Naanaate ma’iinganag
Last month, I kept having a recurring bawaajigan (dream) of a Ma’iingan (wolf) running at mookise (dawn) and I had to paint it. But it bothered me that it was always alone in my dream. The dream stayed with me for a few days, and then finally I dreamt of a Ma’iingan running with its mate under the naanaate ma’iinganag (northern lights) through the freshly fallen goon (snow). Obaapaawa’aan goonan (he’s brushing the snow off) as he runs, creating a path for his mate underneath the giizi (moon) and anangoog (stars).
After two pots of makade-mashkikiwaaboo (black liquid-medicine) coffee later and niswi (three) hours one night and nshwaasi (eight) hours straight a second day with inspiration, it was done and drying. There are 360 anangoog since I finished it on the 360th day of the year.
Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.