MOVING FORWARD TO ANISHINAABE TRADITIONAL GOVERNANCE
The purple pictograph (left) illustrates Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe, One Anishinaabe Family. Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe is the Preamble of the Anishinaabe Chi-Naaknigewin, the Guiding Principles (right).
There are five symbols on a circular field of purple. Purple is the colour associated with the Gift of Respect, the Ajijaak (Crane) Clan whose responsibility is external governance.
The colour purple is significant as it is the colour of wampum used in the Gchi-Miigisaabiigan (Great Wampum Belt).
Gchi-Miigisaabiigan documents the Treaty of Niagara, July 1764 , where 2,500 leaders and headmen, representing 24 Great Lakes Nations, and the British Crown, represented by Sir William Johnson, Superintendant of Indian Affairs, entered a formal, nation to nation agreement of peace and friendship. Constitutional scholars, cite the Treaty of Niagara, 1764, as the first constitutional instrument of what would become Canada.
The symbols illustrate the tenets contained in Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe:
- Symbol 1: Represents how the Debenjiged (Creator) placed Anishinaabe on the Earth along with the Gift of Spirituality
- Symbol 2: Here on Shkagmigaang (Mother Earth), there were Gifts given to Anishinaabe to look after: Shkode (fire), Nibi (water), Aki (earth), and Noodin (wind).
- Symbol 3: The Debenjiged also gave Anishinaabe Seven Sacred Gifts to guide them. They are: Zaagidwin (Love), Debwewin (Truth), Mnaadendmowin (Respect), Nbwaakaawin (Wisdom), Dbaadendiziwin (Humility), Gwekwaadziwin (Honesty) and Aakedhewin (Bravery).
- Symbol 4: The Debenjiged gave us sovereignty to govern ourselves. Shown is the symbol of One Anishinaabe Family, man, woman and child.
- Symbol 5: We respect and honour the past, present and future. All time is symbolized.
The white border represents lodges to represent our Anishinaabe communities that create the circle of Anishinaabe territory, world view, and belonging as One Anishinaabe Family.
The Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe symbol will be incorporated in the Governance Initiatives of the Anishinabek Nation.