ARCHIE MOSAY (1901–1996), whose Indian name was Niibaa-giizhig (Sleeping Sky or Evening Sky), was a man whose influence transcended his many titles.1 Medicine man, Midewakiwenzii, Chief, Boss, Healer, Speaker, Religious Leader, Spiritual Advisor, Grandpa, Dad, Friend: he was all of these things and many more. The 1,200 people who paid their respects at his funeral represent a mere fraction of the lives he touched so deeply.2
Archie Mosay’s parents did not send him to school after the second grade, choosing instead to keep him home and to instruct him in the art and rituals of traditional Indian religious leadership. This lack of education in the Western tradition enabled him to learn more about Ojibwe culture than most of his peers.
Born in a wiigiwaam on August 20, 1901, near Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, Archie was raised in a traditional Indian community.3 He was known only by his Indian name. The name “Archie” was given to him as a teenager when he went to work as a farm hand. The white wife of his employer was shocked to learn that he had no English name. When he returned to the farmhouse for lunch one day, she told him, “I have a name for you—‘Archie.’” Niibaa-giizhig liked his new name and carried it with pride throughout the rest of his years.
Life was filled with hardships for Archie’s family during his youth. In 1918 a flu epidemic ravaged the Ojibwe communities along the St. Croix River, taking Archie’s maternal grandmother and his two siblings in one night. Archie’s first wife and first child died of tuberculosis. In spite of these sorrows, Archie rebounded, remarried, and fathered eight more children.
Like his father and grandfather before him, Archie was instructed not only in ancient Ojibwe lifeways, but also in the complicated rituals of ceremonial leadership. At the age of twelve, he became Oshkaabewis (Messenger) in the Midewiwin (Medicine Lodge). In this position, he began to learn the complicated procedures and detailed legends essential to the ceremonies he would conduct later in his life. A skilled medicine man, Archie knew hundreds of plants and trees used for different types of healing, and he eagerly shared this wisdom with his children. He knew many ancient secrets for hunting and fishing, including the elaborate rituals of bear hunting. He was also well acquainted with the art of making bows and traditional Ojibwe birch-bark canoes.
When Archie’s father, Mike Mosay, died in 1971 at the age of 102, the communities of Round Lake and Balsam Lake were in a quandary as to how best to fill the vacuum left by his death. Mike Mosay had been the Grand Chief of the St. Croix Band and a central spiritual leader of his people. For a few years, the Medicine Dance was not conducted, as the people adjusted to the loss of their ceremonial chief.
In the early 1970s, an Ojibwe man from Round Lake approached Archie, offered him tobacco, and told him that his daughter would die if she could not be initiated into the Midewiwin. He begged Archie to help his girl, and eventually Archie acquiesced. Archie healed the man’s daughter and revived his father’s Midewiwin. From that point on, Archie assumed his father’s role in presiding over the Medicine Dance and speaking at Big Drum Ceremonies. Initially, John Stone of Lac Courte Oreilles and other Ojibwe spiritual leaders from Wisconsin and Minnesota helped Archie conduct his ceremonies. As time went on and other leaders died, Archie carried on the work alone, and increasing numbers of people traveled from other Ojibwe communities to participate in ceremonies at Round Lake and at Balsam Lake.
Shortly after his father’s death, Archie also assumed the honored position of Grand Chief of the St. Croix Ojibwe. The position had been in the family for several generations, and Archie carried the feather war bonnet and 1789 United States peace medallion, which had been passed on through his father, as proud symbols of that title and position.4
In all of his spiritual work, Archie used his first language, the only language he knew until a teenager, and, according to him, the only language intended for Ojibwe prayer—anishinaabemowin, the Ojibwe language. One day, Archie stepped outside of his ceremonial Medicine Lodge to lecture his helpers, saying, “I can’t use English in there. The Spirit doesn’t understand me when I use English.” This perspective also explains Archie’s focus on the importance of keeping the Ojibwe language alive. Without the language, there is no Midewiwin, no Big Drum, no Jiisakaan(Shake Tent Ceremony). Without the Ojibwe language, there is no Ojibwe culture.
At various times Archie fed his family by hunting and fishing and by working as a groundskeeper at Balsam Lake resorts and as a mason and a rations plant worker during World War II. For the bulk of his working years—thirty-four to be exact—Archie worked for the Polk County Highway Department. However, as often happens with Indian elders, Archie in his retirement was more active than in his working years. His new work included counseling people recovering from alcohol addiction at the Ain-Dah-Ing(Endaayang) Half Way House in Spooner, Wisconsin. Throughout his ninety-four years on earth, Archie Mosay had never used alcohol, a practice to which he attributed his good health and long life. Traveling frequently to conduct various ceremonies and to speak at pow-wows and conferences, Archie became a true servant of the Spirit—working hard for his people until his last day on earth.
At age ninety-four, Archie was still independent, driving himself and living alone. His children looked after him, bringing food to his house and washing his clothes, but Archie lived his own life every day, never residing in a nursing home. He died in 1996.
Thousands of people approached Archie over the years—from his maternal grandmother’s reservation, Lac Courte Oreilles, from his father’s place of origin, Mille Lacs, and from many other places as well. Archie gave hundreds of people their Indian names. He initiated over a thousand people into the Medicine Lodge. He spoke at countless pipe ceremonies and Big Drum feasts.
Archie’s stories collected here are rich and varied. Archie remembered the first time he saw a car and the first time he saw a black man. He remembered what it was like when his children were born in wiigiwaams.5 He also recalled how Ojibwe people traveled long distances on foot to participate in the Medicine Dance at other communities. Frequently his family walked to Lac Courte Oreilles for this purpose, a one-way journey of three days on foot. His father journeyed by foot from Mille Lacs to Balsam Lake, six days round trip, in order to court Archie’s mother. Archie also remembered hunting in the St. Croix River Valley’s tall pine forests before logging decimated them—trees so large and canopies so dense that no other plant life grew on the forest floor and one could walk on the pine needles more quietly than on pavement. All these stories as well as several jokes and remembrances are included in this collection.
The stories presented here were usually recorded at the home of Archie Mosay.6 Sometimes I would arrange special trips to visit Archie for this purpose. More often, we would record a few stories before or after a ceremonial event that had brought me to Balsam Lake, such as the naming ceremony for my daughter, a funeral, a drum ceremony, or a Medicine Dance. The story “Mii Sa Iw” was written down through dictation. All others were recorded and then transcribed. Archie died before the transcription work was complete. For this reason, the titles for all of the stories presented here are of my creation. They are usually derived from lines in the stories themselves, but they are not part of the oral tradition they label. They are used here for ease of reading and differentiating stories. In the process of translating stories and selecting titles, I consulted Archie’s friends and family members as well as Ojibwe linguist Earl Otchingwanigan.
Usually, Archie selected the topics for discussion or the stories he wished to tell. Occasionally, one of his daughters or I would encourage him to share a story we had heard him tell before. In all cases, however, Archie, his daughter Dora Ammann, and I were careful to choose topics appropriate for recording and publication. No sacred legends from the Midewiwin were ever recorded. Archie always strictly maintained that those stories could only be learned in the Medicine Lodge itself and that they had to be passed on through oral tradition, without the aid of modern technology.
Archie’s dialect of Ojibwe differs somewhat from that of most other speakers in this book. Although two of Archie’s grandparents were from East Lake, his language was more heavily influenced by his grandmother from Lac Courte Oreilles and his grandfather from Balsam Lake. Thus, Archie uses zaaga’egan for “lake” where most speakers of Minnesota Ojibwe use zaaga’igan. In addition, aniw is used in place of iniw. Archie also seemed to prefer using the first to third person conjunct transitive animate verb paradigm -agig rather than –agwaa: for example, waabamagig(when I see them) rather than waabamagwaa (when I see them). These forms are used by many speakers interchangeably, but the patterns of Archie’s language usage and pronunciation are noteworthy. Archie and his contemporaries wanted all dialects of the Ojibwe language to survive. Differences are to be celebrated rather than denigrated.
