JIM CLARK (b. 1918), whose Anishinaabe name is Naawi-giizis (Center of the Sun), answered one of my most perplexing questions about the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. I often wondered how the communities there could be so successful in maintaining their language and culture. They’ve fared far better than most of their neighbors in this regard, despite the fact that they are located a little over one hundred miles from Minneapolis and have a small population surrounded by a sea of white resorts, hotels, and summer homes. In particular, they’ve managed to preserve Big Drum culture in the face of consistent efforts to remove them from their homeland, including the burning of their homes in 1901 and the withholding of allotments until 1926 for all who did not relocate to White Earth.
As I became more and more familiar with Big Drum culture, the answers to that question became manifest. The power of the Drums themselves did much to protect the people of Neyaashiing and its cousins to the east in Sandy Lake and Lake Lena. The unbending faith of the Drum Keepers did much to protect the Drums and everything associated with them as well. It was the strength of traditional Ojibwe religion and the tenacity of traditional Ojibwe people that enabled the communities of Mille Lacs to retain so much in spite of the enormous pressures to relinquish all they had.
As I got to know some of the elders from Mille Lacs and heard them tell the history of their physical and cultural survival, I came to appreciate more and more the importance of strong leadership. And I realized that strong leadership is an acquired skill much more than a natural gift. The people of Mille Lacs have maintained regional Big Drum culture for all Ojibwe people through the strength of their teaching and the strength of their learning. Good students make good teachers, and the legacy of strong leadership at Mille Lacs is one that has been handed down for generations in the families of that community. The process of keeping cultural knowledge depends upon a large web of knowledgeable family and community members with an unshaken faith in the power of the Drum.
Jim Clark has certainly exemplified that development. His parents and grandparents taught by example rather than by command, and Jim grew up immersed in his language, culture, and religion. The success of his Anishinaabe education has proven to be remarkable indeed. His advice and prayers are frequently sought at the Big Drum ceremonials in Mille Lacs and with every other sort of spiritual endeavor that the Ojibwe maintain today.
Most of Jim’s childhood was spent at Nenaandago-ziibiing, a small village on the Tamarack River near the present day Mille Lacs Reservation community of Lake Lena. He moved several times in his life, serving as a medic in the United States Army during World War II and then taking various jobs in Minneapolis and elsewhere to support his growing family. He currently resides in the Mille Lacs community of Neyaashiing (Onamia, Minnesota).
Jim Clark recorded many of the stories in this book himself. Others were recorded by Louise Erdrich. At her request and with Jim’s permission, I worked on the transcriptions and translations. The material here is very rich. Some of the stories about Jim’s childhood include numerous Ojibwe place names that only a small handful of Anishinaabe people still know. The inclusion of nursery rhymes and jokes also demonstrates the importance of Ojibwe in all types of communication and reinforces Jim’s hope that the language and the culture it contains will survive.
Dibaakonigewinini Miinawaa Anishinaabe
[1] Namanj igo ingoding ingii-tazhi-nitaawiz, mii iwidi akeyaa biinish igo gii-kichi-miigaading, World War II gii-izhinikaadeg. Mii apii ganabaj gaa-maajaayaan. Name-ayi’ii gii-izhaayaan dibishkoo go ingii-paa-nanda-bami’idiz. Mewinzha-sh igo iwidi jibwaa-nisidotamowaad aapiji ingiw anishinaabeg i’iw chimookomaanimowin. Gii-ayaawag iwidi. Gaawiin igo gegoo ogii-kwayakotanziinaawaa gegoo inindwaa.
[2] Miish i’iw apane, mii gaye i’iw apii, ganabaj gemaa gaye 1937, 1938, geget gii-minikweshkiwag aanind ingiw anishinaabeg, gii-kiiwashkwebiiwaad. Aaningodinong-sh gii-tebibinaawag miigaadiwaad gaa-izhi-gibaakwa’indwaa. Mii i’iw miigaazong miinawaa go awiiya babakite’waawaad. Miish a’aw bezhig inini gaa-izhi-maajiinind. Gii-nitaa-miigaazo geget a’aw gaa-izhi-maajiinind Wiigaziibiigiing. Mii iko iwidi gaa-izhiwinindwaa gii-kibaakwa’indwaa. Namanj iwidi gaa-izhiwinind, mii a’aw inini. Gaawiin go aapiji ogii-nisidotanziin. Baamaa go gaye zhaaganaashiimo. Miish iwidi azhigwa gii-izhiwinind imaa wii-tibaakwanind. Niibawid imaa agindaamagad dibaakonigewininiwan. Awegonen wenji-gibaakwa’ind ginwenzh gii-wiindamaagod. Odigoon iniw dibaakonigewininiwan. “You’re charged with assault and battery,”inaa giiwenh.
[3] Ani-ganawaabamaad iniw dibaakonigewininiwind, “Oonh wenh, gaawiin sa niin wiikaa zhiiwitaagan gemaa gaye waasamoo-makakoons igaye ingimoodisiin,” odinaan giiwenh. Mii i’iw gaa-initang. Mii gaa-izhi-noondamaan iwidi gaa-o-bizindaagwak ayi’ii, mii dibaakwa’ind.
Mawinzowin
[1] Anooj igo indinaajim, dadibaajimoyaan aaningodinong. A’aw-sh nookomisiban iniw indedeyiban omaamaayan, mii i’iw nookomis, mii a’aw apane gaa-wiiji-ayaawangid, besho endaad apane gii-ayaayaang. Aanishinange ingii-saagi’aanaan sa go. Gii-indanitaawaadizooke a’aw mindimooyenh.
[2] Miish ingoding iko awiiya gaa-kagwejimid aaniin gaa-izhichiged a’aw anishinaabe gegoo gii-atamaazod ge-miijid ishkwaa-ayaamagak, aaniish gaye iniw anooj editeg—asasaweminan, miinan igaye. Miish iniw gagwejimigooyaan iko aaniin gaa-izhitoowaad. Miish a’aw, dibaajimagwaa, anooj inaajimowin nimaamaanaaban, gemaa gaye gii-mawinzoyaang gaye niinawind dibi sa gaa-ondinamogwen iniw miinan. Ingoding igo aazhaa gaa-izhi-anoozhiyangid zhingaatesidooyaang omaa wagidigamig. Daa-bazakiteniwan endaawaad. Oshtiwagidigamig gii-iningaatesidooyaang iniw. Mii miinawaa gii-kanawaabamangidwaa ingiw gii-koshko’angidwaa bineshiinyag ji-miijisigwaa. Omaa apiish igo gii-paatewan iniw miinan, wawiiziigiminagoon. Mii gii-paateg. Ishkwaa-izhi-mamood, ganabaj mashkimodensing, apagiwayaanimashkimodensing ogii-atoonan. Mii gaye agoodeg apane.
[3] Baamaash ingoding ingiw, gemaa gaye gaa-piboonogwen, omaa apii gaa-izhi-mookinang iniw miinan gaa-paatenigin a’aw mindimooyenh. Nibiing gii-agwanjitood gemaa gaye gegoo omaa, gemaa gaye gegoo mashkikiwan. Mii sa omaa mayaajiiging gaa-tago-atoogwen, gii-agwanjitood iniw miinan. Gomaa apii gii-siigobiigin imaa gii-agwanjitood. Gomaa godandamaang indagonaa geget oshki-miinan iniw. Oshki-ayi’iin igo miinan gaa-izhinaagwak. Migwandagoon gaye wenda-minopogwadoon igo gaye.
[4] Mii gemaa gaye aanawi gikinoo’amawiyangid gegoo. Aanishinange ingii-kagiibaadizimin. Mii gaa-onji-gikendanziwaang gaye niinawind awegonen imaa gaa-atood, gegoo aano-gikinoo’amawiyangid a’aw mindimooyenh, mindimooyenyiban.
