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The title of this work is ‘Ojibway Dreamer,’ a tribute to Chanie Wenjack, who symbolizes the struggles of all Indigenous peoples across this country. We start with the Seven Fires Prophecy. It was told that seven prophets came from the water on the eastern shores of North America. At that time, this land was known to the Indigenous peoples as Turtle Island.

The Seven Fires each saw stages of future history through a vision of what was to come, and for wisdom keepers who remember to tell this story. It is now clear that what was predicted by the Seven Fires has come true. Chanie doesn’t know this, but he was a part of the Eighth Fire. His role was to become part of the healing needed to help bring understanding about heart thinking, and how we all must leave a legacy for future generations. For Chanie Wenjack, it was to tell us his story, one among many losses due to the residential school system.

The Seven Fires Prophecy states that one day there will be a choice of two roads: the dark road or the light road. Each one of the Seven Fires represents a time period.

The First Fire is that the Anishinaabek Nation will go on a great migration across the land, following the Sacred Shell to seven sacred stopping places.

During the Second Fire, the nation will camp by a large body of water. In this time, the direction of the Sacred Shell will be lost. The Midewiwin (the faith keepers of the Anishinaabe) will diminish in strength. A Potawatomi boy will be born to point the path back to the traditional ways. He will show the direction to the stepping stones to the future of the Anishinaabe people.

During the Third Fire, the Anishinaabe will find the path to their chosen ground, a land in the west to which they must move their families. This will be the land where food grows upon the waters.

The Fourth Fire prophecy was delivered by a pair of prophets. The first said, ‘You will know the future of our people by the face the light-skinned people wear. If they come wearing the face of brotherhood, there will come a time of wonderful change for generations to come. They will bring new knowledge and articles that can be joined with the knowledge of this country. In this way, two nations will join to make a mighty nation. This new nation will be joined by two more so that four will form the mightiest nation of all. You will know the face of the brotherhood if the light-skinned race comes carrying no weapons, if they come bearing only their knowledge and a handshake.’

In the time of the Fifth Fire, there will come a period of great struggle that will grip the lives of all Native people. At the waning of this Fire, there will come among the people one who holds a promise of great joy and salvation. If the people accept this promise of a new way and abandon the old teachings, the struggle of the Fifth Fire will be with the people for many generations. The promise that comes will prove to be a false promise. All those who accept this promise will cause the near destruction of the people.

In the time of the Sixth Fire, it will be evident that the promise of the Fifth Fire came in a false way. Those deceived by this promise will take their children away from the teachings of the Elders. Grandsons and granddaughters will turn against the Elders. In this way, the Elders will lose their reason for living … they will lose their purpose in life. At this time, a new sickness will come among the people. The balance of many people will be disturbed. The cup of life will almost become the cup of grief.

Ojibway Dreamer, Philip Cote, canvas-wrapped panels, 17′ × 6.5′ (triptych), 2020. Location: Scotia Bank Legacy Space in partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, Scotiabank branch at 392 Bay Street in Toronto.

In the time of the Seventh Fire, New People will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. Their steps will take them to the Elders, whom they will ask to guide them on their journey. But many of the Elders will have fallen asleep. They will awaken to this new time with nothing to offer. Some of the Elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be careful in how they approach the Elders. The task of the New People will not be easy.

If the New People will remain strong in their quest, the Water Drum of the Midewiwin Lodge will again sound its voice. There will be a rebirth of the Anishinaabek Nation and a rekindling of old flames. The Sacred Fire will again be lit.

It is in this time that the light-skinned race will be given a choice between two roads. One road will be green, lush, and very inviting. The other road will be black and charred, and walking it will cut their feet. In the prophecy, the people decide to take neither road but instead to turn back, to remember and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before them. If they choose the right road, the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love, brotherhood, and sisterhood. If the light-skinned race makes the wrong choice of roads, the destruction they brought with them in coming to this country will come back at them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earth’s people.

As you can see, it is Chanie’s story. Even though it’s a sad one, his story tells us that we are going in the right direction, to a place where our ancestors lived somewhere deep in our hearts. Chanie would love to know his suffering wasn’t in vain and his life is helping this generation to find where home is.

Special thanks to Edward Benton-Benai, Chief of the Grand Medicine Society of the Medewiwin for sharing his wisdom here.

The image (previous page) that shows this story is a combination of symbols representing the Seven Fires Prophecy. It is said that during this time of great change, a great white bear will show itself and come down from the north. I know some of you will think it’s a polar bear, but, in fact, it will be a black bear that is white.

A boy representing Chanie Wenjack will be riding on the bear’s back, dreaming about the future, and on the left will be a thunderbird. It’s understood that the thunderbird is a Co-Creator and was given the power to create new life, just as the Creator did in making life on our Mother Earth. The thunderbird will have its wings stretched out, pointing in the direction the bear is travelling. The sky will be full of stars, with constellations named by our ancestors, showing the seasons and direction to travel during the night.

Symbolically, the thunderbird represents Chanie travelling in the spirit world. As Chanie and the bear travel, bear tracks are left behind. As the ancestors said, we would one day get lost and need to look for the bear to help us find our way back to the original teachings, and it would be the bear who would show us the way.