Ojibway Astronomy

If there's one fact about Ojibway People that's very well known, it's their use of their term "Many Moons Ago." Everyone thinks it pertains to "Many Months Ago." That may not be it's definition! Ojibway People practiced their own "astronomy" and were obviously different. Their use of their term "Many Moons Ago" could actually mean "Years" instead of "Months." It takes earth's moon 29.5 days to orbit earth. Compared to earth's 365 day's to orbit our solar systems sun (Ojibway's possibly thought the sun orbited earth), a "Lunar Year" is much shorter. Of course, a "Lunar Year" being 29.5 days. However, Ojibway Astronomers knew of earth's orbit around our solar systems sun. They also knew about earths orbits around other planets. They kept track of heavenly bodies (Venus was more important) and knew there was a difference between planets and stars and calculated their movements around earth, then sun. Though they knew of earth's 365 day orbit around the sun, did they use "months" to monitor earth's orbit around the sun? No! They knew better! When they counted how many "Lunar Years" it took earth to orbit the sun, it came to 12.3 "Lunar Years." It takes 354 days for earth's moon to orbit earth 12 times. After they compared earth's 12 "Lunar Cycles" with earth's 1 cycle of the sun or the sun's 365 day orbit of earth, they were disappointed because earth's 1 cycle of the sun or the sun's 365 day orbit of earth, can't be separated into "months." Ojibway Astronomers were content with our moon's 12 precise cycles of earth. Each cycle is 29.5 days. They named a "month" after their word for "Accompaniment" which is "Wid-jii-we-win." Since "Accompany" has a plural, past tense and present tense, they only used "Wid" to name our "Moon," which does "Accompany" earth. Their word for "year" is from their word for "Sun" which is either "Gis or Sim." It is not "Gi-sis." It's a diminiutive. So 1 earth orbit of the "Sun," which is 365 days, was called "Gis" which means "Sun." Actually "A Sun or A Year." They can't calculate precise earth monthly orbit's of the sun. Evolution has forced them to use a "Lunar Year" every 4 years, they name "Leap Years." They continue to use "Months" yet not how they are indended to be used! Will they stop using "Months" in their calendar? They should because the way they use "Months or Moonths," in this time, is ludicrous!

Our moon has an affect on humans. In fact, all life on earth. Female humans experience a monthly ejection caused by our moon. That is how profound the moon's force is on earth. So we can be adamant that Ojibway Astronomers used earth's moon to calculate 1 year. They knew of the moons 12 lunar cycles and the earths 1 cycle of the sun. However, they could not compare them equally! It's close yet off by almost 2 weeks. They did not try to create a year using 12 months because they knew it was not possible. Did they use 12 moons to be a year? Or did they use 1 moon to be a year? They certainly did not use 12 moons to be a solar year. Being conscious of astronomy, a lunar calendar was more important. A year to Ojibway People was 1 moon. And they also used a solar year. However, the moon was more important. And they did not give a lunar month a unique name. They named each month; Moon 1, Moon 2, Moon 3, Moon 4, Moon 5, ect.

They also had a "Sun Year." They also had a "Venus Year." They also had a "Mars year." They knew the differences in sizes of heavenly bodies and knew the sun was much further away from earth than earth's moon. How did they know? They calculated orbits. They could tell which planet was closer or further away from earth, by calculating their orbits. They possibly knew how far the earth was from the Moon, Sun, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Venus. Like all people, Ojibway People knew the sun was at issue. When they compared earth's 365 day orbit around the sun or the sun's 365 day orbit around earth, to our "moons" 12 precise "Lunar Cycles" of 354 days, did they use the moon's 12 "Lunar Cycles" of 354 days, to calculate 1 year? If they did, a solar year was 354 days! However, they didn't.

Their observation of the "moon" was how they tracked time. They were only too aware of earths orbits of the sun and planets or the sun's and planets orbits of earth. Moon orbits earth and earth orbits the sun and planets or the sun and planets orbit earth. There are differences they shrewdly preserved! Either use the "moon" or the "sun." Since they use the "sun," they should reject using "months" to track time. Their determination to continue using "months" is useless because of their use of the "sun" to calculate a "month." They have to correct their mistake if they continue to use "months." They can't use the "sun" to separate a "year" into months. To use "months" it means they have to resort to using the "moon" to track time! That includes "years." Their calendar is violated! For some reason they rather continue their use of "months or moonths."

Warren wrote in his book, that Ojibway People considered the sun to be their religion! This is an excerpt from his book: While our forefathers were living on the Great Salt Water (he used deceit or excluded lake or Great Salt Lake) toward the rising sun, the great me'gis' (sea-shell) showed itself above the surface of the great water (Great Lake) and the rays of the sun for a long period were reflected from it's glossy back. It gave warmth and light to Ojibway People. All at once it sank into the deep and for a time our ancestors were not blessed with it's light. It rose to the surface and appeared again on the great river which drains the waters of the great lakes, and again for a long time it gave life to our forefathers and reflected back the rays of the sun. These events happened several times according to Warren who was fascinated by it. He wanted more information about what it meant. He was told "My Grandson," said he,"the me'gis' i spoke of, means the Me-da-we religion. Warren was not being honest. The me'gis' sinking into the deep, represents Ojibway People living above the Arctic Circle where the sun does not shine for part of the year. These ancient events (migrations) happened several times. Ojibway People migrated far north above the Arctic Circle into Siberia, then to Europe! There were many waves of migrations! Warren wrote their migrations brought them to La Pointe Island where it has ever since reflected back the rays of the sun and blessed our ancestors with life, light and wisdom. Their migrations were now historical! Ojibway Peoples infatuation with the sun was promoted with their use of the megis sea-shell. To them it represented the sun! They named it after their word for sun which is "gis." Their migrations brought them to locations where Cowrie Shells were found! Their Me-da-we Religion is really Ojibway History! These events happened "Many Moons Ago." Did they know something about earth's moon's orbit that we don't?