OGIMAA - SONGAB - MIDEGAH : WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

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The term Peacemaker was applied to the Great teacher yahaawzhowa and it relates to the fullest function of the masculine identity which is to utilize their strength and endurance for the strength and endurance of the mother which are her generations born and unborn.

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The great teacher yahaawzhowa raised up leaders he called peacemakers, but in fact the term used as displayed in the raising up oath which is unchanged for over 2000 years is Ogimaa, which comes from the words ogiin or mother and maa is a term of ownership or endearment, thus the word Peacemaker is actually ogimaa or the mothers own, her protector.

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This term was first applied to the great peacemaker and he instructed that all men and even women could be protectors of the sacred water of life, or the womb carried within the mother and her generations formed from the plants and animals consumed which were nurtured from this sacred earth in which our ancestors lye.  therefore her generations are prayers made flesh and are spirits in walking earth, we are all sacred.

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What does this mean? we were destined to all be ogimaas, however this term that involves binding a circle was translated by europeans as "chief" which implies a position of domineering that they related to their backwards system that destroys families for the luxury of a few called king or royal.

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The first official Ogimaa was the great peacemaker Yahaawzhowa and then next were the leaders he called, but then it spread to those tasked to protect differing functions of society, the clans. Prior they were called headmen or ogichidaawi, or a warrior in the sense of providing and each of the original 7 clans had differing responsibilities to provide in their warrior capacity. 

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As these functions began to shift towards supporting the family and the mother as the purpose of our being on this earth, to multiplY, and then to replenish, which again takes a unified family and generations to replace generations of life we consume to live, which should be done in restraint, the ogichidaawi began to take the oath of the peacemaker, of the ogimaa and then became ogimaas.  

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Chief amongst the clans spiritually was the adik doodem or the great deer family whose senior member was the caribou as both sexes carry antlers. this sacred being is recorded as the first creature in creation to greet the newly Created first mother and father. in addition, when fashioned they had antlers placed upon their head that symbolized the branches of the tree of life, which they would carry throughout creation as they made the trails for all to move upon as well as spiritually shared that teaching, no matter which branch of horns you may dwell within, we share one root and one tree. The first mother and father are considered to our people as the progenitors of the deer family and all clans extended off of them as they followed the great deer through the trails made in the first great garden.

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the deer clan were the peacemakers managing negotiations for peace, stability and economics between families, clans and nations of the Americas. in addition due to this they focused on the communication styles that were best received for influencing kindness and willful participation in unity: poems, songs and religious ceremonies.

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The term midegah relates to the words mino ode gah, or the Great Good heart and relates to the name the first father called himself, as in perfect obedience he named all things created by the creator and he was as well. he called upon his children and generations to remember and this teaching was reignited by the great peacemaker and thus those who were the record keepers, even if of one scroll, were called a midegah.  at times there were many midegahs, all carrying sacred teachings on living with the good heart. 

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the term songab derives from Zongide'ewin and means "one who is mighty and strong" and relates to faith with is the greatest form of bravery. the symbol would be the hoof of the great moose that when planted is immoveable and this is the embodiment of spiritual character. this term was placed by the great peacemaker himself upon those who would carry the greatest burden of sacrifice, the traders, peacemakers, poets, singers and ceremonial leaders who would also carry the records that were known would bring great wars, divisions and attempts to destroy as well as those carrying them.  this title is carried only by the grand chiefs of the deer family.  generally the children of this leader would likewise bear the title associated with their clan name, such as adik songab, meaning a deer family member of the one who is mighty and strong. 

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since 50 ad the headman of the great deer family have been called ogichidaawi (ogichidaa) or warriors as they provide, as well as ogimaas when taking the oath as they protect the family, and likewise carry the title songab as they are keepers of the faith, and this was why they likewise led the ojibwe branch of the anishinaabe, or those who kept the faith.

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there have been various occurrences since 50 ad that the oath of ogimaa was unable to be taken due to violence and bloodshed from war which ravaged the entire continent. this occurred first with the 15th generation that began in the 5th century and extended into the 8th century as war erupted on a monumental and continental scale. 

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as this subsided in the late 9th century again ogimaas were called and again records were brought out of hiding and carried by custodians who would be called midegah. again the head of the deer family would be identified and recognized in official ceremony as the songab with a feast of mourning, with an accompanied ceremony that is still performed today, related to wiping away the tears for those who passed on without the opportunity, or those who did but whom could not fulfill their functions. 

