Spiritual Practices Belong to All, Pebaam Says

By Kathy Dix

At Friends of Kooch-i-ching & Ogichi last month, our guest speaker, Pebaamibines, spoke of the Anishinaabe people’s stewardship of the environment.

“Nobody owns spiritual principles,” said Pebaam, a Midewin priest, retired University of Minnesota professor and Ogichi’s teacher of Native American ceremonies.

Pebaam presides over an Ojibwe water ceremony at Ogichi. (Liz Hattemer)

“They are universal, and you can apply these ideas to everything that you do. Once we come to the realization that we are all one...then we can truly know that all spiritual principles are universal and available for everyone to practice.”

As a camp devoted to wilderness trips and outdoor education, Ogichi is always looking for ways to further incorporate Native American teachings, and the staff and campers present at FOKO were listening attentively.

“Everyone has this custodial relationship, the responsibility to look after the land,” Pebaam continued. “And how do you look after the land? That is where ceremony comes in. Every spring, every fall, you must renew your commitment to taking care of the earth. The equinox and the solstice are sacred times of the year. Make an offering, a prayer of gratitude. That is where it all starts."

“The prayer connects you to the land, the spirits of the land look after you. It is a divine reciprocal relationship. What you think influences what you say and what you say influences what you do. That is the process of creation: Thought. Word. Action.”

The article was originally published in the Fall 2019 issue of Songs of the Paddle.