Monday, August 6, 2018

Snake Kings







The Mayan Kingdom was dangerous and oppressive during the reign of the Snake Kings. The rulers came from the ancient Summarian kingdom, who were referred to as the Anunnaki, beings who were half god and half human. Their time in power over the Mayan kingdom extended from 250 to 900 A.D. The Anunnaki also settled in other areas around the world. The Snake Kings were hungry for power and some of the rulers struggled against the drive to own and control the entire Mayan dynasty.

The kingdom was located in the southern area of Mexico and Central America. The jungle in the Peten Basin area where the Mayans existed was thick with tropical plants and foliage and it was warm but drier than other jungle areas around the world. This tropical area was considered one of the most favorable for many of them. The land was rich with many resources: fertile soil, nickel, zinc, lead, gold, silver and jade.

Many of the hills in the kingdom were made from cut stone. Some of the hills had massive tunnels. The hills were actually rudimentary pyramids, somewhat hidden at first glance. The border of the peninsula consisted of a great limestone shelf approximately 9,840 feet thick which adjoin-ed the sparkling blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, an absolutely beautiful and scenic area. The massive limestone shelf had risen from the depths of the sea for over 30 million years and continues to rise. It creates a protective wall from outside intruders.

            Each kingdom was made up of a variety of classes. The upper class were the full blooded Anunnaki, the middle class were the Anunnaki and human hybrids, and the lower class consisted of the full-blooded humans. The Anunnaki continued with their experiments of using their own DNA to produce more intelligent humans as they did in Summeria. They wanted humans to easily carry out the orders given by them.


            The Anunnaki rulers were feared and highly respected by many of Earth’s inhabitants. They were half god, half human with some serpent characteristics, they had snake like eyes and forked tongues.  They possessed many godlike abilities and appeared to be rather large humans. Their heads were oval with pointy chins. Their eyes were large and their skin was a rather ashy color. Powerful muscles lined their torsos and arms. The females were built in the same manner as the males and it was sometimes difficult to determine if the being was female or male. These unique beings were aliens from the planet Nibiru. Nibiru passes by Earth approximately every 3,500 years and some of the beings from this planet hop to Earth via worm holes.

            They developed a complex astronomical/astrologi-

cal system. This system served as the manner by which life on Earth was ordered, as it contained information crucial to the life force of the planet, such as the movements and interrelationship of the sun and moon. It was based on the number six. Because of this elaborate system people were able to become sea-faring individuals and were also able to plant and harvest using the rotations of the moon as a guide. Their original domain when they arrived on this planet for the first time was Sumer. Cuneform tablets tell the history of these advanced beings.

            Various sciences were introduced to the human inhabitants. They learned how to work with metals to alter the shape by the use of metallurgy. The humans were taught how to use specific plants as medicines and they taught the humans about agriculture and provided them with seeds to enable them to grow a variety of vegetables. They were introduced to farming implements such as hoes and rakes. Oxen were equipped with large plows so the workers could turn up the land and prepare it for planting.

The Mayans planted corn which was referred to as maize and they also planted various kinds of beans. They became astute with their agricultural abilities and started expanding with what they were growing. Their diets consisted of squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili peppers. The cocoa plants were used to extract cocoa. Cocoa was considered a luxury. Honey was extracted from bee hives, also. After discovering the sweetness of cocoa and honey, the Mayans became accustomed to such delicacies.

The inhabitants continued to hunt deer, turkey, quail, duck, tapir, spider monkeys, and howler monkeys. They also fished for various kinds of fish and trained cormorants to help them catch fish. Many of the foods they enjoyed were associated with the many gods they worshipped. Cormorants were aquatic birds found in tropical climates. The inhabitants believed they needed to abide the rules set forth by their gods to ensure an abundance of food.

            One of the most important Maya deities was the “Young Maize God,” usually portrayed with a head in the form of an ear of corn. This god appeared in Mayan mythology as the creator god who descended to the underworld and then reappeared with the world tree which holds the center of the earth. The tree represented the four cardinal directions. The world tree was sometimes viewed as a maize plant. One of the names of the Mayan maize god was Yum Caax, Master of the Fields in Harvest, and another, as at Palenque was Hun-Nale-Ye, One Revealed Sprouting.

            The Mayan reverence for maize was covered in the Popol Vuh religious text, where the ancestors of humanity were described as being made of maize. Other important foodstuffs besides maize had their own gods, for example, Ek Chuah was considered the god of cacao and so significant was water to crops that the Maya rain god Chac was garnished special prominence, especially during times of drought (Coe and Houston, 2005).

            The Mayan inhabitants were under a strict obligation to follow and abide the convenants.  The con-venants defined expected behaviors. Gods were called upon for the production of maize. The production and consumption of maize defined the Mayans. Incense and animal sacrifice were used in their spiritual practices. The most significant offering came from the body, by the release of blood from the mouth, penis, ears, or the surrogate flesh of captives or slaves.

            The Anunnaki created a machine that controlled the weather. The sound wave machine could stir up a storm as powerful as a hurricane. They would tell the inhabitants that a storm was coming and then turn on the machine and create the predicted storm. When rain was needed to feed the crops, they would request the humans to dance for hours at a time and then sneak off and turn on the sound wave machine and cause it to rain. Sometimes they would block any rain from falling and cause a draught. Many humans lost their lives when there were draughts. The Anunnaki had a lot of fun playing cat and mouse with the humans.

