In more recent Anishinaabe culture, the Anishinaabe language word Gichi-manidoo means Great Spirit, the Creator of all things and the Giver of Life, and is sometimes translated as the "Great Mystery". Historically, Anishinaabe people believed in a variety of spirits, whose images were placed near doorways for protection.
According to Anishinaabeg tradition, Michilimackinac, later named by European settlers as Mackinac Island, in Michigan, was the home of Gitche Manitou, and some Anishinaabeg tribes would make pilgrimages there for rituals devoted to the spirit.[1]
Other Anishinaabe names for God incorporated through the process of syncretism are Gizhe-manidoo ("venerable Manidoo"), Wenizhishid-manidoo ("Fair Manidoo") and Gichi-ojichaag ("Great Spirit"). While Gichi-manidoo and Gichi-ojichaag both mean "Great Spirit", Gichi-manidoo carried the idea of the greater spiritual connectivity while Gichi-ojichaag carried the idea of individual soul's connection to the Gichi-manidoo. Consequently, Christian missionaries often used the term Gichi-ojichaag to refer to the Christian idea of a Holy Spirit.
Other tribes
In addition to the Algonquian Anishinaabeg, many other tribes believed in Gitche Manitou. References to the Great Manitou by the Cheyenne and the Oglala Sioux (notably in the recollections of Black Elk), indicate that belief in this deity extended into the Great Plains, fully across the wider group of Algonquian peoples.
Cognate terms recorded in other Algonquian languages include:
Gitche Manitou has been seen as those cultures' analogue to the Christian God. When early Christian (especially French Catholic) missionaries preached the Gospel to the Algonquian peoples, they adopted Gitche Manitou as a name for God in the Algonquian languages. This can be seen, for example, in the English translation of the "Huron Carol".
Related spirits
Spirits who were either aspects of Gitche Manitou or lesser spirits under Gitche Manitou include:
Hobomok, who was deemed more approachable than Gitche Manitou, and more likely to listen to pleas,[5] but who was also mischievous and interpreted by Englishmen as being the devil,[6] or an evil deity.[7]
Manitou is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in the Native American mythology. Manitou is one aspect of the interconnection and balance of nature and life, similar to the East Asian concept of qi. In simpler terms it can refer to a spirit. This spirit is seen as a person as well as a concept. Everything has its own manitou—every plant, every stone and, since their invention, even machines. These manitous do not exist in a hierarchy like European gods/goddesses, but are more akin to one part of the body interacting with another and the spirit of everything; the collective is named Gitche Manitou.
^"The Americas: International Dictionary of Historic Places; editors:Trudy Ring, Noelle Watson and Paul Schellinger. Routledge, Taylor & Francis; 1996; pg. 349.
^Heckewelder, John (2002). Early Fragments of Minsi Delaware. American Language Reprints. Vol. 29. Merchantville, New Jersey: Evolution Publishing. ISBN978-1-889758-31-2.
^. Lenape Talking Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
^Cypser, Cora E. (1997) The rocks are shouting! Kim Pathways, Katonah, New York, page 307, ISBN0-9625774-2-1
^Aron, Robert (1966) The God of the Beginnings W. Morrow, New York, page 26, OCLC 1301913
^Philips, David E. (1992) Legendary Connecticut: Traditional Tales from the Nutmeg State (2nd edition) Curbstone Books, Willimantic, Connecticut, page ?, ISBN1-880684-05-5
Hoffman, Walter James, M.D. The Mide'wiwin: Grand Medicine Society of the Ojibway. (2005, Lightning Source Inc.)
Johnston, Basil. Ojibway Ceremonies. (1990, University of Nebraska Press).
Johnston, Basil. The Manitous: the spiritual world of the Ojibway. (2001, Minnesota Historical Society Press).
Nichols, John D. and Earl Nyholm. A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe. (1995, University of Minnesota Press).
Cuoq, Jean André. Lexique de la Langue Algonquine. (1886, J. Chapleau & Fils).
Rhodes, Richard A. Eastern Ojibwa-Chippewa-Ottawa Dictionary. (1985, Mouton de Gruyter).
