The 7 Principles that Guide Mino Bimaadiziwin

The Seven Principles that Guide
Mino Bimaadiziwin

We are Anishinaabe. Life that has been given to us by Gizhe Manidoo. Each and every one of us has been given gifts by Gizhe Manidoo, that includes Mino Bimaadiziwin, Living the Good Life.

To live Mino Bimaadiziwin, we must return to the teachings, to the way of understanding and speaking Anishinaabemowin. Bishkaabayaang, the returning of our Teachings, is the first step of making the Anishinaabe strong.

Anishinaabe Mino Bimaadiziwin has seven principles which provide the means to live and learn in the Anishinaabe way of life and help guide the Anishinaabe, as we build a bridge between our ancestral past and our future.

We have been told to use the knowledge of our Ancestors, the knowledge of who we are as Anishinaabe, and to maintain an Anishinaabe way of life for today’s world. This will provide a better world for the Anishinaabek children of tomorrow.

1. Anishinaabemowin
Anishinaabemowin is our original way of speaking which allows us to process and express our thoughts. It is our way of communicating with Creation, with Spirit, and with one another.

2. Anishinaabe Inaadiziwin
Anishinaabe Inaadiziwin is our original behaviour, values, way of life and being Anishinaabe in the fullest sense. The development of the highest quality of Anishinaabe personhood, connected to the earth and in relation to all Creation.

3. Anishinaabe Inendamowin
Anishinaabe Inendamowin is our original way of thinking, our way of perceiving and of formulating thought resonating from our Anishinaabe beliefs and foundational truths. Anishinaabe Inendamowin is our Anishinaabe philosophy and world-view.

4. Anishinaabe Gikendaasowin
Anishinaabe Gikendaasowin is our knowledge and way of knowing. It is the body of knowledge that informs us of our origins, our way of life, our way of being, and our worldview.

5. Anishinaabe Izhichigewin
Anishinaabe Izhichigewin is our Anishinaabe way of doing things. It is our way of taking action with the life skills we need as Anishinaabe to live effectively in the world and contribute to building quality of living and quality of community.

6. Anishinaabe Enawendiwin
Anishinaabe Enawendiwin is our way of relating to Spirit, to each other and to all of Creation. It is an all-inclusive relationship that honours the interconnectedness of all our relations and recognizes and honours the human place and responsibility within the family of Creation.

7. Gidakiiminaan
Gidakiiminaan is our connection and relationship to the land, and all of Creation. It is the experience of knowing and understanding the relationships that exist throughout Creation and understanding your own role and responsibility in this relationship. This connection is the primary shaper of Anishinaabe identity, and it is this total relationship with Creation that informs our environmental ethic.

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