Oshki-bibooni-giizis (New Winter Moon) (January 30, 2025)
Part 1: The old man on the Island of Yellow-shafted Flickers
Wenabozho, the great creator, shapeshifter hare, and friend and benefactor of the Anishinaabe Peoples, has left his footprints on Turtle Island (America) since the end of the last glacial period. The Anishinaabeg share stories of the glaciers melting and the creation of the Great Lakes, events that took place between 14,000 and 4,000 years ago. By the conclusion of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago, the Anishinaabeg witnessed the melting of the Great Lakes, which were once a vast sea known as Makwa-zaaga'igan (Bear Lake), named after Wenabozho's uncle, the black bear. Over time, the draining of this sea formed gichigamiin, the Great Lakes we recognize today.
Ever since Gichigamiin was formed, Wenabozho has been watching over new Turtle Island, sometimes leading the people as a wise figure and other times as a mischievous one, yet consistently imparting crucial lessons in his unique manner.
In the Anishinaabe aadizokaan (Ojibwe tale) of Ojiig and the Summer Birds, Ojiig, the Fisher Marten, along with other spirits, sets out on a mission with Wenabozho to free the birds from Gaa-beboonikaan, the Bringer of Winter. In one version of this story, Gaa-beboonikaan captures the birds because their sacred song brought warmth, and each time they sang, it pushed away Gaa-beboonikaan's icy breath. Consequently, by releasing the summer birds, Ojiig and Wenabozho initiated the end of the last ice age! After Ojiig's death, Wenabozho honored him by placing him in the night sky, where he is still visible as the asterism known to non-Native people as the "Big Dipper" (the group of seven bright stars in Ursa Major).
So far, so good. Nevertheless, it is not surprising that the melting glaciers led to a flood (which some Anishinaabe tales describe as being caused by the vengeful Mishibizhiw, the Great Horned Underwater Lynx, or, in another account, by Mishi-ginebigoog, the Underwater Snakes, while others suggest it was Gichi-manidoo, the Great Mystery, that caused it in an effort to cleanse the Earth. The world was submerged, and Wenabozho narrowly escaped the flood by taking refuge in a tall pine tree atop a high mountain. Then, after the earth was miraculously recreated on the back of a Great Sea Turtle, Wenabozho left his sanctuary and traversed the land, leaving his footprints everywhere and blessing all of Creation by naming the waters, the mountains, the trees, the plants, the animals, and the birds.
Many lifetimes later, the Animikiig (Thunder Beings) gathered for a Council Meeting. This assembly occurred in a large nest, located far to the West where the sun sets. During this meeting, they peered into the future. They saw an island in the east called Mooningwanekaaning, home to numerous Yellow Breasted Woodpeckers, ¹ and witnessed the Anishinaabeg in conflict, seemingly over food. People were engaged in killing and even consuming one another. It was a dire situation with blood everywhere, and there was scarcely anywhere to hide.
The Thunder Beings chose Wenabozho to look into the situation and stop the conflict. As soon as the rivers and lakes began to thaw and Spring approached, Wenabozho, as confident as ever, journeyed across a vast lake and discovered a village on an island. The noise of people fighting, shouting, and dying overpowered the constant wick-a, wick-a call of the numerous yellow-shafted flickers inhabiting the island. At the village's outskirts, Wenabozho encountered an akiwenzii (old man) of remarkable height with unbraided snow-white hair cascading down his back, wrapped in a bear's hide, and hiding in the thicket. He was weeping.
