Anishinabe Creation Story

I found this creation story. This one is very similar to the last.
http://www.ottawaalgonquins.com/index_files/Creation%20Story.pdf.

Given the fact that these creation stories are oral tradition, and that this nation was spread out over great distances over a long period of time, it is acceptable to me to see variation. I have seen the same basic story, told in a number of ways. Each way point me to One God, One Creator. Each rendition of this great truth, helps me to experience just how big and amazing God is. I have not read anything yet that poses a conflict.

The Anishinabe Creation Story,

By: Basil Johnston in Ojibway Heritage

Kitche Manitou (The Great Spirit) beheld a vision.

In this dream he saw a vast sky filled with stars, sun, moon, and earth.

He saw an earth made of mountains and valleys, islands and lakes, plains and forests.

He saw trees and flowers, grasses and vegetables.

He saw walking, flying, swimming, and crawling beings.

He witnessed the birth, growth, and the end of things.

At the same time he saw other things live on.

Amidst change there was constancy.

Kitche Manitou heard songs, wailings, stories.

He touched wind and rain.

He felt love and hate, fear and courage, joy and sadness.

Kitche Manitou meditated to understand his vision.

In his wisdom Kitche Manitou understood that his vision had to be fulfilled.

Kitche Manitou was to bring into being and existence

what he had seen, heard, and felt.

Out of nothing he made rock, water, fire, and wind.

Into each one he breathed the breath of life.

On each he bestowed with his breath a different essence and nature.

Each substance had its own power which became its soul-spirit.

From these four substances Kitche Manitou created

the physical world of sun, stars, moon, and earth.

To the sun Kitche Manitou gave the powers of light and heat.

To the earth he gave growth and healing;

to waters purity and renewal;

to the wind music and the breath of life itself.

On earth Kitche Manitou formed

mountains, valleys, plains, islands, lakes, bays, and rivers.

Everything was in its place; everything was beautiful.

Then Kitche Manitou made the plant beings.

These were four kinds: flowers, grasses, trees, and vegetables.

To each he gave a spirit of life, growth, healing, and beauty.

Each he placed where it would be the most beneficial,

and lend to earth the greatest beauty and harmony and order.

After plants, Kitche Manitou created animal beings

conferring on each special powers and natures.

There were two-leggeds, four-leggeds, wingeds, and swimmers.

Last of all he made man.

Though last in the order of creation, l

east in order of dependence,

and weakest in bodily powers,

man had the greatest gift

– the power to dream.

Kitche Manitou then made The Great Laws of Nature

for the well being and harmony of all things and all creatures.

The Great Laws governed the place and movement of

sun, moon, earth and stars;

governed the powers of wind, water, fire, and rock;

governed the rhythm and continuity of life, birth, growth, and decay.

All things lived and worked by these laws.

Kitche Manitou had brought into existence his vision.

Kitche Manitou Prepared by Lynn Gehl, 2005

Worship service was special for me today. The God I worshiped today, is bigger, better, more perfect, more personal, more, bigger, grander than ever before. I rekon He is as Big and Great as He always was, but somehow there is more room in my tiny brain to comprehend.

Reading these Ojibway Creation stories has touched my heart. I am so happy I have learned these things. I need to reflect now. I need to put these pieces of information with my other pieces. Its kinda like a grand re-organization in my brain. Its like preparing for dump day. I am looking at some stuff that I need to leave outside by the trash bin. I am placing the Ojibway creation story on the shelf of my mind right beside Genesis. It will help me grow and to see more value in the great inheritance that is mine. It is one more piece in my mind that brings honor and glory to God.

Thank You Jesus for taking my hand. Thank you for the words spoken to me today. Help me Lord to store my treasures in heaven. Thank you for helping me clean the room in my mind.