Notes
1. This observation, held by many people, was eloquently written by David Hanners in “Spirit World Now Beckons to Legendary Tribal Leader,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 2, 1996, 1B, 4B.
2. Paul DeMain, “Nebageshig is Laid to Rest,” News From Indian Country, mid- September 1996, 7A.
3. The exact date of Archie Mosay’s birth is not known. Archie and his children accepted the date of August 20, 1901. However, this is only their best guess. His exact place of birth is also unknown—whether in the woods or a wiigiwaam—although he was born somewhere in the vicinity of the Indian village of Inaandagokaag near present-day Balsam Lake, Wisconsin.
4. It is not clear if the peace medallion was originally given to Archie’s paternal grandfather Shakopee of Mille Lacs or to a chief on his mother’s side at St. Croix. The feather war bonnet appears to have come from Mille Lacs. The name “Shakopee” was adopted from the Dakota and was carried by a couple of prominent Ojibwe leaders as well as by Dakota people.
5. Wayne Mosay, his youngest child, was the only one of Archie’s offspring to have been born in a hospital.
6. The dibaajimowin “Mii Gaa-pi-izhichigewaad Mewinzha” was originally recorded by Paul DeMain during an interview with Archie broadcast on Lac Courte Oreilles tribal radio station WOJB 88.9 FM of Reserve, Wisconsin, on April 10, 1996. He released reproduction rights for the recording with the permission of Archie’s family.
Gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziyaang
[1] Akawe niwii-tibaajim o’ow gaa-izhiwebiziyaan o’ow isa gii-oshki-bimaadiziyaan. Gaawiin ingikendanziin aandi gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziyaan—gemaa gaye wiigiwaaming gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziwaanen gemaa gaye nisawa’ogaaning gemaa gaye iwidi ingoji megwekob gemaa gaye. Mii iwidi gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziwaambaanen.
[2] Baanimaa ashi-niiyo-biboonagiziyaan, mii apii waakaa’igaans noosiban gaa-ozhitood. Mii apii gii-ayaayaang. Ishkweyaang, mii apane wiigiwaaming ingii-taamin. Mii dash imaa gaa-tazhi-nitaawigiyaan imaa, imaa sa Inaandagokaag ezhinikaadeg. Mewinzha ingii-tazhi-ondaadiz. Ingitiziimag igaye imaa ginwenzh omaa gii-tanakiiwag, nayenzh igo.
[3] Noosiban, iwidi sa Misi-zaaga’iganiing ezhinikaadeg, mii iwidi gaa-tazhi-ondaadizid a’aw noosiban. Mii dash imaa, miish imaa midaaswi-ashi-zhaangaso-biboonagizid, mii imaa gii-wiidigemaad nimaamaayibanen. Miish omaa gii-ayaad biinish gii-maajaad. Miinawaa onow oniijaanisan gii-shaangachiwan oniijaanisan, ingitiziimag.
Mii Gaa-pi-izhichigewaad Mewinzha
[1] Boozhoo anishinaabedog! Akawe niwii-tibaajim o’ow isa ayindiyaan ishkweyaang gii-oshki-bimaadiziyaan. Gaawiin indaa-gikendanziin dibi gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziwaanen—gemaa gaye wiigiwaaming gemaa gaye nisawa’ogaaning gemaa gaye iwidi ingoji megwekob gemaa gaye. Mii iwidi gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziwaad aanind anishinaabeg ishkweyaang.
[2] Ganabaj gii-ashi-niiyo-biboonagiziyaan, mii bijiinag apii gaa-piindigeyaan ayi’ii waakaa’igaans indedeyiban gaa-ozhitood. Mii eta go wiigiwaaming gii-ayaayaang bebiboon. Miinawaa wa’aw ingitiziimag iwidi Odaawaa-zaaga’eganiing izhinikaadeg, mii iwidi nimaamaayiban gaa-tazhi-ondaadizid. Imaa o’ow, aya’aa Aanakwad ezhinikaazod anishinaabe, iwidi gaa-tanakiiwaad. Miish iwidi ingoji gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziwagobanen a’aw nimaamaayiban aya’aa Neweyaash akiwenzii gii-izhinikaazowan odedeyan. O’ow dash nimaamaa onaabeman gaa-wiidigemaajin ishkweyaang a’aw mindimooyenh gii-izhinikaazod.
[3] Mayaajaanid sa onow onaabeman, miish imaa neyaab Inaandagokaag gaa-pi-izhi-goziwaad. Mii dash imaa gaa-tanakiiwaad, gaa-tazhi-gonaadizid a’aw nookomisiban, nimaamaayiban igaye wiiba go gaawiin aapiji mewinzha gaa-ako-bimaadizid. Miinawaa a’aw isa noosiban, iwidi Misi-zaaga’eganiing ezhinikaadeg, mii imaa gaa-tazhi-ondaadizid. Imaa dash Inaandagokaag, imaa gii-wiidigemaad iniw nimaamaayibanen. Midaaswi-ashi-zhaangaso-biboonagizid, mii apii imaa gaa-wiidigemaad nimaamaayibanen.
[4] Mii dash gaye niin imaa gaa-onji-maajiishkaayaan wendaadiziyaan. Waakaa’igaans ogii-ozhitoon imaa a’aw noosiban. Mii imaa gii-ayaayaang.
[5] Gaye dash o’ow isa ziigwang, o’ow apiitak, mii apii mewinzha anishinaabe gii-kozid noopiming izhi-gozi, gii-ozhitood o’ow, o’ow isa ziinzibaakwad mitigong ininigaadeg zhiiwaagamizigan. Mii gaa-ozhitoowaad. Mii iwidi gaa-taawaad, gaawiin waasa—gemaa gaye naano-diba’igan o’ow apii iwidi ingoji megwaayaak. Mii iwidi gaa-taawaad iskigamizigewaad.
[6] Mii miinawaa ishkwaa-iskigamizigewaad, miish imaa jiigibiig zaaga’eganiing Inaandagokaag, mii imaa gii-kabeshiwaad. Noongom miinawaa imaa gii-kabeshiwag gii-noojigiigoonyiwewaad waaswaawaad, ashiganan aajigwaawaad. Mii imaa gaa-tanakiid wa’aw, gaa-onji-bimaadizid a’aw anishinaabe mewinzha.
[7] Mii miinawaa giiwegoziwaad. Mii dash zhayiigwa gii-ozhiitaawaad o’ow isa gii-midewid anishinaabe. Akina ingoji gii-midewi aw anishinaabe—Odaawaa-zaaga’eganiing, miinawaa a’aw Waaswaaganing, miinawaa Mashkii-ziibiing, miinawaa iwidi Dewegishigamiing. Namanj ezhinikaadegwen i’iw, anishinaabewinikaadeg iwidi ishkonigan. Miinawaa go omaa ayi’iing gaye Wekonamindaawagaansing izhinikaadeg, miinawaa iwidi Metaawangaag, Bikoganaaganing—mii imaa gii-midewiwaad iko ingiw anishinaabeg mewinzha.
[8] Mii miinawaa ishkwaa-midewiwaad, mii dash miinawaa gii-sagaswe’idiwaad o’ow baakibii’ang o’ow zaaga’eganiing; gii-asemaakewaad onji-naanaagadawenimigoowaad manidoon imaa wenjishkaawaaniwenijin.