"Boozhoo, aaniin, nimishoo," Wenabozho greeted. "Aaniin dash wenji-mawiyan?" ("Hello, greetings, grandfather! Why are you crying?"). With tears filling his sunken eyes , the mishi-naabe (giant) explained to Wenabozho that the previous winter, the Wiindigoog (winter cannibals) appeared unexpectedly and invaded the island. He said that their evil spirits had possessed the several members of the Midewiwin (Medicine Lodge), eventually causing the entire town to commit acts of killing and cannibalism. Many who were affected even killed and ate their own families! Although he managed to hide in the bush and avoid the madness, he lost all his family members! "But where are those wiindigoog now, nimishoo?" Wenabozho asked. "As soon as the lake's ice melted, they left," the old man replied, "but I am certain they will return soon, ensuring that no one from our tribe escapes their bloodthirsty intentions."
Wenabozho paused briefly to consider, then declared, "Tayaa! I will seek out the ogimaa (chief) of the Wiindigoog and destroy him. I will dismember him and scatter his parts to the four corners of the world. This will make the other wiindigoog reconsider before they feel compelled to return to Mooningwanekaaning!" After bidding apane bimaadizin (farewell: literally, "continually live") to the giant, and recalling a tale his grandmother had told him about a group of Wiindigoog living on a swampy island in the Great Lake, he leaped into his jiimaan (canoe) and paddled northeastward.
Part 2: The Otter at the Island of the Spirit
As Wenabozho neared an island, he was suddenly met with a sound that seemed like joyful laughter to him! A voice echoed in his mind, repeatedly saying the phrase Noos, binesi izhinamowinan waasa izhaamigadon, binesi izhinamowinan waasa izhaamigadon ("My father, Thunderbird dreams go far, Thunderbird dreams go far!")
Wenabozho, confused, ceased paddling and looked towards the source of the sound. Awenesh wa’aw beminizha’ogwen. Manidoowigwen ("Who is this that must be following me?! It must be a spirit!"), he thought. Narrowing his eyes, he noticed a dark, slender, swiftly moving object on the lake's surface to the east, then in all four directions; and suddenly, the directions merged into what appeared to him as a midewigaan (Medicine Lodge of the Midewiwin)! ² Upon closer inspection, the midwigaan revealed itself to be a large island, abundant with numerous beaches, inland lakes, and secluded spots where many spirits dwelled, and he realized that something extraordinary was about to occur. On this sacred island, where sky, water, and land converged, Wenabozho observed the object of his intrigue: a nigig ,³ frolicking in a bay near a manidoo-owaanzh (spirit cave). ⁴
Comprehending and cherishing the magical event unfolding before him, Wenabozho directed his jiimaan towards the friendly and playful slider and requested his help in finding seven small, round stones. Together, they dived beneath the bay's surface towards the cave where the Underwater manidoo resided and began their search, but not before offering gifts to appease it. At the cave's bottom, they discovered seven perfectly round stones, which Wenabozho added to his bundle, already containing a handful of miigisag (sacred seashells). With that, the two new friends, smiling and chatting, made their way to the beach, where Wenabozho started a fire.
Wenabozho awoke as soon as Giizis illuminated the eastern sky; his new friend, the otter, was still asleep and snoring loudly, seemingly exhausted from his antics the previous day. Wenabozho wondered if the otter might know the location of the Wiindigoo. Once the fire had burned out, he woke his snoring companion. After breakfast, nigig told him about a mysterious cave a few days' journey to the southwest. Legend said it was once the dwelling of a Wiindigoo ogimaa (cannibal Chief) who lived nearby. This spirit, the otter explained, was a former Nokezidinini (man of the Bearfoot Nation) ⁵ who, on the verge of starvation, fell victim to an evil spirit that transformed him into a cannibal. Now a maji-manidoo (evil spirit being) himself, he had been residing in a white cave within a steep limestone cliff that could only be accessed by canoe.
