Ginawaydaganuc

Ginawaydaganuc (pronounced jin-away-daga-nuk) is an Anishinaabe (Algonquin) word or expression which means, well, it means quite a bit. In fact, it’s more or less an entire world view.

In simplest terms, it means that everything is interconnected in space and time, and that everything we do is impacted by what is already done, and in turn impacts the rest of the universe for the rest of time. Implicit in that, however, is that you are responsible to act in the best interest of others, of nature, and of our descendents.

The Anishinaabe concept is that there are physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual connections to everything alive, and to the givers of life, including the soil, the waters, the air, the plants, and the animals. These things are all sacred gifts to be treated with respect, and from which to take just enough for our own needs so as to ensure that we respect the needs of those who come after us. My actions cannot exist solely in the here and now, but I must be conscious of the past, and of the future.

It tells me that what I receive today comes because of the gifts of the Creator, carefully stewarded by all those who came before me, and in turn, it is my duty to care for the earth and its life for the benefit of the next seven generations.

I suppose that if there were an English equivalent, it would be an amplified version of trusteeship, implying that we have a fiduciary responsibility to preserve and protect our world for our children. If you like, a trust settled on us by the Creator and our ancestors, for our benefit, and for all who come after us. We are at once the beneficiaries of the trust, but also the trustees for those who come after us, and not just for humankind, but for the entire planet with whose life we are integrated.

In light of what our European ancestors have made of the planet in the five centuries since we “discovered” the New World, you have to wonder who got it right.

Miigwech! (Thank you.)