Ogimaawiwin is an Anishinaabemowin term that is used to mean leadership. In order to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of an Anishinaabe perspective on leadership, it must be considered against the backdrop of our traditions and history.

Since time immemorial, our Indigenous relatives have looked to Mother Earth and the Cosmos to conceptualize our place in the universe. Spirit lines and circles connect our spirits to those of our ancestors and future generations.

Etchings on birchbark, paintings on stone cliffs, and carvings on pipe stems and bowls carry important messages from previous generations about how to live in a good way. Songs and melodies carry prayers to the creator and tell stories of generations past.

We must carry on these ancient traditions of creative expression to build ogimaawiwin across generations.