            Lucifer was created partially with serpent char-acteristics and so he was quite attuned and aware of anyone of that nature. Beings bred, either partially or totally from the serpent origins, were very powerful and could sway humans and other beings below their stature to participate in various types of activities, good and bad. Much of the technology that has been introduced to Earth’s inhabitants was either derived from the fallen angels or the Anunnaki.

            Resembling the fallen angels to a large degree because they are half god, the fallen angels and Anunnaki were adept at the art of deception even from each other. They often played tricks on one another pretending to be another origin. One time, Haro, a fallen angel, pretended to be a human woman who was very beautiful and alluring. The other fallen angels were caught spying on her and wanted to become intimate with her. She conned one of the fallen angels to kill a religious group of people for her because she wanted to be rid of them. Armual agreed to do so if she agreed to go to bed with him.

            He killed the humans and met with the woman at her home. When Armual unclothed and crawled into bed with her, she turned back to the fallen angel form of Haro and laughed hysterically. Armual promised to get back at him if it was the last thing he did. The other fallen angels roared with laughter when they discovered what happened. For the longest time when human women tried to taunt the fallen ones they did not get the attention they were seeking because they thought it was another prank. Often these women were killed at first sight. The Anunnaki and fallen angels posed as handsome, tall and strong men who got the attention of many human women. The art of deception was practiced on a regular basis.



            Pakal the Great, an Anunnaki ruler, ordered the massive construction of the Temple of Inscriptions to be built in Palenque. The workers were toiling night and day. Sweat was pouring off their bodies in buckets. Some passed out from heat exhaustion.

            “Gordryl, pick up the pace. I can’t wait to hold meetings and celebrations in the Temple,” ordered Pakal to one of the foremen of the project. Gordryl was a human hybrid who hated Pakal as much as the rest of the inhabitants of Palenque.

            All of the rulers working with Pakal were not in agreement about how the temple was to be built. The one thing they did agree upon was the use of hieroglyphics which would tell the story of the history of their reign. The inscriptions were laboriously carved into the walls of the temple by the laborers. Some of the advanced tools were used when the laborers were sleeping to quicken the production. The laborers were amazed to find additional hieroglyphics and wondered how they were completed which gave another reason their rulers were referred to as gods. The advanced tools were kept hidden from them. The Anunnaki liked playing with their subjects’ minds and wanted them to be aware they could perform magic. They liked being treated like gods.

            Large shelves were constructed to form the outer walls of the temple and the top section was near completion. The temple resembled the pyramids in Egypt with the base being larger than the top. Some of the workers were working on the stairs to the main atrium. The laborers were painting the hieroglyphics. The juice of berries and blood were used as the paint. A dead sheep lay on a stone slab with its neck cut.

            Construction material in the form of limestone was readily accessible and easy to use. Limestone hardened after it was exposed to the air and it was easily quarried. They also found some deposits of flint and chert, chert resembles flint. The Anunnaki demonstrated how to construct axes from flint and chert which was vital for slash and burn farming. This type of farming was a method of crop growing used in tropical areas, in which forest vegetation is felled and burned. Following the burning, the land was used to grow produce for a few years, then the original forest is allowed to reinvade.

            The temple took five years to build. Many laborers lost their lives during the construction due of the dangerous conditions and hot temperatures. Pakal and the other elites started planning a large gala after the completion of the temple. It was the talk of the Mayan empire. Many were going to travel from near and far to attend such an event. Pakal was excited and looked forward to finally getting the recognition he felt he deserved.

            “I am going to bring all the musicians into the court to play. They must abide by the rules of hierarchy according to the instrument they are playing. I will be leading the procession by performing a special dance I have been preparing for this occasion,” said Pakal.

             The classical musical imagery fell in a specific order with the singers and maraca players performing first and they were followed by the drummers, holders of turtle shell rasps and the trumpeters. The dancers were led by the rulers and the dance was choreographed. The dancers carried flowers and their costumes were elaborate.

            The day of celebration finally arrived. Many of the attendees of the gala were getting drunk on the wine prepared for the event. It was laced with peyote, an ancient herb that caused hallucinations. The audience’s heads were swaying back and forth to the music. They were smiling and looking rather comical as they reached for imaginary flowers they thought were floating in the air.

            The rulers were aware of the drunken state of the members of the human hybrid audience and so they decided to make things more interesting and use the drunken attendees for their own amusement. The effects of Peyote did not influence the full-blooded Anunnaki in any way.  They ordered the attendees to remove their clothing. They did so as ordered. They were instructed to dance around the arena. After a while of observing their clumsy performance, the Anunnaki became bored and decided to rid themselves of their drunken patrons so they were loaded into a  spaceship and delivered to the middle of a jungle in a foreign land. Many did not make it out alive. They were attacked by wild cats. Some of the more fortunate humans were able to sleep off the effects of the drug and managed to run from the predators. Disoriented and lost, they finally found refuge in a small village. They were delivered to a place referred to today as Africa.