Ayaabadak Ishkode
[1] Mii go geyaabi wiin nenda-dibaadodamaan gegoo noongom ezhi-aagonwetang awiiya. Gaa-izhi-bimaadizid a’aw anishinaabe mewinzha, imaa gaye anooj aapiji gichi-mewinzha ogii-kikendaanaawaa gegoo waa-aabajitoowaad. Miish aya’aag, gichi-aya’aag, ingii-mawidisaanaanig indedeyiban iwidi endaawaad. Gii-tagwaagin igo omaa. Niinawind ingii-taamin Gaakaabikaang.Wiinawaash iwidi ishkonigan Misi-zaaga’iganiing gii-ayaawag indedeyiban iwidi gaa-taawaad. Miish o-mawidisangidwaa ingoding endazhindamowaad gegoo. Mii o’ow niwiiji’aawaagan gegoo ani-gagwedwed.
[2] Miish i’iw gii-tibaajimod indedeyiban i’iw. Mii go omaa wiigwaasing gaa-tazhi-onzamowaad iko gaye gegoo gii-chiibaakwaadamowaad, inaajimo. Maagizhaa gaawiin gaye aapiji, gaye aapiji indebwetanziimin. Inashke sa wiin, inashke jaagide wiigwaas ingoji ishkodeng. Miish iwidi, nimoonenimaazawaanaan onow. Akiwenzii, indedeyiban gii-ani-zaaga’amogwen. Namanj igo madwe-ganoozhiyangid iwidi.
[3] Agwajiing imaa gii-poodawegwen. Miish agwajiing iko gii-poodawewaad, mii igo anishinaabeg. Mii i’iw gii-poodawegwen imaa agaasishkodeyaa ishkode. Owii-takonaan i’iw makakoons. Biskitenaanganing igo izhinaagwad i’iw wiigwaasimakakoons. Mii i’iw nibi atenig. Gegaa go imaa gaye ingodoninj eko-biigwen i’iw makakoons. Gaawiin igo gii-michaasinoon. Gemaa gaye niiyoninj, niiyoninjiiskaayaa. Inigokwadeyaagwen. Ingodwaasoninj gii-akwaa. Miinawaa gemaa gaye nishwaasoninj gaa-apiitadogwen, apiitoonigod. Miish igo nibi atemagak. Miish imaa ishkode. Gaawiin gaye gichi-zakwanesinoon. Gaawiin gaye gichi-michaamagasinoon ishkode. Mii imaa ayagwanang i’iw wiigwaasimakakoons nibi atenig. Ingoding gegoo imaa ji-ganawaabandamaang, geget imaa gii-tazhi-ondemagad i’iw nibi.
[4] Miish waabanda’iyangid i’iw wiigwaasing iko gegoo gii-tazhi-giizizamowaad mewinzha ingiw anishinaabeg. Gaawiin gii-chaagidesinoon i’iw wiigwaas megwaa nibi ateg biinjayi’ii. Gaye, mii gaye wiinawaa gii-kikinoo’amawiyangid gegoo gaa-ani-izhichigewaad ingiw anishinaabeg gaa-ani-izhi-bimaadiziwaad.
Inday
[1] Gaawiin niin ingezikwenimaasiin a’aw nimishoomisinaaban, iniw indedeyiban gaa-oosijin. Mii eta go a’aw nimaamaanaaban ginwenzh gii-pimaadizi. Mii iniw indedeyiban omaamaayan. Miish a’aw benaadiziwobanen a’aw nimishoomisinaaban, a’aw indedeyiban odedeyan. Nibogobanen a’aw akiwenzii. Inashke gaawiin ingezikwenimaasiin gemaa gaye gaa-niizhobiboonagiziwaanen benaadizid. Ginwenzh idash gii-pizhishigozi a’aw nimaamaanaaban, nookomisiban. Mii go i’iw apane gaa-izhinikaanangid “maamaanaan.” Miinawaa, mii ezhinikaanangidwaa niinawind ingiw ganoonangidwaa ingiw nookomisinaanig. Mii azhigwa ginwenzh gii-pizhishigozid.
[2] Mii ingoding gaa-izhi-mikawaad, mii iniw ge-bami’igojin akiwenziiyan. Ayi’iin, ganabaj imaa akeyaa agamiing gii-onjibaa a’aw akiwenzii. Gii-panaadiziwan gaye wiin iniw gaa-wiiwijin. Agaawaa go ingezikwenimaa a’aw. Gii-izhaayaang imaa gii-ani-inind a’aw mindimooyenh, mii iniw a’aw dibaajimag akiwenzii. Gaye, mii gaye wiin gii-pizhishigozid. Ingoding-sh iidog azhigwa gii-wiijiiwaad iniw nookomisinaaban, mii iniw akiwenziiyan. Miish iw ingoding iizon gaa-izhi-wiidigendiwaad, gaa-izhi-wiijiwaawendiwaad.
[3] Geget iidog o’ow gegoo ogii-ayaan a’aw akiwenzii. Ingezikwenimaa wiin igo. Gii-wenda-onizhishiwan iniw gaa-odayijin bebezhigooganzhiin. Miinawaa gichi-gwanaajiwaninig gaye iniw odapikanan iniw. Wenda-gwanaajiwag ingiw bebezhigooganzhiig. Miinawaash igo gegoo gaye ingii-shawenimigonaan sa go a’aw akiwenzii i’iw. Mii i’iw nookomisiban azhigwa waa-kichi-aya’aawiwaad. Mii eta go gii-wiidookawaad gaye gii-pami’iyangidwaa gaye wiin. Mii go imaa gaye wiin gaa-tanizid a’aw akiwenzii. Ingoding-sh igo, mii azhigwa gaa-wiidigemaad nimaamaanaaban, nookomisiban gaa-wiidigemaad onow akiwenziiyan. Mii gomaa gaye ininiwan besho gaa-taayaang. Anooj igo gomaa apii ingoding ingii-taamin miinawaa da-dagoshinowaad mawidisidiwaad igaye.
[4] Ingoding igo ogii-pizagaabiiginaan bebezhigooganzhiin. Agaashiinyi a’aw bebezhigooganzhiins. Wiikaa wawaabijiizi. Gagidagishin igo waawiyeyaag imaa gagidagishing. Miish i’iw apii ininamawid niin i’iw biiminakwaan bezagaabiiginaad iniw bebezhigooganzhiin. Miish i’iw gaa-izhid, “Mii a’aw giday,” indig. Wayaa gichi-minwendamaan niin odayiyaan. Aanishinange indedeyiban nawaj gii-nanaa’itood i’iw bebezhigooganzhiiwigaan. Igaye imaa ogii-ayaawaan odayan indedeyiban. Mii imaa gaye niin gii-asag a’aw. A’aw-sh, mii gii-igooyaan, “Giinish o’ow giga-ashamaa gaye gidoominaa gaye,” indigoo. “Giin giga-ganawenimaa giday,” indigoo. Miish i’iw, “Aaniish waa-izhinikaanad,” indigoo. Miish i’iw ganawaabamag indagonaa, “Giwaabandaanaawaadog iko awiiya zhishigagowed. Mii sa go gaa-izhinawag i’iw inaanzod a’aw bebezhigooganzhii. Aaniish, mii sa iidog i’iw Zhishigagowaan inga-izhinikaanaa.” Miish i’iw gaa-izhinikaanag a’aw inday—Zhishigagowaan.
[5] Aan, aabiding ganabaj eta ingii-pimoomig. Gaawiin ingii-ayaanziimin gegoo i’iw bimoomigoo-apabiwinang. Mii go mitaawigan gaa-izhi-bimoomigooyaan azhigwa. Aaniish, ingii-agaashiny i’iw apii imaa gegaa gaa-naano-biboonagiziwaanen apii gii-odayiyaan. Mii i’iw inday Zhishigagowaan gaa-izhinikaanag. Gaawiish igo, inashke gaawiin nimaamaa odinendanziidog gaa-inikaagobanen a’aw inday. Gemaa go gaye azhigwa gii-taawag indedeyiban odayan gaye wiin gaa-tago-adaawaageyaang. Inashke gaawiin ingii-ayaasiimin endaayaang. Mii gaye ginwenzh opime-ayi’ii gii-paa-anokiidog indedeyiban gii-naganangidwaa ingiw bebezhigooganzhiig. Mii imaa gaye, gemaa gaye gaa-adaawaagegwen indedeyiban iniw odayan miinawaa go gaye niin a’aw inday. Gaawiin naganag aapiji ingezikwendanziin i’iw.
