Medicine Wheel : North - Giiwednong

The North is the place of Winter, of white snows that remind us of the white hairs of our elders. It is the place of true wisdom. The white polar bear teaches us strength and survival. We pray for the strength that will keep us well and keep us from sickness. Survival sometimes means physical survival, that there is enough food and wood to keep us warm. We also need to pray that we survive emotionally and mentally against lonliness and that spirit and heart are strong.

There are many Gifts from the North : Elders, thinking, understanding, organizing, problem solving, freedom from hate and knowledge, insight, to see and take the middle way, wisdom, imagining, detachment, freedom from fear and love, seeing how all things fit together, moderation and justice.

Teachings from Giiwednong of the Medicine Wheel : the colour white, North Wind, Winter,midnight; Caucasian Peoples; Elder; spirit; grandfather and grandmother; wild animals; polar bear; air; sweetgrass; nuts, strength.

white - waabshkaa
Northwind - Giiwedin
Winter - Bboon
Midnight - aaptaad bikat
Caucasian - waabshkeye
Elder - Chi Anishnaabe
spirit - jiibaam
grandfather - mishomis
grandmother - nookomis
wild animals - wesiinhik
Polar Bear - Waabshki Mkwaa
air - nodin
sweetgrass - wiingaashk
nuts - bagaanak

Medicine Wheel : West - Epingishmok

The greatest teaching of the West is to accept ourselves as we really are as both physical and spiritual beings and to never cut ourselves off from the spiritual part of our nature.

Gifts from the West are numerous : darkness, going within, deep inner thoughts, daily prayer, fasting, contemplation, being alone with one's self, sacrafice, love for the Creator, ceremony, vision, commitment to universal life values, dreams, spiritual insight, meditation, reflection, silence, respect for elders, respect for the spiritual struggles of others, commitment to personal development, clear self-knowledge.

Teachings from the Medicine Wheel and the West : the colour black, West Wind; Autumn; night time; African Peoples; Adulthood; emotions; rocks/ mountains; deer; water; sage; roots ; sharing.

west - epingishmok
black - mkadewaa
West Wind - epingisnaanmad
Fall - dgwaagi
night time - naakshi
African Peoples - mkadenini
adulthood - ntaawgi
emotions - enmaanjwaang
mountain - zhiw
deer - waawaashkesh
water -nbiish
sage - mshkodewashk
roots - jiibkenyik

Medicine Wheel : South - Zhaawnong

South - Zhaawnong is the direction of the sun at its highest point. It is also the place of summer (niibing), of fullness, of youth, and of physical strength. It is also a time when people work to prepare for the Fall (Dgwaaging) and Winter (Bboon). Symbolically, it is the time of preparing for the future and of getting ready for the days ahead. From the perspective of education, this is a time when we prepare for the future by doing well in school and getting ready to meet the challenges of the next level. Zhaawnong is also the place of the heart, of generosity, of sensitivity to the feelings of others, of loyalty and of love. The most difficult and valuble gift to be sought in the South is the capacity to express feelings openly and freely in ways that do not hurt others.

Gifts from the South - Zhaawnong : youth, summer, noble passions, balanced development of the physical body, goal setting, musical development, the heart, love, control of appetites, determination, appreciation of the arts, idealism, compassion, fullness, anger at injustice, controlled feelings, kindness, repulsion by senseless violence, survival.

There are several teachings from the Medicine Wheel in the South : the colour red;South Wind; Summer; noon; Native Peoples; youth; body; berries and trees; turtle;earth; cedar; plants; honesty.

South Wind - zhaawnanmad
Summer - niibing
red - mskwaa
noon - naakwe
Native Peoples - anishnaabe
youth - shki niigi
body - wiiwying
berries - maanwang
trees - mtigook
turtle - mswaadehshi
earth - aki
cedar- giizhik
plants - wesaakiik
honesty - gwekwaadziwin

Medicine Wheel : East - Waabnong

These teachings were developed by Ernestine Buswa of the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation in West Bay, Ontario in her Grade 7/8 Curriculum Book "Medicine Wheel Teachings". The goal of her booklet was to introduce students to the beliefs and values of the Medicine Wheel using the cultural concept that the Anishnaabe way of life is based on the Medicine Wheel

East -Waabnong is the direction of birth and rebirth. It is the direction from which light comes into the world and is the direction of illumination, guidance and leadership. There are several gifts of the East : innocence, joy, beautiful speech, spontaneity, the capacity to believe in the unseen, ability to see clearly through complex situations, warmth of spirit, trust, courage, birth, hope for the people, ability to focus attention, love that doesn't question others and doesn't know itself, truthfulness, seeing situations in perspective, trust in your own vision and devotion and service to others.

In the East, on the Medicine Wheel, we have several Teachings : colour yellow; east wind;spring; morning - coming of light ; Asiatic Peoples; newborn and childhood; mind; fire; eagle; tobacco; teas; harmony; peace; kindness; forgiveness.

Anishnaabe - Ojibwe translations
East - Waabnong
East Wind - Waabnaanmad
morning - kizhep
Asiatic Peoples - Niibiishaaboke
child - binoojiihn
Spring - mnookmi
fire - shkode
yellow - zaawaa
tobacco - semaa
mind - nendmowin
Eagle - migizi
teas - niibiishaaboon