Midewiwin Totally Explained

Everything about The Midewiwin totally explained

The Midewiwin (also spelled Midewin and Medewiwin) or the Grand Medicine Society is a secretive religion of the aboriginal groups of the Maritimes, New England and Great Lakes regions in North America. Its practitioners are called Midew and the practices of Midewiwin referred to as Mide. Occasionally, male Midew are called Midewinini, which sometimes is translated into English as either "shaman" or "medicine man".

Name

The preverb mide can be translated as "mystery," "mysterious," "spiritual," "sanctimonious," "sacred," or "ceremonial", depending on the context of its use. The derived verb midewi, thus means "be in/of mide." The derived noun midewiwin then means "state of being in midewi." Often mide is translated into English as "medicine" (thus the term midewinini "medicine-man") though mide conveys the idea of a spiritual medicine, opposed to mashkiki that conveys the idea of a physical medicine.

Origins

Associations

Tribal groups who have such societies include the Abenaki, Quiripi, Nipmuc, Wampanoag, Anishinaabe (Algonquin, Ojibwa/Chippewa, Odawa/Ottawa and Potawatomi), Miami, Fox, Sac, Sioux and the Winnebago. These indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (North America) known either as First Nations or as Native Americans passed along birch bark scrolls, teachings, and have degrees of initiations and ceremonies. They are often associated with the Seven Fires Society, and other aboriginal groups or organizations. The Miigis shell, or cowrie shell, is used in some ceremonies, along with bundles, sacred items, etc. There are many oral teachings, symbols, stories, history, and wisdom passed along and preserved from one generation to the next by these groups. Whiteshell Provincial Park is named after the white shell (cowrie) used in Midewiwin ceremonies. This park contains some petroforms that are over 1000 years old, or possibly older, and therefore may predate some aboriginal groups that came later to the area.

Degrees

The Mide practitioners are initiated and ranked by "degrees." Much like the apprentice system or an academic degree programs, a practioner can't advance to the next higher degree until completing the required tasks and gain the full knowledge of that degree's requirements. Only after successful completion, may a candidate be considered for advancement into the next higher degree.

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Extended Fourth

The accounts regarding the extended Fourth Degrees vary from region to region. All Midewiwin groups claim the extended Fourth Degrees are specialized forms of the Fourth Degree. Depending on the region, these extended Fourth Degree Midew can be called "Fifth Degree" up to "Ninth Degree." In parallel, if the Fourth Degree Midew is to a doctorate degree, the Extended Fourth Degree Midew is to a post-doctorate degree.

Medicine

Medicine bag

Medicine lodge

Midewigaan

Jiisakiiwigaan

Madoodiswan

Ceremonies

Annual

Aabita-biboon (Midwinter Ceremony)
Animoosh ([White] Dog Ceremony)
Jiibay-inaakewin or Jiibenaakewin (Feast of the Dead)
Gaagaagiinh or Gaagaagishiinh (Raven Festival)
Zaazaagiwichigan (Painted Pole Festival)
Mawineziwin ("War [Rememberance] Dance")

Rites of passage

Nitaawigiwin (Birth rites)—ceremony in which a newborn's umbillical cord is cut and retained

Waawiindaasowin (Naming rites)—ceremony in which a name-giver presents a name to a child

Oshki-nitaagewin (First-kill rites)—ceremony in which a child's first successful hunt is celebrated

Makadekewin (Puberty fast rites)—upon reaching puberty, a child goes through a vision quest to determine path into adulthood

Wiidigendiwin (Marriage rites)—ceremony in which a couple is joined into a single household

Bagidinigewin (Death rites)—wake, funeral and funerary feast

Teaching objects

Teaching scrolls

Called wiigwaasabakoon in the Anishinaabe language, birch bark scrolls were used to pass on knowledge between generations. When used specifically for Midewiwin ceremonial use, these wiigwaasabakoon used as teaching scrolls were called Mide-wiigwaas ("Medicine birch [barkscroll]"). Early accounts of the Mide from books written in the 1800s describe a group of elders that protected the birch bark scrolls in hidden locations. They recopied the scrolls if any were badly damaged, and they preserved them underground. These scrolls were described as very sacred and the interpretations of the scrolls were not easily given away. Current theories claim the Ojibwe Nation is possibly descended from the Hopewell People who formed a vast trading network across the North American continent. The historical areas of the Ojibwe were recorded, and stretched from the east coast all the way to the prairies by way of lake and river routes. Some of the first maps of rivers and lakes were made by the Ojibwe and written on birch bark.

Teaching stones

Teaching stones known in the Anishinaabe language as either Gikinoo'amaagewaabik or Gikinoo'amaage-asin can be either petroglyphs or petroform.

Three creational ages

Ancient

The three creational ages begin with the Ancient age where humanity and animal-life are undifferentiated.

Golden

In the Golden age animals are still humans, but quantitatively different.

Present

With the Present age, animals and humanity are totally differentiated.

Seven prophetical ages

Seven fires prophecy is a prophecy originally taught among the practioners of Midewiwin. Each fire represents a prophetical age, marking phases, or epochs, in the life of the people on Turtle Island (North America). The Seven fires prophecy represent key spiritual teachings for North America, and suggest that the different colors and traditions of the human beings can come together on a basis of respect. The Algonquins are the keepers of the seven fires prophecy wampum.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Midewiwin'.

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