Aakwa'ode'ewin - Courage

Bravery is often imagined as something loud or heroic, but the Anishinaabe teaching of Aawkwa'odeiwin reminds us that true courage is often quiet.

The bear has long been regarded as a teacher of strength, healing, and protection. In this painting, it walks confidently beside flowing water beneath a sky alive with stars, planets, and the endless universe. Every part of Creation is connected, reminding us that courage is strengthened through our relationships with the land, the waters, our ancestors, and one another.

The flowing forms throughout the sky and landscape symbolize the unseen threads that bind all living things together. The bear does not walk alone. It carries the teachings of those who came before while leaving footprints for those yet to come.

This painting invites viewers to reflect upon the moments in their own lives when courage was found not through fearlessness, but through perseverance.