Aanjigone - Non-interference
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Aanjigone or the “ethic of non-interference” plays a major role in traditional Anishinaabe parenting:
Generally, children are allowed to explore the world without the limitations of punishment and praise, or of privileges withheld and rewards promised by members of the community. Children are taught through the patient practice of modeling, by stories, and by example. There are unwritten rules against giving advice or telling someone what to do.
It was considered an ethical breach for Ojibwe people to correct, criticize, control, or coerce others, including children, and physical discipline as a means of socializing children was virtually unheard of. Anishinaabe parenting practices are oriented towards raising non-hierarchical leaders. This requires gentleness, patience, time and community support. Modeling is central to Nishnaabeg beliefs around parenting. Parents and extended family members teach by modeling, a “do as I do” philosophy rather than a “do as I say” mentality. There is a strong belief that if children are treated harshly, they will treat others harshly. If children are subjected to authoritarian parenting styles, they will in turn be authoritarian leaders. If paternalistic violence surrounds a child, she will behave in paternalistic and violent ways when she is an adult. Modeling like other tenets of Nishnaabeg parenting, takes time to work, but in the long term has proven to be highly effective. Individuals, including children, must be allowed to find their own paths and have their autonomy and choices respected.
At certain times, intervention by adults is necessary to protect children from harm. While it is the custom to not interfere with other’s ‘business’ so to speak, if someone is being harmed, that’s the time other community members would get involved. In another example, older members of the family would intervene if a child’s choice was going to cause great harm to them or others. Most parental interference is over the small stuff. The role of the parent is to love, guide and support, not to control. We allow children to make mistakes, supporting them in finding solutions to their problems. This approach to parenting encourages children to have control over their own lives and to make decisions.
Aanjigone can only be an effective approach to parenting when the extended family and community are involved in child raising.
Non-interference can only work in a system where children are highly connected and attached to their parents and extended family, where the culture is inherently child-friendly. It needs to be where the culture and environment are set up so that children integrate into every part of daily life and that “good choices” are easy to make (and in the best interest of the child).
Many of the approaches used to teach or discipline children within Anishinaabe communities rely on community involvement. Examples include storytelling which frightened children into staying in their wigwams in the winter. For example, the older people would make a birch bark “mask” of an owl and put it on a stick where the children would see it if they went outdoors. Children were said to hide in bed and quickly fall asleep after seeing this. Similarly, children who were not behaving in the evenings inside the wigwam were frightened with a “bear’s paw” or “ghost leg” made from an old moccasin stuffed with straw and fastened to a stick. If children were being naughty, the mother would call out for the bear paw, and someone outside would slowly draw open the blanket over the wigwam door and move the leg into the wigwam in a scary way.
While Anishinabek parenting involves the practice of aanjigone may appear more permissive than European styles of parenting, Anishinaabe parents and family members are in fact, very present but in a way that encourages children to develop and think as highly independent and autonomous beings who, at the same time, are always connected to their community. The importance of caregivers being present is reflected in the story told by respected Serpent River Elder, Emma Meawasige. She describes how a child was left to play on the shore and when their parents failed to watch out, the child was taken by water spirits.