The term manitou was already in widespread use at the time of early European contact. In 1585, when Thomas Harriot recorded the first glossary of an Algonquian language, Roanoke (Pamlico), he included the word mantóac, meaning "gods" (plural). Similar terms are found in nearly all of the Algonquian languages.
In some Algonquian traditions, Gitche Manitou refers to a "great spirit" or supreme being. The term has analogues dating to before European contact, and the word uses of gitche and manitou themselves existed prior to contact. After contact, however, Gitche Manitou was adopted by some Anishinaabe groups, such as the Ojibwe, to refer to God. Algonquian religion acknowledges medicine men, who used manitou to see the future, change the weather, and heal illness.[3] Ojibwe medicine men were primarily healers who used their spiritual connection to cure patients, since illness was then believed to be caused by magic and spirits.[4] To communicate with spirits and manipulate manitou, a healer would enter a trance, induced by singing, dancing, drum beats, or the use of hallucinogens. Non-healers could also interact with spirits by embarking upon a "vision quest," by means of prayer, fasting, hallucinogens, and/or removing themselves from the society of others. A person who underwent vision quests would be visited by an "animal, voice, or object," which would become their guardian spirit.[5]
Manitou has made its way into the names of several places in North America. The name of Lake Manitoba (for which the Canadian province of Manitoba is named) derives from the area called manitou-wapow, or "strait of the Manitou" in Cree or Ojibwe, referring to the strange sound of waves crashing against rocks near the Narrows of the lake.[6] Manitoba is also home to Whiteshell Provincial Park's petroforms, symbols made from rocks, which serve as reminders of the instructions given to the Anishinaabe by the Creator. The Anishinaabe Midewiwin, or Grand Medicine Society, considers the area containing the petroforms to be Manito Ahbee, the place where the Creator sits. It is the site where the original Anishinaabe was lowered from the sky to the ground by the Creator.[citation needed]
Manitoulin Island, called mnidoo mnis, or "island of the Great Spirit," by the Odawa, is very important to the Ojibwe, or Anishinaabe, because of its many sacred sites and sounding rocks. Native peoples continue to dwell on the island, which is host to several reserves.[7]
^Lenik, Edward J. (2009). Making Pictures in Stone: American Indian Rock Art of the Northeast. University of Alabama Press.
^Pratt, Christina (2007). An Encyclopedia of Shamanism, Volume 2. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
^Lenik, Edward J. (2009). Making Pictures in Stone: American Indian Rock Art of the Northeast. University of Alabama Press.
^The Origin of the Name Manitoba. Province of Manitoba. Retrieved 15 April 2007 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^"Manitoulin Island". Historica Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia.
March 12, 2024
manitou, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, schol. For other uses see Manitou disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Manitou news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Manitou ˈ m ae n ɪ t uː akin to the Haudenosaunee orenda is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in the Native American theology It is omnipresent and manifests everywhere organisms the environment events etc 1 Aashaa monetoo means good spirit while otshee monetoo means bad spirit When the world was created the Great Spirit Aasha Monetoo gave the land to the indigenous peoples the Shawnee in particular 2 The word manitō in both Cree and Ojibwe written in Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics and Cree syllabics Contents 1 Overview 2 Place names 3 See also 4 ReferencesOverview editThe term manitou was already in widespread use at the time of early European contact In 1585 when Thomas Harriot recorded the first glossary of an Algonquian language Roanoke Pamlico he included the word mantoac meaning gods plural Similar terms are found in nearly all of the Algonquian languages In some Algonquian traditions Gitche Manitou refers to a great spirit or supreme being The term has analogues dating to before European contact and the word uses of gitche and manitou themselves existed prior to contact After contact however Gitche Manitou was adopted by some Anishinaabe groups such as the Ojibwe to refer to God Algonquian religion acknowledges medicine men who used manitou to see the future change the weather and heal illness 3 Ojibwe medicine men were primarily healers who used their spiritual connection to cure patients since illness was then believed to be caused by magic and spirits 4 To communicate with spirits and manipulate manitou a healer would enter a trance induced by singing dancing drum beats or the use of hallucinogens Non healers could also interact with spirits by embarking upon a vision quest by means of prayer fasting hallucinogens and or removing themselves from the society of others A person who underwent vision quests would be visited by an animal voice or object which would become their guardian spirit 5 Place names edit nbsp Petroforms in Whiteshell Provincial ParkManitou has made its way into the names of several places in North America The name of Lake Manitoba for which the Canadian province of Manitoba is named derives from the area called manitou wapow or strait of the Manitou in Cree or Ojibwe referring to the strange sound of waves crashing against rocks near the Narrows of the lake 6 Manitoba is also home to Whiteshell Provincial Park s petroforms symbols made from rocks which serve as reminders of the instructions given to the Anishinaabe by the Creator The Anishinaabe Midewiwin or Grand Medicine Society considers the area containing the petroforms to be Manito Ahbee the place where the Creator sits It is the site where the original Anishinaabe was lowered from the sky to the ground by the Creator citation needed Manitoulin Island called mnidoo mnis or island of the Great Spirit by the Odawa is very important to the Ojibwe or Anishinaabe because of its many sacred sites and sounding rocks Native peoples continue to dwell on the island which is host to several reserves 7 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan s eastern coastline in the state of Michigan includes two sites known as North and South Manitou Islands See also edit nbsp Manitoulin IslandBig Manitou Falls Catskill Escarpment Wall of Manitou Cautantowwit Lake Manitou Indiana Manitoba Canada Manitou Manitoba Manitou Springs Colorado Manitouwadge Manitowoc Wisconsin Manitou Island Minetta Creek Moniteau County Missouri Manito Illinois Manitou Metro North station ManaReferences edit Bragdon Kathleen J 2001 The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Northeast New York Columbia University Press p 18 ISBN 9780231114523 The Life of Tecumseh Lenik Edward J 2009 Making Pictures in Stone American Indian Rock Art of the Northeast University of Alabama Press Pratt Christina 2007 An Encyclopedia of Shamanism Volume 2 The Rosen Publishing Group Inc Lenik Edward J 2009 Making Pictures in Stone American Indian Rock Art of the Northeast University of Alabama Press The Origin of the Name Manitoba Province of Manitoba Retrieved 15 April 2007 Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Manitoulin Island Historica Canada The Canadian Encyclopedia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Manitou amp oldid 1209726002, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
