Anishinaabe clan system
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Anishinaabe The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawat ...
, like most Algonquian-speaking groups in North America, base their system of kinship on
patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...
clans or
totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...
s. The
Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
word for clan () was borrowed into English as
totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...
. The clans, based mainly on animals, were instrumental in traditional occupations, intertribal relations, and marriages. Today, the clan remains an important part of Anishinaabe identity.


Tradition

The Anishinaabe peoples are divided into a number of , or clans, (singular: ) named mainly for animal
totems A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the wo ...
(or , as an Ojibwe person would say this word in English). In
Anishinaabemowin Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an Indigenous languages of the Americas, indigenous language o ...
, means heart. or clan literally would translate as 'the expression of, or having to do with one's heart'; in other words refers to the extended family. According to oral tradition, the Anishinaabe were living along the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
coast and the great beings appeared out the sea and taught the Mide way of life to the Waabanakiing peoples, six of the seven great beings that remained to teach established the for the peoples in the east. The five original Anishinaabe totems were ( bullhead), (echo-maker, i.e., crane), ( pintail duck), (tender, i.e., bear) and ("little"
moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
-tail). The meh established "a framework of government to give them strength and order"Acoose Miskwonigeesikokwe, J. (2011). ''"Minjimendaamowinon" anishinaabe reading and righting all our relations in written english'' in which each totem represents a core branch of knowledge and responsibility essential to society. Today, six general totems compose this framework. The crane and the loon are the chiefs, responsible for over-seeing and leading the people. The fish are the scholars and thinkers and are responsible for solving disputes between the crane and the loon. The bear are both warriors and medicine gatherers. The martens are hunters but also warriors as well. The moose are craftsman and artists. Clans are both a means of acquiring and retaining knowledge for the Anishinaabe. Knowledge gained through experience and interactions with the Spirits and other clan members is passed down and built upon through generations.Flocken, G. H. (2013). ''An analysis of traditional ojibwe civil chief leadership'' Traditionally, each band had a self-regulating council consisting of leaders of the communities' clans or , with the band often identified by the principal . In meeting others, the traditional greeting among the Ojibwe peoples is "What is your ?" ("") in order to establish a social conduct between the two meeting parties as family. Marriage among members of the same clan is forbidden.


Etymology

The word is a
dependent A dependant is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income. A common-law spouse who is financially supported by their partner may also be included in this definition. In some jurisdictions, supporting a dependant may enabl ...
noun. When speaking of one own , the Anishinaabe would say ('my clan(s)'), ('your ') for addressees and ('his/her ') for others.


Pedagogy

The clan system is an integral part of acquiring and retaining knowledge for the Anishinaabe. Each clan contributes a key element to the society and individual members contribute to a clan’s knowledge through experience. During a clan member’s lifetime, they are able to gain knowledge known by the clan; emphasis is placed on personal experience, rather than a strict student-teacher relationship. Although members learn through relationships with other clan members, it is the experience gained as a result of these relationships that allows them to attain knowledge. Throughout a clan member’s life, knowledge they gain that was previously unknown to the clan is added to the clan’s collective knowledge.Chartrand, R. (2012). Anishinaabe pedagogy. ''Canadian Journal of Native Education.'' This knowledge is then passed down to future generations, contributing to the "flow of (wisdom) that passes from generation to generation".Acoose Miskwonigeesikokwe, J. (2011). ''"Minjimendaamowinon" anishinaabe reading and righting all our relations in written english'' Despite pressure from the colonial society in Canada and the United States, much Anishinaabe knowledge has survived and continues to be shared and built upon. Alexander Wolfe's ''Earth Elder 18 Stories: The Pinayzitt Path'', Dr. Dan Musqua's ''The Seven Fires: Teachings of the Bear Clan'', and Edward Benton-Banai's ''The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway'' are a few notable works of Anishinaabe literature. These publications are important carriers of knowledge that pass from the ancestors to future generations.


Clan totems

There were at least twenty-one Ojibwe totems in all, recorded by
William Whipple Warren William Whipple Warren (May 27, 1825 – June 1, 1853) was a historian, interpreter, and legislator in the Minnesota Territory. The son of Lyman Marcus Warren, an American fur trader and Mary Cadotte, the Ojibwe-Metis daughter of fur trader ...
. Other recorders, such as John Tanner, list many fewer but with different types. For the Potawatomi, at least 15 different totems were recorded. The clan types today are quite extensive, but usually only a handful of are found in each of the Anishinaabe communities. Like any other Algonquian groups, the Anishinaabe clan system served as a system of government as well as a means of dividing labour. The five groups or phratries are listed below, listing each of the clans or gentes within their group. The known Algonquin clans are marked with (Al), Mississauga clans with (Ms), Nipissing clans with (Ns), Ojibwa clans with (Oj), Odawa clans with (Od) and Potawatomi clans with (Po).


