Strawberry Moon
*This blog was previously published June 11, 2025 in my 13 Moons Newsletter. If you enjoy this post please consider subscribing
Tonight, we welcome the Strawberry Moon - Ode’min Giizis in the Anishinaabe calendar. Also known as the “Heart Berry Moon,” this full moon brings teachings of love, emotional healing, and renewal.
Strawberries (ode’minaan) are the first berries to ripen in early summer. In Anishinaabemowin, the breakdown of the word ‘ode’ means heart and ‘min’ means berry. When you cut a strawberry and open it, it looks like a heart.
What the Strawberry Moon Teaches Us
In my Anishinaabe culture, they are known as heart berries. They are sacred medicine that reminds us to live with balance, forgiveness, and peace in our relationships. They mark a time of abundance and celebration as a community. During this moon, we turn our focus to growing strong relationships and supporting one another in all that we do.
The strawberry is the only fruit with its seeds on the surface to remind us that we, as humans, are the seeds of Mother Earth as we walk upon her. The strawberry symbolically represents Mother Earth, as a part of our ‘original instructions’ to honour our sacred food as a reminder of the connection between Sacred Earth and Sacred Self.
“Full moon bright, sweet fruit in sight.”
- Anonymous.
A Personal Note from Me 🍓
This moon is especially meaningful to me - it typically rises in my birth month, and that connection to the heart berry has become very meaningful to my life. It’s why I chose the strawberry as a central part of my Powwow regalia.
My beaded ode’min earrings hold deep personal significance. They’re a quiet reminder of where I come from, and how love, ceremony, and story live in the things we carry and create.
Ways to Celebrate the Strawberry Moon:
🍓 Share strawberries: eat them fresh and with intention, as our ancestors did.
🍓 Sing with me : learn to sing a song ‘Ode’min Giizis’ in Anishinaabemowin
🍓 Spend time with community - this moon is a time for kindness, love, and sharing
The Ode’min Giizis (Strawberry Moon) reminds us that the heart is wise, tender, and powerful. May this moon bring you together with sweetness and softness - and the strength to move forward with a strong heart.
Miigwech for walking this moon cycle with me.
With heart,
Jennifer
P.S. I’d love to hear how you’re honouring this moon. Do you have a favourite strawberry memory or a quiet ritual of your own? I always enjoy reading your reflections.