A short trail, winding between massive split boulders, leads to Agawa Rock, a cliff-face rising 98 ft. above Lake Superior and decorated by 35 pictographs, many of which are centuries old. This is a sacred site where generations of Ojibwe came to record their dreams and spirits in red ochre and grease. Among the images are a fabulous panther, a serpent and a rider and galloping horse.
You can walk out along the cliff face to see the pictographs as long as the weather is good and the bay is calm. There are ropes anchored into the cliff that you can use to pull yourself out of the water should you fall in. Of course, Xavier wanted to jump into the water so he could test out the ropes. This is discouraged.
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| Photo Credit: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jensenl/visuals/album/2008/superior/ |
The kids had their picture taken with Mishibijiw (Great Lynx or Underwater Panther) who controlled Lake Superior. Mishibijiw is one of the most important of several water beings among many Great Lakes and Northeastern Woodlands Native American tribes, particularly among the Anishinaabe peoples. It has the head and paws of a giant cat but is covered in scales and has dagger-like spikes running along its back and tail.
Brooks kids and Mishibijiw.
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| Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Superior_Provincial_Park |
To the left of Mishibijiw you can also see a canoe with people and below, two giant serpents called Mishi-ginebikoog.
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