           

            The working class was also needed to seek the rulers’ prized possessions so the humans that were transported to Africa were picked up and brought back to the Mayan empire. The prized feathers from the quetzal were highly sought by the Mayan kings. The feathers were an iridescence blue, green and gold. These feathers had to be obtained from their natural habitat which was in the cloud forests of Alta Verapaz and the Sierra de las Minas in Guatemala. Some of the peasants were ordered to seek these feathers. Thousands of these feathers were used when elaborate costumes were made for the rulers. The quetzal were becoming extinct because they were over hunted.

Green jade was used to make much of their jewelry. This valuable mineral was found in pebbles and boulders sought in river deposits. The thorny oyster was considered the most prized shell. Divers needed to seek these treasures from the waters off the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. It was dangerous to dive into these large bodies of water. The seas were fraught with sharks, manta rays and other dangerous predators. Many lost their lives diving and hunting for treasures.



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            Zerill, a Mayan king from Tikal, started his day by caressing the silky fur of his pet jaguar. Yumu rubbed against his leg and snatched a leg of a cooked goose from his owner’s plate. Zerill scolded Yumu and grabbed the food from the jaguar’s mouth. The jaguar growled and then left the area with his tail between his legs.           

            Zerill was planning a strategy to take over the city of Calakmul. Tikal was attacked recently by the warriors from Calakmul. It was a bloody skirmish that left Zerill reeling with anger and frustration.

            Armil, Zerill’s wife, walked across the floor to sit next to her husband.

            “I don’t know what to do about those barbarians from Calakmul. They came at us pretty hard yesterday. It was a short-lived battle which left a few scars on the fortress walls,” said Zerill.

            “I know when I was shooting the fire arrows at our enemies, it seemed like they were not going to retreat. I think I only killed ten of them,” said Armil.

            “You did well considering the state you are in,” said Zerill. He patted his wife’s swollen belly.

            Armil grabbed his hand and patted it. The unborn baby kicked at their hands.

            “He’s going to be a lively one, my dear,” said Zerill.

            Armil smiled and reached over to grab the cooked goose leg that Yumu tried to steal. She started eating. She poured a glass of passionflower juice from a large silver pitcher.

            Zerill excused himself after kissing his wife. He had to meet with his generals and plan the attack on Calakmul. He was rubbing his hands together in anticipation.         

            “We have to make our power known to those awful tyrants,” said Zerill.

            “They gave us some trouble yesterday, but I think the fire arrows were a nice touch,” said Zahil, one of the generals.

            The sprawling city of Tikal had a population of approximately 60,000. Its elegant buildings dazzled anyone who visited the city. It was the jewel of the area and the envy of many. The Anunnaki traveled from place to place creating one mega-city after another. The city of Holmul was located between Calakmul and Tikal. The inhabitants of Holmul tried to remain neutral regarding the strife between the inhabitants of Calakmul and Tikal, the bigger cities. The advanced technology of the Anunnaki was going to be taken out for test drive against Calakmul.

            “We have developed a new bomb. I think it will blow a few buildings to pieces in no time at all. I want their attacks to stop once and for all,” replied Zerill.

            In a few hours the bombs were prepared to be detonated and loaded onto a carrier. The carrier was loaded onto a small spaceship. Nerol, a Tikal general, blew into a conch shell to get the attention of all the warriors. He wanted to send off the limited number of warriors in the proper manner and remind them of who was in charge. Only three warriors boarded the spaceship.

            One warrior had to fly the spacecraft and two had to load the bombs and push the button to fire the bombs on the buildings. The bombs were dropped onto three buildings at Calakmul. Three buildings were leveled to the ground. One of the Calakmul generals held up a white flag and the bombing discontinued. Zerill’s generals set up a meeting to discuss what happened.

            “I liked hearing about the white flag. It means they know we mean business,” said Zahil, a general.

            “I want to set up a peace meeting with their ruler as soon as possible. Let’s send one of our messenger pelicans to their city to give them a message,” said Hallad, another general. Pelicans were used to deliver messages from one location to the next. They knew the area well and could fight off any other birds who may want to intercept the deliveries.

           

The city was bustling with activity. The inhabitants of Holmul got word that a cease fire may occur and there may be peace.

            Large tables were set up with venison and crocodile steaks and lots of the tropical fruits that were so plentiful in the area. Large vats of wine were sitting in the middle of the room. The men and women were raising their wine mugs and shouting sounds of glee in anticipation of the war finally ending between their neighbors.

            Hadrudu, the ruler of Holmul, stood and approached one of the women who was standing near one of the back walls. She blushed as he approached her and he extended his hand for her to join him. Music was playing softly. Three Anunnaki human hybrid women were playing flute maracas, a conch shell and metal bells. Hadrudu pulled Arnal close to him and began dancing slowly with her.

            The crowd was watching in amazement as the couple moved simultaneously to the music. Arnal stared dreamily into Hadrudu’s eyes. Arnal was a human hybrid woman with long black hair, a slim body and dark mesmerizing eyes. She batted her long eyelashes seductively. Hadrudu grabbed her and pulled her closer to him. The mating dance of seduction began.

            Arnal was a little tipsy from all the wine she drank so she leaned more onto her willing dance partner. Arnal’s parents approached the couple and began undressing their daughter slowly while the couple continued dancing. It was their dream to wed their daughter to someone in the ruling class. Others joined in and helped removed her clothing. Finally, her slippers were removed and all she was left wearing was a thin cotton sheath. Hadrudu picked up Arnal in his arms and carried her off to his bedroom at the far end of the palace.

