Anishinaabe Understandings of Time
Why is that the way you do it?
Thunderbirds bless with life
[Kīwítc] I’m thinking of the Ancients who sit in your places [referring to the sings] long, long ago, before any of us were born. Now I’m speaking to them, the old people down south, who gave this (the drum and the dance) to use. We expect blessings from them, and from all the ätsokának [= pawáganak] in the north, south, east, and west. No one knew the names of all these until the old people named them for us. Pinèsi [Thunder Bird] up there is watching us. We were told how to name him. I open my hand for a blessing. We are pitiable. God know what we need. He will bless us with Life.
--A. Irving Hallowell, “Spirits of the Dead in Saulteaux Life and Thought,” p. 421.
