EMMA FISHER (1911–1996), whose Indian name was Manidoo-binesiikwe (Spirit Bird Woman), exemplified the experience of her generation in many ways. She was born in a wiigiwaam near the Leech Lake Reservation community of Boy River and given the name Emma Bugg. (Fisher was her married name.) Her mother died shortly after childbirth and Emma was raised by her grandparents in the village. She played in the woods and at the beach with her cousins and dogs under the lax but loving care of her extended family.
Emma recalled vividly the many changes her generation experienced—from the construction of the first log homes and tarpaper shacks at Boy River to the more pernicious assault on culture through Bureau of Indians Affairs (BIA) Circular 1665 and boarding schools. BIA Circular 1665 actively suppressed tribal dances, ceremonies, and giveaways throughout the United States until 1933, and Emma remembered clearly this environment of religious persecution. Even more influential on her life and upbringing, however, was the BIA boarding school she was forced to attend in Tomah, Wisconsin.
Emma described boarding school life as harsh and unpleasant: she recalled marching to and from class, beatings for speaking Ojibwe, and little love or support in the rigid confines of school life. She ran away from Tomah with some of her girlfriends and eventually started day school near Boy River. Many effects of the schooling she received, however, were permanent. She never lost her language, but she also did not try to teach it to her children, fearing that they might endure similar hardships for their knowledge of Ojibwe. By the time the boarding school era came to a close, her children had already grown up immersed in English. The threat was gone, but the opportunity was lost.
Emma responded poorly to her experiences in Tomah and was a rebellious and difficult teenager, running away at least twice and eventually eloping with her future husband, an Ojibwe from Mille Lacs. She did finally settle down, raising five children of her own. Parenting would be an emotional trauma for her, however, as four of her five children died in early adulthood.
Emma eventually moved from Mille Lacs back to Boy River and then to Cass Lake, where she lived the last several years of her life in the elder housing unit run by the Leech Lake Reservation. She loved her pet dog and cat and the company of her many visitors, some of whom she adopted as children and grandchildren.
Gii-agaashiinyiyaan
[1] Emma Fisher indizhinikaaz. Mii gaa-ondaadiziyaan, ingii-maajig imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-ziibing. Mii i’iw wendaadiziyaan biindig anishinaabe-wiigiwaaming, wanagekogamig waawiyeyaakwak. Nimaamaa gii-nibo ishkwaa-ondaadiziyaan. Miish i’iw apii nitaawigi’idwaa nookomis, nimishomis igaye. Mii dash gii-anishinaabewinikaanagwaa imbaabaa, nimaamaa gaye. Mii ezhi-maajigiyaan, ingii-aanjigozimin imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-zaaga’iganing, gaa-ayaawaad indinawemaaganinaanig. Noongom ayaamagad gaa-tazhishinikaag imaa gaa-danakiiyaang.
[2] Debaasige gii-akiwenziiwi i’iw apii wendaadiziyaan. Miish ezhi-owiiyawe’enyid. Ingii-wiinig a’aw akiwenziiban. Gii-piibiiyaan, ingii-sagaswe’idimin ji-anishinaabe-izhinikaanigooyaan. Mii nising ezhi-wiinzoyaan. Apiitendaagwad ji-wiinzod anishinaabe ji-mashkawiziid obimaadiziwining.
Indayag
[1] Gwanaajiwan gii-agaashiinyaan. Mii go apane ko wayaabamagwaa animoshag gaa-odaminoyaan imaa mitigokaag, ingii-animiwinaag, bimiwinagwaa imaa endaayaan. Mii dash igo gii-ayaawagwaa midaaswi animoshag ingoji go, bimaadiziyaan imaa noopiming. Mii go gii-kanawenimiwaad gaa-pabaa-odaminoyaan, ezhi-zegi’aad awesiinyan migoshkaaji’iwinid.
[2] Ingii-tanakiimin imaa megwaayaak, besho Gwiiwizensiwi-zaaga’iganiing, endaawaad niibowa anishinaabeg. Aangodinong ingii-izhaamin imaa ji-mawadishiweyaang, gii-misawendamaan ji-dazhitaayaan gaa-ayaawaad abinoojiinyag. Mii dash igo gii-saaga’amaan ji-bimoseyaan imaa mitigokaag wiiji-ayaawagwaa indayag. Ingii-nisaanaanig akakojiishag ji-amwigod iniw animoshan. Aapiji go gii-minwendaagwad. Gii-pabaaminizha’waad waawaashkeshiwan, miinawaa go gaye ingii-akwaandawe imaa mitigong.