''Bimaawidaasi'' group

The ''Bimaawidaasi'' group was charged with scouting, hunting and gathering. * "Hooves" subdivision: ** ''Moozwaanowe'' ("Little"
Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
-tail) (Oj) ** ''Moozens'' or ''Moozoons'' or ''Moozonii'' (Little
Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
) ** ''Mooz'' (
Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
) (Od, Oj) ** ''Adik'' ( Caribou) (Al, Ms, Oj, Od) — The Adik totem is common among the Ojibwa and
Oji-Cree The Oji-Cree are a First Nation in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, residing in a narrow band extending from the Missinaibi River region in Northeastern Ontario at the east to Lake Winnipeg at the west. The Oji-Cree people are d ...
north of Lake Superior. A prominent family from this doodem from the
Grand Portage Grand Portage National Monument is a United States National Monument located on the north shore of Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota that preserves a vital center of fur trade activity and Anishinaabeg Ojibwe heritage. The area became one ...
area relocated to La Pointe and produced the chiefs Mamongazeda and Waubojeeg. Later members of this branch became leaders at Sault Ste. Marie. ** ''Waawaashkeshi'' (
Deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...
) (Al, Ms) ** ''Mishewe'' (
Elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...
) (Oj, Po) *** ''Omashkooz'' ( Stag) *** ''Eshkan'' ( Antler) ** ''Bizhiki'' ( Buffalo) (Ms) * "Little Paws" subdivision: ** ''Waabizheshi'' ( Marten) (Oj) ** ''Amik(waa)'' ( Beaver) (Ms, Ns, Oj, Od, Po) ** ''Wazhashk'' ( Muskrat) (Oj) ** ''Gaag'' ( Porcupine) ** ''Esiban'' (
Raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
) ** ''Waabooz(oo)'' ( Rabbit) (Oj, Po) ** ''Zhaangweshi'' ( Mink) ** ''Waagoshiinh'' (
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
) (Po) ** ''Zhigaag'' ( Skunk) (Ms) ** ''Asanagoo'' ( Squirrel) (Ns, Od)


''Giishkizhigwan'' group

The ''Giishkizhigwan'' group was charged with teaching and healing. * ''Giigoonh'' or ''Namens'' (
Fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...
) ** ''Wawaazisii'' or ''Owaazisii'' ( Bullhead) (Oj, Od) ** ''Maanameg'' (
Catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...
) (Ms, Oj, Od) ** ''Adikameg'' ( Whitefish) (Od) ** ''Namebin(aa)'' (
Sucker Sucker may refer to: General use * Lollipop or sucker, a type of confection * Sucker (slang), a slang term for a very gullible person * Hard candy ** Cough drop ** Mint (candy) Biology * Sucker (botany), a term for a shoot that arises undergro ...
) (Oj, Od, Po) ** ''Name'' or ''Maame'' ( Sturgeon) (Oj, Po) ** ''Ginoozhe'' (
Pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...
) (Ms, Oj, Od) * ''Mikinaak'' (
Snapping turtle The Chelydridae is a family of turtles that has seven extinct and two extant genera. The extant genera are the snapping turtles, ''Chelydra'' and '' Macrochelys''. Both are endemic to the Western Hemisphere. The extinct genera are '' Acherontem ...
) (Oj) ** ''Mishiikenh'' (
Mud turtle ''Kinosternon'' is a genus of small aquatic turtles from the Americas known commonly as mud turtles. Geographic range They are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, a ...
) (Oj, Po) ** ''Miskwaadesi'' ( Painted turtle) (Oj) * ''Ginebig'' (
Snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more j ...
) (Ms, Oj) ** ''Omazaandamo'' (
Black snake Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
) (Od) ** ''Midewewe'' or ''Ozhiishiigwe'' ( Rattle snake),Older maps list the ''Ozhiishiigwe'' as either "Achiligoue" or "Chiligoue" or ''Zhiishiigwaan'' (Rattle) (Al, Od) * ''Omakakii'' (
Frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...
) (Po) * ''Nigig'' ( Otter) (Ms, Od) * ''Nibiinaabe'' (
Merman Mermen, the male counterparts of the mythical female mermaids, are legendary creatures, which are male human from the waist up and fish-like from the waist down, but may assume normal human shape. Sometimes they are described as hideous and other ...
) * ''Ashaageshiinh'' ( Crab) (Po)


