Photographs (left to right): Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; Adirondacks, New York; Death Valley National Monument, California

Wampum Belt Archive

 

Seven Fires Wampum Belt

Original Size:	?
Reproduction:	Length (est): 95 inches. Width: 5.5 inches. Length w/fringe: 119 inches.
Beads:	Rows: 11. Columns: 572. Total beads: 6,292.
Materials:	Warp: Deer leather. Weft: Artificial sinew.

Description:

Anishnabe (Algonquin) wampum belt believed to be hundreds of years old. The seven diamonds represent the Seven Fires. The following information is quoted from the web site referenced below. "The Seven Fires Prophecy of the Anishnabe is spiritually encoded in the Wampum Belt. The belt is sewn with thousands of tiny, polished, cylindrical purple and white sea shell beads woven together with leather strips. This Wampum Belt has been handed down among the Algonquin for hundreds of years. It has seven Diamonds which represent the Seven Fires. Grandfather Commanda and other Traditional Leaders believe that we have entered the time of the Seventh Fire, which is the time of decision between the two roads of materialism and of spirituality. If the light skinned race chooses the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an internal Fire of peace, love, brotherhood and sisterhood."

Seven Fires Prophecy of the Anishinabe People and the Process of Reconciliation "At a time when the Anishinabe People were all living in peace and harmony along the shores of the Great Salt Ocean (Atlantic), there came among them seven prophets." For detail information on the interpretation of this belt go to http://www.oneprayer.org/Seven_Fires_Prophecy.html.

Originally, the prophecies were given by eight prophets in seven different time periods. According to oral tradition, the Mi'kmaq Nation heard the first Prophet. The remaining seven prophets appeared before and were recorded by the Anishinaabeg. A prophecy of each of these seven periods were then called a "fire". The teachings of the Seven fires prophecy also state that when the world has been befouled and the waters turned bitter by disrespect, human beings will have two options to choose from, materialism or spirituality. If they chose spirituality, they will survive, but if they chose materialism, it will be the end of it (Wikipedia, 2020)

 

Also referred to as Grand Council Wampum Belt.

Reference:

http://www.oneprayer.org/Seven_Fires_Prophecy.html.

Wikipedia. 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_fires_prophecy