Part 3: The Giant in the Cave at the Bay of the Black Bear
Wenabozho, who considered himself the father of all anishinaabeg, decided to visit the place to see if he could still locate the Wiindigoo ogimaa. After parting with his friend with giga-waabamin miinawaa ("I will see you again"), he collected his belongings and traveled east, then southeast, along the shore of another large body of water. ⁶ There, a few feet above the base of a limestone cliff on the shore of Mako-wiikwedong (Bear Bay), he found the white cave the otter had mentioned. ⁷ Just when he was about to enter the cave, Wenabozho felt an unexpected chill emanating from it. Shivering, he experienced a peculiar sensation that heightened his awareness. As he cautiously entered the cave with his warclub clutched in his trembling hand, he heard the beat of a hand drum. Raising his hatchet and peering through the darkness, he was surprised to see an old man of exceptional height and long, snow-white hair flowing down his back who welcomed him inside. There was only a small campfire, and an icy cold pervaded the cave. “Giin ina Nanaboozhoo?” said the giant in a raspy voice, using an ancient Anishinaabe greeting. “Are you Wenabozho? I have been waiting for you. The spirits told me you would come. Biindigen, gisinaa agwajiing heh heh, come in, it’s cold in outside. Even nigig, that noisy little otter that sent you here, is quiet, heh heh! I have heard you are a great storyteller. So am I! Ambe, come, sit beside me and warm yourself at my fire. Let’s smoke the pipe and share stories!”
Still perplexed because he had anticipated to face a bloodthirsty Wiindigoo, Wenabozho sat down and noticed the akiwenzii opposite him was wrapped in a thick bear's hide. "Is that why he keeps such a distance from the fire?" he wondered. He curiously glanced at the hand drum with a Thunderbird and an otter painted on it next to his host. Suddenly, tayaa! as he gazed into the old man's thin and bony face resembling the ash-gray of death, he recognized him! It was the weeping akiwenzii he had met on the island of the Yellow-shafted Flicker! Wenabozho, forgetting the old tradition of exchanging formalities that involved long silences, thought to himself, "Tayaa! Awenen a'aw mishi-naabe? Good golly! Who is that giant? He must be a shapeshifter and I don't like the looks of him!" But before he could exclaim "Awegwenowanen? (Who the heck do you think you are?)" the gaunt-faced giant, smiling at Wenabozho's mix of confusion and impatience, tried to reassure him with a gesture of his thin hand, which, to Wenabozho, resembled a hawk's claw. Filling his pipe with kinnikinnick (a mixture of dried leaves and bark), he looked at Wenabozho, who bit his tongue. After sending its smoke to all six directions, the grandfather handed the pipe to Wenabozho, who did the same. Still wary and somewhat confused yet understanding the significance of the unexpected meeting, Wenabozho offered the grandfather the round stones from his medicine pouch, along with seven seashells. Grandfather nodded in appreciation and carefully placed the gifts on his hand drum. Then he began to speak.
"Andodan! Listen!" the grandfather exclaimed. "The spirits have informed me that you seek the leader of the Wiindigoog. But your efforts are in vain. The Wiindigoo departed from this area long ago. I am merely a simple akiwenzii (old man)! In fact, I am so ancient that I recall a time, before your birth, when the land was blanketed by a thick ice layer. I am one who is illuminated with ancestral wisdom... This is why I retain the knowledge of that era, as well as the knowledge that came before it. As the bearer of all that knowledge, I am the akiwenzii present in all akiwenziiyag of the world. This is why the term akiwenzii essentially means "A long dweller on the earth!" I have roamed the earth so long that I have even become a shapeshifter. The old man you encountered on the Island of the Yellow-breasted Flicker, that was also me! The same goes for the otter you encountered in the Great Ojibwe Lake:; that was me, too!"