Gibaakwa’igan Dazhi-anishinaabeg
[1] Ingagwejimigoo dibaajimoyaan akina wenjibaayaan, ayi’ii sa iwidi Misi-zaaga’iganiing wiin gomaa indibaajimotaagooyaan dash o’ow ingii-tazhi-ondaadizinaadog omaa akeyaa Gibaakwa’iganing akeyaa Nesawegamaag ezhinikaadeg. Mii iidog imaa gii-wiindamawipan indedeyiban gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziyaan iidog. Mii azhigwa a’aw indedeyiban wiin iwidi akeyaa Azhoomog ezhinikaadeg, mii iwidi akeyaa gaa-tazhi-nitaawigid wiin. Gayesh i’iw imaa azhigwa mayaajii-wiiji-ayaawaad iniw nimaamaayibanen. Mii iwidi gaa-izhigoziyaan iidog iwidi, iwidi akeyaa Aazhoomog ezhinikaadeg. Gaawiin iwidi Aazhoomog ingii-ayaasiimin. Jejajiibaan igo gii-ayaawag ingiw, ingiw sa go niningwezhinaningodwewaanagiziwaad.
[2] Inashke a’aw nimishoomisinaaban a’aw. Ayi’iing iwidi jiigibiig i’iw Nenaandago-ziibi ezhinikaadeg, mii iwidi gii-ayaad wiin a’aw nimishoomisiban. Mii iwidi gii-ayaawaad iniw gaye wiin oniijaanisan igaye. Gaye, mii indedeyiban gaa-tedeyijin miinawaa go inzigosiban miinawaa go bezhig ninzhishenh. Nimishoome gii-ayaa iidog. Gaawiin ingezikwenimaasiig.
[3] Ayi’iing idash iwidi jiigi-ziibi, gaye niinawind igo ziibi, mii iwidi gaa-taayaang gibaakweg. Gii-kaanjweba’igeng iko ogii-kagiibaakwaanaawaan chimookomaanag ziibiwan, zaaga’iganiin gii-ozhitoowaad dash miinawaa mitigoon gii-misaaboonaawaad. Mii imaa gii-ayaamagak iidog gibaakwa’iganing, gibaakwa’igan. Miish i’iw wenji-izhinikaadeg Gibaakwa’iganing. Mii iwidi gaa-tazhi-nitaawigiyaan gaye niin azhigwa. Mii iwidi apane gaa-taayaang.
[4] Iwidi Gibaakwa’iganing ezhinikaadeg, ayi’iing wiin i’iw giigoonh-odena, iwidi gabeshiwag. Odenawens Jekaakwaag ezhinikaadeg gii-izhinikaade. Chimookomaanag wiinawaa Markville ogii-izhinikaadaanaawaa—Markville, Minnesota. Mii i’iw ganabaj nishwaaso-diba’igan i’iw apii gii-tagon i’iw odenawens. Miinawaash imaa akeyaa aazhawayi’ii adaawewigamigoons gomaa gaye ayaamagad. Chimookomaanag odizhinikaadaanaawaa Duxbury. Anishinaabeg dash wiin igo gezikwenimagwaa ongow mewinzha, Eko-biising gii-izhinikaade. Izhinikaade sa go noongom.
[5] Inashke, mii iwidi, imaa Gibaakwa’iganing gii-kibaakwa’igaade i’iw ziibi. Gii-saaga’iganikaadeg idash, mii iwidi Duxbury gaa-ako-biising i’iw gichi-zaaga’igan iidog imaa gibaakwa’igaadeg i’iw ziibi. Miish i’iw wenji-izhinikaadeg Eko-biising. Mii gaye niin iwidi akeyaa gaa-tazhi-nitaawigiyaan Jekaakwaag miinawaa go Aazhoomog, miinawaa iwidi Aazhoomog gwen iwidi besho odena i’iw agaamiing ezhinikaadeg Danbury. Mii imaa wiinawaa gaa-ondinamowaad omazina’iganiwaan ingiw Aazhoomog gaa-ayaajig. Mii iwidi gaye niin akeyaa gii-tazhi-nitaawigiyaan i’iw. Ayi’iing, jiigayi’ii go iwidi Aazhoomog anooj igo imaa akeyaa noongom geyaabi ayaawag anishinaabeg imaa. Mii imaa gaa-tazhi-nitaawigiyaan gaye niin o’ow jiigi-gichi-ziibi go gaye: Gichi-ziibi, St. Croix River.
[6] Ginwenzh o’ow mayaajii-zhaaganaashiimoyaan; mayaajii-zhaaganaashiimowaad sa go ongow anishinaabeg iwidi miinawaa gii-ishkwaa-anishinaabewinikaadeg iwidi Gibaakwa’iganing. Aanishinange chimookomaanag gaa-izhinikaadamowaad the dam. Mii i’iw Gibaakwa’igan. Mii iwidi gaa-taayaang. Gayesh o’ow noongom anooj inaajimotawiwaad wii-ani-gikinoo’amawagig ingiw ojibwemowaad anooj awiiya. Mii gagwejimiwaad, “Aaniish iwidi gaa-onjiikogaayan iwidi daayamban ‘at the dam,’” izhiwaad. Miish i’iw wii-wiindamawagwaa. Ingii-izhi-gadedaamin apane gii-izhinikaanigooyaang i’iw “the damn Indians.” Mii gaye niinawind i’iw gaa-onjiikogaayaang.
Baa Baa Makade-maanishtaanish
[1] Baa Baa makade-maanishtaanish
Awiiya na maanishtaanishibiiwiin gidayaawaa?
Eya’. Eya’. Niso-mashkimod.
Ingod o’ow mashkimod a’aw indoogimaam.
Ingo-mashkimod wiin indoogimaakwem.
Miinawaa ingo-mashkimod a’aw gwiiwizens
Iwidi miikanensing gii-ani-danademod.
Gaazhagens Miinawaa Naazhaabii’igan
[1] Inashke gosha, inashke gosha dazhi-naazhaabii’ige a’aw gaazhagens.
Miinawaa gaa-izhi-gichi-gwaashkwanid a’aw bizhiki imaa dibiki-giizisong.
Imaa endanaapid a’aw animoons waabandang menwendaagwadinig.
Miinawaa a’aw onaagan miinawaa emikwaanens ginjiba’iwewag.
Jiigibiig Nenaandago-ziibiing
[1] Mi i’iw bezhig gaa-izhiwebiziyaang iko gii-abinoojiinyiwiyaang. Ayi’iing, mii iwedi Gibaakwa’iganing izhinikaadeg iwidi gii-taayaang jiigibiig, jiigi-ziibi i’iw Nenaandago-ziibi ezhinikaadeg. Mii eta go gaye niin gaa-izhi-gikendamaan ezhinikaadeg mewinzha. Noongom wiin chimookomaan Tamarack River odizhinikaadaanaawaa. Mii iwidi gaa-taayaang. Mii megwaa go gii-pimaadizishid a’aw nimaamaayiban gii-ayaayaang iwidi. Gaye gomaa apii go gii-ayaamagad i’iw ziibi imaa gaa-onda’ibiiyaang gaa-ondinamaang sa go nibi.
[2] Ayaabita go gaye imaa, mii imaa gii-poodawed; indedeyiban gii-poodawanaad giziibiiga’igenid nimaamaayibanen ji-gizhaagamezang nibi. Mii agood a’aw jiibaakwaanaad gegoo imaa. Ogii-ozhitoonaawaa. Miish i’iw, iniw okaadakikoon imaa gaa-agoonaawaajin imaa gaa-tazhi-gizhaabikizang nimaamaayiban i’iw dazhi-gizhaagamezang i’iw nibi imaa aabajitood wii-kiziibiiga’iged. Gaa-izhi-abinoojiinyiwiyaang gii-anoozhiyangid nimaamaayiban i’iw ji-mooshkinebinangid a’aw akik, okaadakik wii-kizhaagamezang nibi. Mii booch epiichi-boodawanaad iniw akikoon.
