Traditional Child Rearing Practices (Ojibwe)

            Children were considered a precious gift given to them by the Creator. They were protected and guided through all their life stages. Traditional Indian people were not known to have large families, usually two to three children. Some of the reasons they limited the amount of children they had was their ability to feed and provide for their children and they did not want to bring up children in a world that may be laced with battles. If there was a possible battle brewing between another tribal community or others such as Euro-Americans, they held off from procreating. It was important their children grew up in a safe world.

The most important event in an Indian child’s life was, and continues to be with many tribal communities, 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.  The children’s names would come to the leaders and other adults in the village through dreams and visions.  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 (Densmore, 1979).

Equally important as the child’s name was their family’s clan affiliation. Parents and other adults raised children under the guidance and leadership of their specific clans. The establishment of the clan system gave the tribal communities a governmental system which provided strength and order. There were seven original clans with natural abilities:

Crane – Chieftanship

Loon – Chieftanship

Fish – Intellectuals

Bear – Police and Herbal Medicine People

Deer – Gentle People

Martin – Warriors

Bird – Spiritual Leaders (Benton-Banai, 1979)

            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.

            Children were taught to watch, listen and respect the “spirit of the woods.” Adults informed them about what to watch for while in the woods. They need to watch for warnings and a warning may appear as a small branch falling in front of them warning them of danger. The wood spirit was considered a friendly guardian (Densmore, 1979).

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 infant to a young child.  Surrounded by nature, they observed and listened to the communication between animals and people. The art of listening was fostered further through seeking wisdom on their search to learn the deeper meaning of things.  Listening and observation skills were held in high regard with many Indian people.

The second phase began at approximately age seven. From one year of age until adulthood, girls were cared for and nurtured by their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts.   All female adults in the village, other than their mothers, were considered aunts, and all these caregivers provided training to prepare them for adulthood. They received training on how to raise crops, to gather plants and berries for food, and to provide other necessities for the home. Another lesson involved how to make nets for fishing.  The making of fishing nets consisted of gathering basswood or nettle cord, learning how to dry these materials, separating the fibers by wetting them and drawing the fibers through their mouths, how to roll the fibers, and how to tie the netting fiber in different patterns to enable the fisherman to catch different kinds of fish. 

Young women were trained on how to tan animal hides, which included the removal of flesh, washing off the blood stains, soaking the hide, scraping off the fur, soaking the hide in deer brains, scraping the hide again, and then stretching the hide on a wooden frame. Tribal women also needed to learn how to use the bow and arrow so they could provide protection for the children and themselves when the men were away on hunting expeditions.  Many tribal women were proficient in hunting and fishing.

            At the age of seven, fathers, uncles, and older male cousins provided boys with lessons on hunting and fishing.  Concerning the construction of canoes, boys were taught how to remove bark from birch trees and how to shape the wood for flooring and gunwales.  They were given instruction about how to gather and combine spruce resin with grease and black powder of cedar to coat the canoe as an adhesive and sealant.  Another important lesson involved learning how to make bows and arrows used in hunting. When the young male had his first successful kill, the whole village celebrated. The kill was served as the main part of the feast.

            The third phase of the educational process consisted of the search for wisdom.  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, and through the many layers of meaning (Hilger, 1992).

            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 beliefs associated with the path of life included the following:

·         Honor Gitchi Manito (The Creator).

·         Honor elders.

·         Honor our elder brothers (all animals are considered to be elder brothers because they were here before humans, and they are 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 (Peacock and Wisuri, 2002).

            Children were disciplined in many ways.  They were ignored if they were tale bearing, and scolded if caught lying.  Stealing usually resulted in the child returning the stolen object to the person it was stolen from.  Older children often received spankings for stealing.  Sometimes fear was used, but not to the extent that it was harmful to the children.  Instilling fear about certain things was often a safety measure.  For example, to prevent children from playing on a hill that was considered dangerous, the parents would put a scarecrow at the top of the hill to scare them, and the children never went back to the hill again (Hilger, 1992).

Boys and girls could play together when they were younger, but as they matured, it was not allowed. The children would copy the adults doing various chores, such as housekeeping, caring for dolls, hunting, fishing, and dancing to prepare them for adulthood.  All age groups participated in a variety of games of chance and games involving dexterity, such as lacrosse.  The use of games served as a part of the learning process.

