Sucker Fish Moon - Namebine Giizis

Grandmother Moon Series - The 4th Moon of creation 

Namebine Giizis, the Suckerfish Moon, arrives as winter loosens its grip and the rivers come alive once again.

This painting honours the annual suckerfish run, an event that has long signalled a season of nourishment, renewal, and preparation. Fish travel beneath the clear spring waters while a small shoreline camp waits quietly nearby. Birch bark canoes rest at the water's edge, ready to carry families onto the rivers that have provided food, transportation, and connection for generations.

The large pink moon reflects both the beauty of the season and the changing rhythms of the natural world. Its colour reminds us that every moon carries its own character and its own gifts.

Unlike many depictions of harvesting, this painting focuses on anticipation rather than action. It reminds us that before we receive from the land, we first observe, prepare, and give thanks.

The water connects every element of the composition—from the fish beneath the ice to the canoes resting on shore—symbolizing the relationships that sustain both people and Creation.