''Nooke'' group

The ''Nooke'' group was responsible for defense and healing. Though today the Bear Clan has all merged into a single clan known as ''Nooke'', at one time the Bear was the largest — so large, in fact, that it was sub-divided into body parts such as the head (''Makoshtigwaan'' or 'bear-skull'), the ribs and the feet (''Nookezid'' or 'tender-foot'), as well as different types of bears such as the ''Waabishki-makwa'' or 'white
black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
' and the ''Mishimakwa'' or ' grizzly bear'. * ''Makwa'' ( Bear) (Ms, Oj, Od, Po) **''Makoshtigwaan'' (Bear-skull)(Oj) **''Nookezid'' (Tender-foot)(Oj) ** ''Makokon'' (Bear's Liver) (Ms) ** ''Miskwaa'aa'' (Blood) (Ns) ** ''Waabishki-makwa'' (White
black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
)(Oj) ** ''Mishimakwa'' ( Grizzly bear)(Oj) * ''Bizhiw'' ( Lynx) (Oj, Od) * ''Ma'iingan'' (Oj) or ''Mawii'aa'' (Po) (
Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...
)


''Baswenaazhi'' group

The ''Baswenaazhi'' group were traditionally charged with outgoing International communications. Because of this, often members of the ''Baswenaazhi'' group are said to be the most vocal. * ''Binesi'' (
Thunderbird Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to: * Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture * Ford Thunderbird, a car Birds * Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...
) ** ''Ajijaak(we)'' ( Crane or "Thunder") (Ms, Oj, Od, Po) *** ''Nesawaakwaad'' ("Forked tree") (Od) ** ''Ashagi'' ( Heron) (Ns) ** ''Gekek'' ( Hawk) (Oj, Od) ** ''Omigizi(we)'' ( Bald eagle) (Ms, Oj, Od, Po) *** ''Mitigomizh'' (White oak) (Ms) *** ''Wiigwaas'' (Birch bark) (Ms, Ns) ** ''Giniw'' (
Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of ...
) (Po) ** ''Bibiigiwizens'' (
Sparrowhawk Sparrowhawk (sometimes sparrow hawk) may refer to several species of small hawk in the genus ''Accipiter''. "Sparrow-hawk" or sparhawk originally referred to ''Accipiter nisus'', now called "Eurasian" or "northern" sparrowhawk to distinguish it f ...
)(Od) ** ''Makade-gekek(we)'' ( Black hawk) (Po)


''Bemaangik'' group

The ''Bemaangik'' are charged with internal/domestic communications. They were often charged with the community's own council fires and help facilitate dialogue on all internal/domestic issues. * ''Bineshiinh'' (
Bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
) ** ''Aan'aawenh'', ''Aa'aawenh'' or ''Aa'aawe'' ( Pintail) (Oj) ** ''Owewe'' ( Wild goose or "Swan") ** ''Bine'' (
Partridge A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perd ...
or "
turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
") or ''Aagask'' (
grouse Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes, in the family Phasianidae. Grouse are presently assigned to the tribe Tetraonini (formerly the subfamily Tetraoninae and the family Tetraonidae), a classification supported by mitochondria ...
) (Oj, Po) ** ''Nika'' (
Goose A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (the black geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the ...
) (Ms, Oj) ** ''Maang'' ( Loon) (Al, Oj, Od, Po) ** ''(Makade)Zhiishiib'' ( (Black) duck) (Oj) ** ''Gayaashk'' (
Gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century ...
) (Oj, Od) ** ''Jiwiiskwiiskiwe'' (
Snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/ camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a ...
) (Oj) ** ''Omooshka'oozi'' (
Bittern Bitterns are birds belonging to the subfamily Botaurinae of the heron family Ardeidae. Bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and more secretive than other members of the family. They were called ''hæferblæte'' in Old English; the word "bittern ...
) (Oj) ** ''Zhedeg'' ( Pelican) ** ''Ogiishkimanisii'' (
Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...
) (Al, Oj) ** ''Aandeg'' (
Crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifica ...
) (Po) ** ''Gaagaagishiinh'' ( Raven) ** ''Omiimii'' (
Pigeon Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...
) (Ms) ** ''Apishi-gaagaagi'' ( Magpie) (Ms)