            The Anishanaabeg, like other cultures, had a creation story that was continually recited to provide lessons for all tribal people including their children.  In the beginning, Gitchi Manito created the universe as we know it today. He created Grandfather Sun and Grandmother Moon, Mother Earth and Father Sky. On the earth, he created all things, living and nonliving. He created life on the earth, in the sky, and in the water. He created the plants, rivers, four-legged and winged creatures, and the swimmers. After this was done, he created one of the greatest mysteries of all, the four seasons, to bring harmony and balance to all.
            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, 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. Whenever the Anishanaabeg meet and greet one another, they say a part of his name, Boozhoo, meaning hello.
            The creation story tells how the Anishanaabeg originally migrated to the Great Lakes region from the East Coast. 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 another and they were not on the red road.  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, its inhabitants 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 hand. Nanaboozoo placed this dirt on the turtle’s back and created the land, which today is referred to as Turtle Island (Benton-Benai, 1979).  The telling of creation stories and story-telling has carried significance throughout the history of the Anishanaabeg.

            Ceremonies were held to celebrate various stages in the lives of the Anishanaabeg:

Ghost suppers were held to honor those who passed on. The ghost supper has been a traditional fall ceremony of Anishanaabeg people throughout history. The time when leaves are falling on the ground was considered a time for remembering and honoring those who walked on. The ghost supper has been held in many different ways.  One common denominator includes the serving of the favorite foods of the ones who are being remembered.  Usually a place is set at the table for the one(s) who passed on.  The plate was fixed with a variety of the loved one’s favorite foods and left for the entire evening. 

            Ancestry has been paramount for Anishanaabeg people.  Ghost suppers served as an avenue for family stories and fond memories of the deceased.  Families would visit another’s home and eat the food they prepared. Then that family would be invited to their home and so on.  This fostered community awareness, and encouraged community trust and sharing. 

The sweat lodge ceremony was another way Indian people united for a common purpose, which was to commune 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 purpose of the Mediwiwin was taught to the children which included that life was enhanced by living right and by the proper use of herbs. Respect of the Mediwiwin was emphasized. A person’s conduct determined their length of life. Evil actions created problems for the offenders. No person escapes the consequences of their sins. The rite of initiation instilled a specific “spirit power” of the candidate and that person was expected to renew their spirit power at the annual ceremony of the society (Densmore, 1979).

            Children learned from elders and other adults about the four sacred plants, which were used in many of the spiritual ceremonies. Four sacred medicines had provided balance, protection and cures for the Anishanaabeg and other cultures throughout history. The four sacred plants are tobacco, sage, sweet grass and cedar. The plants carry much significance, such as their representation of the four directions and the four stages in one’s life. The four sacred plants have been used throughout history in spiritual and healing practices.  Other herbs and spices were 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 and other spiritual practices.  The four sacred plants complete the circle of life. Their smoke can provide cleansing for the mind, body and spirit.  They can remove negative energy and refresh those who use them. It has been very important for the Anishanaabeg and other cultural groups to bestow gratitude for all the Great Mystery has provided to them.  Keeping the idea of gratitude in their minds and the proper use of all the sacred plants helps those who use these sacred plants to convey their personal meaning of thankfulness.

           

The purpose of traditional Ojibwe educational practices was to prepare the young people to provide for the needs of the community.  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. 

References

Benton-Banai, E. (1979). The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway. Minnesota:

            Indian Country Press, Inc.

Densmore, F. (1979). Chippewa Customs. Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Hilger, I. (1992). Chippewa Child Life and Its Cultural Background. Minnesota: Minnesota

            Historical Society Press.

Kubiak, W. (1999). Great Lakes Indians: A Pictorial Guide. Michigan: Baker Books.

Peacock, T. and Wisuri, M. (2008). Ojibwe: Waasa Inaabidaa – We Look in All Directions.

            Minnesota: Afton Historical Society Press.

Time Life Books – Editors (ND). People of the Great Lakes. Virginia: Time Life Books.

Wendigo

The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated

skin pulled tautly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its

complexion the ash gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into

their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred

from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody.

Its body was unclean and suffering from suppurations of the flesh,

giving off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition

of death and corruption.

“Basil Johnston, Ojibwe teacher and scholar, Ontario, Canada”

Barry, Clarence, Elenore and Tracy unknowingly embarked on a terrifying journey in which only two of them survive. The ground, covered in a thick layer of snow, crunched when walked upon. Cumulus clouds blanketed the morning the winter sky. Crows flew from tree to tree. A monster stomped through the forest looking for prey. Hungry all the time, he is only truly satisfied when he eats human flesh. An unsuspecting rabbit crossed its path. He pounced. The rabbit did not know what hit him. The monster gobbled up the prey and started looking for more. The more he ate the bigger he got, the bigger he got the hungrier he became. These creatures, known to Algonquian tribes of the Great Lakes region and other locations, are giants, much larger than humans.

They are referred to as the Wendigo and are known to be malicious and murderous. They are associated with starvation, the north, and frigid cold temperatures. They hunt all year round but seem to be hungriest during the colder months. Their origins vary from one culture to the next. The Wendigo may have been human at one point and became possessed, forced to become a monster or they were born a monster.

            The most common belief is that a Wendigo originates from a human who had to resort to cannibalism to survive. This terrible circumstance occurred more often when Indian people and settlers found themselves stranded and in a desperate situation, starving and trying to endure the cold of winter. Individuals may be forced to eat the dead of their traveling companions in order to survive. Some legends involve humans who have succumbed to greed, gluttony and excess and may be possessed by the Wendigo. This belief portrayed the importance of cooperation and moderation.

Barry stretched as he woke up from a long slumber. He nudged Elenore. She turned towards him and smiled. The cabin they rented with their friends was warm and toasty, each bedroom was equipped with a fire place that coupled with the electric baseboard heating system. Elenore reached over and grabbed Barry’s arm and pulled him back into bed. He didn’t mind. Being close to Elenore was one of his favorite pastimes. After they snuggled for several minutes, Elenore entered their private bathroom and took a shower.

            Barry opened the bathroom door and said, “I smell bacon cooking. Hurry up so we can eat before we hit the trails.”

            “Okay,” responded Elenore. She finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair.

Elenore enjoyed staying at cabin. This was their second year. They decided to invite Clarence and Tracy, two of their best friends, to join them. Snowshoeing the trails during the crisp winter months in northern Minnesota was a perfect way to spend time in nature. They would talk around the fireplace in the living room at night about how things may have been during the earlier times. One conversation involved the snowshoe priest, Bishop Baraga, and how he snowshoed everywhere around Michigan territory during the winter months. It amazed them that he could travel so far.

Elenore joined the others to eat a hearty breakfast of bacon, pancakes and scrambled eggs. Freshly brewed coffee topped off the satisfying breakfast. Elenore and Barry cleaned up the kitchen and did the dishes after everyone was finished eating.

“I will finish blow drying my hair so we can take off for our hike,” said Elenore.

“I am glad I showered last evening. I did not want to be outside with even slightly damp hair. It’s 18 degrees out there right now with a wind of 10 to 15 miles per hour. I don’t want my hair to freeze,” said Tracy.

“I wish I would have thought of that. I am so used to showering in the morning.”

Barry and Clarence brought in the snowshoes to warm them up so they would be easier to put on.

Barry spread the embers in the fireplaces so the fire would die out while they were on their trek.

A loud clanging sound rang through the cabin. They looked at each other to see who was going to check out what made the loud sound. Barry grabbed a long thin log from the pile by the fireplace and opened the door to the back yard where it sounded like the loud noise came from. Clarence was close behind him. Clarence pointed to the large metal garbage can that was tipped over on the concrete skirting of the storage shed. Three raccoons scurried off when they saw Clarence and Barry. They smiled when they saw the raccoons. Living in the city did the city did not afford them opportunities to see much wild life.

“What caused that noise?” asked Tracy.

“It was raccoons digging through the garbage cans,” replied Barry.

“Is this bear country?” asked Elenore.

“There may be a few black bear, but they are more afraid of you than you are of them. Besides they are hibernating,” replied Clarence.

“I heard that if you surprise them, they may attack you,” said Tracy.

“I guess we will need to keep talking, singing or whatever so we don’t surprise them,” said Elenore.

“I would not mind seeing a bear,” said an indignant Clarence. He knew the women would be serious about not spooking a bear so they were not going to be quiet. His hopes of seeing a bear were squelched.

“I am going to pack us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a thermos of hot chocolate in case we are gone awhile and we start getting hungry or thirsty,” said Elenore.

“I will pack that thermal pack so the sandwiches won’t freeze,” said Barry. Barry usually packed anything he could he think of. He never wanted to be without anything they may need. He prided himself on how prepared he was.

To pass the time, the men chopped wood for the fireplaces. Chopping wood made the men feel useful and it gave them an opportunity to show off their muscles. Their broad shoulders and sleek waists were the result of visiting the gym three to four times a week. The women also visited the same gym and were in very good shape. Tracy ran the 25-mile marathon last summer. She prided herself with maintaining her runner’s body. Elenore was not a runner.

They packed their back packs with water and extra mittens and hats. Their snowshoes were top of the line, easy to put on and lightweight. Barry and Clarence worked at a law firm and recently made partner. Elenore and Tracy worked at the same advertising agency. Money was not an issue. They were established in their careers and planned on being childless so they could enjoy the finer things in life.

Elenore and Tracy placed hats over their heads, covered their hats with their hoodies and then clamped their hoods of their thermal coats to ensure their warmth.

They headed to the trail. The sun brightened the snow, it crunched as they walked on it with their snowshoes. Snow hung heavily on the trees. The group was elated that the trail was groomed. That would make the excursion even more enjoyable.

