If you know your Creation story,

Then you know from where you have come

And you know where you are going

And what you were meant to become

You'll know how to love your partner

How to raise your babies to be women and men

who'll meet the purpose of their creation

And you can live your life so, too, you can.

If you know who you are, 

and what you must do

Then you’ll know what to say 

When your time is through,

When asked by the ones who have gone before, 

“Did you always love all of the people,

though they may never have loved you back?”

“Did you lift up the ones who had fallen?”

"Did you stand in the way of attack?"

“Did you help those to walk who had stumbled?”

"Did you help them to straighten their back?"

“Did you listen to stories they needed to tell?

...never judging their wrong from their right?“

"Did you make sure they knew you believed them?"

"And to see beyond darkness, some light?"

"Did you share with all those who had nothing?”

“Did you comfort those crying inside?”

“Did you listen to those who were angry?”

“Did you take away pain they were trying to hide?”

“Did you take care of all of Creation?”

“Did you keep it a beautiful place?”

“Did you love all the things that were put here?”

“On the earth, in the sky, and the water that flowed and helped nourish this place?

“Did you hold true to all of your teachings?”

“Were you the best Anishinaabe you could be?” 

"Step forward and tell us your answers

....the Ancestors are anxious to hear and to see.”

                       Mizanagiizhik

--Murray Sinclair