            Arnal was laid on the large puffy bed stuffed with bird feathers. She enjoyed the softness of the mattress. Hadrudu began undressing by slowly removing each article of his clothing. Arnal was anticipating her wedded bliss when a bomb struck the palace and shook the entire building. Part of the building was destroyed. The part of building where the festivities were being held was left untouched. All the attendees at the party were shaken. They sought their ruler and asked him what happened. Arnal was quickly covering herself with a blanket when they stormed into the room.

            Hadrudu sent some of his generals to explore what happened.

            A foreign spaceship was seen circling the city, a spacecraft that did not appear to belong to any of the Anunnaki rulers. It was a foreign vehicle.

            “We created a new spacecraft to throw off our enemies and make them believe we are from another planet to confuse them. The inhabitants of Holmul didn’t know what hit them. It was not my wish to kill a lot of them because they have tried to remain neutral, but I do want them to believe they are not safe. They need to fear that others may be coming after them. My next plan involves coming to their aid and telling them that some of our buildings were bombed. We need to come up with a plan to protect them and ourselves. Building this alliance is a good way to get back at those scoundrels at Tikal,” said Merol, the ruler of Calakmul.

            “I like how you think. We could use allies,” replied Nera, a general.

            “The plan is in place. I have sent a messenger pelican to let Hadrudu know we need to meet with him,” said Merol. Merol was looking forward to developing this alliance. His next plan was to reveal what the ruler of Tikal had planned and what they needed to do together to stop them in their tracks. He planned on revealing the invention of the foreign spacecraft by the inhabitants of Tikal. The population of Tikal was a little larger than that of Calakmul. The added numbers of the smaller community of Holmul would help considerably at destroying Tikal’s defenses and the city was strategically located

            The spacecraft was hidden in a tunnel in one of the food warehouses in the area in which the serfdom resided. All the electrical equipment was turned off and the homing device was buried deep in the jungle. All traces of its existence were erased until they were ready to plant the spacecraft in the Tikal area to frame them of espionage and pose them as being a dangerous threat.

            Mind reading and telepathic communication was prominent amongst the Anunnaki so some of the inhabitants got wind of the Merol’s devious plan and decided to do damage control before their plans were carried out too far. Zerill reached Hadrudu telepathically and informed him about what Merol was up to. Hadrudu felt like his hands were tied. He did not want to get involved in their games so he decided to arm his city with a force shield to protect the city from any further attacks.

            “Our scientists have been working really hard to come up with various weapons of destruction. I think they came up with some biological warfare. I am curious to see what it is,” said Zerill.

           

Meanwhile, Teotihuacan was becoming more and more of a military giant and was gaining a lot of notoriety. Teotihuacan wiped out many of the villages and citadels in the surrounding area of Teotihuacan.

            Teotihuacan was established under the strictest guidelines. The main purpose for its development was for religious reasons, the overall goal was to be the epicenter of all religious practices for the Mayan people. Many temples resembling pyramids were erected to honor the gods, primarily the moon and sun gods. The citadel was erected in a small fertile valley. The inhabitants flourished because of their agricultural success. They grew many varieties of vegetables and tropical fruit which were in abundance in the area. The ruthless Anunnaki rulers continued depopulating lots of surrounding villages to add to the ever-growing population. Many of the victims from these villages were brought to the larger communities to work for the ruling class.

            A concrete road of a little over two miles was referred to as the "Avenue of The Dead" which began from the city square in the middle of the city and went from south to the north of the city. The angle and elevation of the road created an illusion that the road went right into the sky. Along the Avenue of The Dead many smaller temples lined the streets.

            The adobe houses of the common folk had only one story, a flat roof, and no windows. Each house faced a tiny backyard, doors were the only source of fresh air and light. Given the extensive population and the area in which all residents had available to reside, especially the working class, space was definitely an issue. Over 100,000 inhabitants resided in this city.

            The art, mythology, and architecture of Teotihuacan were dedicated entirely to honor the gods. The most powerful god was Quetzalcoatl. He was the god with a snake body covered in bird feathers. The Temple of the Feathered Serpent ended up being one of the largest structures of the city. The temple was built in the form of a pyramid and was decorated with reliefs depicting snakes, dragons, demons, and the fire-breathing head of Quetzal-coatl.

            Sacrificial animals were buried inside of the Feathered Serpent Pyramid. A walled tunnel was developed under the Serpent Pyramid for easy access and departure. Teleo, one of the rulers, hid some of his jewels in one of the hidden vaults in the tunnel. The tunnel also served as a place to hold sacrificial rituals. The vaults were used to bury certain rulers and priests.



             Zerill was visited by Teleo. Teleo had his eye on Tikal for quite some time. It was one of the jewels of the Mayan empire. Teleo asked Zerill to step down from his role as king and told him he had someone else in mind for his position, one of Teleo’s generals. Zerill, after getting over the shock of being asked to resign from his position, looked at Teleo and blatantly refused. He called in his armed guards to escort Teleo and his entourage out of the citadel of Tikal. Zerill was concerned that he invited serious retribution as a result of his refusal.

            “Can you believe the gall of some rulers. I will never abandon my role as king. I have been a great ruler of my kingdom. What are we going to do about this problem? Do you think he is going to try to take over our city by force?” asked Zerill.

            “I believe he wants to take over Tikal,” replied another general.

