Spirit Lives in the Mind: Omushkego Stories, Lives, and Dreams 9780773576926
Louis Bird has spent the last three decades documenting Cree oral traditions and sharing his stories with audiences in C
125 24 1MB
English Pages 256 [257] Year 2007
Table of contents :
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Illustrations
Map
Introduction
1. WATER, EARTH AND SKIES
The Land and the Spirit
Mooshawow and Wabagamushusagagan
The Shaman and the Narwhal Whisker
Rocks and their Stories
Places in the Skies
Giant Spider and the First People
Astronomy
Moshegiishik (The Universe)
Chakapesh
Chakapesh Gets Swallowed by a Fish
Chakapesh Snares the Sun
Chakapesh in the Moon
Mysteries in the Sky
2. INTRUDERS AND DEFENDERS
Encounters on Mooshawow
Ostigwan Nowakow (The Place of Skulls)
A Mitew Attack with a Lightning Gun
Ships, Mysterious and Real
3. PAKAASKOKAN, AN ANCIENT LEGEND AND MYSTERY
4. VALUES FOR LIFE AND SURVIVAL
Dreams and Gifts
Christianity and Our Ways: Fear and Denial
Conversions to Christianity
Life after Death
The Power of the Orphan – a Resurrection Story
Healing and Faith
A Mitew Healer
Omushkego Individualism
Condemnation by Christianity
5. RELATION WITH ANIMALS
Animal Powers
Caribou Awareness
Caribou Messages
Code of Ethics: Dreams, Gifts, and Knowledge
Sinning Against Animals
Respect and Thanks for Animals
Violations and Consequences: The Hunters and the White Fox
6. MITEWIWIN HEROES AND VILLIANS
Mitewiwin: The Power of Dreams and the Mind
Science and Mystery
Dream Helpers
Becoming a Mitew
Dreaming the Elements
Mind Power through Dreams
Seasons and Places to Dream
Mitew Fasting and Self-Discipline
Healing
Animals and Power
Mitew Competitions
Defence and Warfare: Mitew Powers and Their Limitations
Mitew Duels and Insults
Protection through Non-Belief
Stories of Powerful Mitewak
Enduring Practice and Belief
Mitew Magical Travel – Not So Long Ago
Mitew or Christian, One or the Other?
7. WIHTIGOS AND CANNIBAL HEARTS
Becoming a Wihtigo
Burning Wihtigos
Anway and the Cannibals
The Mitew and the Cannibal Hearts
Ice Hearts
Ketastotinewan
8. WOMEN AND MEN
Women
Our Grandmothers’ Powers
Wilderness Woman
Morning Star, a Love Story, and the Spread of the Cree Language
Wife of Ketastotinewan
A Woman, Her Dream Father, and a Wihtigo Duel
Wihtigo, or the Consequences of Not Listening
Story of a Woman Helping a Captive Man
Story of a Captive Woman Conquering her Guard
9. PERSONAGES
The Defeat of the Giant Skunk
The Legless Man and the Boys Who Disobeyed
John Sakeny and Bernard Gull
Amoe and Sheweephan
10. WISAKAYCHAK
Wisakaychak the Rock Mover
Wisakaychak and the Woman Who Played Dead
Wisakaychak Pursues Women
Wisakaychak Tricks the Birds
Wisakaychak Cooks His Geese and Loses Them
Wisakaychak Tricks a Bear and Loses His Feast
Wisakaychak Goes West and Grants Two Wishes
Appendix: Recordings by Louis Bird
Notes
Suggested Readings
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Illustrations
Map
Introduction
1. WATER, EARTH AND SKIES
The Land and the Spirit
Mooshawow and Wabagamushusagagan
The Shaman and the Narwhal Whisker
Rocks and their Stories
Places in the Skies
Giant Spider and the First People
Astronomy
Moshegiishik (The Universe)
Chakapesh
Chakapesh Gets Swallowed by a Fish
Chakapesh Snares the Sun
Chakapesh in the Moon
Mysteries in the Sky
2. INTRUDERS AND DEFENDERS
Encounters on Mooshawow
Ostigwan Nowakow (The Place of Skulls)
A Mitew Attack with a Lightning Gun
Ships, Mysterious and Real
3. PAKAASKOKAN, AN ANCIENT LEGEND AND MYSTERY
4. VALUES FOR LIFE AND SURVIVAL
Dreams and Gifts
Christianity and Our Ways: Fear and Denial
Conversions to Christianity
Life after Death
The Power of the Orphan – a Resurrection Story
Healing and Faith
A Mitew Healer
Omushkego Individualism
Condemnation by Christianity
5. RELATION WITH ANIMALS
Animal Powers
Caribou Awareness
Caribou Messages
Code of Ethics: Dreams, Gifts, and Knowledge
Sinning Against Animals
Respect and Thanks for Animals
Violations and Consequences: The Hunters and the White Fox
6. MITEWIWIN HEROES AND VILLIANS
Mitewiwin: The Power of Dreams and the Mind
Science and Mystery
Dream Helpers
Becoming a Mitew
Dreaming the Elements
Mind Power through Dreams
Seasons and Places to Dream
Mitew Fasting and Self-Discipline
Healing
Animals and Power
Mitew Competitions
Defence and Warfare: Mitew Powers and Their Limitations
Mitew Duels and Insults
Protection through Non-Belief
Stories of Powerful Mitewak
Enduring Practice and Belief
Mitew Magical Travel – Not So Long Ago
Mitew or Christian, One or the Other?
7. WIHTIGOS AND CANNIBAL HEARTS
Becoming a Wihtigo
Burning Wihtigos
Anway and the Cannibals
The Mitew and the Cannibal Hearts
Ice Hearts
Ketastotinewan
8. WOMEN AND MEN
Women
Our Grandmothers’ Powers
Wilderness Woman
Morning Star, a Love Story, and the Spread of the Cree Language
Wife of Ketastotinewan
A Woman, Her Dream Father, and a Wihtigo Duel
Wihtigo, or the Consequences of Not Listening
Story of a Woman Helping a Captive Man
Story of a Captive Woman Conquering her Guard
9. PERSONAGES
The Defeat of the Giant Skunk
The Legless Man and the Boys Who Disobeyed
John Sakeny and Bernard Gull
Amoe and Sheweephan
10. WISAKAYCHAK
Wisakaychak the Rock Mover
Wisakaychak and the Woman Who Played Dead
Wisakaychak Pursues Women
Wisakaychak Tricks the Birds
Wisakaychak Cooks His Geese and Loses Them
Wisakaychak Tricks a Bear and Loses His Feast
Wisakaychak Goes West and Grants Two Wishes
Appendix: Recordings by Louis Bird
Notes
Suggested Readings
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
- Author / Uploaded
- Louis Bird
- Susan Elaine Gray