Trees lined the trail on both sides. They stopped to look at a babbling brook and small water fall. Posing several times to take selfies and group pictures to send to their friends back home.

Barry picked up a strange scent. “Smell that?” he asked Clarence.

“I do.”

A large group of hawks were circling above them like buzzards circling their prey.

Tracy approached Clarence and asked if he noticed the strange smell.

He nodded.

“Let’s head back and call it a day,” said Barry.

Everyone turned around and headed back to the cabin. They had at least a couple of  hours of snowshoeing before they would reach the cabin. After an hour, a group of four other people, who were also snowshoeing, were getting closer to them. Soon they met.

“Hi. I think you are staying in the cabin down the road from ours,” said one of the men.

“Hi. My name is Barry and he offered to shake the man’s hand.”

“My name is Brad,” replied the man. He shook Barry’s hand.

“Let me introduce my group. This is my wife Elenore, this is Clarence and his wife Tracy.”

“This is my wife Gertrude and my friend George and his wife Bethany.”

            Something made a loud crunching sound off to the side of the trail and the eight of them looked towards the direction of the sound.

            Brad pulled a handgun from his backpack and George did the same. Brad fired his gun in the air to scare off whatever made the sound. Tracy and Elenore jumped, not expecting the gunfire to be so loud.

            “We’re used to the sound of gunfire. Our husbands belong to a shooting association and gun clubs and take us with them all the time. We both learned how to shoot guns and have our own pistols,” said Gertrude.

            “I’m impressed,” said Tracy. She looked over at Elenore and thought she felt the same.

            “We smelled something strange a way back on the trail,” said Barry.

            “Never smelled anything like it before, it smelled rotten and sweet at the same time. That’s the best way to describe it,” said Clarence.

            “We will head back with you guys,” said George. Their group turned around and started following Barry and the rest of his group.

            They finally reached the cabins and Barry turned to George and asked if they wanted to join them at their cabin that evening.

            “We have a lot of different kinds of meat smoked from the day before. Why don’t you come over to our cabin tonight,” replied Brad.

            “What time?” asked Elenore.

            “Would 7:00 work for you?” asked Brad.

            “7:00 it is,” replied Barry.     

            Back at the cabin, Barry and Clarence cracked opened a couple of beers after pouring a couple of glasses of wine for their wives and sat down at the kitchen table to talk about what happened.

            “I don’t know about you, but I think something terrible is hiding in those woods,” said Clarence.

            “I’m with you. I think I will bypass going into the woods tomorrow and perhaps we will head into town and do a little shopping. I saw a couple of shops that may sell souvenirs that the wives will really like.”

            “We need to explore getting guns and learning how to shoot so we can protect our wives and ourselves,” said Clarence.

            “I know of a couple of places that sell guns and there is a place with a shooting range not too far from where our office is,” said Brad.

            “Since it’s only 4:00, I think we have time to take a nap,” said Clarence as he winked at Tracy.

            Their new friends’ cabin was larger and had a second floor. Tracy and Elenore were given a tour. They drooled over the sauna and hot tub in the rec room.

            “You can come over anytime to use our sauna and hot tub,” said Gertrude.

            “That’s awfully friendly of you,” replied Tracy.

            “Dinner’s ready,” shouted Brad.

            It was a spread. There were smoked strips of New York Strip, turkey, chicken and ham. A bean dish, tossed salad and fruit sat in middle of the table next to the platter of meat.

            “There’s enough food here for an army,” said George proudly.

            “Hope everyone is hungry,” said Brad. He grabbed his plate and started loading it up with meat.

            “Save room for desert,” said Gertrude.

            “Desert?” said Elenore.

            “Yes, we made brownies and apple pie,” said Bethany.

            Everyone gorged themselves on the delicious food.

            “I am going to make a fire. We have stories to tell you about what we think was in the woods today,” said George.

            “I am interested in what you think we heard and smelled,” replied Barry.

            After everyone help clean up the kitchen, they sat down on the large sectional in front of the fireplace. George made a roaring fire. The blue and yellow flames danced around the burning logs. It was mesmerizing to watch.

            “We were talking to some of the local Indian people at one of the cafes yesterday and he told us about monsters that live in this neck of the woods. Scared the bejebees out of us so we decided to carry our guns with us today,” said George.

            “The Algonquian Indians have been telling legends for many years about monsters called the Wendigo. They told us they can possess you and get you to come to them. Wendigos prefer to eat human flesh and can survive in the harshest of weather. It’s like they prefer the cold. The more they eat the larger they get. They walk on two feet and may have been human before they were possessed and made into a monster. They have a funny smell and may smell like burnt flesh. They told us about a well-known case in which this man named Jack Fiddler, who happened to be a medicine man used his powers and defeated 14 Wendigos. These monsters are huge, some as tall as trees,” said Brad.

