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if it did not illustrate bow closely the Ojibwa felt themselves akin to all 
the phenomena of nature. 
“Once all the land was dark, and the Indians became scattered. Their grand- 
father took a torch to look for them, and travelled to the west, then back to the 
east again. Their grandmother followed him. The two climbed higher and higher 
in their search, and finally became the eun and the moon” (John Manatuwaba). 
Wind and Thunder 
Many manidos may cause the winds, the Ojibwa say, and illustrate 
the statement by numerous examples. Thus, about six years ago Jonas 
King and two other Parry Island Indians were fishing close to shore when 
they suddenly heard three reports as though from a gun. Thinking that 
some farmer had shot at a deer they paid no attention, but paddled 
along for a short distance. They heard again what sounded like a wagon 
being driven over rocks; but still they paddled on. Then on a point about 
200 yards ahead they saw trees, stones, and rocks swirling in the air as 
though tossed by a tornado. The three Indians hastened ashore and lay 
on the rocks, holding tightly to their boat. The tornado reached half- 
way to them, tossing up the bushes on the shore, then stopped. A manido 
had created it, a manido that had entered the ground where the tornado 
stopped. 
Many Parry Islanders, however, believe in a special wind-maker 
called Nibanegishik, Babunkwe, or Noadinaum, who is able to operate 
everywhere, since he has many subordinate manidos to carry out his 
wishes. Without him, or them, no fire would light, no life be possible 
upon this earth. He has numerous grandchildren whose play gives birth 
to the zephyrs. They flit up and down over the water, up and down 
as swift as light. Sometimes their grandfather takes part in the sport, 
creating violent gales. Now and then he may send forth bubbles that 
can maintain a wind for several days, although they act only when they 
come into contact with water. Often these bubbles stick to trees, or they 
float high up into the air; but if a heavy wind arises suddenly after a 
dead calm you may be sure that one of them has caused it. If other 
manidos try to take hold of them they come to life instantly and cause 
a gale. Occasionally the little children of manidos play with them, anger- 
ing the wind-maker, who himself then stirs up a gale. 
Another account of the wind-memido was given in the previous chapter. 
Still another makes it a very powerful manido that controls the thunder, 
though it is not itself the thunder-mamdo. 
“ This invisible manido that controls thunder and the winds possesses many balls 
about 4 inch in diameter. They are as light as soap bubbles and seemingly harmless, 
yet they contain all the winds. The balls travel through the air and under the water, 
creating winds and waves and purifying the water in their progress. Once an Indian 
learned in a dream where he could find one of these balls. Its acquisition gave him 
great power; he could throw a stone at the trunk of a tree and bury it out of sight in 
the wood. Two medicine-men, one a wabeno and the other a mede, stole it from him 
at different times, but they could not retain it, for the ball returned irresistibly to its 
owner” (Jonas King). 
One Indian believed that the wind-maker belonged to a company of 
forty-eight thunders, any one of whom had the power to create a wind. 
