Robert Animikii Horton

There is a place in our beautiful borderland.

The river flows profoundly strong in the summer.

When winter begins to conclude, the sound and echo of the ice cracking as the weather warms can be heard for miles.

Along the Manidoo Ziibi (also known as the Rainy River), the Manitou Rapids rests between the towns of Emo and Barwick.

The reserve townsite of Rainy River First Nations overlooks this river, the rapids, and the long legacy still alive on its shores.

This is where my Mother was born and raised, where my Grandmother fell in love with our language before she began her career teaching and sharing it, where our Grandfather Sandy and Grandmother Maggie practiced medicine and healing, and where it still feels like home after all these years.

Manitou Rapids.

But why is it called The Place of the Spirit Rapids?

Apart from a direct translation of Manitou Rapids, a cherished mentor once shared the deeper esoteric meanings of these words and why such understandings are not only beautiful – but directly relevant to the long history and significance of the location.

First, a fundamental understanding is needed.

Our nearest star, the sun, supports life.

In fact, the name of our sun (Giizis) describes the radiating of life energy.

This is a major factor in understanding the name of this place.

Baawitig, on the surface, describes a set of rapids.

If we look further into this term, it comes to life beautifully.

“Baa” pertains to motion and movement.

“Wi” pertains to life energy. However, in many places along Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, the sound “Waa” replaced this syllable. It is similar, but deeper and more descriptive. “Waa” pertains to light. This sound, very ancient, is still in use today near Kenora, Ontario.

The sound “tig” pertains to all of life.

Let’s take a bird’s eye view.

Movement and motion.

Life energy in the form of light.

All of life.

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Why do individuals with fair complexions get sunburned so easily when out on the lake or fishing beside a river?

As the sunlight falls upon the water, it is reflected off the water’s surface and amplifies.

The light from our nearest star (Giizis, our sun) radiates life energy and it becomes extreme when reflecting off the water of rivers and lakes.

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As water makes its way down the Manidoo Ziibi (the Rainy River) and enters the rapids, the water slows, spins, quickens, circles, and quickly takes on movement and motion that is unmistakable.

When this occurs when the sun light pours down, it hits the water and scatters. When the water is flowing, moving, and circling with intense movement, the life energy of the sun is scattered about (similar to a disco ball) upon all life that is present.

This is why rapids have been known as places of healing.

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Manidoo is a very special string of sounds, as well as a powerful concept.

Often translated as “spirit” (but often misunderstood as a human soul or spirit), this refers to a supernatural, spiritual being.

The nature (and connection to place is expressed) within.

“Ma” (a derivation of omaa) meaning here in a particular place.

“Ni” (found in many prefixes) refers to the life within me – the spiritual concept of “I”.

“Doo” comes from Indoodoo, an ancient form of “My Mother” that predates Ninga or the more recent Nimaamaa. There is connection of this sound to the nurturing of a baby, breast-feeding, etc.

Very profoundly:

The unconditionally loving, nurturing, and mothering energy that connects to me is manifesting here in this particular place.

Finally, “ong” can note that it is a location.

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Even during the times of Dakota settlement in the area (before they were driven out of the region by the Ojibwe following a significant victory at Battle River), this particular set of rapids were known to be spiritually significant.

The Anishinaabemowin that thrives in the area reveals why.

It is a place where life energy from above (strongest at Naawakwe, or solar noon) falls upon the water’s surface, is amplified, and which the motion of the water scatters intense life energy about on all life present.

This place and the helpers present are ways that the unconditionally loving and mothering spiritual energy from within the Earth manifests there.

Before the water levels rose near Kenora, there was a visible and accessible set of rapids that shared this name, but retained the older expression in the region – Manidoo Baawaatig.

A set of Spirit Rapids is also present in another location in another place of borderland (on Big Turtle River) to which spiritual and cultural significance remains strong.

There is a unique, almost arcane, beauty that is carried by Anishinaabemowin.

At times referred to as the Ojibwe language, each sound and pause within the language reveals a pulse of meaning somewhere between the heart and the soul.

Each annunciation swells with meaning, summons purpose, and defines the philosophy upon which culture and language rest.

