Nanabush

 

The cliff at Mazinaw Lake is a sacred site to the people who painted the pictographs.

Nanabush is a mythical and mysterious being. Some believe it represented the spirit of a native shaman. The "rabbit ears" emanating from the figure are thought to be power rays associated with the shaman's mystical powers.

Others believe he was sent to earth to teach his people about the healing plants, and about kindness, generosity, and honesty. Nanabush is also thought to have made things as they are on the earth, and gave the animals their special attributes.

But, Nanabush is also a Trickster, bent on making humans look silly (although his own jokes often backfire on him). As a Trickster, he could also change form and take the shape of an animal.

To learn more about Nanabush and other ancient pictographs, visit Bon Echo Provincial Park on Mazinaw Lake. Another website to visit is The Friends of Bon Echo.

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