The Native American Medicine Wheel
The medicine wheel is a circle divided by the 4 colours of the world - white, yellow, black and red. The medicine wheel sits with the colour white on top and red on the bottom, as we are considered to be living in a “white man’s world” on the “red man’s back”. There are over 100 teachings associated with it, each with it’s own purpose and meaning. For an example, one thing the medicine wheel represents is the 4 colours of the people of the world - the whites, the orientals (asian & middle eastern descents), the blacks (African/Jamaician/Carribean descents) and the reds (Native Americans including Mexicans). Each color also has 7 main factors associated with it:
WHITE - Color of the North. The element of air/wind. Cedar is the sacred medicine associated with this section of the wheel and winter, the season. When celebrating the white part of the wheel we discuss spiritual health and honour elders in the community. The race associated with this section is white people.
BLACK - Color of the West. The element of water. Sage is the sacred medicine associated with this section of the wheel and Autumn, the season. When celebrating the black part of the wheel we discuss emotional health and honour the adults in the community. The race associated with this section is black people.
YELLOW - Color of the East. The element of fire. Tobacco is the sacred medicine associated with this section of the wheel and Spring, the season. When celebrating the yellow part of the wheel we discuss mental health and honour infants and children in the community. The race associated with this section is oriental people.
RED - Color of the South. The element of Earth. Sweet grass is the sacred medicine associated with this section of the wheel and summer, the season. When celebrating the red part of the wheel we discuss physical health and honour the adolescents in the community. The race associated with this section is "red man" or Native Americans & Mexicans.
Resources:
http://ojibweresources.weebly.com/medicine-wheel.html