[3] Mii gaa-onji-batwaadamaang i’iw nibi. Anooj igo wii-tazhi-daayaang igo imaa, inashke ayi’ii gaawiin igo gii-timiisinoon i’iw ziibi imaa noongom ayaamagak gaa-onda’ibiiyaang. Mii gaa-onji-batwaadamaang i’iw nibi. Mii ingiw igaye, bezhig nishiimeyiban a’aw gii-agaashiinyi gaye wiin. Agaawaa go gii-pimose gaye wiin onaagaans gii-takonang gii-naadid nibi. Nawaj omaa aanish indinawemaaganag akikoonsan gegoo gagwe-aawadiiyaang awenen nawaj. Mii gii-aawadood nibi. Gaye miish gii-shiigonamowaad i’iw gii-shiigonang nimaamaa i’iw bengo-bakwezhigan, gigine-bakwezhigan gii-pi-abid mashkimodaang, mii i’iw. Inashke, gaawiin igo aapiji gii-kichi-onjigaasinoon iniw. Gegaa go gii-paabaabasaabiigadoon iniw mashkimodan, apagiwayaaneshkimodan.
[4] Mii gaye niin i’iw gaa-aabajitooyaan mikwendamaan ani-maajii-batwaadamaan i’iw mashkimodaash. Mooshkinebadooyaan, gaawiin igo minik i’iw gii-ako-gashkinamaan gii-piidooyaan gaye niin i’iw ziigwebinamaan imaa akikong i’iw. Gaye, mii gaye niin i’iw mikwendamaan gaa-aabajitooyaan gii-onzibiiyaang gaa-aawadooyaang i’iw nibi.
[5] Booch igo ingoding igo ingii-mooshkinebanaanaan a’aw akik. Gaye ingii-aawadoon. Ingii-tazhitaamin igo dazhitaayaang dazhiikamaang i’iw nibi. Ganabaj onzaam imaa akeyaa iko i’iw awiiya ge-biziigwebakiteshing i’iw nibi, aya’aa ogii-mooshkinebanaan aawanaad dash iko nimaamaayiban i’iw booch igo gii-mooshkinebanangid a’aw akik. Inashke wiin, mii go o’ow apii, ingii-odaminomin igo, dibishkoo i’iw apii noongom wiin anoonigooyaan iko gichi-anokiiwin, gichi-anokiiwinagak i’iw aawadoong, nibinaading sa go gegoo wii-mooshkinebanind a’aw akik.
[6] Mii imaa aabiding mamikwendamaan i’iw iwidi Gibaakwa’iganing gii-taayaang jiigibiig i’iw Nenaandago-ziibi ezhinikaadeg. Mii i’iw minik imaa ezhi-ani-mikwendamaan ji-inaajimong i’iw. Noongom wiin ganabaj gaawiin awiiya geyaabi ogikendanziin ezhinikaadenig i’iw ziibi, anishinaabewinikaadenig. Niin iko indaa-ani-gagwedwe iko iwidi izhaayaan. Gaawiin awiiya geyaabi ogikendanziin. Mii eta go ezhi-gikendamowaad Tamarack River. Mii wanising iniw anishinaabe-izhinikaazowinan. Wanisinoon anooj gaa-izhinikaadegin iniw gaye odenawan iwidi. Noongom wanisinoon gii-anishinaabewinikaadeg iko mewinzha.
Ikwabin
[1] Anooj igo gegoo ayi’ii nitaawadoon iniw ojibwemong, inashke a’aw iwidi wayeshkad gii-tibaajimoyaan—giboodiyegwaazon ezhinikaazod. Mii i’iw, mii i’iw anooj eni-ikidong. Inashke awiiya namadabid ingoji nandawenimind ingoji bakaan ji-o-namadabid, gegoo izhi-wiindamawind ingoji bakaan ji-o-namadabid, ji-namadabisig imaa geyaabi, gaye noongom awiiya ikidod i’iw, “indaga ikwabin.” Mii i’iw enind a’aw awiiya ingoji bakaan ji-o-namadabid, ikwabing.
[2] Gayesh wiin a’aw, mii ko mewinzha anishinaabeg gii-odikwamiwaad. Mii i’iw head lice, body lice. Mii iniw ikwan gaa-izhinikaanaawaajin. Gayesh awiiya ikidong i’iw “ikwabin,” ingod dibishkoo inind awiiya ji-inabid amanj enabigwen a’aw ikwa. It’s easier to explain that in English because it sounds, when you say “ikwabin,” it means “sit like a louse.” Mii i’iw anooj initaagwak iniw anishinaabe-ojibwemowinang.
Gidinwewininaan
[1] Ganabaj igo mii geget wanising o’ow ojibwemowin. Gegoo imaa iwidi bezhig gaa-ozhitooyaan naabisijigan. Noomaya gomaa ingii-kiizhiikaan gaa-tibaajimoyaan o’ow ezhi-wanitood a’aw anishinaabe gaa-ina’oonind ji-inwed da-ojibwemoyang. Geget wanitoowaad; inashke igo gaa-inaadodamaan iwidi wanitoowaad ezhinikaadenig anooj odenawan, ziibiwan, miikanan, anooj igo gegoo ingiw wanitoowaad. Gaawiin awiiya geyaabi ogikendanziin. Gaawiin ogikendanziinaawaa iniw zaaga’iganiin ezhinikaadeg, ojibwewinikaadeg. Mii noongom eta go zhaaganaashiiwinikaadamowaad ezhi-gikendamowaad noongom abinoojiinyag. Ganabaj awiiya gaganoonaad onow abinoojiinyan, maagizhaa odaa-wiikwajitoonaawaa.
[2] Inashke go noongom onow niizhing akeyaa enwejig, wejibwemojig miinawaa go zhaaganaashiimowaad ingoji nagishkodaadiwaad. Niin wiin igo, ingoji nagishkawag, giishpin gikenimag ji-ojibwemod, mii go ojibwemotawag. Inashke, mii go imaa minik gayaagiigidoyaan ge-izhi-ojibwemotaadiyaang. Maagizhaa go miinawaa a’aw naasaab a’aw ingoji waabamag maajii-zhaaganaashiimotaadiyaang, mii go minik ge-mawadisidiyaang ge-zhaagaanaashiimoyaangiban. A’aw nitam gaagidod maajii-ojibwemod, mii go gaye ge-izhi-ojibwemongiban ji-wii-kashkitood. Gaye wiin aapiji ojibwemosig a’aw ge-ganoonind, mii i’iw. Gaawiin aabadasinoon. Wenipanad. Owenipanendaanaawaa noongom abinoojiinyag o’ow zhaaganaashiimowaad.
[3] Inashke go iwidi gaa-ako-gichi-miigaadiing gaye niin gaa-izhaayaan o-dagoshinaan; azhegiiweyaan eshkwaa-miigaadiing i’iw gii-noondawagwaa ingiw abinoojiinyag gaawiin aapiji ojibwemosiiwag. Miish iniw igo niijaya’aag, ingiw indedeyiban oniijaanisan. Ingii-wani’aanaan niinawind nimaamaa. Gayesh wiinawaa, gii-wiidiged a’aw indedeyiban, mii abinoojiinyan wiinawaa gii-ayaawaad. Mii ingiw gaa-izhi-wiikwaji’angidwaa ji-ojibwemowaad. Gayesh igo noongom mii go akina izhi-ojibwemowaad ongow, ongow nishiimeyag, mii ingiw. Niinawind ingii-ojibwemotawaanaanig. Gaye wiin a’aw bezhig gaa-omisenyiyaan waadiged gaye wiin, iniw oniijaanisan bebakaan gii-ayaawag. Gaawiin awiiya ogii-ojibwemotaagosiiwaan. Inashke noongom agaawaa ojibwemowag ingiw, mii ingiw nishimisag miinawaa niningwanisag. Gaawiin ojibwemosiiwag. Ogikendaanaawaa. Nisidotamoog igo. Aanawi gaawiin dash ogii-aabajitoonsiinaawaa. Namanj gemaa gaye agadendamowaagwen ingoji gegoo ji-wanigiizhwewaad. Gegoo ogotaanaawaa awiiya ji-baapi’igowaad.
[4] Aanawi wii-wiikwaji’agwaa gii-kikinoo’amawagwaa bemaadizijig ji-ojibwemowaad, mii i’iw apane gaa-inagwaa i’iw. “Giishpin awiiya wanigiizhwed, gego baapi’aakegon,” ingii-inaag. Ingii-inaag miinawaa, “Gii-kikinoo’amaagoziyeg awiiya bi-wiijiiwig apane gaye ge-waabameg. Mii imaa akeyaa ge-izhi-gaganoonidiyeg,” ingii-inaag idash.