            Barry, Clarence, Tracy and Elenore looked at each other with huge eyes. They looked like they saw a ghost.

            “Even though this is scary, I think you need to hear about what we learned from the locals,” said Brad.

            “Go on,” encouraged Barry.

            “They told us that the Wendigo can take over a host slowly, taking over the person’s mind and body. They will give them nightmares and the host will become sleep deprived, slowly losing a grip on their sanity. They will experience an unbearable burning sensation with their feet and in the end will run into the woods barefoot no matter what time of year, screaming like a madman. They knew of a few people from their tribe that they have lost forever. Never to be seen again,” said Brad.

            “Do you think that is what we smelled today?” asked Elenore. She huddled close to Barry and pulled her knees to her chest like she was protecting her feet.

            “Yes, I believe that’s what you smelled and what we heard,” replied George.

            “Let’s forget about this for so we can all have a good night’s sleep tonight,” said Elenore.

            “Anybody up for a dip in the hot tub?” asked Bethany.

            “We don’t have a swimsuit,” said Tracy.

            “Let’s use our undergarments and you can use our robes while your things are drying,” said Bethany.

            “That will work,” replied Tracy. She was glad she wore a tank top over her bra so she would be more concealed.

            The hot tub was nice. They talked about their families, jobs and where they went to school. The wine was going to the women’s heads.

            “We should call it an evening,” said Tracy. She yawned and tried to cover it up.

            “Do you want to join us tomorrow when we go into town?” asked Elenore.

            “We would love that,” replied Bethany before anyone else could respond.

            “I am going to drive you to your cabin. You can’t take any chances at this time of night,” said George. He grabbed his gun and led them to his SUV.

            Before they closed the doors to the SUV, they heard howling off in a distance.

            “That’s just coyotes. You don’t have to be concerned about them unless you are a small animal,” said George.

            Elenore grabbed Barry’s hand. He squeezed her hand to reassure her.

           

            Barry was tossing and turning in bed that evening. He was having the terrible dreams. One of the dreams involved being chased by a large, scary monster. In another dream, he was tied up in the standing position and a monster was about to eat him. He woke up shaking. Elenore held him close and told him he was safe.

            Barry was up cooking breakfast. He was using the waffle iron that came with the cabin. Fresh strawberries were crushed to put on top of the waffles.

            “Something smells good,” said Clarence. Clarence always hated his name but did not want to hurt his parents’ feelings so he didn’t legally change it. He was named after his great grandfather.

            Clarence walked over to the counter to see what Barry was doing.

            Barry looked over and smiled at Clarence. Barry decided to cook breakfast to keep his mind off the dreams he had the night before.

            Tracy and Elenore walked into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table.

            “Want some coffee?” asked Elenore. She poured a cup of coffee from the carafe and handed it over to Tracy after she nodded.

            “You look tired, Elenore,” said Tracy.

            “Barry was having nightmares last night so I held him close to me to provide him with reassurance and I had the light on. He said the dreams were so real.”

            “I am sorry to hear that, Barry,” said Tracy.

            “I slept like a log,” said Clarence.

            “I may take a nap some time today so I can be peppy for tonight,” said Barry.

            “What time are we going into town?” asked Elenore.

            “I think we plan on meeting our new friends at the diner at about 12:30,” replied Clarence.

            Everyone enjoyed the waffles and departed to their separate rooms to shower and get dressed.

           

            “Hi, everyone,” said Clarence. Their four new friends saved them seats at the diner. Another table had to be pushed next to theirs to accommodate everyone.

            Clarence opened the menu and started reading some of the choices to Tracy. She decided on the whitefish sandwich with fries and Clarence decided to pick his usual choice of a hamburger and fries. The others had a little more trouble deciding what they wanted to order. Most of the food was cooked on the grill and in fryers and they wanted something a little healthier after all they ate the night before. Elenore, Bethany and Gertrude ordered salads and a cup of soup. Brad and George and Barry all ordered the turkey subs.

            Barry told everyone about the dreams he had the night before.

            “I wonder if I put some scary thoughts in your head when I told you about the Wendigo,” said Brad.

            “You may have.”

            One of the town’s tribal elder’s ears perked up and he pulled up a chair to their table.

            “You had dreams about the Wendigo, didn’t you?” asked the elder.

            “Perhaps I did,” replied Barry.

            “That is not a good sign. The monster may be targeting you,” said the elder.

            “Why do you say that?” asked Barry. He looked concerned and looked at Elenore to get her reaction. She also looked concerned.

            “When they target you, they start by messing with your thoughts and dreams and it sounds like that’s what happened to you last night.”

            “I usually sleep like a log and I don’t remember any of my dreams,” said Barry.

