Zaagi Mashkiki (Love Medicine)

Artist Statement

Racquel Banaszak

The world of the Anishinaabe sits laying under a blanket of snow for much of the world. This slow and gentle time is when the cosmos dance overhead and we share our stories with one another. But by the end of winter, our gifts this world has offered us- the foods and medicines we are dependent upon- may dwindle and put us in an uncertain place.

It is in these trying times which we are continually reminded of the world’s love for us, the youngest beings of creation. The sun starts to melt the snow and the world below our feet begins changing. There is a special day that happens every year when we wake up and suddenly, almost as if by magic, the world emerges all around us. Plants and trees burst with green life. Baby animals are guided around by their families. We become surrounded by the loving gifts of the world.

Zaagi Mashkiki (Love Medicine) is about this time of year when the world’s love is most evident. Above us lies the cosmos, where our ancestors watch over us. Below us is that delicate balance that makes life possible. Two chairs sit waiting for one another to share stories about anything and everything that makes us human.