The elders said that Gichi-Manidoo created the world in a certain order; first, the physical world of sun, moon, earth and stars; second, the plant world of trees, flowers, grasses, and fruits.
Plants were therefore prior to animals and to the Anishinaabeg. They could exist alone; they are not dependent upon other beings for their existence or well being.
In essence each plant being of whatever species was a composite being, possessing an incorporeal substance, its own unique soul-spirit. It was the vitalizing substance that gave to its physical form, growth and self-healing. The inner substance had a further power. It could conjoin with other members of its own species and, more wonderfully, with other species to form a corporate spirit.
Each valley or any other earth form – a meadow, a bay, a grove, a hill – possess a mood, which reflects the state of being of that place. Whatever the mood, happy, peaceful, turbulent, or melancholy, it is the tone of that soul-spirit. As proof, destroy or alter or remove a portion of the plant beings, and the mood and tone of that valley will not be what it was.
THE TREE OF LIFE
An excerpt from Ojibway Heritage, Basil Johnson
A tree images life
It grows
Unwell, it heals itself
Spent, it dies
A tree reflects
It changes
Altered, it restores itself
Ever to remain the same
.
A tree gives life
It abides
It lends existence yet
Endures undiminished.
Trees give me everything
Serve all my needs
To the tree I can give nothing
Except my song of praise.
When I look upon a tree
I remember that
The apple tree can allay my hunger
The maple can
Slake my thirst
The pine can
Heal my wounds and cuts
The bark of birch can
Form my home, can
Mold my canoe and vessels
The tissue of birch can
Keep the images that I draw
The balsam groves can
Shield me from the winds
Fruit of the grapevine can
Lend color to my quills
The hickory can
Bend as my bow, while
The cherrywood provides
An arrow shaft.
The cedar ferns can
Cushion my body in sleep
The basswood can
Become my daughter’s doll
The ash, as snowshoe, can
Carry me across the snows
The tobacco can
Transport my prayers to God
The sweetgrass can
Aromate my lodge
The roots of evergreen can
Bind my sleigh and craft
The stump and twig can
Warm my lodge
The rose and daisy can
Move the soul of woman
The leaves wind-blown can
Open my spirit
7 comments:
Beautiful expression. Here's something that we see every day, and take for granted, but they see a gift.
The tree changes itself completely; grows, evolves, even changes color, but always looks up, and silently stands its post with no complaints. A true gift to all. Would it be thus with man.
I just love this post. I can relate to a lot of what was said. Especially when the wind blows the leaves. thank you for posting this, I will read it often. Barb
That is beautiful, I read this thru tears.
Miigwech. No
Good one. It will be saved in my file......BB
lovely....very grounding. b
Wow~ beautiful photos and wonderful words. I shall look at trees in a whole new light now. Thank you.
Very well done. Love the photos. Try this sometime; if you are not feeling grounded, go lean against a tree. I used to have one with a bit of a hollow in it and I would just lean into it and I swear I could feel the strength transmit into me. A very peaceful feeling.
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