External links
Wisconsin History
Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians
January 31, 2023
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This article is about the Algonquian deity For the Iowa state preserve see Gitchie Manitou State Preserve Gitche Manitou Gitchi Manitou Kitchi Manitou etc means Great Spirit in several Algonquian languages Christian missionaries have translated God as Gitche Manitou in scriptures and prayers in the Algonquian languages Gitche Manitou in Cree syllabic Kihci manito Cree New Testament 1876 Kise manito Cree Bible 1862 Kise manitow Cree New Testament 1908 Gizhe manidoo Ojibwe New Testament 1988 Chisa manitu Naskapi New Testament 2007 Dutch engraving Bernard Picart 1723 showing Canadians sacrificing to Quitchi Manitou Manitou is a common Algonquian term for spirit mystery or deity Native American Churches in Mexico United States and Canada often use this term Contents 1 Anishinaabe 2 Other tribes 3 Related spirits 4 Manitou as mystical term 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksAnishinaabe EditIn more recent Anishinaabe culture the Anishinaabe language word Gichi manidoo means Great Spirit the Creator of all things and the Giver of Life and is sometimes translated as the Great Mystery Historically Anishinaabe people believed in a variety of spirits whose images were placed near doorways for protection According to Anishinaabeg tradition Michilimackinac later named by European settlers as Mackinac Island in Michigan was the home of Gitche Manitou and some Anishinaabeg tribes would make pilgrimages there for rituals devoted to the spirit 1 In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow s The Song of Hiawatha Gitche Manitou is spelled Gitche Manito Other Anishinaabe names for God incorporated through the process of syncretism are Gizhe manidoo venerable Manidoo Wenizhishid manidoo Fair Manidoo and Gichi ojichaag Great Spirit While Gichi manidoo and Gichi ojichaag both mean Great Spirit Gichi manidoo carried the idea of the greater spiritual connectivity while Gichi ojichaag carried the idea of individual soul s connection to the Gichi manidoo Consequently Christian missionaries often used the term Gichi ojichaag to refer to the Christian idea of a Holy Spirit Other tribes EditIn addition to the Algonquian Anishinaabeg many other tribes believed in Gitche Manitou References to the Great Manitou by the Cheyenne and the Oglala Sioux notably in the recollections of Black Elk indicate that belief in this deity extended into the Great Plains fully across the wider group of Algonquian peoples Cognate terms recorded in other Algonquian languages include ManitouMain article Manitou Sauk Fox Mannittoo God Narragensett Manitoo GodGitche ManitouOjibwe Gichi manidoo 2 Ottawa Gchi mnidoo Swampy Cree Kihci manito Miami Kihci Manetoowa Lenape Minsi Kitschimanitto 3 Unami Ketanetuwit lt ket great m anetu spirit wi t the one who is the initial m in manetu is elided in this compound 4 Nanticoke spoken in Maryland Gichtschi ManittoKishe ManitouOjibwe Gizhe manidoo Ottawa Gzhe mnidoo Swampy Cree Kise manito Naskapi Chisa manitu Illinois Kisseh ManetouOtherShawnee WishemenetouGitche Manitou has been seen as those cultures analogue to the Christian God When early Christian especially French Catholic missionaries preached the Gospel to the Algonquian peoples they adopted Gitche Manitou as a name for God in the Algonquian languages This can be seen for example in the English translation of the Huron Carol Related spirits EditSpirits who were either aspects of Gitche Manitou or lesser spirits under Gitche Manitou include Hobomok who was deemed more approachable than Gitche Manitou and more likely to listen to pleas 5 but who was also mischievous and interpreted by Englishmen as being the devil 6 or an evil deity 7 Manitou as mystical term EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Main article Manitou Manitou is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in the Native American mythology Manitou is one aspect of the interconnection and balance of nature and life similar to the East Asian concept of qi In simpler terms it can refer to a spirit This spirit is seen as a person as well as a concept Everything has its own manitou every plant every stone and since their invention even machines These manitous do not exist in a hierarchy like European gods goddesses but are more akin to one part of the body interacting with another and the spirit of everything the collective is named Gitche Manitou See also EditAhone Manitoba Manitoulin Island Names of God Supreme Being Wakan TankaNotes Edit The Americas International Dictionary of Historic Places editors Trudy Ring Noelle Watson and Paul Schellinger Routledge Taylor amp Francis 1996 pg 349 The Ojibwe People s Dictionary Retrieved 2018 06 29 Heckewelder John 2002 Early Fragments of Minsi Delaware American Language Reprints Vol 29 Merchantville New Jersey Evolution Publishing ISBN 978 1 889758 31 2 Ketanetuwit Lenape Talking Dictionary Archived from the original on 2011 07 28 Retrieved 2011 02 26 Cypser Cora E 1997 The rocks are shouting Kim Pathways Katonah New York page 307 ISBN 0 9625774 2 1 Aron Robert 1966 The God of the Beginnings W Morrow New York page 26 OCLC 1301913 Philips David E 1992 Legendary Connecticut Traditional Tales from the Nutmeg State 2nd edition Curbstone Books Willimantic Connecticut page ISBN 1 880684 05 5References EditDensmore Frances Chippewa Customs 1979 Minnesota Historical Press Hoffman Walter James M D The Mide wiwin Grand Medicine Society of the Ojibway 2005 Lightning Source Inc Johnston Basil Ojibway Ceremonies 1990 University of Nebraska Press Johnston Basil The Manitous the spiritual world of the Ojibway 2001 Minnesota Historical Society Press Nichols John D and Earl Nyholm A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe 1995 University of Minnesota Press Cuoq Jean Andre Lexique de la Langue Algonquine 1886 J Chapleau amp Fils Rhodes Richard A Eastern Ojibwa Chippewa Ottawa Dictionary 1985 Mouton de Gruyter External links EditMackinac Island Wisconsin History Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gitche Manitou amp oldid 1128206643, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