[9] Mii miinawaa ishkwaa-zagaswe’idiwaad, mii dash miinawaa ayiigwa o’ow isa gii-mawinzowaad onow editeg miinan, miskominan, godagaagominan, o’ow isa gegoo editenig. Mii i’iw gaa-mawinzowaad. Mii gaa-onji-bimaadizid a’aw anishinaabe mewinzha, gaye niin bi-de-gikendamaan. Mii dash i’iw.
[10] Miinawaa dagwaaginig, mii azhigwa gii-madaabiigoziwaad o’ow isa gii-manoominikewaad, manoomin gii-bawa’amowaad. Akawe gii-sagaswe’idiwag waa-manoominikewaad, asemaakewag o’ow isa zaaga’eganiing gii-kaagiijitoowaad o’ow isa manoomin wii-pawa’amowaad. Gaawiin awiiya gii-izhi-boozisiin. Akawe asemaan ogii-pagidinaan nibiikaang.
[11] Miinawaa gii-kiizhitood a’aw anishinaabe manoomin, akawe asemaan ogii-pagidinamawaan manidoon wii-izhi-miijisig i’iw manoomin. Mii gaa-miijiwaad. Mii akeyaa gaa-pi-izhi-waabamagig ingiw anishinaabeg ishkweyaang.
[12] Akina ingoji gii-izhaa gaye aw anishinaabe sa o’ow isa gii-paa-midewid. Gaye iwidi Odaawaa-zaaga’eganiing izhinikaadeg imaa Baatawigamaag, mii imaa gaa-tazhi-midewiwaad mewinzha anishinaabeg. Ingoji gaa-izhi-bimoseyaang gii-o-midewiyaang gii-nandomaakawaa noosiban o-wiidookaazod owidi wiidookawaad akiwenziiyan gaa-midewiwinijin. Niso-giizhigon ingii-tazhi-izhaamin gii-tagoshinaang. Mii akeyaa gaa-izhichiged a’aw anishinaabe ishkweyaang gii-naazikang o’ow isa gaa-onji-bimaadizid. Noongom gaawiin izhichigesiin a’aw anishinaabe bi-naazikang bi-onji-bimaadizid. Gaye o’ow midewiwin ogii-igoon a’aw manidoon, mii go gaa-ani-izhi-maamawookang a’aw anishinaabe o’ow isa maanangid, o’ow isa gii-onji-maajiishkaad mii gaa-ininang manidoo. Mii sa i’iw gaa-izhichigewaad mewinzha ongow anishinaabeg, gii-izhaawaad gegoo inakamigizid ingoji anishinaabe.
[13] Mii go gaye a’aw, a’aw isa dewe’igan gaa-pi-bagidinaajin a’aw meyagwed anishinaabe omaa akeyaa. Iwidi mashkodeng izhinikaadeg, mii iwidi gaa-onjiid a’aw meyagwed anishinaabe imaa Neyaashiing Misi-zaaga’eganiing izhinikaadeg. Mii imaa gii-pi-bagidinaad iniw dewe’iganan gaa-onji-maajiishkaanid anishinaaben. Mii imaa gaa-pi-onji-bagidinaad. Mii dash imaa gaa-onji-maajiishkaad aw anishinaabe. Gaye a’aw meyagwed anishinaabe, o’ow isa gii-aasamigaabawi’aad onow isa meyagwenijin chimookomaanan ogii-igoon wii-chaaginanigod. Manidoo dash gaawiin ogii-minwaabandanziin. Mii sa ji-gaawi’awiwid aabidinginwed anishinaabe. Mii dash gaa-onji-niishimaad manidoo naagaanizid onow dewe’iganan omaa noongom enawiindamaagenijin.
[14] Mii akeyaa gaa-izhichiged a’aw anishinaabe ishkweyaang. O’ow isa gaye niin gii-te-gitenimag gii-waabamagig gaa-izhichigewaad. Mii gaye niin imaa bangii wenji-gikendamaan o’ow isa izhi-inaadamawag anishinaabe. Gii-kikinoo’amawiwaad, mii a’aw Neweyaash akiwenzii gaa-izhinikaazod nimishoomisiban, mii a’aw gaa-waawiindamawid i’iw ge-ani-izhichigeyaan naadamawag anishinaabe gegoo. Gaawiin indaa-inaasiin. Gaawiin indaa-inaasiin gegoo gagwejimid. Mii eta go wiindamawag gegoo gaye wii-kikendang.
[15] Gaye onow izhinikaazowinan, anishinaabe-izhinikaazowinan, mii o’ow i’iw isa gii-kii’igoshimoyaan mewinzha gii-kwiiwizensiwiyaan. Mii imaa wendinamaan iniw, iniw isa anishinaabe-izhinikaazowinan. Noongom gaawiin gwech anishinaabe-izhinikaazowinan odayaanziinan. Mii i’iw wanitoowaad i’iw. Akina sa go gegoo owanitoon anishinaabe mewinzha gaa-pi-izhi-waabamagig.
[16] Gaye onow wiigiwaaman, gabe-niibin ongow ikwewag gii-ozhitoowaad onow, onow isa gaa-apishimowaajin anaakaning, gaa-izhi-wiindamawaajin. Miinawaa onow megwaa abakwang iniw wiigwaasan, mii apii gaa-mamoowaad gii-ozhitoowaad iniw, iniw isa wiigwaasi-abakwayan. Miinawaa ingiw aya’aa apakweshkweyag gii-iniibinaawaad ingoji ayi’ii wiigiwaaming. Mii imaa gii-aabaji’aawaad iniw agidigamish iniw wiigwaasan wiigwaasi-abakwayan. Mii akeyaa gaa-ozhitoowaad iniw, iniw isa gii-abiwaad.
Wenabozho Gaa-kiishkigwebinaad Zhiishiiban
[1] Wenabozho gii-pimosed bakade; gaa gegoo omiijisiin. Maajiibadaabiid zaaga’egan owaabamaan zhiishiiban gii-awi-bakaded omaa jiigibiig. Miish abezhig zhiishiib, “Zhiishiibidog!” odinaan, “Wenabozho madaabii. Naawij inaadagaag. Anooj izhiwebizi Wenabozho.”
[2] Wenabozho onoondawaan zhiishiiban. “Gaawiin nishiimeyidog! Imaa noopiming niwii-niimi’idiimin noongom onaagoshig.” Mii gaa-izhi-gopiid wiigiwaam imaa gaa-ozhitood waagaashkang. Wiigiwaam imaa badakidenig. Mii gaa-izhi-onapidood giboodiyegwaazonan, aasaakamig gaa-kashkapidood omaa o’ow bimoondang.
[3] Miish i’iw inaad zhiishiiban, “Nishiimenyidog!” Odizhi-inaan, “Nishiimeyidog! Mii akeyaa bemoondamaan,” ikido. “Nagamonan onow bimoondamaanen. Owidi Mooniyaang izhinikaadeg, mii iwidi wenjibaayaan. Miish omaa waa-onji-niimi’idiiyaang noongom noopiming.” “Apegish,” gii-inendam wii-nisaad iniw zhiishiiban, wii-amwaad bakaded.
[4] Gaa-izhi-gopiiwaad iwidi, zhiishiibag o-niimi’idiiwaad, biindigewaad imaa wiigiwaam. Megwaa oganoonaan, “Nishiimeyidog! Inga-nagam. Nishiimeyidog, bazangwaabishimok! Gego inaabikegon,” odinaan iniw zhiishiiban. “Omaa apii azhigwa maajiiyaan nishiweyaan.”
Nishiimeyidogwen, gego inaabikegon
Giga-mamiskoshkiinzhigwem
Yo weh heh heh
Yo weh heh heh
[5] Mii aangodinong giishkigwebinaad iniw zhiishiiban, “kwenk,” inwewan giiwenh. “Haa nishiimeyidog, mii go waa-inweyeg.” Nagamo, giishkigwebinaad. “Wenk.”