[5] Gaye wiin noongom abezhig bezhigod, gaawiin owiikwajitoosiin wii-aabajitood i’iw, ji-ojibwemod. Ojibwemotawind igo awiiya, mii gomaa apii ge-izhi-nisidotang. Miinawaa go, mii gomaa apii ge-izhi-wiikwajitood ji-ojibwemod.
[6] Inashke iniw gaa-omaamaayikaayaan oozhishenyan ogii-ayaawaan. Gaye, gaawiin ingiw gii-pi-nitaawigiwaad ingiw ojibwemosiiwag. Miish a’aw nimaamaayikaan imaa, niiyawe’enh, a’aw nindedeyiban gaa-wiidigemaajin, ogii-pami’aan aanind iniw. Apane gii-pamoozhe, mii go apane. Gaawiin gii-nitaa-zhaaganaashiimosiin. Mii i’iw apane gii-ojibwemotawaad iniw abinoojiinyan. Inashke, mii i’iw gomaa apii ingoji ingiw abinoojiinyag gaa-izhi-zhaaganaashiimowaad. Noongom dash igo ojibwemowag gaganoonindwaa. Ojibwemotawindwaa ongow ji-ojibwemowaad. Zhaaganaashiimotawindwaa, zhaagaanaashiimowag. Mii go niizhing akeyaa izhi-inwewaad gaagiigidowaad. Daa-gaagiigidowag ongow abinoojiinyag. Niizhiwag ganabaj netaa-gaagiigidojig.
[7] Wiikwaji’ind igo gaganoonind a’aw awiiya, mii i’iw akeyaa ge-izhi-gashkitood ji-ojibwemod, nitam ji-nisidotang. Miish miinawaa ge-izhi-wiikwajitood giishpin awiiya ayaasinig ge-baapi’igod ingiw wanigiizhwed. Gaawiin onjida odoodanziin i’iw—wanigiizhwed gegoo gikinoo’amawind. Noongom niin awiiya noondawag gegoo wani-ikidod, mii gomaa apii ezhi-wiindamawag imaa gii-ikidod.
[8] Inashke noongom ingiw nishiimeyag, mii go gaye wiinawaa ezhi-nitaa-ojibwemowaad ingiw. Gaye wiinawaa gegoo ani-wawanendamowaad, geyaabi ingagwejimigoog. Miinawaa ingagwejimigoog mii onow akeyaa ekidong, ikidoyaan. Mii ezhi-wiindamawagwaa akeyaa wii-ikidowaad. Mii ganabaj akeyaa gii-izhi-gikendang a’aw bemaadizid ji-ojibwemod.
[9] Indayaa owidi ayaapii ishkoniganing gabe-niibin noongom endaayaan. Mii go omaa, ingii-ani-onji-maajaa. Gichi-odenaang ayaawag ingiw omaa anishinaabeg. Mii wiin omaa, owiikwajitoonaawaa. Owiikwajitoonaawaa nawaj niibowa omaa wii-ojibwemowaad. Iwidi wiin ishkoniganing eyaajig gaawiin aapiji owiikwajitoosiinaawaa. Mii eta go gii-shaaganaashiimowaad, wiinawaa iwidi bezhig wiikwajitoowaad. Namanj iidog gemaa gaye agadendamowaagwen anishinaabewiwaad. Mii akeyaa ge-izhi-wanitood a’aw anishinaabe odinwewin, agadendang i’iw anishinaabewid.
Mawadishiwewin
[1] Mewinzha ko gaa-izhichigewaad gii-mawadisidiwaad gichi-anishinaabeg gii-paa-nanibendaadiwaad. Mii go gaye awiiya wii-maajaad. Mii go mawadishiwed ingoji gemaa gaye waaboowayaan ogii-maajiidoon. Aanawi go ogikendaan ingoji ji-nibe’ind. Mii dash igo gaa-izhi-biidood i’iw konaas igaye ji-agwazhed. Gaawiish memwech inime’odisaajin memwech akina gegoo odaa-ondinamaagosiin o’ow wiin gaa-izhi-bimoondang gaye wii-agwazhed miinawaa go iniw apikweshimod igaye. Mii eta go gii-waabanda’ind aandi ji-nibaad miinawaa a’aw gegoo gii-miinind ji-apishimod. Mii imaa wiinawaa gii-mawidisidiwaad. Akina gegoo ogii-tazhindaanaawaa.
[2] Inashke giinawind noongom mawadisidiyaang, gegoo maagizhaa ingo-diba’igan, niizho-diba’igan mawadisang awiiya. Mii go i’iw. Gemaa go gaye gaa ingii-kaganoonaasiiwaanaan. Mii i’iw mazinaatesijiganimakak genawaabandamaang. Mewinzha ko wiinawaa gii-tadibaajimotaadiwag akina gegoo ezhiwebadinig. Gayesh wiin noongom gaawiin geyaabi gidizhichigesiimin. Inashke go owidi noongom gabe-niibin o’ow ayaayaan, mii imaa ayaad a’aw besho igo a’aw niitaa. Miish naa gayesh, iwidi go ingii-o-naanaa indawemaagan. Miish imaa nazhikewid jiigi-ayaawid niitaa. Giishpin ezhaayaan imaa endaad awi-mawidisag, mii eta go i’iw mazinaatesijiganimakak genawaabandamaang. Mii go, gaawiin gegoo indinaajimotaadisiimin. Gaye wiin igo bi-izhaad giishpin gegoo wii-inaajimotaadiyaang, mii i’iw giigidowin ayaabajitooyaang. Mii gaa-kanoozhid ganawaabanda’iiyaamagak gaganoonidiyaang giigidowining gegoo waa-inaajimotaadiyaang. Mii eta go apii mewidisidiyaang, i’iw giigidowin aabajitooyaang dibaajimotaadiyaang gegoo. Mii imaa akeyaa. Imbaapimin igo. Agwajiing igo niibing ayaayaang eniwek waa-kanoozhid, inaajimotaading.
Gaa-ina’oonind Anishinaabe
[1] Omaa odenaang ayaayaang, gichi-odenaang ayaayaang, ingoding igo omaa gii-pi-giigido bezhig a’aw inini. Ginwenzh igo omaa ayaadog gichi-odenaang. Mii go, mii wiin igo gii-wanitood i’iw odizhitwaawin. Miinawaa gaawiin ojibwemosiin. Gaawiin igaye onisidotanziin. Miish i’iw gaa-izhi-biindigadood iniw chimookomaanan omaa ji-anami’aad gaa-izhi-gikendang, gaa-izhi-gikendang ezhitwaanid iniw chimookomaanan.
[2] Mii go omaa gaye wiin akeyaa gii-wiijii’iwed. Miinawaash igo onow ogitiziiman bezhig owidi gii-ayaawan ishkoniganing geyaabi. Inashke, mii wiin awedi geyaabi gaa-anishinaabewitwaad. Gaye gii-midewi. Gaye wiinawaa onow dewe’iganan ogii-tazhiikawaawaan. Mii iwidi gii-ayaagwen a’aw ganabaj a’aw mindimooyenh, iniw omaamaayan. Gayesh wiin a’aw inini imaa gii-pi-ganoozhid gaye wiin ogii-kikendaan anishinaabewitwaawin.
[3] Miish imaa gii-pi-gagwejimid, “Gidaa-gashkitoomin ina? Gidaa-wiidookawimin ina ji-aabajitooyaang nayenzh igo keyaa onow izhitwaawinan ji-wiiji’indiimagak igo—a’aw anishinaabe odizhitwaawin miinawaa go a’aw chimookomaan odizhitwaawin—i’iw anami’aang miinawaa midewing? Gidaa-gashkitoomin ina ji-wiiji’indiimagak igo nayenzh iniw akeyaa da-izhi-aabadak?” Ingii-kanoonig imaa ji-bi-gaganoonag gaye niin i’iw aaniin akeyaa ge-izhichigewaad ji-gashkitoowaad ji-wiiji’indiimagadinig iniw izhitwaawinan—anami’ewin miinawaa midewiwin. “Aaniish,” ingagwejimigoog.
