves Turning Moon), but she won't be visible on Turtle Island (America).
Note: The Gregorian calendar is based on the Earth's orbit around the Sun and the seasonal changes, but it does not synchronize the months with the lunar phases. The Anishinaabeg, however, traditionally use a lunar calendar, where time and dates are determined by the lunar phases, and the appearance of the full moon signifies the start of a new "month." Consequently, this year, the lunar eclipse takes place on the first day of Onaabani-giizis (the Snowcrust Moon).
Images:
Wenabozho Sings at the Blood Moon © 2021 Zhaawano Giizhik
Wolf Howling at the Blood Moon © 2022 Zhaawano Giizhik
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