[6] Miish a’aw zhingibiz gaa-izhi-dooskaabamaad aaniin ezhichiged. Awenesh ingiw gaa-kiishkigwebinaawaad iniw zhiishiiban? Mii gaa-izhi-biibaagimaad zhiishiiban, “Hey zhiishiibidog! Gidishkwamigonaan Wenabozho. Giga-abwaanigonaan.” Aabita-zaagiziba’idiwaad ingiw zhiishiibag. Mii go giiwenh iniw zhingibizan gaa-waagaawinid omadaabiiba’igoon ini-daangishkawaad. Miish i’iw gaa-inaad, “Oon gidizhi-maajiikamigoog. Gaawiin a’aw iwidi, a’aw anishinaabe, giga-amwigosiin,” ogii-inaan zhingibizan. “Giga-mamiskoshkiinzhigwe gaye,” ogii-inaan. Mii wenji-mamiskoshkiinzhigwed a’aw zhingibiz.
[7] Mii gaa-izhi-ayaad Wenabozho.
[8] Mii gaa-maajaad, apii ziibiwan madaabii, bimoomaad zhiishiiban gaa-kiishkigwebinaajin, iidog iwidi waabandang wii-abwed iniw zhiishiiban. Imaa naa akawe gii-kiizhiitaad gii-nibaa aapiji giizizwaad onow zhiishiiban. Mii dash o’ow gii-nibaad.
[9] Mii dash awedig, ongow akandoowaagwen, “Akawaabin,” iniw gaa-inaajimaad, “inaabin.” Bwaanag ongow boonowag. “Wiindamawishin awiiya biidaaboonod.” Namanj apii nibaagobanen. Mii wiin waabamaawaad omaa bashkinedenig bwaanag. “Mii a’aw Wenabozho,” ikidowag. “Gegoo omaa odayaan.” Miish iniw miskwaanziganan wewebinamowaad, mii niigaan wiindamawaasig iniw akandoowaajin, akina gaa-izhi-mamoonid iniw abwaadang maajaanid.
[10] Omaa apii wiin gaye gweshkozid, a’aw mewinzha iidog igo minozogoban, onishkaad inaabid Wenabozho bangii odabwaan gii-mamoonid, mamigod iniw bwaanan. Mii dash ayi’ii gaa-izhi-nishkaadizid. Mii gaa-izhi-jaagizodizod, omaa apii maajaad. Mii dash o’ow gii-chaagizod, gizhiibazhed giiwenh omigiid. Mii dash onow mitigoonsan gaa-ani-izhi-ayaang.
[11] Mii dash i’iw gaa-ikidod: “Nishiimeyidog,” ogii-inaan, “a’aw anishinaabe omaa ge-ani-bimaadizid. Mii gaye ezhi-wiinineg apaakozigan, gaa-izhi-miinigoowaawiyeg.” Mii gaa-ondinang anishinaabe gaa-sagaswaadang apaakoziganan. Mii i’iw Wenabozho gaa-ozhitood i’iw.
[12] Mii inaadizookewaad ongow akiwenziiyag mewinzha.
Wayeshkad Gaa-waabamag Aadamoobii
[1] Wayeshkad, ayaaban a’aw chimookomaan, bimiwinigoojin a’aw isa aadamoobii gaa-izhi-wiinaawaajin. Miikana imbima’adoomin bezhig oshki-inini. Aazhaa noondawangid biidwewebizod, biidweweg gegoo. Mii dash gaawiin, ingwiiwizensiwimin. Ingii-segizimin dash noondamaang biidweweg omaa miikanaang.
[2] Gaawiin igo, noongom izhinaagwak onow miikanan, gaawiin gii-izhinaagwasinoon. Mii eta go onow; gitawaakwaa’igaadewan. Mii gaa-izhinaagwak iniw miikanan mewinzha.
[3] Mii eta bebezhigoganzhiig miinawaa dibidaabaanan gaa-izhidaabii’iwewaad chimookomaanag. Mii dash imaa gaye gii-noondawangid a’aw, biidweweg gegoo, mii gaa-izhi-bakeyaang gaa-kaazootawangid. Nimikigaazomin opime-miikanaang megwaa omaa go besho baa-ayaad ginwenzh wa’aw, wa’aw isa aadamoobii bemiwininang noongom.
[4] Ginwenzh wii-adima’wiyangid imaa gaa-waabamiyangid bimibizod, ingii-segi’igoonaan gii-piidwewed. Mii go wayeshkad gii-waabamag a’aw, a’aw isa aadamoobii izhi-wiinaajin anishinaabe mewinzha. Mii dash imaa gaa-onji-gaazotawangid gii-segi’iyangid.
[5] Mii dash imaa akawe minik waa-kaagiigidoyaan.
Nitamising Gaa-waabamag Makadewiiyaas
[1] Wayeshkad gii-waabamag a’aw isa makadewiiyaas aazhaa wiindamawaajin anishinaabe omaa oodenaang, omaa endanakiiyaan, gaye imaa gii-pagaboodegoziwaad ingiw makadewiiyaasag, oniijaanisan a’aw inini, wiiwan, gaa-pi-aanjigoziwaad omaa o’ow isa gaa-paapaagokozhiwewinini, mii i’iw a’aw makadewiiyaas. Ginwenzh omaa gii-tanakii Inaandakokaag, gii-paapaagokozhiwewininiiwid wayeshkad gii-waabamag a’aw, a’aw isa makadewiiyaas ezhi-wiinind.
[2] Imaa wiin gaye weweni ogii-inenimaan anishinaaben. Imaa gaa-tanakiinijin, gaawiin wiikaa gegoo omaa ayaasiin endaad inini. Gaye odaa-gii-inaan. Mii eta go anooj gii-inaajimod igaye aanawi ojibwemo gaye gii-kikinoo’amawangid i’iw isa ojibwemowin. Mii apii gii-oshki-waabamag a’aw isa mekadewizid bemaadizid. Iwidi chi-agaamiing akeyaa o’ow isa bezhig minis, mii iwidi gaa-onjibaad, a’aw makadewiiyaas ezhi-wiinaajin anishinaabe.
[3] Mii dash akawe imaa minik waa-kaagiigidoyaan.
Nandawaaboozwe Makadewiiyaas
[1] Aabiding bezhig inini ingii-wiiji’igoonaan baa-nandawaaboozweyaang. Waabishkiki imaa ayaamagad, mii imaa gii-ayaawaad ingiw waabishki-waaboozoog. Miish imaa gaa-inaad, “Mii omaa akandoon,” ogii-inaan, “Da-bi-naazikawaawag waaboozoog.”
[2] Miish imaa gii-naaniibawid aw makadewiiyaas. Gaawiin dash ogii-naazikawaasiiwaawaan ingiw waaboozoog, iniw anishinaabe gaa-wiiji’waad. Mii iwidi gii-naganaad gaa-pi-izhi-giiwed. Mii wenji-izhiwebizigwen a’aw makadewiiyaas.
Waabooz Gaa-piindashkwaanind
[1] Aabiding gaye mii go makadewiiyaas, mii go a’aw inini gaa-maajiinaad. Mii dash iniw waaboozoon gii-kijiigibinaad, gaa-izhi-biindashkwaanaad. Mii dash iwidi waa-izhiwinaagwen, mii iwidi gii-wenabi’aad iniw waaboozoon.
