Indawendiwan: Spiritual ecology as the foundation of Omamiwinini relations

This dissertation is an attempt to understand the philosophical nature of Omamiwinini relationships with the Natural World and other people as they existed in the valley of the Kiji Sibi in the seventeenth century. As products of a Spiritual Ecology, Omamiwinini people had responsibilities that emanated from Creation which shaped the development of social and political structures in ways that promoted the survival of the entire ecosystem. This included the ways in which Omamiwinini people interacted with neighboring Indigenous peoples. Omamiwinini relations were expressed through the epistemology of Pimaadiziwin, which guided individuals along a path of learning so that they would become complete human beings who could live in balance with the world around them.; The philosophical nature of Omamiwinini relations with the Natural World and other peoples have been masked over the past four hundred years through the development of a historical consciousness in North America that created binary oppositions which worked to eliminate Omamiwinini autonomy and legitimate the occupation of Omamiwinini territory and theft of Omamiwinini resources. This historical consciousness has had an impact on Omamiwinini people and the ability of Omamiwinini people to maintain our responsibilities to the Natural World.