[4] Mii gaa-izhi-wiindamawagwaa. “Mii go izhi-booni’itoog,” ingii-inaag i’iw apii. “Gaawiin gigashkitoosiinaawaa.” Aanawi go, “Mii i’iw gegaa naasaab ezhi-gikenimang a’aw manidoo geganoonang. Bezhigoo a’aw omaa gaa-pagidininang,” mii ikidod a’aw anishinaabe. Chimookomaan igo gaye wiin, mii iniw genoonaajin ingoji gegoo ekidod: “Gaawiin dash daa-ginigawisinzinoon iniw izhitwaawinan.” Mii gaa-inagwaa, “Gaawiin gidaa-gashkitoosiinaawaa. Mii go izhi-booni’itoog i’iw wii-wiikwajitooyeg ji-wiiji’indiimagak miinawaa go ji-ginigawi’ind ezhitwaad a’aw bemaadizid. Gaawiin daa-gwayakosesinoon.”
[5] Bebakaan gii-inaawag ongow bemaadizijig. Odizhitwaawiniwaa o’ow gii-miinaawag ji-aabajitoowaad ingiw. Anishinaabe gii-miinind igaye onow dewe’iganan miinawaa i’iw midewiwin miinawaa asemaan ji-aabaji’aad. Mii wiin gaa-ina’oonind a’aw anishinaabe.
[6] A’aw dash chimookomaan akina gegoo wiin gekendang mazina’iganing ogii-ozhitoon. Mazina’iganing ogii-ozhibii’aan. Miish igo akina awiiya noongom gaawiin onisidotanziin. Gaawiin igo gegoo odaa-agindanziin i’iw. Gaawiish gegoo wiin imaa odaa-ondinanziin i’iw mazina’iganing ji-agindang. Noongom aano-gikendaasod; gaawiin odaa-gashkitoosiin ji-gikendang i’iw enamanji’od a’aw anishinaabe imaa isa wiin gaa-ina’oonind. Gaye gaawiin wiin ingoji oganawisinzininig ogii-ozhibii’anziin.
[7] Gegapii ina’oonind geget ayi’iing gii-ozhitood gii-kikinawaajitood akeyaa ge-ani-izhitwaad. Wiigwaasing wiin ogii-ozhibii’aan i’iw. Gaawiin wiin ikidowinan ogii-ozhibii’anziinan. Iniw amanjidoowinan ayaabaji’aajin gegoo izhichiged; mii iniw gaa-ozhibiiwaajin. Gemaa wiigwaasing gaawiin gegoo ikidowin imaa ogii-ozhibii’anziin. Mii eta go gii-ozhibii’ang aaniin akeyaa ge-ini-inikaad a’aw anishinaabe. Gaye, mii imaa wiin a’aw anishinaabe gikendang i’iw aaniin enaabadizid a’aw awesiinh gaye. Mii ezhi-manidoowid. Aanish akina gegoo wiin ogii-manidookaadaan a’aw manidoo azhigwaa wezhi’aagobanen anishinaaben. A’aw wiin wayaabishkiiwed binaanoondang mazina’igan i’iw ayaabajitood wenji-gikendang noongom i’iw ba-izhitwaad. Gayesh igaye ayaapii odani-aanjibii’aan i’iw mazina’igan.
[8] Mii gaa-inagwaaban imaa gii-pi-gagwejimiwaad ji-ginigawisidooyaang i’iw ayi’ii izhitwaawin gaa-ina’oonind a’aw anishinaabe miinawaa a’aw chimookomaan. Inashke bebakaan wiinawaa gaye gii-ina’oonaawag agaami-gichi-gamiing eyaajig. Gaye ingiw zhodaawininiwag gaye wiinawaa bakaan izhitwaawag. Miinawaa ongow aniibiishikewininiwag gaye wiinawaa bakaan izhitwaawag. Aaniish imaa waa-izhi-wiikwajitood o’ow chimookomaan wii-makamaad iniw anishinaaben i’iw odizhitwaawininig gaa-ina’oonimind. Mii gaa-wii-inaajimotawagwaa iwidi. Miish igo ishkwaaj i’iw apii gii-pi-gagwejimiwaad. Gaawiin miinawaa niikaanag ingii-nandomigosiig ji-o-ganoonagwaa azhigwa akina gegoo gaa-wiindamawagwaa aaniin ezhi-gikendamaan.
The Judge and the Indian
[1] I was raised over there until the time of the big war, World War II as it was called. That was probably the time when I left. When I went away from there, it was like I was going around in search of ways to support myself. This was a long time before those Indians had a good understanding of that American language. They were over there. They didn’t hear things right when something was said to them.
[2] It was always the case at that point in time, maybe around 1937, 1938, that some Indians were truly chronic drinkers, getting drunk. And once in a while they got caught fighting one another and were thus imprisoned. And that’s how fighting was when they boxed someone. Then that one man was taken away. He was really a good fighter, the one taken away to Grantsburg. They were usually brought there when they were locked up. He must have been brought over there, that man. He did not understand very well. Later he would speak English. Now he was brought there when he would be indicted. As he stood there it was read by the judge. He was told at length what the reason for his imprisonment was. He was informed by the judge, “You’re charged with assault and battery,” he said, so the story goes.
[3] As he looked at that judge, “Oh baloney, I never stole any salt or battery,” he told him, so the story goes. That’s how he understood [the charge]. That’s how I heard it over there, listening about how he was indicted.
Berry Picking
[1] I speak about all sorts of things, telling stories from time to time. That grandmother of mine, my father’s mother, that was my grandma, the one we always accompanied as we were always at her house. We really loved her. That old lady told stories there.
[2] Then one time someone asked me about how the Indian people did things, how he stored away things he wanted to eat after [harvest], such as the variety of things that ripen—chokecherries and blueberries. These are the things I was asked about, how they customarily prepared things. Then I spoke about them, different stories of my grandmother, maybe about when we went berry picking ourselves and the different places she got blueberries. One time she had already told us to spread them out in the sun on the top of the house here. Their houses were built low to the ground so we spread them out on top of the roof. And whenever we saw those little birds, we startled them away so they wouldn’t eat them. The blueberries were dried here at that time, wrinkled [like raisins]. They were dried. After they were retrieved she put them in a small bag, maybe a little cloth bag. And it was always hung up.
[3] And sometime later, perhaps when it might be winter, at this time here that old lady brought out those dried blueberries. She submersed them in water here, kind of like some medicines. So they started to rehydrate as she added them in here, soaking those blueberries. Liquid was poured in for some time there when she soaked them. When we tasted them they were just like fresh new blueberries. They looked like [fresh-picked] blueberries. And it was like they were still growing and they tasted just good.
[4] So in any event, that’s how she taught us things. We really were foolish. That’s why we don’t know what all the different things were that she put in there, as that old lady taught us to no avail.
The Use of Fire
[1] Today I still search for ways to tell about these things which people find unbelievable. This is how the Indian lived long ago, because a very long time ago they had knowledge of the many things that they wanted to use. My father and I visited some of them, the elders over there at their houses. It was fall here. We lived in Minneapolis. But they were over there at the Mille Lacs reservation, over there where my father and the [others] lived. Then as we went over [there] visiting one time, they were talking about something. This is what my partner came to ask about.
[2] Then my father told a story about it. They used to boil [water] in birch bark here and cook things with it, he says. Maybe we didn’t really believe it, not entirely. You see birch bark just burns up anywhere in a fire. We were unable to sense what he was doing. The old man, my father must have gone outside. He was heard talking to us out there.
[3] Outside there he must have built a fire. The Indians customarily built fires outside then. The fire was a small fire where he must have kindled it there. He grasped that basket. It looked like a birch bark sap-collecting bucket inside. Water had been put in there. There must have been about an inch of liquid in that basket. It wasn’t big. It was four inches across, approximately four inches. It was that wide. It was six inches long. And it must have been about eight inches in height, made to that size. Then there was water inside. It was there on the fire. And it did not burst into flames. The fire wasn’t especially large. But that birch bark basket was resting level there with water inside. We looked inside there then, and that water in there was really boiling.