[3] Nookomis ogii-ayaanan biizikiiganan ji-biizikamaan gii-pabaa-odaminoyaan agwajiing. Mii dash igo ko gii-minwendamaan ji-zhaashaaginizideyaan. Apane ko ingii-bimaazhagaame, bakobiigwaashkwaniyaan imaa zaaga’iganiing gemaa gaye imaa ziibing. Mii sa go gii-pimaadagaawaad indayag igaye. Ingii-izhi-anishinaabe-wiinaag akina indayag. Aanind odayaanaawaan zhaaganaashiimo-wiinzowinan, mii dash igo anishinaabe-inwemagak, dibishkoo go Jaanish, wiindeg Jaan zhaaganaashiimong. Bezhig gii-izhinikaazo Mazina’ige.
[4] Oon, gagiibaadadoon akina owiinzowiniwaan, aanind zhaaganashiimong, aanind anishinaabemong.
[5] Nimikwendaan gii-agaashiinyaan, naanaagadawendamaan gaa-izhichigeyaan i’iw apii. Apane ingii-izhaa imaa megwaayaak ji-odaminotawagwaa indayag. Apane ko ingii-wiindamawaag ingiw i’iw isa gaa-wiindamawangidwaa ko anishinaabe-animoshag—“mawinazh!” Miigaazowag igaye.
[6] Aabiding ninzhishenyiban ingii-waabamig imaa noopiming. Miinawaa go gaye gii-ayaayaan imaa mitigong.
[7] Mii sa indayag gii-ayaawaad imaa ogidakamig, miish igo ayaayaan mitigong. Ninzhishenh gii-noogishkaa imaa gaa-odaminoyaan gaa-izhi-bimosed imaa noopiming. Gii-miishidaamikamban, dibishkoo go aanind anishinaabeg. Mii go apane ezhi-debibinid, ingii-miishi-zinigonig indengwayang, mii go gaye wiisagendamaan. Ingii-paazagobinaa, miigaanag. Miish ezhi-ikidod a’aw, “Giga-wiidigemin netaawigiyan. Inga-webinaa niwiiw.” Ingii-tebwetaag. Ingii-maw, miigaazoyaan igaye, wiikobidooyaan odiinisizisan miinawaa go gaye baazagobinag.
[8] Bezhig giizhig ingii-tebibinig ninzhishenh ishpi-ayaayaan mitigong, ezhi-ikidod, “Inga-akwaandawe imaa ji-wiiji-ayaawinaan, ji-wiidabiminaan. Giwii-wiidigemin niin sa mitigong.” “Gaawiin igo,” ingii-ikid. Miish ezhi-gagwejimid, “Aaniin danaa?” “Mawinazh!” gaa-inagwaa indayag.
[9] Mii dash ezhi-ikidod, “Enh, gaawiin inzegizisii ji-miigaanagwaa gidayag.” Ingii-anoonaag indayag maajii-naazikawaawaad mitigong. Akina indayag ozhiitaawag ji-mawinanaad. Gaawiin daa-gii-kiimiisii ninzhishenh; miziwe gaa-ayaawaad indayag. Gaawiin idash owii-mawinanaasiiwaawaan biinish anoonaasiwagwaa.
[10] Endaso-mamaazikaad, gii-niikimowag, waabanda’aad odiibidaniwaan. Miish apii bezhig animosh gii-tebibinaad ogiboodiyegwaazonan. Miish ezhi-aazhikwed, “Tayaa! Geget igo indakwamigoog ingiw.” “Geget oganawenimaawaan ingiw animoshag eyaad,” baanimaa owiindamawaawaan indinawemaaganinaanig.
[11] Ninzhishenh noonde-bi-wiidookawaa. Nimishoomisiban gii-pi-naagozi, zaagajiwed ji-bimaaji’aad ninzhishenyan. Gaawiin igo ingii-wii-wiidookawaasii. Ingii-shazhiibitam. “Anoozh gidayag ji-booni-mawinanidwaa,” indig ninzhishenh anishinaabemong, “Wiindamaw gidayishag.” “Gaawiin,” indinaa. Ingii-wenda-majiw. “Mawinazh!” Ingii-ikid. Gii-niikimowag, naazikaagewaad besho, ezhi-dakwangewaad.
