The Story of Anishnabi - Essay Example

Anishnabi The story of Anishnabi or the original man is presented in a variety of ways by different people. Although the story has certain themes that are common, different people paint the picture of Anishnabi in unique ways. Anishnabi, according to most discourses, is the original man to inhabit earth. However, his story represents a mixture of positive achievements and numerous challenges that he has to overcome and deal with. The topic of Anishnabi is presented in multiple themes by different people. In The Missions Book by Benton-Banai, Anishnabi is presented as the first man on earth. Anishnabi is placed on earth by the Creator and is given the responsibility of naming all the animals, water bodies, and body parts (Benton-Banai, 2010). Through this representation of Anishnabi, Benton-Banai is trying to show that Anishnabi was a unique creature. By giving Anishnabi the responsibility to name other animals and creations shows that the Creator must have created man as a caretaker and appointed him as the overseer of all the earth and all that it contained. Benton-Banai also presents Anishnabi as an obedient creation. Anishnabi does not challenge or refuse the responsibility given to him by the Creator. He obliges and performs the job well. It is worth noting that this responsibility was heavy and demanding. It makes Anishnabi to go through a journey of wonder and discovery. For example, while performing the job given to him, Anishnabi discovers that the earth has four seasons. Not only does he discover the four seasons, he also identifies specific characteristics of each season. For example, he realizes that summer was the season when plants bore fruit. He also realizes that the four seasons had a unique cycle that determined how his life progressed. The discovery journey of Anishnabi makes a major part of Benton-Banai’s book. One cannot fail to notice the many discoveries that Anishnabi makes including realizing that plants could be used as medicine or as food and that every animal was unique in wisdom. The presentation of Anishnabi as discover is also alluded to by Brian Rice in his book, Seeing the World with Aboriginal Eyes. Professor Rice explains that the aboriginal people, including Anishnabi, had a unique relationship with the earth, sky, and spirits. Anishnabi’s discovery journey is linked to his connection to these aspects. for example, the Anishnabi developed the Moon Calendar based on their knowledge of the Stars (Rice, 2005, p. 39). Rice also notes that the Aboriginal people’s way of life was in harmony with the physical and metaphysical dimensions of existence (2005, p. 66). This can be linked to the responsibility that the Creator placed on Anishnabi as presented by Benton-Banai. Apparently, with such a responsibility as overseer and caretaker, it was necessary for Anishnabi to live in perfect harmony with everything that surrounded him including the animals, plants, and physical creations. To do so, he had to have a unique connection with the creations and spirits. In fact, Anishnabi is presented by both Rice and Benton-Banai as having a close relationship with the spirit world, which had so much influence over his life. However, the life of Anishnabi is also presented as having many challenges. Despite the original life that appeared to be great, the introduction of other people into his life creates many challenges and conflicts among the people. The title of Professor Rice’s book, Seeing the World with Aboriginal Eyes’ elucidates this theme. Apparently, the Professor is attempting to let the other people who are not American Indians what these original people endured to reach where they are today. This theme is well captured in God is Red by Vine Deloria. According to Deloria (2003), the lives of American Indians in the past were plagued with untold suffering including killings and attempted civilization and Christianisation. There was a deliberate attempt to eliminate the American Indians from their original lands. Deloria is also targeting the non-Indians and current generations of American Indians to highlight the difficult past that their ancestors had profound conflicts, some of which still exist, with Christianity. In the final chapters of The Mishomis Book, Benton-Banai (2010) presents a detailed account of how the Anishnabi were forced to migrate from their original lands. Apparently, after migrating and setting on Madeline Island, the Ojibway people started receiving the white people including the French traders and the Black Coats. This marked a time when the traditional culture of the Ojibway people was under threat. The white-people tried to convert these people to Christianity, which led the Ojibway to disperse to various locations. However, the suffering and threat to the native culture, represented by Anishnabi and the Ojibway people, did not end there. In this attempt to undermine or destroy this native culture, Anishnabi is presented as courageous and adamant. Rather than abandon their native cultures for the new ones that were being imposed on them, they have struggled to maintain it. The atrocities that were committed on the native peoples undermined their place in society. The native people lost their land to foreigners who invaded their land. Considering the strong link that these people had with their environment, Anishnabi is presented as needing help to survive in this world where religion and economic factors have been imposed on them. Their rights and native cultures are not protected, which is evident even in the modern world. for example, the Anishnabi are still subjected to the Christianization and Westernization through school systems that suppress their native culture. Even with the presentation of Anishnabi as native people who need help to protect their native culture, Deloria, Rice, and Benton-Banai paint a hopeful picture of Anishnabi. They all agree that the suffering of the Anishnabi has dropped compared to what their ancestors endured. They paint a picture that shows even the current suffering of the native people can be eliminated if people lived in harmony and understood their history and culture. For example, in God is Red, Deloria tries to show that religion is not universal such that it can be imposed on everyone (Deloria, 2003). Instead, religion is more of a personal matter that people have the wisdom to choose what to believe or what religion to follow. With regard to the Anishnabi, this means that they should be allowed to practice their religions without any attempt to impose any foreign religion on them. After analysing the topic of Anishnabi as discussed by the various authors, it has seems that there is wide consensus that the native people have come a long way to where they are today. Their existence and native culture have been under attack from new cultures that have prevailed in their original lands. With such new cultures as Christianity taking root in places where the Anishnabi live, there is indeed a major impact on their native cultures. They are under pressure to adopt the new cultures that are often contrary to their native culture. This creates the impression that native culture will soon be no more if efforts to save it from being consumed by new cultures are not made soon. The native people now represent a small proportion of the wider population. This means that wider society should try to understand the specific issues of the Anishnabi by looking back into their history and address all the injustices they have been subjected through. In conclusion, the topic of Anishnabi has elicited various insights into the history of the native people. This rich history is filled with tales of endurance and suffering that Anishnabi have encountered. Their resilience in the face of growing adversity shows the deep rootedness of culture. The topic and themes appearing in the various discourses show that the Anishnabi are largely misunderstood and misrepresented. Yet, they do not pose a threat to new cultures. I think that this topic has deepened my understanding of the native people in general and the issues that have shaped their lives to date. I found the topic interesting especially how the different authors addressed it. References Benton-Banai, E. (2010). The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway. University of Minnesota Press. Deloria, V. (2003). God is Red: A native view of religion. Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing. Rice, B. (2005). Seeing the World with Aboriginal Eyes: A Four Directional Perspective on Human and Non-human Values, Cultures and Relationships on Turtle Island. Aboriginal Issues Press. Read More