The Anishinabek Naming Ceremony:

The Naming Ceremony gives us our "Spirit Name" which gives us recognition with the spirit world. It requires that a medicine person, Elder or someone who has the gift of finding names (sometimes the grandparent, uncle or auntie) be asked by the father and mother to seek a name for their child and be the conductor of the ceremony. It is said that it is easier to find the name for a young person because the name is close by - as the child has just come from the spirit world. Adults can receive names if they were not given one as a young person. As you get older, however, your name drifts farther away and is more difficult to find.

On your mark... get set... SQUIRM!!!

Prior to the ceremony, the parents usually ask four males and four females (there can be more but it must be an even number) to be sponsors for the one being named. Those sponsors will stand during the ceremony with the child receiving the name. The sponsors have the responsibility of walking alongside this person during his or her life. They act as advisors or confidants through good times and bad.

Proud young parents with a sleeping gift from the Creator

The name can come in many different ways and from someone else other than the conductor. Looking for the name may be done through fasting, meditation, prayer or dreaming. Ultimately, the name is said to be retrieved from the spirit realm.

Parents and community members gather around the giveaway blanket

At a Naming Ceremony, the conductor of the ceremony will talk about the name and its meaning. Tobacco is burned as an offering and everyone stands in an outer circle with the conductor, name recipient and sponsors in an inner circle around the ceremonial items: food and gifts placed on blankets. The conductor pronounces the new name to each of the four directions (in the Anishinabe language) and everyone present also turns to each direction and repeats the name when it is called out. The Spirit World, hearing the name, then accepts and can recognize the face of the child as a living thing for the first time. The Spirit World and the ancestors then guard the child and prepare a place for him or her when their life ends.

Proud dad and mom with little one

The sponsors publicly vow to support and guide the child. A feast plate is prepared by the family to feed the name and the spirits who have come to the ceremony. A give away is also prepared to honour the sponsors and other special participants at the gathering. To end the ceremony, the sponsors take the newly-named person around the circle for a final time, introducing the baby individually by his or her spirit name to everyone who has gathered for this wonderful celebration.

This naming ceremony is thought to have been started by Original Man (our first ancestor) who was lowered here by the Creator.

Nokomis (Grandmother) gets into the picture with parents and babies