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Mino'Bimaadizi'win in Ojibwe is literally "The Good Life," whereas in the Ottawa dialect is nG'wek'waadis which is The (Morally) Good Life."
The Ojibwe view the Good Life as being in harmony with their setting, as nature itself is a gift. Living in harmony with the seasons, the diet being a community diet with families and nature itself. Water is overseen by Mishi'Peshu, the Water Panther, and rites are made to honor and give respect for the gift of water and that which lives within its boundaries. Forests are revered by the Ojibwe and offering and apologies are given to Makwa'Manitou, the Great Bear, for the life taken for sustenance and the reverence to the land Manitou. The sky is respected and revered for the gift of rain, sun and the incredible view of the stars, as the stars are seen as a portal to the realm of the Great Spirit, Gitchi'Manitou. Overall the Ojibwe see all life is in the ecological cycle and to revere it.
Now, the Ottawa are virtually the same, except the reverence and harmony are not seen as simply being a part of the ecological environment, it is a moral imperative to maintain harmony in the cycle of nature and our surroundings. If one is not in sync, it is seen as a danger to the entirety of the cycle. As the Ottawa traversed virtually North, Central and evidence even shows they traveled into South America, they were tradesmen to traded goods with every friendly tribe and culture they met with. When the Europeans met paths with the Ottawa, they were seen as a society of people who were completely out of sync with nature itself. The Europeans took too much, walled in open forests and food, cut down grains too quickly and had no clue how to properly clean the grains, let alone themselves.
I am a fan of Land Spirits- the Manitou of Land, the Waters, the Skies. I am in reverence to the Manitou of the Night, the Stars and the Great Dawn. The methods of healing the land is more than just a performance for the spirits that live around us, hopefully in harmony. I have learned that caretaking of your own area and community by simply cleaning and care for all things, animals and the local waters, the simple act of picking up trash along the roads, netting garbage in the waters- creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes- is seen by the Manitou around you. There are ways to offer gifts, a simple gift of tobacco leaf in the ground; a libation of seed poured out, a whispered word of veneration- the Manitou hear us.
Now, what makes The Good Life in your practice, faith and/or existence? Does your practice involve your local land spirits? Are you living the Good Life?
Megwiich!
In Nomine Luter-
Savvaty 17/10/2026
The Ojibwe view the Good Life as being in harmony with their setting, as nature itself is a gift. Living in harmony with the seasons, the diet being a community diet with families and nature itself. Water is overseen by Mishi'Peshu, the Water Panther, and rites are made to honor and give respect for the gift of water and that which lives within its boundaries. Forests are revered by the Ojibwe and offering and apologies are given to Makwa'Manitou, the Great Bear, for the life taken for sustenance and the reverence to the land Manitou. The sky is respected and revered for the gift of rain, sun and the incredible view of the stars, as the stars are seen as a portal to the realm of the Great Spirit, Gitchi'Manitou. Overall the Ojibwe see all life is in the ecological cycle and to revere it.
Now, the Ottawa are virtually the same, except the reverence and harmony are not seen as simply being a part of the ecological environment, it is a moral imperative to maintain harmony in the cycle of nature and our surroundings. If one is not in sync, it is seen as a danger to the entirety of the cycle. As the Ottawa traversed virtually North, Central and evidence even shows they traveled into South America, they were tradesmen to traded goods with every friendly tribe and culture they met with. When the Europeans met paths with the Ottawa, they were seen as a society of people who were completely out of sync with nature itself. The Europeans took too much, walled in open forests and food, cut down grains too quickly and had no clue how to properly clean the grains, let alone themselves.
I am a fan of Land Spirits- the Manitou of Land, the Waters, the Skies. I am in reverence to the Manitou of the Night, the Stars and the Great Dawn. The methods of healing the land is more than just a performance for the spirits that live around us, hopefully in harmony. I have learned that caretaking of your own area and community by simply cleaning and care for all things, animals and the local waters, the simple act of picking up trash along the roads, netting garbage in the waters- creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes- is seen by the Manitou around you. There are ways to offer gifts, a simple gift of tobacco leaf in the ground; a libation of seed poured out, a whispered word of veneration- the Manitou hear us.
Now, what makes The Good Life in your practice, faith and/or existence? Does your practice involve your local land spirits? Are you living the Good Life?
Megwiich!
In Nomine Luter-
Savvaty 17/10/2026