            “We need to build up our armed forces and prepare for a possible attack,” ordered Zerill.

            Zerill with the help of his generals and warriors started recruiting more warriors. They were trained in armed combat. An arsenal of ammunition and machine guns were created by the scientists. More flying machines were built and supplied with bombs. Teleo sent a message apologizing for his brazen acts. A year went by and Zerill did not hear anything from Teleo.

            Teleo and some of his generals visited one of his kingdom’s laboratories. One of the scientists injected a monkey with a serum. He called the serum black death. The monkey was fine for a few hours. Then the monkey started breaking out with red sores all over his body. He started wheezing. The whites of his eyes turned yellow. The monkey was laying on the floor convulsing. After only five hours after the monkey received the serum, the monkey lay dead on the floor. Teleo was shocked when he observed the monkey’s death.

            Eeril, the scientist, told Teleo that black death did not have to be injected. It can also be picked up through the air. All someone had to do was breath in the air and the spray of the illness will latch on to the hair follicles of a being’s nose or it can enter the eyes, through the skin or enter the mouth cavity. It was very contagious and spreads easily from one host to another. Teleo and his generals were impressed with the invention of such a lethal weapon. The serum was proven lethal to Anunnaki hybrids and humans.

            Small spaceships glided silently over the citadel of Tikal. Some of the warriors dropped vials of the black death serum onto the city. The deadly virus was dropped everywhere, on the gardens, the water supplies, the streets, and into every opening they could reach and deposit the virus.

            Sounds of broken glass woke up some of the inhabitants. Candles were being lit in the workers’ homes. Some cries could be heard when some of the inhabitants stepped on broken glass. Broken glass was everywhere. They looked up at the sky and did not see anything but the stars shining brightly on the cloudless night. A gust of wind blew the toxic fumes around the city and into every corner. Teleo employed the use of their weather machine to create the wind.

            Zerill woke from his heavy slumber and stepped outside to see what was going on. He saw one of the generals grasping his throat.

            Zerill smelled the broken glass and could not make out the smell. He smelled the air and could not make out what the strange smell was.  He ordered everyone to go back to bed.

            The next day, many of the Anunnaki hybrids and human inhabitants were laying all over the community, dead. Some of them were wheezing and they were covered in red sores. Armil ran from the temple to find one of the generals to find out what happened and was shocked to see all the sick and dead people.

            The Anunnaki were left defenseless after all their weapons were either destroyed or confiscated. They were forced to follow Teleo’s commands.

            Teleo had the entire city of Tikal sprayed with an antidote to rid the city of the black death virus. He waited an additional two months before having his troops enter the city to burn the dead. All the dead were moved to an open field by large machines and torched. Every nook and cranny were sprayed with the antidote to rid the city of all the toxins. Soon after the city was safe from the toxins, he moved some of his entourage of priests and generals to Tikal to take over the city. He planned on taking over the entire Mayan empire after this successful venture.

            “We discovered how deadly the death toxins are. We need to take over this entire region and strip the country of its resources for our personal use. I want to be a very powerful and wealthy god who has command over everything in this kingdom,” said Teleo.

            Teleo performed rituals that were adopted from his home planet. He prayed to the sun and moon gods for guidance. His followers joined in and summoned the gods to provide them with assistance.

            He thought once the inhabitants of the Mayan dynasty learned about his great powers, they would bow down to him and give him what he wanted.

            Teleo floated above the inhabitants in one of the courtyards in a small spaceship. He demanded they listen to what he had to say. He spoke with authority. Some of the humans were trembling, but the Anunnaki started to smirk. They were wondering why Teleo thought he was above them in command and power. Teleo saw one of the Anunnaki smile in a wicked way.

            Teleo learned there was talk with the other rulers about overturning Teleo’s rule. Not long after word got out about Teleo’s plan to rule the entire Dynasty, plans were being made to put an end to Teleo. The awareness of Teleo’s plans and the preparations to stop Teleo was the beginning of a huge war between all the kingdoms. Teleo and his armed forces were destroyed. Many of the kingdoms were burned, bombed and completely destroyed. The fighting did not end until almost all of the Mayan kingdoms were destroyed. Some of the Anunnaki moved to other areas around the world including more northern areas to escape the destruction.














The Ways of the Ojibwe

“Knowledge was inherent in all things.