[2] Maajii-giiwewaad idash, bebimosewaad gaa-izhi-gaganoonaad, “Waabam awedi waabooz nemadabid,” ogii-inaan. Ginwezh wiin a’aw waabooz gaa-piindashkwaanind, ezhi-gaabawid imaa makadewiiyaas ezhi-baashkizwaad iniw—gaa-piindashkwaanaawaanijin waaboozoon.
Gaa-amwaawaad Animoonsan
[1] Ingoding iwidi Bwaanakiing gii-izhaayaan, gii-niimi’idiiwag iwidi anishinaabeg. Mii gaa-izhaayaan gii-waabamangidwaa wenaagoshing gii-wiisiniwaad. Mii dash iwidi jiigi-ziibiing, gabeshiwin iwidi ayaamagad. Mii i’iw waa-tazhi-wiisiniwaad. Mii dash imaa bii’oyaang, bezhig imaa inini gii-pi-wawenabi namadabiyaan adoopowining, imaa gaagiigidod, dibaajimod. Mii gaa-tibaajimotawid:
[2] Waakaa’igan imaa ate. Bedosewag endaawaagwen. Ininiwag-sh omaa niswi gii-kiiwashkwebiiwag. Agwajiing imaa boodawewag, boodawazowag.
[3] Chimookomaan imaa gii-pimibizo. Animoonsan ogii-ayaawaan imaa odoodaabaaning. Miish gaa-inaad anishinaaben, “Awiiya na imaa animoonsan ogii-ayaawaan?” Odinaan gaye wiin ininiwan niswi. “Gaawiin indayaasiiwaanaanig ingiw animoonsag,” odinaan. Mii dash chimookomaan odinaan, “Inga-naganaag awiiya waa-ayaawaad,” gii-izhi-mamaad. Mii inaad iniw anishinaaben.
[4] Miish imaa gii-naganaad iniw animoonsan, niswi ganabaj inaajimotaagooyaan. Miish ingiw ininiwag, gaawashkwebiijig, gemaa gaye gaa-pakadewaagwen. Mii waa-izhi-amwaad bezhig animoonsan. Imaa dash a’aw inini wii-inendam, bezhig inini. Miish i’iw waa-panzwaad a’aw bezhig inini animoonsan. Mii dash ganabaj gaa-izhi-aabizhiishing a’aw animoons. Mii gaa-izhi-dakwamigod omaa oninjiing. Mii apaginaad iwidi megwe-mashkosiing. Mii gaa-izhi-maadakizige’iding. Niibowa gii-chaagide.
[5] Niizh waakaa’iganan ogii-chaagizaanan a’aw waa-pagamibizowaad ingiw getewininiwag. Bezhig gwiiwizens imaa babaamibizod oditibiwebishkiganan. Miish a’aw naagaanizid i’iw baate gaye miinawaa ogagwejimaan gwiiwizensan, “Aaniish gaye wiin wenji-maadaakideg omaa,” odinaan ji-izhi-gagwejimaad. “Namanj iidog,” ikido. “Gaawiin ingikendanziin,” ikido. “Mii eta go ingiwedig ininiwag, nemadabijig,” ikido. “Animoonsan imaa owii-panzwaawaan. Megwe-mashkosiwishiing owii-apaginaan. Mii imaa gaa-onji-maadaakideg,” odinaan iniw chimookomaanan. “Oon chi-baakizigewaad i’iw. Niizh waakaa’iganan ojaagizaanaawaan.”
Gaa-pazhiba’wid Niijanishinaabe
[1] Oodenaang-sh ingii-izhaa maajaayaan. Omaa apii aabita inagakeyaa anishinaabeg endaawaad, ikwe imaa zaagizibatoo waakaa’igaansing. “Inini omaa omiigaanaan ninaabeman. Ogii-pazhiba’waan mookomaanens,” indig.
[2] Ingii-ashi-naano-biboonagiz i’iw apii. Namanj iidog izhichigewaanen. “Gaa indaa-bazhiba’wigosiig waa-ani-miigaanaajin,” indinendam. Imaa anooj igo inendamaan, ingii-o-biindige. Imaa dash dazhiikodaadiwaad imaa michisag, debibidowag i’iw onik da-bagijwebinang i’iw mookomaanens. Mii imaa apiichiikawag o’ow, aanawi maakabiwag mookomaanens gaa-izhi-bazhiba’odamaan nindinimaanganaang.
[3] Miinawaa omaa ninikaang gaye omaa ingii-inizhwig. Miinawaa indiy ingii-pazhiba’wig niizhing. Imbeshizhwig o’ow nininjiining. Mii gii-gwayako-giishkizhwid o’ow mashkijiitad a’aw. Oon aanawi giishkizhaa omaa apii. Mii dash gaa-inizhang. Mii go omaa o’ow ezhinaagwak. Mii gaawiin dash ogii-kiishkizhanziin. Mii i’iw akeyaa gaa-inaapinazhid a’aw inini.
[4] Miish gaa-azhegiiweyaan endaayaan, biindigeyaan imaa endaawaad, nimaamaayiban, “Aaniish ezhiwebiziyan miskwiiwiyan,” ikido. “Oon,” wiindamawag, “Ezhi-bimaaji’ag a’aw inini imaa, ininiwan omiigaanaan owii-pazhiba’waan dash indaa-inaaginaan,” indinaa. Miish a’aw noosiban gaa-izhi-mamood obaashkizigan, wii-o-baashkizwaad; gaye wiin imaa akawe nimaamaayiban gaa-izhi-gagwe-makamangid i’iw baashkizigan o-baashkizwaasigwaa.
Apane Anishinaabe Ogaganoonaan Manidoon
[1] Miinawaa o’ow isa anooj izhichiged anishinaabe ganoonaad manidoon, niigaan bezhig apegish inenimiyangid manidoo. Mii gaa-izhichigewaad o’ow midewiwin. Mii i’iw gaa-tazhiikang anishinaabe, gii-onji-maajiishkaad, gii-onji-bimaadizid. Mii gaa-onji-tazhiikang.
[2] Miinawaa wa’aw noongom dewe’igan omaa ayaabaji’aajin anishinaabe, imaa Misi-zaaga’eganiing izhinikaadeg, mii imaa gii-pagidinaad a’aw sa meyagwed anishinaabe ji-onji-maajiishkaanid anishinaaben neyaab imaa ji-onji-bagidinamawaad. Mii dash imaa gaa-onji-maajiishkaad a’aw dewe’igan. Akina anooj omaa wendaabang akeyaa; mii imaa gii-pimibaagid gii-inindwaa dewe’iganag. Geyaabi noongom aanind a’aw anishinaabe ominjimendaan i’iw isa gaa-miinigod manidoon ji-onji-bimaadizid, ji-onji-maajiishkaad. Mii gaa-onji-miinigod.
[3] Miinawaa o’ow isa abwezod anishinaabe, mii gaye bezhig gaa-miinind a’aw anishinaabe daa-izhichiged. Gaye o’ow megwaa wii-aabawakamigak, mii i’iw apii gaa-inind anishinaabe ji-abwezod. Miinawaa zhayiigwa dagwagig wii-bibooninig, mii gaye i’iw apii gii-inind anishinaabe ji-abwezod. Ayi’ii o’ow isa wesidaagishkaagod anishinaabe akina ingoji, mii i’iw gaa-onji-izhi’ind a’aw anishinaabe ji-izhichiged.
[4] Mii dash gaa-izhichiged mewinzha a’aw anishinaabe gii-abwezod miinawaa gii-kii’igoshimod gaye oshki-bimaadizid—gwiiwizensag, ikwezensag. Gii-kii’igoshimowag mewinzha imaa noongom manidoon gii-inandawenimaawaad ji-naanaagadawenimigoowaad. Mii gaa-onji-izhichigewaad. Mii gaye imaa gaa-onji-gikendamowaad o’ow isa anishinaabe gaye izhinikaazowinan ji-miinind anishinaabe. Mii imaa gaa-onji-gikendamowaad, gikenimaawaad onow awesiinyan miinawaa binesiwan.