[4] That’s when he showed us how birch bark was customarily used by those Indians long ago when they cooked things. That birch bark did not burn while water was put inside. And that’s how they taught us something about what those Indian people did and the way they lived their lives.
My Horse
[1] I don’t vividly remember my grandfather, my dad’s father. It was only my grandmother that lived a long time. That was my father’s mother. My grandfather passed away then, my dad’s dad. The old man has since died. You see I don’t have a clear memory of him, as I must have been about two years old when he passed away. And my grandmother had been single for a long time, my grandma. That’s what we always called her—“maamaanaan.” And that is what we call our grandmothers when we talk to them. She had now been widowed for quite some time.
[2] So one time she found someone [new], that old man who would take care of her. That old man was probably from over by the shore. And she was spoiled when he made her his wife. I do have somewhat hazy memories of him. We went there when that old lady was proposed to, that was by that old man I’ve been speaking about. He was single himself. And one time now my grandmother went with him, that old man. And they married one another, and thus became partners.
[3] That old man really had [many] possessions. I remember him. He had ponies and those horses were just beautiful. And his [horse] tackle was magnificent. Those ponies were just beautiful. And that old man loved us too. He and my grandmother were elders now. He just helped her, too, and they took care of us. That old man stayed there himself. And one time, now my grandmother married him, my grandmother married this old man. And so we lived pretty close together. We lived for some time like this and one time they arrived and visited one another.
[4] One time he was leading a horse with a rope. That pony was small. He had a dapple-colored coat. He was speckled with round dots on his spotted coat there. Then at that time he handed me that rope myself as he led that horse around. Then he told me this, “That’s your pony,” he tells me. Boy was I ever elated to be a horse owner. My dad made more repairs to that horse stable. My dad kept horses there too. So I put mine in there too. And in regards to him, I was told, “You are going to feed him and furnish his oats too,” I’m told. “You are going to take care of your horse,” I’m told. And then this, “What do you want to call him,” I’m told. Then as I took a fresh look at him, “Do you all see how it [looks] like someone’s just puked?” This is what that horse looked like to me in his coloration. “Well, I am going to name him Puke.” That’s what I named that pony of mine—Puke.
[5] Oh, I probably only rode on him one time. We didn’t have anything for that saddle. So I just rode bareback then. Well, I was small at that time there, as I must have been almost five years old when [I] became a horse owner. That was my horse Puke as I called him. But no, you see, my mother didn’t think much of what that pony of mine was named. Maybe then my dad’s horses were there too when we sold them at that place. You see we weren’t at our house. My father would have to go off working for long periods of time so we left those horses behind. So my dad must have sold those horses there including my own pony. I don’t recall if I left him alone very much.
The Dam Indians
[1] I have been asked to speak about all the places I’m from, to discuss a little bit places such as Mille Lacs and where I was born here, towards The Dam, at Shakopee Lake as it is called. So my father told me it must have been there that I was born. Now my dad, on the other hand, was raised over there toward Lake Lena as it’s called. And it was there that he started going with my mother. I moved over there too [later on], over there towards Lake Lena as it’s called. But we weren’t right at Lake Lena there. They were at various different locations, each of those different family groups.
[2] You see that was my grandfather. Over there on the bank of the Tamarack River, on the other hand, that’s where my grandpa was. And that’s where his children were too. And that was my father’s father and my paternal aunt and one of my maternal uncles. My paternal uncle was there. I don’t remember them [all].
[3] And over there on the bank of the river, we lived over there at the blockage ourselves. The white people used to dam up the rivers where they managed the log shoots, and they made lakes where they floated the logs. That’s where the damming was, the dam. So that’s why it was called The Dam. Now then I was raised over there myself. We always lived over there.
[4] Over there at The Dam as it’s called, there was a fishing village, [and] they camped over there. That little village was named the so-called Markville. The white people called it Markville—Markville, Minnesota. That little village was located perhaps eight miles away. And on the other side of [the river] there somewhere there was a little store. The white people called that place Duxbury. But according to these Indians I remember from long ago, it was called Eko-biising [end of the water]. It is called so today.
[5] You see, over there at The Dam, that river is blocked up. And it was referred to as a lake, as over there at Duxbury that gigantic lake elongated there where that river was dammed up. That’s why it was called Long Lake. Thus I was raised over there towards Markville and Lake Lena and also over there by the village near Lake Lena on the other side of the river called Danbury. That’s where those Lake Lena villagers got their papers. So I was also raised over there. Near Lake Lena over there today there are still Indians all over there. So I was raised there myself and also along the Big River: the Big River, the St. Croix.
[6] It’s a long time since I started speaking English; [and] as these Indians started speaking English The Dam ceased to be called that in Indian. The whites certainly called it The Dam. That’s Gibaakwa’igan. That’s where we lived. And now when I want to teach some of them to speak Ojibwe they tell me things. They ask me, “How come you live way over there in the toolies over there where you live ‘at the dam,’” they say to me. Then I want to tell them about this. We jokingly thought about how we were always called “the damn Indians.” And that’s where we lived in the tules by ourselves.
Baa Baa Black Sheep
[1] Baa Baa black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full.
One bag is for the king.
One bag is for the queen.
And one bag is for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
The Cat and the Fiddle
[1] Hey diddle diddle, the cat played the fiddle,
And the cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such a sport.
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
On the Bank of the Tamarack River
[1] This one’s about how we used to do things when we were kids. We lived over there on the shore at The Dam as it’s called, near the river, the Tamarack River as it’s called. And I might be the only one who remembers what it was called long ago. Today the white man calls it the Tamarack River. That’s where we lived. We were over there while my mother was still alive. There was a river there then where we fetched water there, where we got water.
[2] About halfway [to the river] he built a fire there; my father built a fire for my mother where she washed clothes so that she could heat water. She hung it there when she cooked things. They built it. That was that tripod kettle they suspended there where my mother heated things, heated up that water she would use when she wanted to wash clothes. When we were kids my mother made us fill up that kettle, that [three-]legged kettle when she wanted to heat water. Then she really built up the fire around that kettle.
[3] So that’s why we raced after that water. Wherever we lived there, you see now it wasn’t deep at that river there where we fetched the water. So that’s why we made a game of running for that water. The others [did] too, and one of my younger siblings was quite small. And he could hardly walk as he grasped that bucket when he went after water. We tried to haul water for more of my relative’s kettles, whoever [needed help]. So he hauled water. Then they emptied it in, my mother emptied it from the flour and meal bags. You see, they didn’t leak very much. Those bags almost tightened up around the liquid, those sacks.
[4] So that’s what I remember using myself too when I started to fill that old bag. I filled it to no particular level, just what I was capable of managing to bring and pour into that kettle there myself. So that’s what I remember using when I got and hauled that water.
[5] One time we really filled that kettle. I was hauling too. We spent quite a bit of time as we were there working on [hauling] that water. Maybe all too often there one of us would wipe out, spilling that water, and then my mother used to fill it, hauling it herself, so we certainly filled up that kettle. You see, we played around at times, like when I used to get ordered about that hard work because hauling is hard labor, fetching water in order to fill that kettle.
[6] So that’s my recollection of when we lived at The Dam on the banks of the Nenaandago-ziibi (Tamarack River) as it was called. That’s the extent of what I can recall to be told of it. Today nobody knows what that river is called any more, how it’s called in Indian language. I should ask the next time I go over there. No one knows that any more. They only know Tamarack River. Those Indian names are getting lost. The names of many villages as they were called over there are getting lost. Today it is getting lost how things were called in Indian long ago.
Sit Elsewhere
[1] There are some good [puns] in the Ojibwe language, for example that first one I talked about over there—the [meaning] of the name “pants.” There are all kinds of sayings. You see if someone is sitting somewhere and someone wants him to sit somewhere else, he is thus told to go sit in a different place, not to sit there any more, and someone says this, “indaga ikwabin.” That’s what that person is told in order to go sit in a different place, sit elsewhere.
[2] And a long time ago Indians used to get lice. That’s those head lice, body lice. They were called ikwa. And so when someone says “ikwabin,” it’s just like someone is being told to sit however it is that [a] louse sits. It’s easier to explain that in English because it sounds, when you say “ikwabin,” it means, “sit like a louse.” That’s how that sounds in the Ojibwe Indian language.