            “He’s right. I normally have to ask him to lie on his side because he is snoring,” said Elenore.

            “My son went missing two months ago. He started having nightmares just like you,” said the elder.

            “You never found him,” inquired Brad.

            “No. There was no trace of him,” replied the elder.

             “I want to forget about all this horrible stuff and perhaps head home earlier than planned,” said Elenore.

            “I think that may be a good idea,” said Tracy.

            “Don’t let your guard down at all. Do not wander off. I would stay in your cabins until you are ready to leave or book rooms at the Cherry Blossum Inn if you would feel safer in town,” warned the elder. The elder left their table as soon as he warned them.

            “What do you want to do?” asked Barry.

            “I would like to check out tomorrow and head for home. I know I am talking for everyone but you can’t be too careful. That monster may be after you, Barry,” said Tracy.

            “I think Tracy is right. We can check out tomorrow and leave the key under the mat as instructed for the next people,” said Barry.

            “I have an idea. Why don’t you guys move into our cabin. We have plenty of room and it may be safer. At least for tonight before you leave tomorrow,” offered Brad.

            “I like that they have an upstairs. I would feel safer,” replied Elenore.

            “Then that’s what we will do. We will clean our cabin and move into yours for tonight,” said Barry.

            “The food was really good. I enjoyed my soup immensely,” said Bethany.

            “I enjoyed my hamburger,” said Clarence. He rubbed his belly.

            “I want to go shopping and pick up a few souvenirs,” said Gertrude.

            They enjoyed exploring the shops and were surprised to find replicas of Wendigos in one of the Native American shops. The owner of the shop told them the replicas ward off the horrible creatures and also told them about placing sweetgrass and sage around their cabin to protect them. They did not buy anything in that store. They were from the city and were never exposed to any Native American customs so it made them feel uncomfortable.

           

            They returned to their cabins and Elenore, Barry, Tracy and Clarence started packing up their things and brought them to the car except for small overnight bags to take to Brad’s cabin. They heard coyotes howling in a distance and then they heard yelping like the sound of a dog if it was injured. They hurried back to the cabin.

            “I am never going to go to a place like this that is in middle of the woods again,” said Elenore.

            “I am never going to, either,” replied Tracy.

           

            Before the sun set they headed to Brad’s cabin.

            They enjoyed a hearty game of Pictionary and ended up realizing that their new friends were as competitive as they were. The eight of them ended the evening playing Apples to Apples and laughed so hard their sides hurt. The bottles of wine they consumed added to their merriment. The clock in the den struck midnight.

            “I better turn in before I turn into a pumpkin,” chimed Barry.

            “I hope you have a restful sleep. I think you are going to find the beds very comfortable,” said Brad.

            “Thanks for letting us stay here,” said Elenore.

           

            It was 3:00 in the morning. Barry sat up. He had a blank look on his face. He stood up and walked towards the bedroom door. He opened the door quietly and crept out into the hall. In a few minutes, he was outside standing in the snow because his feet felt like they were on fire. Barry was sleep walking. His name was being called. He walked towards the voice. Barry was led into a deep, dark cavern. He as tied up.

            Elenore felt Barry’s side of the bed. She discovered he wasn’t there. She jolted out of bed and ran to find Barry. He was no where to be found. Terrified she screamed for everyone to wake up. Streams of early daylight fell upon the dark kitchen tiles. Everyone came running.

            “What’s wrong?” asked a terrified Bethany.

            “Barry’s missing,” responded Elenore.

            “We will get dressed and look outside for Barry. You stay put,” ordered Brad.

            The three men were exploring outside around the perimeter of the forest. Afraid to walk into the forest.

            “I think we need to go into town and get the sheriff to help us and perhaps some other men will join in on the search,” said Clarence. He was fretting and rubbing his hands together and through his hair. Everybody was concerned.

            The three men rode into town with the four women and stopped at the local sheriff’s office. The sheriff agreed to gather a bunch of men together to start the search.

            The large group of men, twenty-five in all loaded with guns walked into the forest on the groomed path. Clarence was also given a gun. He did have some experience hunting with his dad so he was somewhat familiar with using a gun. They gave him a pistol.

            Clarence’s back was to the forest, when a large hairy arm reached out to grab him. No one saw it happen until they turned to check on him. They called out Clarence’s name. There was no answer. The group of men had two men to find. They were never located.

Bethany and Gertrude held Tracy and Elenore for a long time, while they sobbed and sobbed. Scared and heartbroken, they decided to leave Minnesota and return to Chicago.

Tracy and Elenore returned without their husbands. Both women moved in with their parents. Grief grabbed them and did not let go of them for months after their time in Minnesota. They never returned to the woods again.