The world was a library…”
-Chief Luther Standing Bear
Oglala Sioux

The traditional Indian people were industrious, prosperous and predominantly content. Prosperity consisted of being able to celebrate the abundance of food, support from com-munity members, resilient leadership, and strong spiritual ties with the Creator. The Anishanaabeg practiced an undying gratitude for all bestowed upon them. In the days before the United States and Canada were settled by Europeans, there were no political boundaries. Many tribes consisted of nomadic hunters and gatherers. Weather and the availability of food sources played a role in deciding where the Anishanaabeg would live.
            The traditional Native American people believed nothing was to be owned or possessed; the animate and inanimate contained spirits. The land on which they resided was graciously provided to them by the Creator and must be respected. Children were cherished. Animals were placed on the Earth to provide protection and food and were highly valued. Many of the legends passed down from generation to generation included animals providing valuable lessons.    
            They did not only believe in the existence of the Great Mystery. They also imagined that spirits existed in the air; and they believed that there was an evil spirit who resided in the interior of the Earth and enjoys great power. They believed there were spirits of the inferior order which were in charge of providing protection to people and places. They offered tobacco to these protective spirits to request their assistance.
            Clan systems existed for the Ojibwe tribes as well as other tribal communities and these systems served as a form of leadership. Seven original clans existed for the Ojibwe people: Crane, Loon, Fish, Bear, Marten, Deer, and Bird clans.[i] Clan members believed they have a special relationship with the clan animal. This relationship delineated the specific role each member of certain clans possessed in consideration to tribal leadership. The clan system is still being utilized today to varying degrees within various tribes.
            All members of the same clan, blood relatives or not, were considered brothers and sisters. Members of the same clan could not marry. The clan and kinship networks created a blanket of security for the villagers, and created a strong commitment to giving and sharing that was endemic of the tribal culture. The Anishanaabeg lived in areas abundant with wild game, fish, and edible plant life such as berries, acorns, and fruit. The tribal people did not take this abundance for granted. They were able to commune with nature. 
            The origins of the Ojibwe language were associated with the Algonquian or Algonkin language groups. The language was derived originally from the Lenape people who defined the linguistic connection to those who were considered close relatives such as the Mohican, Nanticokes, Shawnee, Cheyee, Penobscots, Passamaquaddy, Wapa-noag, Odawa, Potawatomi, Mesquakie and others.[ii]  Lan-guage is a descriptive mode of communication.
            One word can have multiple meanings. For exam-ple, the word bakade meaning black or blackened in the Ojibwe language can have a deeper meaning. The Anisha-naabeg blackened their faces before they entered the woods on a vision quest to enhance their spiritual connections. Knowledge of the language is paramount to understanding the meaning of stories, prayers, and songs. Language and culture are intertwined.
            Public speaking was practiced and perfected by many of the Anishanaabeg. The Ojibwe language explains human emotions and actions as well as natural phenomena. The speaker recalled events by using language to instill detailed images. The Anishanaabeg were good listeners also. It was considered a form of respect to listen intently to those who were speaking. Children were strongly en-couraged to listen. They would be responsible for passing down the traditional information to their children and grandchildren. Children were taught to speak well and portray the exact meaning of what they wanted to relay to others.
The Anishnanaabeg relied on oral tradition to teach many important lessons. The telling of stories, which were referred to as legends, was a way of relaying historical and cultural information in a tried and true method that has continued to be practiced today in many tribal settings. Legends were laced with moral teachings such as the necessity of giving to others, and being kind and respectful. The teachings were often indirect, so the listener had to pay attention fully in order to develop an understanding of the message being conveyed. Children were considered special gifts bestowed to them by the Creator, who needed to be nurtured and taught to be respectful and productive com-munity members. 
Childbirth was celebrated with feasting. The child and mother were inseparable for the first year of the child’s life. During the traditional period, the educational process occurred in three phases. In phase one, a child would be strapped onto a cradle board, referred to as a dikinagan, for most of the child’s first two years to learn the life skills of observation and listening. They watched the adults in the village work and learned about the habits of people and animals. Their observation skills were enhanced as they matured from an infant to a young child. Surrounded by nature, they observed and listened to the communication between animals and people and between people and nature.
            The final phase of the educational process for both males and females consisted of the search for wisdom which applied to both males and females. The search extended into late adulthood. This involved a quest to know the entire story of things, events and happenings from the simplest to the most complex, through the many layers of meaning.[iii]
            The elders, adult males and females provided teachings to prepare the youth for their path in life. It was important to learn how to live in a gentle way with humbleness and respect accomplished through prayer, fasting, and listening to everything. The important beliefs associated with the path of life included the following:

·         Honor Gitchi Manito (The Creator).
·         Honor elders.
·         Honor our elder brothers (all animals were considered to be elder brothers because they were here before humans, and they were relied on for teachings, as well as for sustenance).
·         Honor women.
·         Keep promises and uphold pledges.
·         Show kindness to everyone.
·         Be peaceful in body and spirit.
·         Be courageous.
·         Be moderate in dreams, thoughts, words and deeds.[iv]