[5] Akina sa go awiiya onow omaa akiing bebaamibatood awesiinyag, mii iniw gaa-shawenimigoowaajin wenjida a’aw isa makwa ezhinikaazod, miinawaa wa’aw, a’aw isa migizi. Mii gaye a’aw wenjida gaa-shawenimaawaad anishinaaben, gii-miinaawaad i’iw isa ge-ani-izhi-ayaanid giigidonid ge-ani-izhi-gaagiikimaanid anishinaaben. Mii gaa-onji-miinigod manidoon.
[6] O’ow gaye ikwezensag, mii go gaye wiinawaa gaa-izhi-gaganoonigoowaad mindimooyenyan, gii-wiindamaagoowaad o’ow isa gaa-pi-izhi-bimaadizinid ishkweyaang. Mii dash i’iw gaa-onji-gikendang anishinaabe gaa-ani-izhichiged, gii-kaganoonigoowaad ogitiziimiwaan. Apegish ani-gikendang i’iw isa gaa-pi-izhi-bimaadiziyaan niin, mii inendang.
[7] Miinawaa o’ow isa mewinzha go anishinaabeg gii-kiiyosewaad gaye, wa’aw oshki-inini oshki-nisaad awesiinyan, awegwen igo awesiinyan weshki-nisaajin, mii iniw ogii-sagaswe’aan manidoon. Asemaan ogii-pagidinaawaan o’ow isa gii-oshki-nisaad onow awesiinyan. Miinawaa asemaan ogii-pagidinamawaan manidoon wii-izhi-miijid i’iw isa, o’ow isa gaa-nisaajin. Akawe manidoon ogii-wiindamawaan.
[8] O’ow gaye manoomin, mii gaye aw anishinaabe gaawiin ogii-izhi-miijisiin gii-kiizhitood. Baanimaa asemaan obagidinamawaawaan manidoon, mii i’iw apii gaa-miijid i’iw manoomin. Ayiigwa gaye wii-pawa’iganaandang, mii gaye i’iw apii manidoon gii-kanoonaad, bagidinamawaad asemaan o’ow isa wii-mamood o’ow isa nibiikaang gaa-pagidinang manidoon ji-inanjiged anishinaabe.
[9] Miinawaa yo’ow isa mashkiki gaa-miininang manidoo ji-aabajitooyang, akawe asemaan obagidinaan wii-mamood anishinaabe i’iw. Mii sa mashkiki gaa-aabajitood mewinzha anishinaabe. Gaawiin ogii-izhi-aabajitoosiin, ogii-igoon manidoon, akawe asemaan ji-bagidinaad wii-mamood mashkiki o’ow isa ayiigwa wii-pakaaninakamigisidood manidoo o’ow akiing. Mii gaa-igod iniw manidoon.
[10] O’ow gaye, o’ow isa nibiikaang endanakiid giigoonh, mii gaye iniw akawe awiiya ogii-izhinawaan. Akawe manidoon ogii-pagidinamawaan asemaan wii-amwaad iniw isa giigoonyan.
[11] Mii akeyaa gaa-izhi-bagidinind anishininaabe mewinzha. O’ow isa gii-pi-noondawagig akiwenziiyag gaa-pi-gaagiigidojig. Miish i’iw noongom ezhi-gaganoonag anishinaabe naadamawag gegoo waanzod.
[12] Mii dash akawe imaa minik waa-kaagiigidoyaan. Baanimaa apii miinawaa inga-gaagiigid. Mii i’iw.
Mii Sa Iw
[1] Aabiding gii-ayaa mooska’osi nandawaabamaad omakakiin imaa sa waabashkikiing. Mii gaa-izhi-wiisinid aw mooska’osi, gii-pagamise zhashagi, noonde-wiisinid gaye wiin. Ogii-kagwe-maajinizhikawaan iniw mooska’osiwan.
[2] Mii nawaj sa mindidod zhashagi awashime iniginid mooska’osi. Gaawiin idash gii-segizisiin a’aw mooska’osi. Gaawiin wii-maajaasiin mooska’osi. Gaawiin igaye owii-gii-maada’ookiisiin iw wiisiniwin. Giizhiitaa da-miigaazod.
[3] Enigok ogii-mawinanaan iniw zhashagiwan. Geget igo gii-pakite’odiwag, aabajitoowaad oningwiiganiwaan, bapawaangeniwaad, dakwamidiwaad igaye. Waasa gii-noondaagwad omiigazowiniwaa.
[4] Baanimaa go bijiinag a’aw mooska’osi ogii-pakinawaan iniw zhashagiwan. Gegaa gii-niiwana’aagoo a’aw zhashagi. Mii dash ezhi-ikidod a’aw mooska’osi, “Mii sa iw. Mii sa iw.”
Where We Were Born
[1] First of all, I am going to talk about what happened with me when I was young. I don’t know where I was born—in a bark lodge, or maybe I was born in a lodge with a peaked roof, or maybe somewhere in the woods. That’s where I must have been born.
[2] Later on, when I was fourteen years old, my father made a house. We stayed there at that time. Before that we had always lived in bark lodges. Then I was born there, there at Balsam Lake as it’s called. I was born a long time ago. And both of my parents lived here for a long time.
[3] My father, he was born over there at Mille Lacs as it is called. Then, when he was nineteen years old, there he married my mother. Then he stayed here until he left [for the spirit world]. And my parents had nine children.
What They Did Long Ago
[1] Hello Indians! First of all I want to talk about how things were with me in former times when I was young. I can’t know where I must have been born—in a bark lodge or a lodge with a peaked roof or somewhere out there in the bush. In former times some Indians were born out there.
[2] Maybe when I was fourteen, that was the first time I went inside a house my father had built. We had only been in bark lodges each winter. And this one of my parents, over there at Lac Courte Oreilles as it is called, my mother was born over there. There with that Indian named Aanakwad, they lived over there. Then over there somewhere they must have been born, my mother and the old man Neweyaash as her father was called. And my mother’s husband she had married long ago, this old woman as she was called.
[3] When her husband left [for the spirit world], then she moved back there to Balsam Lake. Then they lived there, my grandmother who had spent her entire life there and my mother who had come to live there not so very long ago. And my father, over there at Mille Lacs as it’s called, that’s where he was born. And there at Balsam Lake, there he married my mother. When he was nineteen years old, at that time he married my mother there.
[4] And that’s where my own life began when I was born. My father built a house there. We were right there.
[5] And in the spring too, in the midst of this season, long ago the Indian moved then, moving into the deep forest, he made this here sugar from the trees, as the syrup was handled in a certain way. That’s how they made it. Over there where they lived, it wasn’t far—five miles out in the woods somewhere. They lived over there when they sugared off.
[6] Again when they’re done sugaring off, then there on the shore of Balsam Lake, that’s where they set up camp. They set up camp there again, at this time harvesting fish by shining them, hauling in the largemouth bass. He lived right there, that’s how the Indian lived long ago.
[7] Then again the Indian moved home. Then already they began preparations for when the Indian participated in the medicine lodge. The Indian took part in the medicine lodge everywhere—at Lac Courte Oreilles, again at Lac du Flambeau, and at Bad River, and again over there at Dewegishigamiing. I am not sure what it’s called, what that reservation over there is called in Indian. And here too at Little Sand Lake (Maple Plain) as it’s called, and again over there at Big Sand Lake (Hertel), at Danbury—right there those Indians customarily did the medicine dance long ago.
[8] And then when they finished the medicine dance, then again they had a pipe ceremony when the ice went out on this lake; they made tobacco offerings to the spirit to be thought of there in what they were up against in their lives.
