Jimmy Jackson on Vision Quest

One prays to the spirit of Waabanong at the beginning of a journey, like this one in which we seek a fuller understanding of Anishinaabe traditional knowledge. Out of respect for our elders, we turn first to the highly respected Medicine Man Jim Jackson who recounts the vision quest that he undertook as a young man.

In Anishinaabemowin ('Ojibwe language'), gii'igoshimo means 'fast for a vision.' Jim Jackson here describes an important moment in traditional people's lives when they would be sent out into the woods for 3-6 days or sometimes longer, where they would live in isolation without any food or drink. If successful, the fast would put the young person in touch with a manidoo ('spirit') that would act as a helper throughout that person's life. The vision might also reveal gashki'ewiziwin ('knowledge / power') that would alert an Anishinaabe that they were called to be a medicine person, as was the case with Jim Jackson.


Related terms:

waabanong (east): related videos