Metaphors

On occasion, instead of referring to the totem by the actual being's name, a clan is identified instead by a metaphor describing the characteristic of the clan's totem. The metaphors that survive to today include: * ''Bimaawidaasi'' 'Carrier' = ''Amik''(''we'') 'Beaver' * ''Giishkizhigwan'' 'Cut-tail' = ''Maanameg'' 'Catfish' * ''Nooke'' 'Tender' = ''Makwa'' 'Bear' * ''Baswenaazhi'' 'Echo-maker' = ''Ajijaak''(''we'') 'Crane' * ''Bemaangik'' 'Pass-by Sounder' = ''Owewe'' 'Wild goose'


Social order

Some national sub-divisions were simply referred by their major clan component. An example of this would be ''Maandawe-doodem'' ('Fisher-clan') of the ''Meshkwahkihaki'' peoples, who live along the south shore of
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
. More inland than the ''Maandawe-doodem'' were the ''Waagosh-doodem'' ('Fox clan') of the ''Meshkwahkihaki'', who are called the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
Tribe in English. When the ''Maandawe'' were defeated in a major battle between the Ojibwe and the Meshkwahkihaki peoples, the surviving ''Maandawe'' were adopted as part of the Ojibwa nation, but instead as the ''Waabizheshi-doodem'' ('Marten clan'). Among some Ojibwe people, (though not all) the ''Waabizheshi'' clan is also used to denote a form of adoption, i.e., a non-native father and Ojibwe mother. In other instances, for example, communities such as the ''Amikwaa'' were treated as fully interdependent Nations of the Anishinaabeg Confederacy, or given a designation to represent their primary function in the social order, such as with the ''Manoominikeshiinyag'' ('Ricing-rails') or the ''Waawaashkeshi-ininiwag'' ('Deer clanMen'). Some indicate non-Ojibwe origins. Other than ''Waabizheshi'', these include the ''Ogiishkimanisii-doodem'' (Kingfisher Clan) and ''Ma'iingan-doodem'' (
Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...
Clan) for
Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, ...
and ''Migizi-doodem'' (
Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
Clan) for
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
s. There are other considered rare today among the Ojibwa because the have migrated into other tribes, such as the ''Nibiinaabe-doodem'' (
Merman Mermen, the male counterparts of the mythical female mermaids, are legendary creatures, which are male human from the waist up and fish-like from the waist down, but may assume normal human shape. Sometimes they are described as hideous and other ...
Clan), which shows up as the ''Water-spirits Clan'' of the Winnebagoes.


Kinship

Ojibwa understanding of kinship is complex, taking into account of not only the immediate family but also the extended family. It is considered a modified Bifurcate merging (Iroquois)
kinship system In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that ...
. Consequently, Ojibwa would speak of not only about grandfather () and grandmother (), father () and mother (), and son () and daughter (), but also would speak of elder brother (), younger sibling (), cross-uncle (), parallel-aunt (), male sibling of same gender (), female sibling of same gender () and sibling of opposite gender (), and
cross-cousin In discussing consanguineal kinship in anthropology, a parallel cousin or ortho-cousin is a cousin from a parent's same-sex sibling, while a cross-cousin is from a parent's opposite-sex sibling. Thus, a parallel cousin is the child of the father's ...
of the opposite gender (), to name only a few. Siblings generally share the same term with
parallel-cousin In discussing consanguineal kinship in anthropology, a parallel cousin or ortho-cousin is a cousin from a parent's same-sex sibling, while a cross-cousin is from a parent's opposite-sex sibling. Thus, a parallel cousin is the child of the father's ...
s as with any Bifurcate merging kinship system due to being a member the same , but the modified system allows for younger sibling to share the same kinship term with younger cross-cousins (). In addition the complexity wanes as one goes away from the speaker's immediate generation, with some degree of complexity retained with female relatives (for example, is 'my mother's sister' or 'my father's sister-in-law'—i.e., my parallel-aunt—but also 'my parent's female cross-cousin'). In both with the great-grandparents and older generations and with the great-grandchildren and younger generations, the Ojibwa collectively call them . This sign of kinship/clans speaks of the very nature of the Anishinaabe's entire philosophy/lifestyle, that is of interconnectedness and balance between all living generations and all generations of the past and of the future. In addition to the Anishinaabeg , clans of other tribes are considered related to the Anishinaabe clans if they have the same designation. Consequently, for example, a union between an Anishinaabe Bear Clan member with a Cherokee Bear Clan member would be considered illegal — even
incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adopti ...
uous — by many traditional community groups.


