"When Waakwi Aki Dances Backward in the Sky"
Manoominike-giizis (Ricing Moon) (August 28, 2023)
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Boozhoo, aaniin!
Welcome to part 33 of a blog series titled "Star Stories," in which I connect my and kindred artists' storytelling art – in the form of rings, jewelry, and graphic art– with anang akiiwan(the star world) as perceived by our Peoples who since time immemorial inhabit the northern regions of Turtle Island – nowadays called Canada and the United States.
Today's post tells the story of the retrograde motion of the planet that most people in the Western world know by its Latin name, Uranus. The name that our People, the Ojibwe Anishinaabeg of Turtle Island's Great Lakes area gave to this planet is Waakwi Aki.
Waakwiing, "In the Land of the Deceased," is the realm beyond the giizhig (sky vault). "Waakwi Aki" is our name for Uranus (planet 7) as well as for the star that the Arabs named Alnilam. Waakwi, the Land of the Deceased, has been associated by Anishinaabeg Peoples with a far-away place where all life began. Some call this land Gaagige-minawaanigoziwining: "The Land of Everlasting Happiness."
The Waakwi retrograde cycle happens every year for about five moons. This year, Waakwi is retrograde from today to Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024 through a zodiac sign called Taurus by Western astrologists and Misaabe ("The Giant") by our People. Misaabe is a star constellation of the zodiac, which means the sun, moon and planets travel through it regularly.
On a terrestrial level, Misaabe (also called Gichi-misaabe) is a giant from the forest who teaches the us to be honest with ourselves. The Misaabe embodies the virtue of Gwayakwaadiziwin, meaning Honesty or Righteousness, which is the fifth of the Grandfather Teachings of the Ojibwe Anishinaabeg Peoples. Our ancestors looked at the giant named Gichi-misaabe for the one who models this Teaching. Gichi-misaabe, a friendly, four-legged giant from the forests who, when he is among humans, walks on two legs, reminds us to be honest to the Great Mystery of Life and to ourselves and not to be someone we are not. An honest person is said to walk tall like him...Misaabe is also often visualized in the night sky as Gaa-biboonikaan, the Winter Bringer constellation (Orion).
So, from today, Monday August 28, Waakwi Aki (Planet Uranus) will be in a period of retrograde motion while in the Misaabe constellation — meaning it appears to go backward in the sky. How dies this happen? Mother Earth orbits Father Sun much faster than the outer planets, so she occasionally overtakes them. These planets then appear to be moving backward for a while. Since Waakwi Aki takes 84 years to orbit Grandfather Sun, its “backward” phase appears to last for about 5 moons.
Ma’iingan Miikana is an Ojibwe term used to describe the phenomenon of the retrograde motion of planets. Retrograde, in this context, means that a planet appears to go backward in its orbit, as viewed from Earth.
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| Waakwi Aki ("Uranus") travels through the Gichi-misaabe star constellation (a giant depicted with outstretched arms), as it follows a retrograde trail, depicted here as a Sky Wolf hunting a moose. |
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To our ancestors, seasonal changes on earth corresponded with the movement of stellar constellations, which, in turn, were reflected in their storytelling and ceremonies. They observed a circular movement of the sky throughout the year; this phenomenon they called Gizhibaa Giizhig ("the Revolving Sky"). Gizhibaa ("circle") referred to a circular, east-to-west movement of the sun, moon, stars and seasons in Waawiyekamig, the "round lodge"– the Universe/cosmos. It was also observed that a few times a year certain akiwag (planets) – such as Waakwi Aki (Uranus), Waaseyasiged Azhebaashkaabizod Aki (Venus) and Oshkaabewis (Mercury) – traveled retrograde (westward in relation to the stars). This phenomenon was called Ma'iingan Giizhig Miikana, the Wolf Sky Trail. Why the Wolf Trail? As keen observers of nature, the ancestors noticed that, although ma'iinganag (wolves) usually travel in packs, sometimes a lone wolf rebelliously sets off in a different direction for a while to hunt for moozoog (moose) before eventually rejoining the pack. This is why they saw Ma’iingan’s presence on earth mirrored in the night sky as Azhe'ose: a moose-hunting Contrary walking the backward path as it is disobeying the rules of the other Sky Beings. This phenomen, of aadawaa'amoog ogimaag azhe'osewag (planets seemingly traveling the opposite path), is also known as Ode' Miikana: "Pathway of the Heart."
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Waakwi Aki is one of the outer akiwag (planets), along with Gichigami Aki (Planet of the Great Sea; called Neptune by Western astronomers) and Awasinake Aki (Planet Beyond; called Pluto in Western astronomy). Its following the Wolf trail in the sky affects all of us here on earth. Waakwi Aki spends seven years in each sign. Currently, it's in the zodiac sign of Misaabe, turning our attention to the virtue of being honest with ourselves and the importance of self-care.
It is believed that when Waakwi Aki follows the Wolf Trail through the Misaabe, its energy is particularly potent, in a sense that its forces are slowed - which in itself can be more powerful than going (too) fast. When this happens, the areas of our lives that the planet's energy affects may feel a little backward. This will enable us to make changes at a slower pace, which can be a healthy thing to do in these fast times in which we easily get lost. Going backward instead of forward requires self-reflection and different ways of doing things. Speaking of self-care!
When the planets follow the Moose-hunting Wolf Trail by moving backward they tell us to wake up to a new reality,to embrace our unique qualities, and release anything that may no longer be supportive in our lives...So, let us walk with the Giant Misaabe and run with the Wolf and dance backward with Waakwi Aki, all the way toward the far-away place where all life began and where healing is to be found...
Illustrations, from top to bottom:
Anishinaabe Bear Healer Dancing with Misaabe©2023 Zhaawano Giizhik. Visit the webshop to order a print of the painting.
Anishinaabe Bear Healer Dancing with Misaabe - detail ©2023 Zhaawano Giizhik
Anishinaabe Sky Dancer©2023 Zhaawano Giizhik.