[12] “Aaniin,” madwe-ikido nimishoomis. Mii dash igo ezhi-ikidod ninzhishenh, “Bi-naadamawishin.” Gii-saagajiwe nimishoomis, biidood zaka’on, mii go gaye zegi’aad, oshaakawaad iniw. Ishkwaakamigak baanimaa ingii-noondawaa wiindamawaad nookomisiban, “Gego babaamendangen apane mitigokaag nazhike-baa-ayaad.”
Gii-kinjiba’iweyaan
[1] Aabiding ingii-kinjiba’aa nookomis. Gii-nichiiwad, animikiikaamagak, wawaasesemagak igaye maajii-mikwamiwang. Mii maamakaaj ji-izhiwebak niibing. Ingii-amwaa a’aw mikwam. Nookomis ingii-wiindamaag maazhipogozinid. Gaawiin idash ingii-pizindanziin ekidod. Ingii-kinjiba’iwe, ezhi-amwag a’aw mikwam. Mii dash igo nisayenh gii-saaga’ang, nisaabaawed, ji-biindigenaazhikawid izhidaabaanid imaa biindig.
[2] Aabiding baanimaa miinawaa go gaye ingii-kinjiba’iwe, aabajitooyaan i’iw isa azheboyi-jiimaan. Nookomis ingii-piibaagimig, mawimid imaa agamiing. Gii-chiigeweyaazhagaame nookomis, ezhi-ekidod, “Madaabiin. Omaa bi-izhaan!” “Gaawiin,” ingii-ikid, ezhi-azheboyeyaan imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-zaaga’iganiing. Naaningim ingii-maji-izhiwebiz.
Gii-kikinoo’amaagoziyaan
[1] Ingii-ozhigaagoonaanig ingiw odaake-ogimaag. Mii gaa-ozhitoowaad iko mitigo-waakaa’iganan i’iw apii. Apane ko ingii-anishinaabemomin gaganoonidiyaang. Nawaj sa gii-kikendamaan anishinaabemowin i’iw apii awashiime gikendamaan noongom. Mii gaa-kagwe-gimoodimiwaad enweyaan ingiw chi-mookomaanag gii-kikinoo’amaagoziyaan. Ingii-izhinaazhikaagoo imaa, wiindamawidwaa odaake-ogimaag giiwiziyaan. Gaawiin ingii-kiiwizisii. Gaawiin nandawendanziiwag ji-maajaayaan nimishoomis, nookomis igaye. Mii dash wiin gii-animiwinigooyaan.
[2] Oon ingii-izhaamin imaa Washashkoonsing ji-gikinoo’amaagoziyaang. Mii dibishkoo go gii-ayaamagak miigaadiwini-gikinoo’amaadii-wigamig. Wayeshkad aapiji go gii-sanagad ji-ayaayaan imaa. Gii-apiitendaagwad ji-gwayako-inoseyaang bebezhig. Ingii-pakite’wigoomin giishpin wanichigeyaang. Akina anishinaabe-gaawizijig gii-kikinoo’amaagoziwag imaa, mii sa ingiw Wiinibiigoog, Ojibweg, Manoominiig igaye imaa Wazhashkoonsing. Ingii-ishwaaso-biboonagiz i’iw apii.
[3] Gii-ayaamagadoon gwiiwizensiwi-waakaa’iganan dibishkoo gabe-gikendaasowigamigong. Gwiiwizensiwi-waakaa’iganan gii-ayaamagadoon opime-ayi’ii i’iw gikinoo’amaagewigamigong, dibishkookamig ayaamagak iniw ikwezensiwi-waakaa’iganan. Ingii-danakii imaa giiwizigamigong, wiiji-ayaawagwaa gaawizijig. Ingii-gikinoo’amaagoo imaa jibwaa-apiitiziyaan ji-anokiiyaan. Gii-ayaawag ogimaakweg, ogimaag igaye.
[4] Ingii-kinjiba’iwe. Ingii-ashi-niso-biboonigiz i’iw apii ginjiba’iweyaang, niin igaye aanind ikwezensag. Nookomis, nimishoomis ingii-kanawenimigoog ishkwaa-azhegiiweyaan imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-ziibiing. Ingii-kina’amaagoog ji-azhegiiweyaan imaa Wazhashkoonsing. Mii sa go maajii-gikinoo’amaagoziyaan imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-ziibiing, gikinoo’amaagewigamigoonsing. Ingiw chimookomaani-getigejig ogii-ayaanaawaa waakaa’igaans besho Gwiiwizensiwi-ziibiing. Ogii-nanaa’itoonaawaa ji-ayaamagak gikinoo’amaagewigamig.
