Our people have many stories about space. It is said that we originated from the stars. The Anishinaabe people have maintained that connection since time immemorial by telling stories about the stars and constellations. Now we take the next step in our relationship with the cosmos with the founding of the Anishinaabeg Space Agency.

Our space program aims not to explore a “final frontier” or to stake a claim to fame and fortune for our people, but rather aims to re-engage with our original homelands. Through the hard work of many people, we have embarked upon building this space program that will further knowledge about the stars, and perhaps will re-write the history of humans within extraterrestrial spaces.

It is with these goals in mind that we write this founding Charter governing the actions of the Anishinaabeg Space Agency. Based upon our collective culture we hope that this Charter becomes the central point to work in a good way.

We have thought long and hard about how to structure this Charter. We viewed documents such as the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 as a potential inspiration, but we also felt that our document should reflect our own teachings as the Ojibwe people. The Space Act's mandate was “to provide for research into problems of flight within and outside the earth's atmosphere,” and outlined that research should “be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.” Although this Charter resembles the Act in some superficial ways, we have structured ours differently to reflect our values.

Our space program moves away from capitalist, colonial logics of exploitation and conquest toward efforts that refocus for more desirable futures. It is time to approach activities in space not merely for research, but for an expanded sense of care for our universe. Our activities should not merely “benefit all mankind,” but other-than-humans on our planet. The Anishinaabeg Charter thus leans into our connections with space, recognizing how we behave in relation with space and possible lively entities there.

In our lives, we do our best to uphold the Seven Grandfather Teachings. Our stories and traditions tell us these teachings were passed down to us from the spirit world, and we take them very seriously. They inform our dealings and day-to-day lives as Anishinaabeg. We believe strongly in upholding the Seven Grandfather Teachings in space just as we do here on Earth. We make no distinction between “within” and “outside” the Earth's atmosphere, as the NASA Space Act does, because the Anishinaabeg people are bound by these teachings no matter where in the universe we go. Therefore, we have adapted the Seven Grandfather Teachings to guide our engagement with the stars.

I. Debwewin (Truth)

We recognize that through our explorations of the stars, we will continue to learn more about them, and restore our relationship with them. We do not approach truth through the Western philosophical tenets of objectivity and empiricism. Instead, we approach the concept of truth as building our knowledge of the stars in such a way that we can behave in good relation to them. Our astronauts are therefore truth seekers who work to restore the relationship that we Anishinaabeg have had with the stars. These relationships include the stars themselves, but also all celestial bodies such as comets, meteors, nebulae, planets, and even galaxies. Our work will bring new depth into the stories that we have told for generations about these spaces and places.

II. Zoongidi'ewin (Courage)

Although their journeys will take them far away from our homelands and their families, the astronauts and the workers in our Program recognize that by venturing out, they are creating new possibilities for future generations of Anishinaabeg children and for all within Earth. We dream that our future generations can look to the stars and feel proud that there is an Anishinaabe presence among them. Therefore, we go forward in our work without fear, but instead know that our courage will lead the way for those who come after us.

III. Manaanji'idiwin (Respect)

The creation story of our world, Turtle Island, reminds us that it was created through the sacrifice and hard work of all elements of the environment, and that no one element is more important than the other. Just as our more-than-human relatives such as makwa, ma'iingan, amik and wazhashk (bear, wolf, beaver, and muskrat) worked together out of love to create a Turtle Island, we must also work together out of love to interact with our “new” surroundings in space. The potential absence of life in space does not mean that we can behave without regard to the extra-terrestrial environment; if anything, our respectful orientation with and in space can prove to be an alternative to harmful ideas of colonial extraction. For example, even if we travel to Ikwe Anang, or as it is known in English, the planet Venus, we are still responsible for treating the planet with respect. The principle of manaanji'idiwin goes for any space we explore. We come to engage and to learn, not to control. Our experiments will seek a deeper understanding about the building blocks of the universe and life beyond Earth. We do not take samples or things that we do not need, and we repatriate the material when we are finished.

IV. Gwayakwaadiziwin (Integrity)

Each astronaut and worker is urged to carry themselves in a good way. They venture forth not to engage in this work for personal enrichment, but to work towards the broader mission of restoring Anishinaabe star knowledge. The term mino-bimaadiziwin—living in a good way—is just as applicable in space as it is on Earth. We cannot forget that. Living in a good way means that we must always strive to do the right thing, always, in our lives. The Charter not only frames how we carry ourselves in our explorations, but also how best to collaborate with communities on Earth. Rather than viewing communities and peoples as a means towards advancing our mission, we work with stakeholders and partners to uplift their voices and ensure that their needs and desires are at the forefront of our space exploration.

V. Zaagi'idiwin (Love)

We carry with us the best of our people—our capacity for love, for each other, for our lands, and for all living and nonliving entities. Zaagi'idiwin suggests mutual love, and we recognize the obligations we have to those who love us—our families, our nations, and those who support our work. This obligation is not limited to the present but stretches into the future. We embark upon our exploration out of love for our future generations who will benefit from the knowledge that we produce and share with them. We do this important work for the love of our world, and for the love for the worlds we have yet to discover.

VI. Nibwaakaawin (Wisdom)

We must always honor the knowledge of our elders and others who have come before us. They pass down nibwaakaawin that allows us to do our work today. We listen to the teachings of our elders and involve their voices in the Anishinaabeg Space Agency's operations through the formation of an Elders' Council to advise on space projects. We honor knowledge that has yet to be revealed because it drives our exploration because we hope that future generations will carry this work not only intellectually, but also spatially as we continue to explore the stars.

VII. Dabasendizowin (Humility)

We as an Agency are the least important part of the space exploration process. All the individuals, the groups, the spaces, and the beings that we have mentioned in this Charter we care for. We do this work for them, not for ourselves. We carry with us that knowledge and humility so that we can focus on what is truly important: creating a better world for everyone around us, and therefore, ourselves. We do this work not just to benefit Anishinaabe people, but also to benefit all peoples of Earth, because we can only reach a better future if we work together.

Signed on __29___ day of ___July___, 2049_____,

The Governing Collective of the Anishinaabeg Space Agency