Spiritually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (Part VII)

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"Imaginative mind is like an endless sky"

 

"MASHKIKI MIIGIWEWIN" (GIFT OF MEDICINE)
~ sterling silver bolo tie with braided leather lanyard and sterling silver tips, 
© Zhaawano Giizhik /Click on image to Enlarge/


The subject matter and graphic design of this overlay bolo tie breath the spiritual knowledge and sacred visual language of my distant Anishinaabe ancestors; at the same time they are exemplary of the minimalistic graphic style and ‘linear determinatives’ of the Medicine Painters of the Woodland Art. The design of the fish relates to GIIGOO DOODEM or the Ojibwe Fish Clan, whose members are known as ‘teachers’ responsible for pursuing and conveying knowledge and passing on healing stories of the Midewiwin. In a deeper sense, however, the image of the fish also refers to the Spirit of the Underworld, whom my Native ancestors associated with makadeshiganag (black basses), strong fighters that swam abundantly in the freshwater lakes and rivers of their homelands.

MAKADESHIGAN, the Spirit of the Underworld, was the patron of the deep night and bad dreams and although many people feared him during the night, he motivated humankind to live an honest life and strive for noble ideals so that they would have good dreams. Makadeshigan also offered himself in the form of a medicine from the depths of the Underworld that would protect the Anishinaabeg against sickness and also bring them game animals for their sustenance. But mostly important, Makadeshigan presented the People with the gift of ceremony and ritual, thus laying the foundation for the MIDEWIWIN, the Grand Medicine Society of the Anishinaabe People.

The figure of the DIVING FISH represents Makadeshigan the black bass; the oxidized parts of the overlay fish design refer to the underworld and the deep night. The somewhat enigmatic design elements that I placed inside the fish are abstract images of a sitting pregnant woman with two seeds inside her womb, symbolizing Makadeshigan’s gift of medicine and ritual to the People. The stylized image of the fish and the ‘seeds of medicine’ that I depicted inside the woman’s womb are contemporary depictions of great spiritual power, distantly resonating with the sacred Anishinaabe art forms of the ancient past.

Zhaawano Giizhik





Source: http://facebook.com/zhaawano (Facebook)
              /Used with permission/


>>> Reference links:
~ Zhaawano Giizhik's Website,
~ Zhaawano Giizhik's Blog &
~ Zhaawano Giizhik's Twitter..

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>>> Reference posts:
- Spiritually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (Part I),
- Spiritually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (Part II),
- Spiritually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (Part III),
- Spiritually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (Part IV),
- Spirutually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (part V) &- Spirutually Inspired Jewellery by Zhaawano Giizhik (part VI).