The Shut Eye Dance

Long ago, the trickster Nanabush was very hungry out in the bush. He had this idea of how he could get a quick meal, so he wandered down to the lake and saw a bunch of water birds floating around. Nanabush had this idea to call all the ducks and birds up to his place, where he would host a special and sacred dance for them.

Wary of the trickster's ways, some of the ducks thought it might be a trick, but everyone else was going to this dance. When they arrived, Nanabush had this beautiful arbour set up for them to dance in. He explained to the ducks, this dance is so special, that you must dance with your eyes closed, or your eyes will turn red. That is how powerful this song is.

So the birds and ducks felt honoured. They did as they were told, closed their eyes, and dances around as Nanabush sang and drummed a beautiful song.

Unbeknownst to the ducks, while Nanabush was drumming loud, and as they waddled by him with their eyes shut tight, he reached out, grabbed one by the neck, snapped their neck and tossed them aside for an easy meal later. Nanabush was pretty proud of himself. As each duck went by, he would reach out, ring their neck, toss them in the pile and keep on singing. He was getting a good pile going by this point. There was one bird who had a suspicious feeling like something was not right. It was a Loon named Zhingibiz, and he decided to go against the rules and take a little peak.

Low and behold, he saw Nanabush killing all of his brothers and sisters, so he called out to get everyone's attention like Loons do. "Wake up my brothers, he's killing us," Zhingibiz cried out. So the ducks opened their eyes and quickly escaped back down to the safety of their lake. Zhingibiz wasn't so lucky. He stayed to rushed them all out, and Nanabush grabbed him by the neck. He said, "That's it Zhingibiz. From this day on you will have red eyes!" and he kicked him in the butt so he went flying all the way down to the lake.

Are you caught up in a Shut Eye Dance? Do you do someone else's song and dance? Are you woke like the Loon, or walking around shut-eyed like the ducks, getting your necks rung - your thinking capacity cut off.

This traditional story is shared in most of the professional development sessions because it is essential for people to reflect on the danger of following status quo, or believing something just because it feels good, or you think you're being honoured.

Have you ever been lulled into a Shut Eye Dance in your life? Just followed the crowd, and didn't question what was happening? Or, are you a critical thinker like the Loon, with the Spirit Strength to call out when harm is being done? Would you follow your intuition and risk red eyes? I want everyone to be looney and question the status quo! Sameness is dangerous. Wake up and stay woke!

Basangwaapishimon - the shut eye dance - Atisookaan (traditional story)

https://www.facebook.com/RabbettBeforeHorses/

Artist: Rabbett Strickland

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Shut Eye Dance (as told by Maya Chacaby) in:

Chacaby, M. (2011). Kipimoojikewin: Articulating Anishinaabe pedagogy through

Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) revitalization. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Masters Thesis.

There was a time, a long time ago, when Nanabush and all the other animals spoke freely to one another. Nanabush was always walking around looking for an easy meal. One time, Nanabush saw some ducks. He greeted them as his brothers and invited them to a dance that night. And so, the ducks went to the dance. Nanabush had prepared a beautiful dancing ground and invited them in. “Close your eyes, we are going to do the Shut-eye Dance,” he said. “If you do not shut your eyes while I sing this song, your eyes will turn red”. And so, those ducks did shut their eyes and danced around. Nanabush drummed with one arm as he sang. With his other arm he began to reach out and wring each duck’s neck as they passed by. The sound of their wringing necks went along with the music, and so the ducks continued with their shut-eye dance. There was one duck however who secretly observed what was going on. Shingibiz was his name. When he saw what was happening, he called out to his fellow ducks, “My brothers, wake up. Nanabush is killing us!” The ducks that were still alive opened their eyes and quickly exited, escaping their confinement. Nanabush kicked Shingibiz in the rear and told him, “Now your eyes will turn red!” And that is why today Shingibiz has red eyes. **

**Many teachers have told this story. It has been documented in a collection of Angeline William’s work The Dog's Children and by Archie Mosay in a book of stories documented by Anton Treuer (2001, p.29-33). It was also told to me by Alex McKay in 2009 and Ernie Sandy in 2009. This is my version of the story. The original teaching is much longer and draws in other elements of Anishinaabe Kendaasowin. I have focused only on the first part here. My interpretations of the story come from things that the Elders have talked about in relation to this theme. However, I feel that it is important to note that each individual’s truth is their own, and we will each learn something different from a teaching depending on where we are in our lives. Our task in learning, in my opinion, is to challenge each other’s thinking (without imposing our own thoughts) so that we grow stronger in our understanding of the world and gain a deeper intellectual grounding in our teachings.

Interpreted from Archie Mosay’s story

‘When Wenabozho Decapitated the Ducks’

told in Anishinaabemowin and translated in English in:

Treuer, A. (2001). Living our language: Ojibwe tales & oral histories. St. Paul,

MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press.