The purpose of traditional Ojibwe educational practices was to prepare the young people to provide for the needs of the village. Children were also taught how to develop a meaningful relationship with the Great Mystery. These teachings were part of the balance of their life journeys and beyond into eternity. If one only learned about life skills without the benefit of obtaining knowledge about the spirit, it was believed this individual would live a life without purpose or any significant meaning. The entire village provided care, supervision, and instruction to the children.  Essentially, all adults were responsible for the security and protection of all the children in the village. Also of equal importance in the learning process was the exploration of everyone’s roots.
            The most important event in an Indian child’s life was, and continues to be within many tribal entities, is the receipt of personal identity through a naming ceremony. The given name permitted the child to have a place by the tribal fire and be a part of the tribal thoughts and discussions. The name was a gift from the spirits, inherited through a naming ceremony by the person bestowing the name, usually soon after the child’s birth. The given name was to be respected for its origin within the tribe and cherished by the one receiving it. Sometimes children would receive the name of a namesake who passed on. Two people in the same village could not have the same name simultaneously. The children’s names would come to the leaders and other adults in the village through dreams and visions.[v]
            Dreams were considered significant, so children were taught at an early age how to take notice of them. By examining their dreams closely, predictions of good and bad events and other necessary information could be derived. While they were still innocent, they were encouraged to walk alone in the woods to commune with their spirit guides. Their faces were blackened with coal before they ventured on this journey.  Fasting also occurred during the time the young men and women were coming of age to assist with seeking direction for their adult years. Ceremonies were held to celebrate various stages in the lives of the villagers.
            The Anishanaabeg, like other cultures, have a
creation story that was continually recited to provide les-sons for all tribal people. According to Ojibwe beliefs, in the beginning, Gitchi Manito created the universe as we know it today.  After all creation of animate and inanimate entities was completed, then the Creator made man. After he created the first Anishanaabe, the Creator instructed him in a dream to name all things in the language given to him which was referred to as Anishinaabemowin. The first man went about his journey and named all things he saw, the animals, insects, birds and fish. He told Gitchi Manito in a dream he finished what was requested of him. Then the Creator gave the first man his name, which was Nanaboozho. Today whenever the Anishanaabeg meet and greet one another in a highly respected manner, they  say  a part of his name, Boo-zhoo, meaning hello.
            The creation story tells how the Anishanaabeg originally migrated to the Great Lakes region from the East Coast of Northern Canada. The Anishanaabeg resided peacefully until the villagers became restless and unsettled. Selfishness and competitiveness took over the lives of these inhabitants. The Anishanaabeg were at war with one ano-ther and they were not on the red road, a road based on respect for all of creation.  Hatred and other forms of dysfunction ran rampant through the entire Anishanaabeg nation. The Creator looked down at these settlements and decided to cleanse the earth with water to renew the earth and begin anew. Many creation stories contain a flood as a part of the cleansing process.
            After this cleansing, Nanaboozho found refuge on a log with many animals. All of these animals tried to swim to the bottom to retrieve a piece of dirt to rebuild a land base. Many of them tried and failed. Then, the smallest, weakest of the four leggeds was able to accomplish what the other animals could not. That animal was the muskrat. However, the muskrat gave its life to bring up the dirt, which saved all the other animals and Nanaboozoo. The muskrat’s lifeless body floated to the top of the water with the dirt clenched within his little paw. Nanaboozoo placed this dirt on the turtle’s back and created the land, which today is referred to as Turtle Island.[vi] Many ceremonies have been  practiced throughout the history of the Indian people such as the telling of creation stories and continue to be observed today. 
            The sweat lodge ceremony was another way Indian people united for a common purpose, which was to com-mune with the Creator and other spirit guides. The sweat lodge ceremony served as a vehicle to give thanks, and pray to Gitchi Manito and the attendees’ spirit guides. These ceremonies continue to be held today. The lodge is constructed in a dome shape and made from bent poles and covered with animal hides. Today, tarps are often used. The door is located on the east side of the lodge. The east represents new beginnings and is where the sun rises. Attendees are instructed to enter the lodge in the eastern door and circle around clockwise until they are sitting next to the person who entered before them. Minimal clothing is appropriate to permit the spirit guides to roam freely within a person’s psyche and body. Jewelry is not permitted because it may distract the spirits. 
            The ceremony can last up to four rounds. A round consists of each person having an opportunity to speak. The door is opened after each round. The attendees often drink cedar water.  A private discussion may be held before and after this ceremony with the sweat lodge leader to explore answers to some of the questions an attendee may have. After the ceremony, a small feast is usually held and everyone partakes in comfortable banter with one another. Prior to eating, a small plate of food is prepared and offered to the Creator at the fire. Sweat lodge ceremonies continue to be held today by many Indian people. 
            Pow Wows are also considered traditional spiritual events that continue to be held throughout most of North America. They are a way in which the Anishanaabeg socialize and celebrate their heritage. The term “pow wow” comes from the Algonquian derivative of “Pauau”. It ori-ginally meant curing ceremony. Pow Wows signify a time in which the Anishanaabeg could sing, dance, feast and give gifts. 
The main emphasis of this spiritual practice continues to be concerned with the powers of nature, which are Father Sun, Mother Earth, mountains, rivers, clouds and animals. Different forms of dancing are used to elicit rain for crops, preparation for hunting, food gathering, healing, and warfare as well as a way of extending respect and giving thanks. Many of these dances are passed down from generation to generation. 
The four sacred plants are tobacco, sage, sweet grass and cedar and these plants are used in many of the spiritual ceremonies. Four sacred medicines provide balance, protection and cures for the Anishanaabeg and other cultures throughout history. The plants carry much significance, such as their representation of the four directions and the four stages in a person’s life. Other herbs and spices are also used under the direction of a medicine man and other spiritual healers. The four sacred plants are often utilized in sweat lodge ceremonies, pow wows, ghost suppers, naming ceremonies, other spiritual practices and represent the circle of life.
Their smoke can provide cleansing for the mind, body, spirit and soul. They can remove negative energy. Keeping the idea of gratitude in their minds and the proper use of all the sacred plants helps those who use them to convey their personal meaning of thankfulness.
            Most of the time there was an abundance of food which afforded the Anishanaabeg time to participate in various ceremonies. The villagers danced, sang, played games, and built the tools they needed for food gathering, farming and other necessities. They had an optimistic view about life in general and continually planned for their future. Cooperation was involved in providing sustenance for the village as a whole, and all able villagers worked diligently to provide for the well-being of the entire community.  The Indian people had a form of leadership in place in which respect for all tribal members occurred naturally.