[5] Mii i’iw gaa-inakamigak i’iw apii gaa-gikinoo’amaagoziyaan. Ingii-poonitoomin giisphin misawendamaang. Ingii-azhe-izhiwijigaaz Wazhashkoonsing ishkwaa-boonitooyaan gikinoo’amaagoziyaan imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-ziibiing. Mii go miinawaa go gaye gii-kinjiba’iweyaan, izhaayaan imaa Misi-zaaga’iganing. Miish imaa nakweshkawag ninaabem. Ingii-wiidigendimin. Mii dash gii-nagadamaan niwaakaa’igan imaa Gwiiwizensiwi-zaaga’iganiing ji-danakiiyaan imaa Misi-zaaga’iganiing. Naaning ingii-ondaadiziike, gii-niigi’agwaa naanan abinoojiinyag. Niwani’aag niiwin; bezhig eta zhaabwiid.
Indinawemaaganag
[1] Noongom ayaamagad gaa-tazhishinikaag imaa gaa-odaminoyaan iko gii-agaashiinyaan. Ingii-mamakii’igoomin imaa, nimiseban gaye niin sa. Ingii-ayaawaa bezhig nimise, mii dash igo nitaawigid omaa Gaa-miskwaawaakokaag, gii-nitaawigi’aad odinawemaaganan Emma Bear. Gii-webinidiwag ingitiziimag. Imbaabaaban gii-nagazhiwe, naganaad nimaamaayan. Gaawiin moozhag ingii-waabamaasii imbaabaaban, aanawenimag wayaabamag. Ingii-wiindamawaa nookomis, “Gaawiin niminwenimaasii a’aw.” “Aaniin dash?” ezhi-gagwejimid nookomisiban. “Gidede gosha naa aawi.” Ingii-wiindamawaa, “Gaawiin niminwenimaasii, booch igo gaawiin.”
[2] Mii dash aapiji zhawendiyaang nookomis, nimishomis igaye niin sa. Miish igo aanind ninzhishenyag nonde-nitaawigi’iwaad. Ingii-panaaji’ig nookomis; mii go gaa-inendamowaad ninzhishenyag. Gaawiin ingii-tibendaagozisii, mii gaa-inendamowaad. Gaawiin dash ingii-misawendanziin ji-danakiiyaan gaa-ayaawaad niibowa abinoojiinyag. Ingii-minwendam ji-danakiiyaan iwidi endaad nookomis.
[3] Ingii-ayaawaag niiwin ninzhishenyag igo gaye bezhig nisayenh. Akina gii-ojaanisiwag, mii ezhi-ayaawaad niibowa abinoojinyag. Ninzhishenyag ingii-wiindamaagoog, “Eshkam igo gibanaadiz. Gidaa-ganawenjigaaz weweni. Gidaa-dibendaagoz.” Apane ko ingii-miigaanaag odabinoojinyag, mii ishkwaaj gii-apa’iweyaan ji-gaazootawagwaa ingiw iwidi endaanid nookomisibaniin. Aanish mii sa go gaa-izhi-maajigiwaad indaangoshenyag, eshkam igo mashkawiziiwaad, ingii-aangwaamiz. Ingii-ayaawaag niibowa indinawemaaganag, mii dibishkoo go ingiw Mitchells mii go gaye Cummingses—gwiiwizensag, ikwezensag, egaashiinjig, mendidojig, bekaakadozojig, waaninojig, gegwaanisagizijig. Mii gaa-mindidowaad ingiw gwiiwizensag, gaawiin ingii-miigaanaasiig. Nawaj gii-mashkawiziiwag, gagwaanisagiziwaad gaye awashiime niin. Mii i’iw apii gii-miigaanagwaa ikwezensag. Mii i’iw.
When I Was Little
[1] My name is Emma Fisher. When I was born, I grew up there at Boy River. I was born inside an Indian lodge, the round dome-shaped kind. My mother died [shortly] after I was born. And from that time on I was raised by my grandmother and my grandfather. But I called them mother and father in Indian. When I got bigger, we moved there to Boy Lake, where our relatives were [living]. Now there’s a cemetery there where we used to live.