The grandfather paused for a moment, allowing Wenabozho to take in his words. Then he continued: "When you and I met at the edge of the Ojibwe camp, I didn't reveal the whole truth because I wanted you to embark on this journey that led you here, to the white cliff overlooking Bear Bay. Now, let me tell you about the Wiindigoo. The Wiindigoo is not the malevolent cannibal that the Anishinaabeg portray him to be! The Weendigo came from another star system, during the time when the Earth as we know it was formed, during the formation of the Earth as we know it. When the Earth began to wobble, he used his creative powers to stabilize it. Consequently, the ice caps were bestowed upon him as a covering for his role in restoring balance to the Earth. Just like you, Wenabozho, were given the power to create life and rejuvenate the Earth after the flood following the melting ice, enabling you to give life to struggling animals and rename the Earth's elements! Now, the Anishinaabeg have come to see the Wiindigoo as an evil spirit, a glutton to be feared and despised. But there is a direct link between the wiindigoog and biboon (winter)! Cannibalism is a remnant from creatures that roamed the earth during the last time it was covered in ice. Granting the wiindigoowag the power to blanket the earth poles in ice awakened their inherent urge to consume their own kind across all eras on earth. Therefore, while he does consume human flesh, even eats whole families and camps, it is not his fault, for if anyone understands the challenge of surviving in an ice-covered world, it is the Wiindigoo. He would not have survived the numerous times the Earth was covered with ice! This is why he remains alive today! Yet now, he is accused of insatiable greed. He has become the symbol of excess. But Wiindigoo was not the cause of excess! Excess was created by man himself, which is why we face so much trouble with humanity today, who never stop fighting each other... Although it's true that humans consumed by greed can transform into Wiindigoog, it is the Wiindigoo who, through the members of the Wiindigookaan, heals humans with mental problems and even, be it indirectly, educate them to foster community spirit, cooperation, and moderation..."
"But what truly happened at that camp, nimishoo?" Wenabozho asked. "You said it was attacked by Wiindigoog. Was that untrue?" "Misunderstandings about the Wiindigoo arise from those not connected to it," the old man replied. "What really occurred is that the people in that town who walked the Midewiwin path became envious of another Lodge, called Wiindigookaan. Members of the Wiindigoo Lodge understand that the word 'Wiindigoo' comes from 'Wintekwewa,' meaning 'Being That Is Called or Named by Higher Powers.' They are fierce warriors who honor and protect the Wiindigoo spirit, recognizing its origin and sacred role in creating balance and healing. They are powerful healers and warriors, leading both in ceremonies and on the battlefield. As healers, they remove mental illnesses, addictions, and depressions from individuals or even entire communities! As warriors, they are fearless and always the first to strike! As clowns, with their unpredictable actions and disregard for others' opinions, they mirror human nature back to those they mock."
His eyes fixed on something unseen above Wenabozho's head, the old man paused for a few moments before continuing: "Essentially, Wiindigookaanag comprehend that the Wiindigoo's hunger for human flesh is merely one aspect of the Wiindigoo's nature. They understand that a Wiindigoo is fundamentally a supernatural being that brings healing and balance to the world and does not meddle in human matters. The only element of human life that the Wiindigoo spirit might influence is the winter weather, like snow, rain, and ice. In short, the teachings of the Wiindigookaan revolve around survival and the importance of maintaining sanity in the most harsh and terrifying conditions..."
The old man fell silent once more, fixing Wenabozho with a piercing gaze that sent a shiver down his spine. He then continued: "Not everything is as it seems. You, Wenabozh, as a shapeshifter, should know this better than anyone. The Midewiwin, the Society that stresses living a virtuous and upright life, hasn't always been about benevolence. At one point in history, they blamed the Wiindigookaan for their own wrongdoings. What actually happened at the camp on the Island of the Yellow-breasted Flicker is that some members of the Midewiwin envied the spiritual powers of the Wiindigookaan Lodge people at that time. In their bid to surpass that power, these Mideg forced their own people into cannibalism! Before long, the Midewiwin, who were once revered by the people as trustworthy and kind healers, couldn't control the Wiindigoo spirit that had taken over the Island, leading to the massacres. As a result, the Midewiwin Lodge on the Island, once a symbol of wisdom and peace, had to be disbanded because they couldn't manage the Wiindigoo spirit they had invoked! So, you see, Wenabozh, what happened on that island was not caused by the Wiindigoog, but by the humans themselves, showing that the distinction between good medicine and evil medicine , between mino-mashkiki and maji-mashkiki, is not always as clear as people like to think!"
