Ojibwe Naming Ceremony
Various resources found online for Ojibwe Naming Ceremony. No claims of cultural authenticity are implied here, but simply gathered for others to consult…
Traditional Ojibwe Naming Ceremony
A brief story of someone reclaiming their Ojibwe heritage for their children by having a naming ceremony:
Native Americans have this belief of being named so the Great Spirit will know who you are when you pass on to the next world. I was named “Bineshii” meaning bird…When my daughter was born, I knew I would want her named in the traditional way eventually…I knew a medicine man was to give a person their name and there was a ceremony to go with it…
The medicine man…let us know that our daughter would need at least 2 guardians to watch, protect and guide her…After a naming ceremony, there is a feast to celebrate…You are to give a medicine man tobacco before asking him to name…”The spirits told me about her dancing spirit”…the spirits told him to give his feather to my daughter…He began praying in Ojibwe. After about 20 minutes or so, he said her name… “Zhaawanagabo Ikwe. South Standing Woman.”
Naming Ceremony — Ojibwe Language and Culture
This site summarizes from another source:
The Naming Ceremony remembers the Original Man’s sacrifice for naming everything. It requires a father and mother to ask a medicine person to seek a name for their child. The medicine person does the seek by fasting, meditation, prayer, or dreaming and the spirit gives the name. The medicine person burns an offering of tobacco and pronounces the name to the 4 directions. The people at the ceremony repeat the name when it is called out by the medicine person. After the name is announced the spirit world can then accept the name and recognize the child as a living thing for the first time. The Spirit World and ancestors guard the child and prepare a place in the spirit world for them when the end of their life comes. At the naming ceremony the parents ask for four men and four women to sponsor the child. The sponsors vow to guide and support the child.
The Naming Ceremony
The Naming Ceremony, which remembers the sacrifices of Original Man in naming everything, requires that a medicine person be asked by the father and mother to seek a name for their child. The seeking can be done through fasting, meditation, prayer or dreaming and the spirits give the name. At a gathering the medicine person burns tobacco as an offering and pronounces the new name to each of the 4 Directions and everyone present repeats the name when it is called out. The Spirit World then accepts and can recognize the face of the child as a living thing for the first time. The Spirit World and ancestors then guard the child and prepare a place for him or her when their life ends. At the naming ceremony the parents ask for four men and four women to be sponsors for the child. The sponsors publicly vow to support and guide the child. This naming ceremony is thought to have been started by Original Man.
English-Ojibwe translation: Naming Ceremony
We have found the following ojibwe words and translations for “Ojibwe Naming Ceremony”: Waawiindaasowin+an
Naming Ceremony — Anishnaabeg Bimaadiziwin: An Ojibwe Peoples Resource
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Ojibwe Ceremony — Anishnaabeg Bimaadiziwin:An Ojibwe Peoples Resource
Through Ojibwe ceremony the four directions, the earth, the moon and the moon’s cycles, the seasons, the animals, water and the Creator are all acknowledged to remind the people to walk through life in a good way and respect our place within the fabric of all things. Birth, vision quests, prayer and many more are part of the ceremonial aspects of life for the Ojibwe people. Ceremony is more than a religious gathering; it is the way of life.
Naming Ceremony (Part 1) — YouTube
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Ojibwe naming ceremony re-affirms a Benson, Minn., family’s roots | West Central Tribune
A family re-connects with its native heritage through a naming ceremony for their 3 children:
…Six drummers called the procession of some 75 people to an arbor of spruce built for the occasion…A medicine man…led them as they invited the spirits of their grandparents to join them…as children receive the names by which they will be known in the Anishinabe world…[the medicine man] told the family he had prayed, dreamed and looked hard for their names… announced that the children would keep the names of the family’s ancestors…Wa-kay ba-nee-sick…meaning is not known to the family…Mem-a-no-beek, a female thunderbird…Be-dway-be-nes, or rolling thunder…
The ceremony was held according to tradition…the passing of a peace pipe, offering of tobacco to a sacred fire, the gifting of a strawberry to participants, and the sharing of sacred water…Everything involved in the ceremony was blessed and smudged according to the traditions…the heartbeat-like call of the drum…brought the procession of people to the arbor…Afterward everyone gathered for a feast.
The Importance Of The Naming Ceremony In Tribal Cultures
…In our tribal communities, we have got what we call a ‘sacred’ name…When a child is born, we identify a grandfather or a grandmother — it doesn’t have to be biological — who comes and really prays about that child; who sees the child, who knows the family; who really spends some time saying, ‘what is it that this child needs?’ And, ‘Who is this child?’ and, “What have they come to do?’ So their name is given at that point in time and it really acts as a guide…As I look at my name, I think…What does it mean to learn from that name; to have that name help guide you at different stages in your life.
Ojibwe Family — Cultural Anthropology @ KSU
Seven original clans existed, each representing different responsibilities in the tribe. The crane and loon clan were the chiefs of the tribe. They ran a small, balanced government and ensured that good decisions were made throughout the tribe. The fish clan were the teachers and scholars and helped children develop skills and healthy spirits. They also solved disputes between the crane and loon clan. The Bear clan was the police and legal guardians. They patrolled the land and learned roots and plants around the area for medicinal purposes. The members of the Hoof clan were very gentle people that were responsible for caring for all others of the Ojibwe tribe. They also ensured housing and recreation for others. The Marten clan consisted of the hunters, food gatherers and warriors of the tribe. Last, the members of the Bird clan were the spiritual leaders of the area. They gave visions of well-being, and were known to pursue the highest elevation of the mind…
Naming is a very important process in the Ojibwe Tribe. People were named after all things in nature. A naming ceremony takes place when a new baby is born, and the soon the be parents will choose a “name giver.” They will also choose two “We-hes”… They will protect and advise this child for life. The parents will give the name giver a gift of tobacco, and he/she will give the child a name after care consideration from visions or dreams…
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Tobacco is a big part of any Native American person’s life, especially an Ojibwe person. It is our way of communicating with the Great Spirit. When the smoke goes up, those are our prayers being delivered…From before we are born until after we die, we use tobacco…When the child is a couple of months old, we have a naming ceremony and offer tobacco. At the ceremony, the father and mother each pick four people who they have high regard for and trust to take care of their child if they can’t…
Preserving Ojibwe Culture for Our Children and the Community
In 1965, one of the visitors was President Dwight Eisenhower! In a naming ceremony, the Tribe honored President Eisenhower with the Ojibwe name Giniw-Wi-Giizhig, or Golden Eagle.
Ojibway Ceremonies: Basil Johnston: 9780771044458
From the Naming Ceremony and the Vision Quest to the War Path, from the Marriage Ceremony to the Ritual of the Dead, we see the attitudes and beliefs of the Ojibway people come alive.
Noozwinkeng (Naming) as Cultural transmission
The story is about naming but it also attests to the Nishnaabeg’s resistance to assimilation through enduring cultural rites. Many Nishnaabeg are working towards cultural preservation, maintenance and transmission, of which the naming ceremony is integral…
