By: Isaac Murdoch

Isaac Murdoch, whose Ojibway name is Manzinapkinegego’anaabe / Bombgiizhik is from the fish clan and Serpent River First Nation. Isaac is well respected as an artist, storyteller and traditional knowledge holder. He has committed his life to the preservation of Anishinaabe cultural practices and has spent years learning directly from Elders.

Published in “Rooted Constitutionalism” | (2021) 1:1 Rooted
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Nenaboozhoo is a spirit that was brought to the earth who is highly respected to this day by my people. They say when Nenaboozhoo was in spirit form he went through four levels of power to get to the earth. Through each power he went through, he went back to the centre saying he didn’t want to leave. But the Great Mystery told him, “keep going, keep going, you’re needed somewhere.”

And Nenaboozhoo made its way through those four powers and ended up on earth. Life here on earth is magical. All the rivers, all of the mountains, all of the beautiful colours that we see, were created with Nenaboozhoo and the magical trail on earth that was left. They say one day ten men will go fasting and call Nenaboozhoo back and the world will be new again.

“Nothing can stop the power that is here”

See more in his book entitled The Trail of Nenaboozhoo and Othe Creation Stories (Kegedonce Press, 2019).