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in the 11th to 14th centuries war broke out again due to migrations and various issues related, causing people and families to seek basic survival, causing ceremonies to dwindle like an ember in the fire. 

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this was repeated again in the 17th and 18th centuries with the arrivals of multiple european nations warring with each other in europe and also on our lands that was pressed upon us as well following the difficult challenge to also manage disease.

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many times the fire has nearly gone out and diminished to the point that an ember remains, but on every occasion we have given it the breath of family and rebuilt the fire of our great unity.

 

since the first century we have recorded 74 generations of the deer family. we have recorded 50 ogimaas carrying the title of midegah and simultaneously songab. 

 

ogimaa songab midegah ogichidaa is the 74th generation since the great peacemaker yahaawzhowa. he is the 50th carrier of the title one who is mighty and strong, or songab, and he is also the 50th to simultaneously carry the title as midegah. however in this instance, he is the last midegah as all greater portions of ancient midewiwin records have been placed upon him to make a decision and he decided to bring the 8th fire, or unity. 

 

there are many visions of the 8th fire, however the vision that was intended was for the europeans to become the 8th family of the circle as we had established 7 fires or 7 great families that were trying to dwell as one before the failings of men became the tragedies of a continent.

 

before the great wars broke out we had established peace amongst seven great families, and likewise established a great capital of seven lakes with seven capitals that dwelt together as one. it was believed that we could restore this again when the 1701 great peace of montreal occurred. however the european missed the opportunity to help bring peace and restore our unity by instead seeking to destroy us by dividing us from our possessions, our nations, our communities and even from our very families.

 

it is hoped that with the release now all faiths involved who are protestant, catholic or mormon will see what we share in common, the great peace of the great peacemaker and that we can live to the highest ideals of the great peace of montreal and establish an enduring peace upon this sacred land. ​​​​​​​

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ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEER FAMILY IS THE STAR WOMEN BLOODLINE of the anangokaa (Star family) WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED UPON THE CONTINENT AT APPROXIMATELY 700 BC WITH THE ARRIVAL OF A FAMILY FROM ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, CALLED THE SALT ROAD.  They ARRIVED in A set of BOATs THAT FROZE IN THE WINTER MONTH OF BEAR MOON, OR FEBRUARY. THERE VESSEL(S) HAD FROZEN WHERE THE MOUTH OF THE OTTAWA RIVER MEETS THE ST. LAWRENCE WATERWAY, OR THE LAKE OF TWO MOUNTAINS.

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THESE TWO YOUNG WOMEN called by our people Gee-zhi-go-kway (Sky Woman) and Wah-say-ee-kway (Shining Woman) CAME FROM A RECORDED SACRED BLOODLINE THAT EXTENDED TO THE FIRST MOTHER, AS WAS RECORED AT THAT TIME AND MAINTAINED TO THIS TIME. THEY FORMED A NEHIYAW PWAT OR BLOOD CONFEDERACY WITH THE DEER FAMILY BY BEING JOINED WITH THE TWO SONS OF ADIKIINS THE HEAD OGICHIDAAWI OF THE CARIBOU CLAN OR GREAT DEER FAMILY AT THAT TIME. THIS MERGER ESTABLISHED THE SECOND LINE OF THE MOOZ DOODEM OR CLAN AS WELL.

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THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A YOUNG MAN, their brother, whom we called Miskwaak or Red cedar as he taught genesis or creation with the star lodge that he established amongst the people from the great lakes as far south as what is called palenque in chiapas mexico today. this young man HAD a GREAT KNOWLEDGE, learned from a life with great teachers and the old man who brought him, AND CARRIED A LARGE GOLDEN SHIELD THAT HAD A STAR ENGRAVED UPON IT. 

 

HE THEN WENT WITH the OLDER MAN TO ALL COMMUNITIES FROM THE GREAT LAKES, DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI AND THE ASSOCIATED RIVERS, TO CENTRAL AMERICA, HEADQUARTERING IN WHAT IS TODAY CALLED PALENQUE IN CHIAPAS MEXICO. HE REIMAGINED THE SWEAT LODGE WHICH WAS FOR PHYSICAL HEALING INTO THE STAR LODGE, COMBINING A SECOND STAFF IN ALL DIRECTIONS FORMING TWO STARS OF DAVID ON THE CEILING WHERE ALL STAFFS MET. HE TAUGHT CREATION, THE GENESIS AND THE CONNECTION OF THE SPIRIT WITH FLESH UPON THIS EARTH, bringing spiritual healing.