[i] Benton-Banai, E. (1981). The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway (Minnesota:  Indian Country Press, Inc., 1981), 75-79. 
[ii] Peacock, T., and Wisuri, M. (2002). Ojibwe Waasa Inaabidaa: We Look In All Directions. Minnesota: Afton Historical Society Press, 28.
[iii] Ibid, 64-89.
[iv] Peacock, T.and Wisuri, M. (2002). Ojibwe Waasa Inaabidaa: We Look In All Directions. Minnesota: Afton Historical Society Press, 64-77.
[v] Densmore, F. (1979). Chippewa Customs .Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 52. 

Chapter I: Beginnings
[vi] Benton-Banai, E. (1981). The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway. Minnesota:  Indian Country Press, Inc., 30-35.










































































































































































































































Moon Pie




My attempt at fasting was short lived when I struggled to stay alone on a hill. It was a nice fall day. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze. The sky was the prettiest shade of blue. The conifer trees were emanating a smell of pine needles and cedar.  The leaves were turning majestic colors, putting forth a brightly colored cacophony of magnificent art. I was on top of a large hill in the middle of the woods near Garden River in Canada. Thoughts of spending the night alone in such a desolate location was starting to wear on me. Filled with shame, I climbed down and went to my car and headed to the reservation to meet with my native spiritual guide. I was not able to carry out what my sister and so many other women did before me.

Ethel welcomed me at the lodge and made me a belonga sandwich. She assured me that I was not the first woman who could not meet the challenge and went on to tell me that most women fasted with other women.

            We sat and talked for a while. She has made comments in the past that hurt my feelings and we discussed what was said. “I was afraid that you didn’t like me,” I said.

            “That’s not the case,” replied Ethel.

            Experiencing some feelings of guilt, Ethel thought she would provide me with something to take home with me as a remembrance of my time on the hill.

            Ethel and her significant other had dogs and puppies running around their property. One looked like a Siberian husky. She was beautiful with gray and white fur and blue eyes. A little shy and elusive, so I didn’t get to know her as well as I did Itchy the adult male dog who fathered her puppies. His fur was predominantly cream colored with large light brown spots. Friendly dog who liked being petted.

            Ethel introduced me to one of her puppies. The puppy was mostly black with caramel colored eye brows and paws. Her belly sported what appeared to be wolf fur. She was approximately 25 pounds. Ethel told me she was born on July 20th so that made her approximately two months old. Old enough to be weaned from her mother.

            “Do you want to take her home?” asked Ethel.

            Surprised, I responded, “sure.”

            My thoughts included the possibility of getting her in the car and across the international bridge. If I managed to do so she will be ours. I had my doubts.

            To my astonishment, she climbed into my little red Mercury Tracer and we sped off toward the international bridge. The man at the customs booth commented on how nervous my dog was. She was drooling all over the center panel between the two front seats. That was it. We made it through customs. She was going to be our dog.

            On our way to her new home, I asked her what her name would be. My sister had a friend who named her black dog “Moon.” I liked that name. I also thought I would give her a formal Indian name, “Giizhess Mingen Kwe” meaning Moon Wolf Woman.

            “How about calling you Moon?” I asked. Moon was settling down in the back seat and she started wagging her tail. “Moon, it is.”

            Don, my husband, quickly departed from our home to greet me when he saw four little furry legs walking beside me. I made him so happy because he has been wanting a dog for quite a while.    

Fix this part: To aid with getting the puppy out of the car and because I had to haul in my sleeping bag and other supplies I took with me from my failed fasting experience.


            I said, “meet Moon.”

            Don, being the easy-going dog loving man, bent down and petted Moon. He was beaming. Unknown to me he has wanted a dog for years since he got divorced from his first wife and had to take his dog to his parents in Ohio because he couldn’t keep her anymore.

            I have to be honest with you. I was not raised with a lot of dogs, only two I can remember growing up. We mostly had cats, orange ones that our hairdresser gave us. I looked at this as an adventure. I love animals of all persuasions. I convinced myself that I could make this work with the help of Don. I learned at a later date that he absolutely loved dogs and would not mind having ten of the furry companions. He told me about many of his dog companions when he was growing up and the dog he had with his ex-wife. He had to bring his dog to be raised by his parents when he got divorced. He was heartbroken because he could not care for his dog anymore. She was a cute little beagle named Abbie.

            We got off to the rocky start with being new guardians of a dog. Due to my ignorance, I thought Moon would stay in the yard if I put her outside. She did not. I was frantic and looked all over the neighborhood for her. Don came home and went to the little corner store and saw a notice hung about a lost puppy and it was our little Moon. I was so relieved.

            We had to figure out something to keep her in the yard when she went out to do her business. We had to get some much needed supplies, dog food was a definite need. Don purchased a lead that was connected to our front deck and a leash.

            Our new little charge was getting adjusted to her new surroundings. The minute she walked into our home, our cat named Bud decided to let Moon know who was in charge.

            Bud had a presence which proved to be intimidating to dogs. The first time Moon and Bud met, Moon peed herself out of fear of Bud. It was not obvious to us what he did but Moon sure got the message. At a later date, Bud sent a large white dog named Ralph, my daughter’s dog, running for his life from behind the French doors to our bathroom. Bud did not have claws. What did he do?