Long ago before Mother Earth existed, the Creator sat alone in darkness thinking, and with His thoughts He formed Mother Earth.
He covered the Earth with plants and trees, birds and animals, and many crawling insects, but He became lonely.
So, from the soil of the Earth he formed two companions, a man and a woman.
Beside the man he placed a bow and arrow. This was to show that the man was to be the protector and provider of food.
Beside the woman he placed a birch bark basket filled with seeds. The basket and seeds represented the natural resources given to the Ojibwe people.
The Creator also placed a book next to the woman.
Then the Creator blew life into the woman and the man. First he blew life into the woman, and when she arose, she picked up the birch bark basket full of seeds, but she did not pick up the book.
Her choice doesn’t mean that Ojibwe people are not educated, they just have a different way of learning.
When the Creator blew life into the man, the man picked up the bow and arrow and accepted his responsibility to protect and provide food.
Then the Creator said, “Take care of Mother earth, and she will take care of you.
Don’t get greedy.
Take only what you need, and remember to put down tobacco before you take from Mother Earth.”
This is how the Ojibwe people came to be.
