Living With Animals Ojibwe Spirit Powers

Product Description Within nineteenth-century Ojibwe/Chippewa medicine societies, and in communities at large, animals are realities and symbols that demonstrate cultural principles of North American Ojibwe nations. Living with Animals presents over 100 images from oral and written sources – including birch bark scrolls, rock art, stories, games, and dreams – in which animals appear as kindred beings, spirit powers, healers, and protectors. Michael Pomedli shows that the principles at play in these sources are not merely evidence of cultural values, but also unique standards brought to treaty signings by Ojibwe leaders. In addition, these principles are norms against which North American treaty interpretations should be reframed. The author provides an important foundation for ongoing treaty negotiations, and for what contemporary Ojibwe cultural figures corroborate as ways of leading a good, integrated life. Review ‘This engaging and engrossing study focuses on the cultural forms of Native expression in 19th-century Ojibwe medicine societies and communities… Living with Animals offers an impressive amount of meticulous data—including traditional narratives, scrolls, textiles, and petroglyphs.’ (A.R. McKee Choice vol 52:02:2014) ‘An impressive piece of scholarship and it breaks new ground regarding the Midewiwin or Grand Medicine Society… Living with Animals is a welcome resource for students and scholars and I also highly recommend to general readers who have an interest in native spirituality.’ (Lawrence T. Martin Prairie Messenger July 2, 2014) ‘This book makes a unique contribution to the literature on Ojibwe culture by emphasizing the place of animal and spiritual beings in nineteenth-century Ojibwe ontology, behavior and world view.’ (Darrel Manitowabi The Canadian Journal of Native Studies vol 34:02:2014) Review “Pomedli’s book is a work of careful, well-documented scholarship on animal symbolism in the Ojibwe Midewiwin, an important topic which has not been much addressed by earlier scholars. The author has clearly done an enormous amount of careful research, gathering information from many kinds of sources, including traditional narratives, birchbark scrolls and petroglyphs, and textiles and other media.” (Lawrence Martin, Professor Emeritus of American Indian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire) “Living with Animals is the work of a mature scholar, based on years of experience in the field. Pomedli’s unique methodology has applications in Native Studies beyond the discussion of Algonquian culture.” (J. Douglas Rabb, co-author of 'Indian from the Inside: Native American Philosophy and Cultural Renewal') About the Author Michael Pomedli is an emeritus professor of Philosophy at St Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan.