The People of the Seventh Fire
More than 1,000 years ago my people, the Anishinabeg, lived
along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. There were so many and
they were so powerful that it is said that one could stand at
the top of the highest mountain, look in all directions, and
not see to the ends of the nation. They traveled the waterways
by canoe and in winter they traveled with dog sled. Their life
was full of abundance and beauty. The Anishinabeg developed
their natural heritage of wisdom and power through dreams and
the way of the circle. They followed the path of the spirit,
walking in balance, in harmony with all beings. They communicated
with the animals and fish that provided them with food. Trees
and plants told them of their medicines. They knew the magic
and mystery of the spirals. Using this knowledge, some of them
traveled great distances with ease. Even today, some of the
Hopi people of the Southwest desert in the USA still remember
the stories of my people appearing in their underground chambers.
They would speak with the Hopi people, do ceremony with them,
and then disappear through the walls of the kiva.
My people had no need for police, laws, courts, judges, or
prisons. It is the way of the circle to help each other and
for each to contribute their talents and skills for the well-being
of the community. The best hunters and fishers would share the
hunt. The women gathered food together and shared it with everyone.
They lived by the Original Instructions to love, honor, and
respect all beings in the circle of life. This was given to
all people at the beginning of the Creation. It's written in
our hearts.
The Prophecy of the Seven Fires
The megis is a cowrie shell, very sacred to the Ojibwe. Through
the megis Creator breathed life into all beings.
Then seven prophets appeared to the people. The First Prophet
told the people that in the time of the First Fire they would
leave their homes by the sea and follow the sign of the megis.
They were to journey west into strange lands in search of a
island in the shape of a turtle. This island will be linked
to the purification of the earth. Such an island was to be found
at the beginning and at the end of their journey. Along the
way they would find a river connecting two large sweet water
seas. This river would be narrow and deep as though a knife
had cut through the land. They would stop seven times to create
villages but they would know that their journey was complete
when they found food growing on the water. If they did not leave,
there would be much suffering and they would be destroyed. And
they would be pursued and attacked by other nations along the
way so they must be strong and ready to defend themselves.
The Second Prophet told them they could recognize the Second
Fire because while they were camped by a sweet water sea they
would lose their direction and that the dreams of a little boy
would point the way back to the true path, the stepping stones
to their future.
The Third Prophet said that in the Third Fire the Anishinabe
would find the path to the lands prepared for them and they
would continue their journey west to the place where food grows
upon the water.
The Fourth Prophet was two who came as one. The first told
them to expect a race of people who had light skin. The future
of the Anishinabeg would be known by the face the light-skinned
people would wear. If they come in brotherhood there would be
a time of wonderful change. New knowledge would be joined with
the old knowledge and the two peoples would join to make a mighty
nation. Two other nations would join to make four and they would
become the mightiest nation of all. If they brought only their
knowledge and their good-will they would be like brothers.
The second being of the Fourth Prophet warned the light-skinned
race might wear the face of death that would almost look the
same as the face of brotherhood. "If they come carrying
a weapon and if they seem to be suffering, beware. Behind this
face is greed. You shall recognize the face of death if the
rivers are poisoned and the fish are unfit to eat."
The Fifth Prophet said that in the time of the Fifth Fire there
will be a struggle between the way of the mind of the light-skinned
people and the natural path of spirit of the many nations of
natural people. "As this fire loses its heat there will
come among the people those who promise great joy and salvation.
If the people accept this promise and abandon the old ways,
the struggle will continue for many generations. This promise
is false and it will nearly destroy those who accept it."
The Sixth Prophet told them that in the time of Sixth Fire
it would be clear that the promise accepted during the Fifth
Fire was false. "Those who were deceived by this promise
will take their children away from the teachings of the elders.
The elders will lose their purpose in life and many will become
sick and die. Many people will be out of balance and the cup
of life will become the cup of grief."
The Seventh Prophet was younger than the others who had come
and there was a glowing light from his eyes. He said that there
would come a time when the waters had been so poisoned that
the animals and plants that lived there would fall sick and
begin to die. Much of the forests and prairies would be gone
so the air would begin to lose the power of life. The way of
the mind brought to the red, black, and yellow nation by the
white nation would bring danger to the whole earth. In this
time there will arise Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg, a new people who
will emerge from the clouds of illusion. They will retrace their
steps to find the treasures that had been left by the trail.
The stories that had been lost will be returned to them. They
will remember the Original Instructions and find strength in
the way of the circle. Their search will take them to the elders
and the new people will ask for guidance. But many of the elders
will have walked the Path of the Souls to the Star Web. Many
elders will have forgotten their wisdom and they will not be
able to help. Some of the elders will point in the wrong direction
and others will remain silent because of their fear. Some of
the elders will be silent because no one has asked them for
their wisdom.
If the New People will find trust in the way of all things,
in the circle, they will no longer need the selfish voice of
the ego and they can begin to trust their inner voice. Wisdom
will be once again be found in dreams of the night and of the
day. The sacred fire will once again be lit. The Light-skinned
People will be given a choice between two paths. If they choose
the right path the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth Fire and
final fire of brotherhood and sisterhood. If they choose the
wrong path, remaining on the path of the mind, then the destruction
they brought with them will come back to destroy them. The people
of the earth will experience much suffering and death.