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THIS WAS THE GREATEST IMPACT UPON OUR CONTINENT AS THE MIDEWIWIN WAS BORN, OR THOSE WHO KEPT THE PATH OF THE HEART OR THE WAY OF LOVE, WHICH WAS BALANCE WITH ALL THINGS IN CREATION, WHICH IS BALANCE WITH THE CREATOR, AS ALL EQUALLY DERIVE, AND THIS WAY OF AWARENESS BROUGHT KNOWLEDGE THEN UNDERSTANDING AND FINALLY WISDOM.

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ALL SPIRITUAL, CEREMONIAL, AND CLAN LEADERS WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THESE WOMEN GENERATIONALLY TO SPEAK FOR THE SOCIETY OF THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. WHEREAS THE PATRILINEAL LINE WOULD SPEAK FOR THE POLITICS OF THE LAND. on many occasions the generations of all three would weave together to solidify the anangokaa or star family.

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UNFORTUNATELY IN THE 18TH CENTURY THE BRITISH CONVINCED THE LOON CLAN AND THE FOX CLAN TO CONVINCE THE OTHER ANISHINAABE CLANS TO EXTINGUISH THE MOOZ DOODEM. THIS CAUSED IRREPARABLE HARM TO TRADING ROUTES AND ECONOMIC STABILITY AS WELL AS LED TO A DRAMATIC ASSAULT ON THE MIDEWIWIN OR SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AS THEY WERE THE PROTECTORS OF THE HIGHWAYS, both of water and earth.

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OGIMAA MIDEGAH OCHICHIDAA ZOZEP ANISH-AA WAS APPOINTED AS THE OGICHIDAAWI OF THE GREAT DEER FAMILY BY HIS GRANDMOTHER WHO DESCENDENDED FROM THE SENIOR STAR WOMAN BLOODLINE THROUGH star woman Wenona Obenegshipequay, THE WIFE OF THE 44TH OGIMAA SONGAB MIDEGAH NAMED MAMAANGAZEDA, VIA THEIR DAUGHTER EQUAYWID OR HIGH WOMEN AND HER DAUGHTER UTINAWASIS ADIK SONGAB WHICH MEANS STAR WOMAN OR STAR GIRL which continued through her DAUGHTER JOSEPHTE GRANT, then EMELIE WELLS, then ADELAIDE BRELAND, then MARIE PAUL, then MARY DESJARLAIS AND finally to HIS GRANDMOTHER PATRICIA ROSE BRIEN-BRUNELLE. INTEGRATING INTO THIS FAMILY WAS ALSO THE TWO OTHER SISTERS OF UTINAWASIS, NAMED MACHEQUAYAINCE AND TECHOMEGOOD, WHO SHARED THE SAME MOTHER BUT DIFFERING FATHERS AS THEY WERE CHIEFTAINS OF THE ASSINABOINE AND DAKOTA NATIONS. THIS UNION WAS CALLED THE IRON BLOOD CONFEDERACY, STILL CALLED AS IT HAD IN THE BEGINNING THE NEHIYAW PWAT. tHESE LINES MERGED WITH THE LINES OF THEIR BROTHER OGIMAA MISCOMAKWA, THE 45TH OGIMAA SONGAB MIDEGAH.

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a star woman could choose any of her children, and all direct children, grand children, great grandchildren are her children to choose from and in february of 2018 she chose zozep anish-aa david scott taylor who then began the medicine circle counter clockwise around north america until upon completion traveling to central and south america and finding unity with their family, restoring bonds of love.

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LOOKING BACK INTO TIME, APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3RD GENERATION OF SISTERS OR BROTHERS FROM THESE ORIGINAL THREE STAR CHILDREN WERE MERGED, LEADING TO THE GREAT DEER FAMILY BEING FOUND IN LEADERSHIP FROM CANADA, TO THE UNITED STATES, TO MEXICO, AND IN CENTRAL AMERICA EVEN TODAY.