           

            The Algonquin Indians told legends about the Wendigos. Some believed they actually existed while others wanted everyone to live a life without gluttony and to live in cooperation with others. The Wendigos origins vary, some were born a monster and others made into their monsters after they were forced to eat human flesh due to starvation. Reports of Wendigos go back to the 1600s. The television show Supernatural portrayed a Wendigo as a collector of humans so they could eat them throughout the long cold months. Wendigos were known to always be hungry and the more they ate the larger they became. Many people of all ages have been reported missing in locations in which Wendigos were known to exit. Beware of the Wendigo, they may be watching you.    

           

           

Ancietn Egyptian Gods' Throne Battles

Osiris, hidden from view in a dark cavern, listened carefully for one of his worse enemies, his brother Seth. Stalactite hung eerily from the ceiling. His supersonic hearing picked up the breathing of the bats hanging above him. Osiris finally heard his brother creeping closer to him. Seth, Osiris’ worse nemesis, constantly sought ways to rid the world of his brother.  He was vicious and conniving in his attacks, sneaky even for Osiris. Osiris and Seth possessed many god-like qualities and may have come from the planet Nibiru or another foreign planet. They were equally matched in abilities and strength.  Seth, ruthless with his dangerous schemes, led Osiris to fear his brother.  His attacks were continuous and when Osiris would least expect them.  Seth was getting closer to his bother.  Osiris decided to use magic and disappear out of thin air. He could hear Seth’s loud sigh as he did so. Osiris was safe for a little while.

These two highly advanced and intelligent beings served as an ominous threat to any of their adversaries.  They performed various feats of magic to impress their followers such as levitating, disappearing into thin air and altering their size to giant size beings at the snap of their fingers.  Seth had his eye on the prize, the throne. Osiris, a fair and kind ruler, was favored by his subjects.  Many of Osiris’ subjects helped protect him from his brother and his brother’s allies.  Most of the inhabitants in Egypt did not want Seth to become the ruler.

The subject of death carried a lot of mystery and respect for the ancient Egyptians. Their belief in rebirth after death drove them to perform specific funeral practices. The elite were often mummified and buried with precious heirlooms that they could bring with them to the afterlife. Mummification involved removing the internal organs and wrapping the body in linen. Death only served as a temporary interruption. In order to ensure eternal life, they had to honor the gods, preserve their physical form through mummification and utilize the appropriate funeral equipment.  The ancient Egyptians buried their dead in a rectangular stone sarcophagus or wooden coffin.

Seth, under the pretense of meeting Osiris’ needs regarding his future burial, hired an artisan to build a sarcophagus for Osiris. The sarcophagus was being presented as a gift to Osiris from his devoted subjects. Osiris was touched by the thoughtfulness.

Amil, the artisan asked Osiris to climb into the sarcophagus to see if it fit.

“I will be more than happy to try out this wonderful gift,” replied Osiris.

The minute he was inside, the top was placed on it and it was latched. The sarcophagus was lined with copper and silver to prevent Osiris from using his magic to release himself from his prison. The sarcophagus was delivered to the deepest part of the Red Sea. Without air, food and other necessities, Osiris eventually died a long and agonizing death.

Isis, Osiris’ wife, and her sister Nepthys, who happened to be married to Seth, searched high and low and finally located Osiris. They brought Osiris to the bank of the sea and opened the sarcophagus. One of Isis’ gifts included bringing beings back to life. Isis performed her magic and Osiris was brought back to life.

Seth was furious and began scheming again on how he was going to kill Osiris. One day, Seth transformed himself into a vicious monster and attacked Osiris, killing him. Seth then cut Osiris into 14 pieces and distributed them throughout the length and breadth of Egypt. With Osiris dead, Seth became king of Egypt again, with his sister Nepthys as his wife. Nepthys, however, felt sorry for her sister Isis, who wept endlessly over her lost husband.

            Seven scorpions escorted Isis during her flight in search of her husband. She was weary and wanted to rest one evening and stopped at the home of a peasant woman and her children. The woman did not want to let Isis into her home. One of the scorpions, Tefen, decided to slip under the door and he stung one of the woman’s children. Isis heard the woman crying over the loss of her child so she forgave the woman for turning her away. Isis entered the home and laid a hand on the child and gave him a new life.      

            “You can stay at my home since you saved my child,” said the grateful woman.

            “Thank you. I am very tired after my long journey and need to get a good night’s sleep.”

            Isis, who possessed great magical powers, continued to look for her husband so she could bring him back to life long enough so that they could have a child. Together with Nepthys, Isis roamed the country, collecting the pieces of her husband’s body and reassembling them. Nephthys, Seth’s wife and sister, was considered a protective goddess. She was seen with her sister Isis more than with her spouse Seth. She helped find the pieces of Osiris body and helped put him back together with her sister. Once she completed this task, she breathed the breath of life into his body and resurrected him. They were together again, and Isis became pregnant soon after. Osiris was able to descend into the underworld, where he became the lord of that domain.            

