Indigenous North American / pre-Christian European

Bear

In many Indigenous North American traditions, the bear represents strength, introspection, healing, and protection; in Anishinaabe tradition the bear (Makwa) is one of the seven original clans and serves as a healer and medicine keeper, with hibernation symbolizing renewal.

TraditionIndigenous North American / pre-Christian European
SymbolHibernation and emergence (death and rebirth); healer
DomainsConfidence · Grounding · Healing
Provenance URLhttps://www.uaf.edu/cla/news/2025/honoring-history.php

Citation

Hallowell, A. Irving. "Bear Ceremonialism in the Northern Hemisphere." American Anthropologist, 1926.

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