Anton Treuer - Living Our Language

Native peoples telling their stories, writing their history

The Everlasting Sky: Voices of the Anishinabe People

Gerald Vizenor

Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales and Oral Histories

Anton Treuer, editor

While the Locust Slept: A Memoir

Peter Razor

Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories

Edited by

ANTON TREUER

MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESS

Native Voices

Native peoples telling their stories, writing their history

To embody the principles set forth by the series, all Native Voices books are emblazoned with a bird glyph adapted from the Jeffers Petroglyph site in southern Minnesota. The rock art there represents one of the first recorded voices of Native Americans in the Upper Midwest. This symbol stands as a reminder of the enduring presence of Native Voices on the American landscape.

Publication of Native Voices is supported in part by a grant from The St. Paul Companies.

2001 by the Minnesota Historical Society. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, write to the Minnesota Historical Society Press, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906.

www.mnhs.org/mhspress

The Minnesota Historical Society Press is a member of the Association of American University Presses.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence for Printed Library materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984

International Standard Book Number
0-87351-403-3 (cloth)
0-87351-404-1 (paper)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Living our Language : Ojibwe tales and oral histories / edited by Anton Treuer.

p. cm. (Native voices)

ISBN 0-87351-403-3 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 0-87351-404-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-87351-680-8

1. Ojibwa IndiansHistory.

2. Ojibwa IndiansFolklore.

3. Ojibwa IndiansSocial life and customs.

4. Ojibwa languageTexts.

I. Treuer, Anton.

II. Series.

E99.C6 L535 2001

977.004973dc21

00-067562

Picture credits

Archie Mosay (1991) and Anton Treuer (2000), photos Greg Gent; Jim Clark (2001) and Melvin Eagle (2001), photos by Anton Treuer; Joe Auginaush (1974), photo courtesy of Gertrude Auginaush; Collins Oakgrove (1996), photo by Minnie Oakgrove; Emma Fisher (1992), Scott Headbird (1992), and Porky White (2000), photos by Aaron Fairbanks; Susan Jackson (2000), photo by Beth Collins, courtesy of Leech Lake Heritage Sites; Hartley White (1985), photo by Terri LaDuke, courtesy of Di-Bah-Ji-Mon Newspaper

Introduction:
Were Not Losing Our Language

Inaandagokaag
Balsam Lake (St. Croix)

Gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziyaang

Where We Were Born

Mii Gaa-pi-izhichigewaad Mewinzha

What They Did Long Ago

Wenabozho Gaa-Kiishkigwebinaad Zhiishiiban

When Wenabozho Decapitated the Ducks

Wayeshkad Gaa-waabamag Aadamoobii

The First Time I Saw an Automobile

Nitamising Gaa-waabamag Makadewiiyaas

The First Time I Saw a Black Man

Nandawaaboozwe Makadewiiyaas

The Makadewiiyaas Goes Rabbit Hunting

Waabooz Gaa-piindashkwaanind

The Stuffed Rabbit

Gaa-amwaawaad Animoonsan

When They Ate Puppies

Gaa-pazhibawid Niijanishinaabe

When I Was Stabbed by My Fellow Indian

Apane Anishinaabe Ogaganoonaan Manidoon

The Indian Always Talks to the Spirit

Mii Sa Iw

Thats It

Dibaakonigewinini Miinawaa Anishinaabe

The Judge and the Indian

Mawinzowin

Berry Picking

Ayaabadak Ishkode

The Use of Fire

Inday

My Horse

Gibaakwaigan Dazhi-anishinaabeg

The Dam Indians

Baa Baa Makade-maanishtaanish

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Gaazhagens Miinawaa Naazhaabiiigan

The Cat and the Fiddle

Jiigbiig Nenaandago-ziibiing

On the Bank of the Tamarack River

Ikwabin

Sit Elsewhere

Gidinwewininaan

Our Language

Mawadishiwewin

Visiting

Gaa-inaoonind Anishinaabe

How Indian People Were Gifted

Gimishoomisinaan

Our Grandfather

Zhimaaganish Ezhinikaazod

The One Called Zhimaaganish

Gekendaasojig

The Learned Ones

Deweigan Meshkawiziid

The Power of the Drum

Nandawenjigewin Gechitwaawendaagwak

The Sacred Art of Hunting

Wenji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan

Why We Take Care of Our Earth

Gaa-nandawaabamag Waabooz

My Rabbit Quest

Gii-inaoonind Anishinaabe

The Indian Was Gifted

Inwewin Meshkawiziimagak

The Power of Language

Dibendaagoziwin

Belonging

Bizindamowin Miinawaa Gaagiigidowin

Listening and Speaking

Gaawiin Giwanitoosiimin Gidinwewininaan

Were Not Losing Our Language

Gaa-jiikajiwegamaag Ingii-tazhi-ondaadiz Wiigiwaaming

I Was Born in a Wiigiwaam at Gaa-jiikajiwegamaag

Gii-pakitejiiiged Wenabozho

When Wenabozho Played Baseball

Zhaawanoowinini Indizhinikaaz

My Name Is Zhaawanoowinini

Bijiinag Anishinaabe Gaa-waabamaad Chimookomaanan

The First Time an Indian Saw the White Man

Wenji-nibwaakaad Nenabozho

Why Nenabozho Is So Smart

Bebaamosed Miinawaa Gawigoshkoiweshiinh

Bebaamosed and Gawigoshkoiweshiinh

Gii-agaashiinyiyaan

When I Was Little

Indayag

My Dogs

Gii-kinjibaiweyaan

When I Ran Away

Gii-kikinooamaagoziyaan

When I Went to School

Indinawemaaganag

My Relatives

Waawaabiganoojiish

That Old Mouse

Chi-achaabaan Naanaagadawendamaan

When I Think About Chi-achaabaan

Aabadak Waaboozoo-nagwaaganeyaab

Using a Rabbit Snare Wire

Onizhishin oow Bimaadiziwin

This Is a Good Way of Life

Ishkwaakiiwan

The Apocalypse

Gegwe-dakamigishkang Gaagiigido

Gegwe-dakamigishkang Speaks

Gaagoons Indigoo

Im Called Porky

Dibiki-giizisong

On the Moon

Niibaa-giizhig

Niibaa-giizhig

Ogii-izhinaazhishkawaan Bwaanan

They Chased Off the Sioux

Aabaji Gidasemaa