One of the significantly powerful (and beautiful) examples of the pulsing life within the language is the concept of mino-ayaawin.

mih-NO  uh-YAAH–WIN

On the surface, mino-ayaawin pertains to wellness, but also can invoke concepts such as peace or balance.

Often translated as good or well, the portion “mino” has a long history and an even deeper meaning.

“Mi” pertains to the universe. Fully understanding this sound, it is not only confined to the stars, Saturn, and nearby galaxies. Instead, pertaining to the universe is inclusive of everything in existence. Absolutely everyone and everything that a living being impacts (and that impacts the being in turn). Concepts such as the seen and the unseen (as well as the past and future layers of time beyond the present moment) are included in this sound.

“No” invokes a special perspective. Expressed within this sound acknowledges the visible and invisible (the seen and unseen) dimensions of the being. A being in this human family are more than one dimensional. There are interwoven, interdependent, interconnected, and interrelated dimensions of an individual. These include one’s body (one’s physical dimension), one’s mind (one’s intellectual dimension), one’s heart (one’s emotional dimension), and one’s soul (one’s spiritual dimension).

When those dimensions are placed in balance with the universe, it creates a peace, a balance, a wellness, and ultimately a definition of that which brings goodness.

The second half of the term reveals more.

“Ayaaw” pertains to one’s physical vessel, the complexity of this shell and vessel that carries us through our lifetime here on the Earth we share.

The final sound (“win”) is one of the most misunderstood (and equally consistently elegant) elements of our language.

On the surface, “win” functions as a nominalizer, meaning that which has the capacity to turn a verb into a noun.

But how and why does this happen?

Explore within and you will be amazed.

“Win” is comprised of two sounds, two concepts, working together.

“Wi” pertains to life energy while “in” acknowledges that it is present within a vessel.

Very directly, it is describing that a being is using the life energy within their bodily vessel which fuels, defines, or causes the action or state of being.

Before we expand the concept to make it even more meaningful, let’s acknowledge where we are so far:

Mino-ayaawin.

Using one’s life energy within one’s vessel to consciously and purposefully put the visible and invisible dimensions (physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual) in balance with one’s universe (everything they impact, impacts them, beyond time, and even beyond sight) to ensure the vessel (the body) that holds and contains us is sustained well, positively, and properly so life can be fully experienced.

Wellness, balance, and peace are each manifestations of when this occurs.

I clearly remember when one of my most gifted and elegantly-spoken teachers and mentors shared this with me in our beautiful borderland region years ago. It was near impossible not to feel an ache within my heart. Not only because of the beauty captured within this concept, but because of its depth and consistency.

What has come clear in the many years since this long-time mentor (who has since passed away and returned home) is that each person, each individual, each being defines what balance in each internal dimension of self in their own way.

Does balancing the physical dimension with the universe around one simply mean what one drinks or eats? What we refrain from? Perhaps making sure we dress appropriately for the weather?

Does balancing the emotional dimension with the universe around one simply mean journaling? Does it mean ensuring the friendships and relationships we seek or let in are only comprised of positive people and experiences to ensure toxicity or drama is kept at bay?

Does balancing the intellectual dimension with the universe around one simply mean learning in our areas of expertise? Could it mean pushing the envelope and learning all we can, even perspectives that we vehemently disagree with? Does it mean ensuring one is always learning and expanding one’s own horizons?

Does balancing the spiritual dimension with the universe pertain to only tobacco offerings? Does it reach far beyond spiritual or religious belief into what provides an individual with awe and personal rapture (regardless of their own belief or lack thereof)? Travel? Scenery? Reading philosophy? A jaw-dropping live show by Tool? A song that grips the heart?

Only the individual knows for sure.

Does balance between them mean not letting one eclipse the others?

When it comes to the heart of experience, subjective truths, and the things that help us understand we are part of something larger than ourselves and what conjures wonder and awe, it is never “the way” – but rather “a way.”

Each individual’s definition of wellness is as individual to them as are the factors one incorporates into their lives to bring those dimensions to life.

There are many ways across our globe to attain wellness, peace, and balance.

This is but one – and within the Anishinaabe language, this road is well-defined.

Just as the language honours free will, it is our choice how we define and pursue wellness.