The old man replenished his pipe and ignited it using the glowing embers of the fading campfire. Wenabozho, uncertain about the reason his host was sharing all this information, pondered, "Tayaa! This akiwenzii is indeed an odd character! I'm unsure what to make of him. He is certainly not a human, but a spirit and a shapeshifter like me. I suspect he is a trickster, so I should be cautious around him!"
Part 4: The Demise of the Cave Dweller
Feeling cold and eager to distract himself from his somber thoughts, he rose and examined the cave, searching for something to reignite the campfire. In one corner of the dim cave, he found dry twigs scattered among what seemed to be human bones! Squinting, he observed an arrangement of skulls against the cave wall, unmistakably resembling human skulls. "She maajiikamig!" Wenabozho muttered, "darn! These human remains prove that the Wiindigoo once inhabited this place!" Carrying an armful of twigs, Wenabozho returned to the fire and saw the old man still seated, smoking his pipe and muttering in an unfamiliar language.
The fire was almost out. Shivering, Wenabozho blew into the pit to revive the flames, then placed the twigs on the logs. Ever impatient, he grabbed a bladder filled with raccoon oil from his bundle and poured it over the fire, causing it to blaze up instantly! To finish, he took out his eagle feather fan and briskly waved it over the fire. As the fire roared, he sat opposite the mumbling old man, waiting for him to open his eyes.
Suddenly, tayaa! As if stung by a wasp, the old man leaped up, shouting with a bewildered expression, "Bekaa! Stop! Don't let the fire blaze so high! It's too hot in here!" Startled by his host's sudden outburst, Wenabozho noticed sweat streaming down the man's gaunt face. Streams of melting ice flowed from his bloodshot eyes, and a horrifying scream emanated from his mouth, which seemed like a large gaping wound. Then, the heavy bear coat slipped from his frail shoulders, revealing only a skeleton of ice beneath! It was then that Wenabozho fully realized the old man was not human at all! The creature before him twisted and writhed vigorously, and suddenly, gagging, it threw its skull back and tayaa! a huge block of ice fell from its ghastly mouth! In moments, the old man began to shrink and hoowah!, before the astonished Wenabozho, his body melted away in the blink of an eye, leaving only a small pool of melted ice water. Next, the cave was engulfed by a deafening roar, along with sharp ice flakes that cut like razors in a fierce wind. An even more intense cold than before permeated the cave. An invisible hand emerged, hovering over Wenabozho, clearly aiming to snuff out the fire. The fire, with its flames dancing erratically and sparks shooting like enraged bees, was extinguished immediately. In a moment, the cave turned as dark as the night outside…
Part 5: The Ordinance of the Winter Maker
Wenabozho, renowned for his legendary courage in numerous battles against formidable monsters, left all his possessions behind and raced to the cave's entrance, jumping into his canoe. As he desperately paddled toward the bay's shore, he felt a cold hand on his neck. Attempting to shake it off, he paddled even more vigorously! Suddenly, a voice from the cave roared: "Look up, Wenabozh! Look up into the sky! You have defeated me, but I am not vanquished! Look up and you will see me light up the entire night sky! Observe how my awe-commanding arms stretch across Gaagige-giizhig, the Forever-Sky! You will pay dearly for stirring up the fire in my cave! I shall send the Wiindigoo after you and the Anishinaabeg, who will forever be his source of sustenance! ⁸ Additionally, as a form of retribution, from now on, I ordain that when Summer nears, you will ease my burden by taking my place in the sky during the Summer moons! From this moment onward, when the Spirit of Summer arrives, the Anishinaabeg will observe you extending your arm and pointing to their place of origin. Thus, you will lead the way to the Bagone-giizhig – “Hole in the Sky” – constellation, through which the jiibayag (spirits) of the departed Anishinaabeg travel home along the Trail of Spirits! ⁹ Then, with the arrival of the first snowfall, we will switch places again. This will persist as long as stars shine in the Gaagige-giizhig, the Forever-Sky! From this point forward, Anishinaabe Elders and community members will recount to the children the tale of how we exchange places in the night sky through songs. Sharing these stories in winter will symbolize the life cycle throughout the year!"