[9] Then again after they had the pipe ceremony, then again already they picked berries when they were ripe—the blueberries, the raspberries, the blackberries, whenever they ripened. That’s how they harvested berries. That’s how the Indian lived long ago, from the extent of what I’ve come to know of it myself. And that’s it.
[10] Again in the fall, now they moved to the shores of the water to pick rice, knocking the rice. First of all they had a pipe ceremony when they wanted to pick rice, making tobacco offerings to this lake, tying up this rice they want to knock. Nobody embarked. First of all he offered tobacco in the waterways.
[11] And when that Indian finished the rice, first of all he offered tobacco to the spirit as he didn’t want to eat that rice. Then they ate it. That’s how I saw those Indians [do things] in former times.
[12] And all the Indian people went to different places when they participated in this medicine dance. And over there at the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation as it’s called, there at Whitefish, right there the Indians held the medicine dance long ago. We walked everywhere to participate in the medicine dance as my father was summoned to go over and help out, assisting those old men who did the medicine dance. It took us three days to get there. That’s how the Indian did things in former times when he approached where his life originated. Today the Indian doesn’t do this when he goes to where his life comes from. And the spirit told him of this medicine dance, that he was to come to do that which he had been given together, that this was the reason his life started as the spirit handed it down to him. That’s how these Indians did things long ago, when they went to where the Indian people did certain things.
[13] And this too, this Drum, was set down here by that strange speaking Indian [Dakota] in this direction. Over there on the prairies as they are called, it’s over there that the strange speaking Indian came from to Neyaashiing there at Mille Lacs Lake as it’s called. It’s there that he put that Drum from which the Indian started his life. That’s why he put it there. And that’s why the Indian started it there. And that strange speaking Indian, as these strange speaking Indians stood before [the onslaught] of the white man, he was told he would be used up, destroyed. But the spirit did not look favorably upon this. For once, he was thwarted as the Indian sounded his voice. And that’s why the head spirit placed among him these Drums that are spoken of here today.
[14] This is how that Indian did things in former times. I have been impressed with [the Indian people] myself as I have seen them doing these things. That’s why I know a little bit myself, which I use to help the Indian. That’s how they taught me, that is to say my grandfather, the old man named Neweyaash. He is the one who told me what I would come to do in helping the Indian with certain things. I can’t dictate to him. I can’t just dictate something to him when he asks me. And I only tell him things he wants to know about.
[15] And these names, the Indian names, I fasted for them a long time ago when I was a boy. Out there is where I received them, those Indian names. Today not enough [Indian people] have Indian names. They are losing it. The Indian is losing everything I saw them [do] long ago.
[16] And these bark lodges, every spring these women made them, they laid the beds for them on the mats, the ones that have been talked about. And while the birch bark was being hung, at this time they took it and made them, those birch bark shingles. And they lined up those birch bark roofing rolls in a certain way on the lodges. They used those birch bark coverings there on top of the lodges. That’s how they made the places they lived in.
When Wenabozho Decapitated the Ducks
[1] Wenabozho was hungry as he walked along; he hadn’t eaten anything. When he started to come to the shore of the lake he sees the ducks, getting hungry here on the beach. Then a certain duck tells them, “My fellow ducks! Wenabozho is coming to the shore. Swim for the middle of the lake. Wenabozho is up to something.”
[2] Wenabozho hears the ducks. “No my little brothers! We are going to have a pow-wow this evening there in the forest.” Then he went inland, making an arbor there, bending it to shape. The arbor was planted in the ground there. Then he tied a pair of pants in place like this, bundling up some moss here and carrying this off on his back.
[3] Then he tells those ducks this, “My little brothers!” He tells them like so, “My little brothers! I’m carrying it this way,” he says. “I’m carrying these on my back for the [give-away] songs. Over here at Montreal as it’s called, I’m from over there. That’s why we are going to have a pow-wow here in the forest today.” “I hope,” he thinks, as he wants to kill those ducks, wants to eat them as he’s hungry.
[4] As they went inland over there, the ducks went over and danced, entering the arbor there. In the midst of it he talks to them, “My little brothers! I am going to sing. My little brothers, dance with your eyes closed! Don’t peek,” he tells those ducks. “Here at this time now I am starting the slaughter.”
My little brothers, don’t peek
Your eyes will turn red
Yo weh heh heh
Yo weh heh heh
[5] From time to time he decapitated those ducks by wringing their necks, and, as the story goes, they called out, “kwenk.” “Ha my little brothers, that’s how you want to sound.” He sings, wringing their heads off, “Wenk.”
[6] Then that helldiver opened his eyes to see what he [Wenabozho] was doing. Who had twisted the heads off the ducks? Then he called out to the ducks, “Hey my fellow ducks! Wenabozho is piling up our corpses. He’s going to roast us over a fire.” Those ducks are halfway out the door. Then, as the story goes, that helldiver is running away from him to the shore as [Wenabozho] kicked him, hunching up his back. Then he told him this, “Oh they’ll work on you like this. That one over there, that Indian, he isn’t going to eat you,” he told that helldiver. “And your eyes will turn red,” he told him. That’s why that helldiver’s eyes turned red.
[7] That’s how Wenabozho was.
[8] As he left, [Wenabozho] came to the shore of the rivers, carrying the decapitated ducks, maybe seeing where he would roast those ducks over there. First of all he slept there extensively when he was ready, as he finished cooking those ducks. Then he slept.
[9] Then those people over there, these ones who must have been waiting in ambush, “Wait in watch,” they said of him, “peek down there.” These were Sioux that floated there. “Tell me if anybody floats up here.” I don’t know when he must have been sleeping. The Sioux could see him here as the steam rose [from his breath]. “That’s Wenabozho,” they said, “He’s got something here.” Then they shook [their] roaches in agreement, as the leader didn’t have to say anything to those waiting in ambush, they took all those things [Wenabozho] had roasted and left.
[10] And at this time as he wakes up, that [duck] having been done a long time, Wenabozho gets up glancing a little bit towards his roast that they had stolen, those Sioux having taken it from him. Then he got mad. He burned himself, leaving here at this time. Then he burned up this here, so the story goes, getting itchy skin as he scabbed up. Then these sticks came to be like this.
[11] Then he said this: “My little brothers,” he told them, “That Indian shall come to live here. And he’ll call you apaakozigan, that’s how you’ll all be called.” That’s where the Indian gets the kinnikinnick he smokes. That’s how Wenabozho made that.
[12] That’s how these old men told legends long ago.
The First Time I Saw an Automobile
[1] The first time, there was a white man riding in that aadamoobii as they called it. A certain young man and I were following the road. We already heard him speeding up there, with some approaching sound. But no, we were boys. And we were scared when we heard the noise coming here on the road.
[2] No, the way the roads look now, they didn’t look like that. These were the only kind; they were made of corduroy. That’s how those roads looked long ago.
[3] Only horses and carriages, that’s how the white men drove. And then when we heard that thing, some sound approaching, we went off to the side, hiding from it. We could be found by the side trail for a long time while this thing was hanging around near here, this automobile that carries us today.
[4] For a long time when he was going to catch up to us, seeing us there as he sped along, we were frightened as he was heard coming. That was the first time I saw that aadamoobii as the Indian named it long ago. And that’s why we hid from him when he scared us.
[5] And that’s all I want to say for now.
The First Time I Saw a Black Man
[1] When I first saw that black man the Indians already talked about here in town, here where I live, those black people floated down [the river] to settle there too, the children of that man, his wife, they moved here, this here barber, that is [to say] that black man. He lived here at Balsam Lake for a long time, the one who was the barber when I first saw him, that makadewiiyaas as he was named.