Our Language
[1] Perhaps this Ojibwe language really is being lost. That’s what that one recording I made over there is about. Recently I finished telling about how the Indian is thus losing this thing he was gifted with, to have a language for us to speak—Ojibwe. They’re really losing it; you see this is what I was talking about over there, how they’re losing the names of many villages, rivers, roads, and they’re losing all sorts of things. Nobody knows this any more. They don’t know what those lakes are called, what they’re called in Ojibwe. Kids today only call things by their English names since that’s all they know. Perhaps if someone talked to these children, maybe they would endeavor to do that [speak in Ojibwe].
[2] You see it’s even like that today with bilingual people, when those who speak Ojibwe and English meet one another someplace. As for me, when I meet someone somewhere, if I know he speaks Ojibwe, I speak to him in Ojibwe. You see, when I speak that [language] we end up speaking to one another in Ojibwe. And quite similarly when I see someone somewhere and we start speaking English to one another, the entire time we visit one another we’ll speak English. When the first person to speak starts speaking Ojibwe, then he’ll succeed in having the [entire] conversation in Ojibwe. However, if he doesn’t respond much in Ojibwe when he’s spoken to, that’s it. It doesn’t get used. It’s simple. Today the children think it is easier for them to speak English.
[3] You see I went over there, arriving over there for World War II; when I came back after the war was over, when I heard those children, they weren’t speaking Ojibwe very much. That [included] my companions, my father’s children. We had lost my mother. And those ones, my father had those kids through his [second] marriage. We tried to enable them to speak Ojibwe. And today they all speak Ojibwe, my younger siblings. We spoke Ojibwe to them ourselves. And one who was an older sister to me had gotten married too, so there were different kids. Nobody spoke Ojibwe to them. You see today they hardly speak any Ojibwe, that’s my nieces and nephews. They don’t speak Ojibwe. They know it. They understand. But in spite of this they don’t use it. Perhaps they might feel shy to make some mistake somewhere. They are afraid someone will laugh at them.
[4] Anyhow I want to try to enable the people I taught to speak Ojibwe, which is why I always tell them that. “If someone makes a mistake speaking, don’t laugh at him,” I told them. I also told them, “When you’re being taught, always accompany someone who can oversee you. In that way you will always be conversing,” I told them.
[5] Also today when one person is by himself, he won’t endeavor to want to use it, to speak Ojibwe. When someone is spoken to in Ojibwe, that’s when he will come to an understanding of it. Then at that time he will also make the effort to speak Ojibwe.
[6] You see my stepmother had grandchildren. And as they were raised they didn’t speak Ojibwe. Then my stepmother there who had married my father, my namesake, they took care of them. She was always babysitting, always. She didn’t speak English too well. So she was always speaking Ojibwe to those kids. You see, some time later those kids would thus speak English somewhere. And today they speak Ojibwe when they are spoken to. Talk to people in Ojibwe so that they will speak Ojibwe. When people are spoken to in English, they speak English. That’s how it is when bilingual people speak. These kids should speak. There are probably [only] a couple good speakers.
[7] When someone is enabled to be spoken to, that’s the way he will be able to speak Ojibwe, to understand first. And then he makes an effort when there is nobody there to laugh at him if he makes a mistake. He won’t do that intentionally—make a mistake while speaking something he’s been taught. Today when I hear someone misspeak, sometime later I just tell him what he said there.
[8] You see now my younger siblings, they also speak good Ojibwe. But when they forget something, they still ask me. They ask me about how things are said, how I say them. So I tell them about what they want to say. That’s probably the way that a person learns how to speak Ojibwe.
[9] I have been over here on the reservation all springtime, where I now live. So this is why I left here [long ago]. There are a lot of Indians [from] here in the Twin Cities. But unlike here, they are making a concerted effort. More of the [people from] here are making that endeavor [there] as they want to speak Ojibwe. In contrast, the people on the reservation don’t seem to be making much of an effort. They only speak English, whereas the ones over there are trying. Maybe they’re ashamed of being Indian. So that’s how the Indian is losing his language, by becoming ashamed of being Indian.
Visiting
[1] This is about what our ancestors used to do a long time ago when they visited one another and stayed at one another’s homes. Say someone wanted to leave. So he goes visiting somewhere and he brings a blanket along. Anyway he knows he’ll be offered a place to sleep somewhere. And so he thus brought that blanket to cover up with. It wasn’t necessary for those hosting him to furnish him with everything, as he would carry with him what he wanted to cover up with and use for a pillow, too. He was just shown where he would sleep and given something to lie down on. So they visited one another there. They talked about everything.
[2] When we visit one another today, it’s maybe one hour or two that we visit someone. That’s it. And maybe we don’t even talk to him. We just watch that television set. Long ago they used to talk to one another about everything that was going on. But today, however, we no longer do that. You see I’ve been staying over here all spring now, near where my brother-in-law is there. Then I’d go over there and get my relation [of sorts]. So my brother-in-law is there by himself next door. If I go to his house to visit him, we only watch that television set. So we don’t really talk to one another. And instead of coming over, if we want to talk to one another, we use that telephone. It was he who informed me of this, revealing how we converse on the telephone when we want to talk to each other about something. So that’s the only time we visit one another, when we use that telephone to discuss things. That’s how it is there. We laugh about it. We go outside a little more in the summer when he wants to talk to me, making conversation.
How Indian People Were Gifted
[1] When we were in the city here, when we were in Minneapolis, one time a certain man came to speak here. He must have been here in the Twin Cities a long time. So, in any event he had lost his religion. And he didn’t speak Ojibwe. He didn’t understand either. Then he had brought [Indian ways] into the white man’s church here [or] what he knew of it, as he thus came to know how the white man worshipped.
[2] And so in this way he always accompanied those [people]. And one of his parents was over here on the reservation yet. You see she still followed the Indian religion. And she had been initiated into the medicine dance. And they had been involved with these [ceremonial] Drums. That old lady must have been over there, that’s his mother. And that man came to talk to me there even though she also knew about the Indian religion.
[3] Then he asked me there, “Could we do it? Could you help us to use both religions to work them together—the Indian’s religion and the white man’s religion—church and medicine dance? Would we be able to blend them both together so that they could be used that way?” He beseeched me there to talk to him myself about what they might do to be able to weave together those religions—church and medicine dance. “Well,” they asked me.
[4] So I told them this. “Leave it alone,” I told them at that time. “You will not be able to do it.” In spite of that, “It’s almost the same thing how we know and talk to the spirit. There is only one [faith] here that we were offered,” that Indian guy said. The white man he spoke to somewhere said the same thing, though: “But you can not mix those religions.” I told them, “You won’t be able to do it. Just abandon your endeavor to work them together and mix up the people’s religious beliefs. That can’t be right.”
[5] Each [group of] people was told something different. They were [each] given religions for their use. The Indian people were given these Drums and the medicine dance and tobacco to use. That is how the Indian people were gifted.
[6] And on the other hand, that white man created his knowledge of everything from a book. He wrote it down in a book. But today all people don’t understand it. The [Indian] shouldn’t read things in that. And he shouldn’t derive things from that book for his study. Now that would be education to no avail; one would not be able to learn about the status of the Indian there in how he was gifted himself. And he couldn’t write down somewhere things that were not to be written.
[7] Eventually as he was so gifted the [Indian] made a certain way of marking things about his religion. However, he wrote that on birch bark. He didn’t write down words. Symbols were used about what he did; those were the inscriptions. He did not write words on the birch bark there. So he only wrote about how the Indian’s life would turn out. Also [put] there was the Indian’s knowledge of how the animal was to be used. So it was spiritual. Well, everything relating to how the spirit made Indian people was considered spiritual. The white man, however, uses the passages in that book to get his knowledge of how he believes today. And also from time to time he writes changes to that book.
[8] So that’s what I told them there when they asked me about integrating the religion gifted to the Indian and that of the white man. You see each people was gifted differently including those who are on the other side of the ocean. And those Jewish people have different religious beliefs themselves. And these Asian people have different religious beliefs too. Well, the white man wanted to try to take the Indian’s [god-]given religion away from him. That’s what I wanted to tell them over there. That was after that time they came to ask me about that. My brethren didn’t call upon me again to go over and talk to them as I had now told them everything about why I know that.