Wenabozho looked up and saw the bright constellation of the Bebooniked Anangoog (Winter Maker Stars) filling the entire Spring sky. "Ay, ay, ay," he lamented, "Nibagandiz! I am such a fool! No matter where I go, Gaa-biboonikaan will follow me! What will I say to the Thunder Beings? What will I tell my children, the Anishinaabeg? They will be furious with me! How did I not realize that the old man in the cave was Gaa-biboonikaan, the Bringer of Winter himself! How could I be so foolish as to provoke him! Why did I ignore his warning that the line between mino-mashkiki and maji-mashkiki is very thin! I should have listened more carefully to what he was trying to tell me! But now it is too late. Although he seems to have melted into a pool of ice water, his spirit remains alive! So does the cannibal spirit of the north, which will haunt me and the unfortunate Anishinaabeg forever! We will all have to pay the price for my terrible negligence as long as winter and ice exist! The Anishinaabeg will suffer greatly because of my naivety! They cannot avoid the fury of the Winter Maker!" Then he began to weep, and exclaimed: "But the most painful part is that he has banished me! I will feel so lonely during the Summer moons, having to reside in the night sky without the presence of my cherished People on Earth..."
Wenabozho had barely reached the shore when a storm erupted from the west. A colossal thundercloud covered the Bay of the Black Bear. With thunder echoing and lightning slicing through the night sky, Wenabozho flinched, anxious about what might occur next. The Thunder Grandfathers had come to have a word with him...
Giiwenh - the end.
NOTES:
¹ Mooningwanekaaning-minis or Mooningwanekaaning: “Island Place of the Yellow-shafted Flicker,” now known as La Pointe on Madeline Island, WI. This area was home to several Indigenous peoples for centuries before European contact. By the end of the 1690s, Anishinaabe migrants from Waabanaki, the Land of Dawn (the East coast of the North Atlantic), established a significant community on the island. Mooningwanekaaning was established as the epicenter of the Ojibwe Nation. The town covered a space about three miles long and two broad, comprising the western end of the island. Ojibwe society flourished, led in council by the Ajijaak and Maang odoodemag (Crane and Loon clans) and protected by the ogichidaag (warriors) of the Nooke doodem (Bear clan). Every summer, Ojibweg from the entire region and from the north shore of Gichigami (Lake Superior) gathered at Mooningwanekaaning-minis for the Midewiwin ceremonies. It was here that, for the fourth time since the Anishinaabeg had departed the Dawn Land, the Grandfather Water Drum of the Midewiwin Lodge was heard, and the Mide rituals were conducted in their most original and pure form. However, in the early 17th century, the Midewiwin lodge was deserted following an outbreak of cannibalism. Due to this cannibalism, the Gichigami Anishinaabeg vacated the area because of the widespread belief that wiindigoo spirits inhabited places where acts of human consumption had occurred. ^
² Alternately pronounced as muh-DAY-w'win and mi-DAY-win, its literal meaning being “Society of Those Who Are In A Mide State” (Mide meaning something like “Sacred And Unseen”), the Midewiwin is a thousands of years old lodge or association of male and female healers and thinkers and artists, respected keepers and protectors of the traditional Anishinaabe way of life and ceremonies. Midewiwin persons are generally called Mide, plural Mideg, participants of the ceremonies are referred to as Midew, plural Midewiig. Mideg themselves sometimes give the following, traditionalistic, explanation about the meaning of Midewiwin: “Society of the Good-hearted Ones” or “The Good Heart Sound Of Life,” or “The Way Of The Heartbeat.” The objective of Midewiwin is basically two-fold: one is to promote bimaadiziwin (la long and healthy life for individuals as well as for the community); the other is to receive from the Spirit World the power - in the form of Sacred Medicine - to achieve that goal. Midewiwin's Medicine and healing offer not only cures for diseases but also provide for precautionary actions to ensure bimaadiziwin. The Mide practitioners are initiated and ranked by degrees: four to eight in total. ^