[2] And he thought well of the Indians there. There where they lived, they never told the man that he couldn’t be here where he lived. But they could’ve told him. And he only talked in a certain way in spite of the fact that he spoke Ojibwe as we taught him that Ojibwe language too. At that time I first saw that black person. Over across the ocean towards this certain island, he was from over there, that makadewiiyaas as the Indian called him.
[3] And that’s all I’m going to say for now.
The Makadewiiyaas Goes Rabbit Hunting
[1] Once a certain man came with us when we went about rabbit hunting. There is a swamp out there, and there is where the white rabbits were. And then he told him there, “Right here you lie in wait,” he told him, “The rabbits will come [to you].”
[2] Then that black man stood right there. But none of those rabbits approached him, he who the Indian had brought along. He [the Indian] abandoned him out there and went home. That’s why that happened to that black man.
The Stuffed Rabbit
[1] And one time it’s the black man, that man brought him along. Then he snared that rabbit and stuffed him. Then out there where he must have wanted to bring him, out there he placed that rabbit.
[2] And as they started to go home, walking along he thusly spoke to him, “See that rabbit sitting over there,” he told him. That rabbit had been stuffed for a long time, as that black man stood there, shooting—that stuffed rabbit.
When They Ate Puppies
[1] One time when I went over there to the Sioux lands, the Indians were dancing over there. When I went in the evening I saw them eating. Then over there near the river, there was a campsite over there. That’s where they were eating. Then as we were waiting there, a certain man came to sit there where I was sitting at the table, talking there, telling stories. This is what he told me:
[2] There’s a house there. They were walking slowly from where they must have lived. And three men were drunk here. There outside they made a fire, warming themselves up by the fire.
[3] A white man came driving up there. He had puppies there in his car. Then he told the Indians, “Did anybody there own [these] puppies?” He tells those three men too. “We don’t own those puppies,” [one] tells him. Then the white man tells him, as he picked them up, “I’m going to leave them with someone who wants to have them.” That’s what he told the Indians.
[4] Then he left those puppies, perhaps three of them as it was told to me. Then those men, the drunks, they must have been hungry. They wanted to eat a certain puppy. And that was this one man’s intention, that one guy. Then that one man wanted to singe the puppies. Maybe then that puppy came to, coming back to life. [That man] got bit here on his hand. He throws him over there among the grass. It burst into flames. Everything burned up.
[5] That [guy] burned down two houses when those old men were going to drive up. A certain boy was cruising by there on his bicycle. The air was parched and then that leader asks the boy, “And why did the fire start here,” he tells him in order to ask him this. “I wonder how,” he says. “I don’t know,” he says. “Only those men over there, the ones sitting,” he says. “They wanted to singe puppies there. He was going to throw one among that old grass. That’s why the fire started there,” he tells that white man. “Oh they really got everything consumed in flames. They burned down two houses.”
When I Was Stabbed by My Fellow Indian
[1] I was going to town when I left. At this time halfway here towards where the Indians lived, a woman came running out of the house there. “A man is fighting my husband here. He stabbed him with a knife,” she tells me.
[2] I was fifteen years old at that time. I don’t know what I must have been doing. “Those who want to fight shouldn’t stab me,” I think. As I thought about all kinds of things there, I went over and entered. And there as they were involved with one another there on the floor, they grappled over his arm so he would release that knife. Right there I was controlling him to a certain extent, but anyway they were wounding [each other] with the knife as I was stabbed in the shoulder.
[3] And here in my arm, here too he cut me. And he stabbed me twice in the butt. He cut me in my finger. That guy cut me straight through in this tendon. Oh anyway, it’s cut through at this time. And he cut it like this. That’s how this looks here. And he didn’t cut it [this way]. That’s how that man sliced me up.
[4] Then when I returned to my home, going inside there where they lived, my mom says, “What happened to you that you’re so bloody.” “Oh,” I tell her, “When I was saving the life of that man there, another man was fighting him and was going to stab him and I had to intervene,” I tell her. Then my dad picked up his gun, wanting to go over and shoot him; and right away my mother and I had to try to take that gun away from him by force so he wouldn’t go over and shoot him.
The Indian Always Talks to the Spirit
[1] And the Indian does this when he talks to the spirit, when he wants the head spirit to think of us. That’s what they did in the medicine dance. That’s why the Indian participated in it, why he started [his life], why he lived. That’s why he was involved.
[2] And this Drum the Indian uses here today, it was placed among the Indian people there at Mille Lacs as it is called, placed there for him so that the Indian could start [his life] as it was before. That’s why that Drum started there. They all went out there toward the east; they were told this of the Drums. Today the Indian still keeps this in mind, how the spirit gave him this to start [his life]. That’s why it was given to him.
[3] And when the Indian sweats, a certain [person] was given this so that the Indian could do so. And while it will be the warm season, at that time the Indian was told to sweat. And when it’s fall already or when it’s winter, the Indian was told to sweat at that time too. When the Indian was afflicted with something, that’s when the Indian was told to do this.
[4] And that is what the Indian did long ago when he sweated and again when he fasted in his youth—boys, girls. Now long ago they fasted so the spirits would want them to be considered [for pity]. That is why they did that. And that is why the Indian came to know names there to be given to the Indian people. That is why they knew them there, knowing the animals and the birds.
[5] And every one of the animals running about here on earth, they were blessed for a reason—the bear as he is called, and also the bald eagle. And they pitied the Indian for a reason, giving him things to improve his condition, appeasing the Indian when he talked. That is why the spirit gave things to him.
[6] And the girls, they were spoken to by the old ladies and told how the Indian lived before. When they were talked to by their parents, that is how the Indian knew what to do. I hope he will come to know this by the way I lived myself, when he thinks about it.
[7] And when the Indians went hunting long ago as well, when a young man first killed an animal, whatever kind of animal was first killed, he smoked to the spirit. He offered tobacco for killing this animal first. Again tobacco was offered to the spirit when he ate that which he killed. He talked to the spirit first.
[8] And this here rice, the Indian could not eat it when he finished making it. After they offer tobacco to the spirit, at that time they ate the rice. And now already when he knocks it, at that time too he speaks to the spirit, offering him tobacco when he will take this from the waterways so that the spirit gives permission for the Indian to have a traditional diet.
[9] And this here medicine the spirit gave us to use, when the Indian wants to pick it, he offers tobacco first. That is how the Indian used medicine long ago. Thus he could not use it, the spirit told him, tobacco was to be put down first when he wanted to pick medicine or already the spirit will change its condition on this earth. That is what he was told by the spirit.
[10] This too, this water where the fish live, for them too one thinks of them respectfully first of all. He offered the spirit tobacco first when he wanted to eat those fish.
[11] In this way the Indian was put [here] long ago. This [is] what I heard the old men that gave the lectures say. Now that is what I tell my fellow Indian when I help someone getting a name or something.
[12] And for starters, that is all I want to say. At a later time I will talk again. That is it.
That’s It
[1] Once there was a shitepoke* looking for frogs there in the swamp. As that shitepoke was eating, a great blue heron showed up, having a big appetite himself. He tried to chase off that shitepoke.
[2] The great blue heron is larger than the size of a shitepoke. But that shitepoke wasn’t scared. The shitepoke wasn’t going to leave. And he didn’t want to share that food. He was ready to fight.
[3] He attacked that great blue heron ferociously. They were really hitting each other, using their wings, shaking their wings, and biting one another. Their fight was heard from a long way off.
[4] Later on after a while that shitepoke defeated that great blue heron. That great blue heron was almost beaten to death. Then that shitepoke says like this, “That’s it. That’s it.”
* A small relative of the great blue heron, the shitepoke is also known as the swamp pump or American bittern.