            Isis gave birth to her son after a long labor alone in the swamps of the Delta. The child born to Isis was named Horus, the hawk-god. Seth knew Horus would eventually cause problems for him so he searched high and low for him to no avail. Seth and his demons lurked in the thicket near where she was hiding. Isis could only seek food at night while accompanied by her bodyguards, seven scorpions provided to her by the goddess Selket. Isis and Selket nurtured and educated Horus to prepare for adulthood. Finally, Horus became strong enough to challenge his uncle for his father’s kingdom.

Horus decided to make a case before the court of gods that he, not Seth, was the rightful king of Egypt.

“My father, who was killed by Seth, was the rightful ruler. I am Osiris’ son. I should be the king of Egypt.”

Seth countered Horus and said, “I have been the lawful ruler for years and have brought Egypt much prosperity.”

The gods agreed with Seth.

Seth remained the ruler because of his experience. The court considered Horus too young and he lacked experience to become the ruler.

Seth may have had a dark side but he was also known for his association with the thunder god, Baal. Many rulers took his name associating themselves with his strength. Seth served alongside Ra the sun god when he was on his journey through the night. He defended Ra from the serpent Apophis. Seth represented the balance in the universe concerning the concept of duality. Seth would appear as a hippopotamus on occasion. The hippopotamus was regarded as a symbol of disorder and positive feminine morality.

            A long period of argument followed, and Seth challenged Horus to a contest. The winner would become king. Seth, however, did not play fair. After several matches in which Seth cheated and was the victor, Horus’ mother, Isis, decided to help her son set a trap for Seth. She snared him, but Seth begged for his life, and Isis let him go. When he found out that she had let his enemy live, Horus became angry with his mother, and rages against her, earning him the contempt of the other gods. Isis was referred to as the “Universal Mother” to the Egyptian people. The goddess served as a representation of the devoted wife and mother. She not only used her powers to restore life, she also helped mothers and children in many ways.

            They decided that there would be one more match, and Seth would get to choose what it would be. Seth decided that the final round of the contest would be a boat race. However, in order to make the contest a challenge, Seth decided that he and Horus should race boats made of stone. Horus was tricky and built a boat made of wood, covered with limestone plaster, which looked like stone. As the gods assembled for the race, Seth cut the top off of a mountain to serve as his boat and set it in the water. His boat sank right away, and all the other gods laughed at him.

            Angry, Seth transformed himself into a hippopotamus and attacked Horus’ boat. Horus fought off Seth, but the other gods stopped him before he killed Seth. The officiating gods decided that the match was a tie. Many of the gods were sympathetic to Horus, but remembered his anger toward his mother for being lenient to Seth, and were unwilling to support him completely. The gods who formed the court decided to write a letter to Osiris and ask for his advice. Osiris responded with a definite answer: his son is the rightful king, and should be placed upon the throne. No one, said Osiris, should take the throne of Egypt through an act of murder, as Seth had done. Seth had killed Osiris, but Horus did not kill anyone, and was the better candidate. The sun and the stars, who were Osiris’ allies, descended into the underworld, leaving the world in darkness.

            Finally, the gods agreed that Horus should claim his birthright as king of Egypt. Light was returned to Earth. He assumed the Atef crown and took over the thrown of his father, Osiris. Horus was known as the “King of men” and his father was granted the kingdom of the dead and known as the “King of eternity.” The family has died. Osiris died in truth and served as a star in the sky. Isis is the dog-star. Horus is Orion (Erman, 1971).

            Horus eventually forgave his mother after much prompting by the gods.

            Horus was known to bring unity in the lands of Egypt. He brought a kingdom out of the depths of chaos and returned it back to harmony. Horus was worshipped by many future rulers including Ramesses II. Temples were built in honor of Horus, Isis and Osiris.

             

The Egyptian Myth of Creation from Amum, the sky god, and Nut, the earth goddess came four children: Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nepthys. Osiris was the oldest and so became king of Egypt, and he married his sister Isis. Osiris was a good king and commanded the respect of all who lived on the earth and the gods who dwelled in the netherworld. Seth was always jealous of Osiris because he did not command the respect of those on earth or those in the netherworld. Many creation stories consisted of a man and woman created by a higher being, usually a god. Osiris and Isis were created and procreated with one another and Horus was born, who was also a god. Seth the evil brother was married to his sister Nephthys. Osiris and Seth were brothers like Cain and Abel. One was good and one was evil. The fight between good and evil has existed since the beginning of time. The fight to gain control of resources and people has also endured through the test of time. The ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses have watched over and provided protection for the inhabitants for many years.