³ To this day, Nigig's traits, such as his playfulness, cunning, adaptability, industriousness, and his adventurous and independent spirit, remain essential elements of the teachings and leadership of the Midewiwin Lodge. Nigig represents new life, and all life is viewed as an extension of his magical power. Just as the Anishinaabeg have historically relied on both land and water resources for survival, the Otter, a crucial mediator between the physical and spirit worlds, inhabits both realms, and the People have always aspired to emulate his skill in navigating both worlds with ease, playfulness, and humor. ^
⁴ The Odaawaa name for this cave, Manidoowaaling ("Cave of the Spirit"), gave its (Frenchified/Anglicised) name to Manitoulin Island, where it is located. Manidoowini-minising, or Spirit Island in the Ojibwe language, is situated in Gichi-aazhoogami-gichigami (Great Crosswaters Sea)–currently known as Lake Huron. This lake is also referred to as Odaawaa-minis (Odawa Island). By the 19th century, the Odaawaa "l" was pronounced as "n". This updated pronunciation is also used for the town Manitowaning, located on Manitoulin Island near the underwater cave where legend says the spirit dwells, in Manitowaning Bay ("Bay of the Cave of the Spirit") ^
⁵ Bearfoot Nation: An Anishinaabe tribe closely connected to the Mamaceqtaw (Menominee). They initially called themselves Nooke (Bear Clan) or Nookezid ("Tender-foot"). Over time, they merged with other Nations (likely the Mamaceqtaw and the nooke/bear clan of the Ojibweg). The French altered this name to "Noquet." ^
⁶ Mishigami (Great Lake) or Miiskogami (Sweet/Freshwater) Lake: known today as Lake Michigan. This freshwater lake is also referred to as Ininwewi-gichigami (Illinois’ Sea). ^
⁷ The cave, often referred to as "Spider Cave" and sculpted by water, is part of a cliff known to the Anishinaabeg as Wiisaakode-giishkadinaang ("At the Burnt Bluff"). Located near Nooke-wiikwed (Mako-wiikwedong: "At the Bay of the Bear"), which is present-day Bay de Noc in Upper Michigan, the cave was formed approximately 4,000 years ago. Today, it is positioned about 20 feet above the current bay level. ^
⁸ Wiindigoo, a cannibalistic winter monster from the North, not only resides in the underworld; ancient Anishinaabe star tales speak of a celestial entity with the same name that lies in wait along the Jiibay-miikana (Milky Way) to capture those unready for the celestial voyage. Wiindigoo, positioned at the shoulder of the Gaa-biboonikaan in the Bebooniked Anangoog (Bringer of Winter, Orion) winter constellation, is also known as alpha Orionis or Betelgeuse on Western star charts. ^
⁹ In some aadizookaanan (sacred stories), the Orion constellation is known as Nanabozho Anang (Wenabozho Anang) during the summer moons. When the first snow arrives, Nanabozho Anang sets in the west, and the Gaa-biboonikaan returns. Wenabozho leads the jiibayag (soul-spirits of the deceased) back to our source and origin: the Bagone-giizhig – “Hole in the Sky,” which the ancient Greeks called the Pleiades. The Hole in the Sky serves as the gateway for our descent to earth to be born as humans and for our departure when our earthly time concludes. ^
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