Notable


White Crane

The White Crane clan were the traditional hereditary chiefs of the Ojibwe at Sault Ste. Marie and Madeline Island, and were some of the more powerful chiefs encountered by the first French explorers of
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
. Members of the crane clan include: *
Tagwagane Chief Tagwagané (Ojibwe: ''Dagwagaane'', "Two Lodges Meet") (c. 1780–1850) was an Anishinaabe ( Ojibwa) sub-chief of the La Pointe Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, located in the Chequamegon area in the first half of the 19th century. He was ...
– an important chief at
Madeline Island ''Madeline'' is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian-American author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series a ...
in the early 19th century * Ikwesewe – the wife of
Michel Cadotte Michel Cadotte (July 22, 1764 – July 8, 1837) (also spelled Michael, and the surname as Cadott, Cadeau, and other variations), Kechemeshane in Ojibwe (or ''Gichi-miishen'' in the contemporary spelling, meaning "Great Michel") was a Métis fur trad ...
and the namesake of Madeline Island


Loon

Closely associated with the crane clan, members of the loon clan became important chiefs on Lake Superior's south shore during the fur trade period. Members of the loon clan include: * Chief Buffalo – a famous chief of Madeline Island *
Walter Bresette Walter Bresette (July 4, 1947 – February 21, 1999) was a prominent Ojibwe activist, politician, and author most notable for work on environmental issues and Ojibwe treaty rights in Northern Wisconsin and the Lake Superior region. He founded or ...
– a
Red Cliff Ojibwe Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa () is a band of Ojibwe Native Americans. The Red Cliff Band is located on the Red Cliff Indian Reservation, on Lake Superior in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Red Cliff, Wisconsin, is the administrative cent ...
activist


Bear

Always the most numerous of the Anishinaabeg, members of the bear clan were traditionally the warriors and police (Ogichidaa), as well as the healers. Many members of the clan continue in these roles today. The bear clan provided most of those who participated in the Bad River Train Blockade. In fiction, the police officers in the novels of
Louise Erdrich Louise Erdrich ( ; born Karen Louise Erdrich, June 7, 1954) is an American author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American characters and settings. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian ...
come from the bear clan.


Eagle

Now one of the most common clans, the eagle totem was once of the smaller clans. However, the number of eagle totem members grew when new members whose paternal ancestors were Americans were assigned to this totem. Since the first sustained contact by the Anishinaabe with the United States was through government officials, the symbol of the American eagle was taken for a clan marker. Members of the Eagle clan include: *
William Whipple Warren William Whipple Warren (May 27, 1825 – June 1, 1853) was a historian, interpreter, and legislator in the Minnesota Territory. The son of Lyman Marcus Warren, an American fur trader and Mary Cadotte, the Ojibwe-Metis daughter of fur trader ...
– a 19th-century Ojibwe historian * NahnebahwequaMississauga Ojibway missionary and spokeswoman * KahkewaquonabyMississauga Ojibway Methodist missionary and spokesman *
Anton Treuer Anton Treuer is an American academic and author specializing in the Ojibwe language and American Indian studies. He is professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, Minnesota and a 2008 Guggenheim Fellow. Early life and education Anton Treuer ...
Leech Lake Band The Leech Lake Reservation (''Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag'' in the Ojibwe language) is an Indian reservation located in the north-central Minnesota counties of Cass, Itasca, Beltrami, and Hubbard. The reservation forms the land base for the federall ...
Ojibwe historian and language activist


External links


Nindoodemag: The Significance of Algonquian Kinship Networks in the Eastern Great Lakes Region, 1600–1701


* ttp://www.adamsheritage.com/deedsnations/default.htm DEEDS / NATIONS — Directory of First Nations Individuals in South-Western Ontario 1750 - 1850by Greg Curnoe, showing some treaty-signatory ''doodem''
Introduction to Kinship Terms
by Dr. J. Rand Valentine.


References

{{reflist * Benton-Banai, Edward. (1979) ''The Mishoomis Book''. * Hilger, M. Inez. (1951) ''Chippewa Child Life and Its Cultural Background''. * Johnson, Basil. (1990) ''Ojibway Heritage''. * Tanner, John. (1830) ''A narrative of the captivity and adventures of John Tanner, (U.S. interpreter at the Saut de Ste. Marie,) during thirty years residence among the Indians in the interior of North America'', ed. Edwin James. * Warren, William W. (1851) ''History of the Ojibway People''. * Mooney and Thomas. (1910) ''Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico''. Anishinaabe culture Great Lakes tribal culture Odawa Ojibwe Potawatomi Clans Native American history of Michigan Native American history of Minnesota Native American history of Wisconsin