Song of the Anishinabe
By Eintou Pearl Springer
Within the sacred fire
The flames are leaping
Watch!
See the faces of the Chiah Ya Og
forming forming
hovering
in the dream state
speaking
the ancient wisdom
Listen to their words
crackling in the flames
pulsing in the drums
It is the time of the seventh fire
The osh ki bi ma di zeeg
The mi no bi maud zee win
is coming
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
In that faraway time
When G’zehemanidoo
formed the swirling clouds,
the rivers, mountains and the lakes
moulding Anishinabe,
placing him gently
upon his mother the earth,
his Shkaw-kuh-mih kway;
caressing him
with the sweet winds,
And the sweet grass and the deer
the straight tree and stone unmoving
were his precious gifts
for mind body and spirit.
two sides he had
to everything
the good, the bad
the woman, the man
balance was part
of the maker’s plan.
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
Clothed in eagle feathers
guided by visions, dreams,
prayers.
In the closeness of his clan
Anishinabe walked proud
upon this land,
dancing soft upon the earth
in circle from ancestor to new birth.
But he heard the visions whisper
of a dreadful time to come;
of the uprooting of tradition
and the smell of niboowin
When the rivers would run
with poison
and the sacred fire grow
dim
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
The pale ghosts blow
a howling storm
of freezing winds
See
the sacred fire how it dampens
‘neath the fury of the chill;
reaching
beneath the flesh
to sear at soul and spirit,
ravage them with alien gods
and languages
destroying the ancient heritage,
sweeping in a barren time of bondage.
The blood of the ogitchidaa
stenches the earth.
The sacred bundles
scatter.
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
The silent Gods heard the stifled
screams
from the children ravaged
again and again.
The groping hands found them
in the dark,
Touching them everywhere
violating
their most sacred parts
their spirits, even unto their hearts
And Anishinabe raged and mourned
for his sons and daughters
from their strength shorn;
for his generations of the yet unborn;
Crushed by a cross, confused, forlorn,
from their hissing rattles,
uprooted torn.
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
The whirlwind of destruction
The spirit eyes had seen
knifed
distrust and deep division
amongst Anishinabe’s kin.
The flesh of beaten warriors
torn from their lodge, their fold
sought refuge in desperation’s cup
and the stranger’s tainted gold.
The elders all were sleeping
Or so it seemed to be,
And Anishinabe’s cries
reached the God only his heart
could see.
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
See the dreamers, priests the wise men
Sitting silent and resolved
Tobacco smoke makes circles
as their grey heads huddle
Then, watch them as they gather
the scrolls, the scattered bundles
Deep within the iron tree
safe from the white plague and treachery
the ancient secrets await
the time of rediscovery
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
Then from the sacred fire
The flames once more will leap.
And to the chosen one
The Chiah Ya Og
will speak
guiding him in dreams
to find the hidden wisdom
And the water drum will sound
and Anishinabe once more,
will dance softly, upon the ground
dancing the ancient dance
singing the ancient song,
faces framed
within the flames
in a circle of pure delight
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
Time it is
To right the many wrongs
reclaim the lost traditions
Time it is to heal the fractured soul,
restore the former balance,
turning from the path of flesh
to find spiritual essence.
Seeking a mighty earth to make
from the people of the four directions,
stretching out a hand of hope
to all of human kind.
Chorus:
This is the time
of the new beginning
From the lowest earth
To the highest heaven.
From the four winds
a new spirit
is rising; is rising
From the flames of the fire
the Chiah Ya Og are calling
Be ready for the new
Beginning.
Be ready
To be around
the fire
dancing