[2] Debaasige was an old man at the time of my birth. And he was a name giver. That old man named me. When I was a baby, we had a pipe ceremony for me to get my Indian names. I was named three times. It is very important for the Indian to be named so he can be strong in his life.
My Dogs
[1] My childhood was beautiful. Whenever I saw dogs as I played there in the woods, I carried them away, bringing them there to my house. And I always had about ten dogs when I was living there in the forest. They looked after me when I went around playing, as they scared the wild animals off, pestering them.
[2] We lived there in the woods, near Boy Lake, where a lot of the Indians lived. Sometimes we went there to visit, when I wanted to play where the other kids were. Then I would go outside to go walking there in the forest with my dogs. We killed woodchucks so my dogs could eat them. It was so much fun. They chased deer around there and I climbed trees.
[3] My grandmother had clothes for me to put on when I played outside. Then I was usually happy to go barefoot. I always walked along the shore, diving into the lake there or maybe there in the river. And my dogs would go swimming too. I gave all my dogs Indian names. Some had English names, but they sounded like Indian, like Jaanish, that was John in English. One was named Mazina’ige.
[4] Oh, all their names were crazy, some in English and some in Indian.
[5] I remember when I was little, thinking about what I did back then. I always went in the forest to play with my dogs. I always told them what we tell Indian dogs—“attack!” And they fought too.
[6] One time my uncle saw me there in the forest. And [I] was up there in a tree.
[7] My dogs were there on the ground, but I was up in the tree. My uncle stopped there where I was playing as he walked along there in the forest. He had a mustache, [you know] how some Indians [had]. Then he would get a hold of me, and give me a whisker rub on my face, and that hurt. I used to scratch him, fighting him. Then he said, “I’m going to marry you when you grow up. I’m going to divorce my wife.” I believed him. I cried, fighting him too, pulling his hair and scratching him.
[8] One day my uncle got ahold of me when I was up in that tree, saying, “I’m going to climb up there to keep you company, to sit with you. I’m going to marry you myself in that tree.” “No way,” I said. Then he asks me, “Why?” “Attack!” I told my dogs.
[9] Then he says, “Yeah, I’m not scared to fight your dogs.” I ordered my dogs to start surrounding him at the tree. All my dogs were ready to attack him. My uncle couldn’t escape; my dogs were everywhere. But they wouldn’t attack until I ordered them [to do so].
[10] Every time he moved, they growled, showing him their teeth. Then one got ahold of his pants. Then he screams, “Tayaa! They are really biting me.” “Those dogs really do watch over her wherever she’s at,” he later told our relatives.
[11] My uncle needed help. Then my grandfather showed himself, coming around the hill to save my uncle’s life. I didn’t want to help him. I was stubborn. “Tell your dogs to quit attacking me,” my uncle tells me in Indian, “Tell your dogs.” “No,” I say to him. I was really bad. “Attack!” I said. They growled, closing in on him, [and] biting him.
[12] “Hello,” my grandfather’s voice is heard. Then my uncle says, “Come help me.” My grandpa came over the hill, bringing his cane, and scared [the dogs], frightening them off. After it was all over I heard him tell my grandmother, “You don’t have to worry about her going off in the woods by herself all the time.”
When I Ran Away
[1] One time I ran away from my grandmother. It was stormy: thundering, lightning flashing, and starting to hail. It’s strange to have that kind of weather in the summer. I ate ice. Grandma told me it tasted bad. But I didn’t listen to what she said. I ran away, eating that ice. Then my older [step]brother came outside, getting wet to chase me inside, dragging me inside there.
[2] And one time later on I ran away again, using that rowboat. My grandmother yelled at me, crying for me there on the shore. My grandma walked along the shore, saying, “Come to shore. Come here!” “No,” I said, as I rowed away there at Boy Lake. Often times I misbehaved.
When I Went to School
[1] Those government officials were building houses for us. They always made log houses at that time. We were always speaking Indian when we talked to each other. I knew the Indian language better at that time than I know it now. The white people tried to steal my language when I [was sent] to school. I was sent there, told by those government officials that I was an orphan. I wasn’t an orphan. My grandfather and grandmother didn’t want me to leave. But I was taken away.
[2] We went there to Tomah [Wisconsin] to go to school. It was just like a military academy. At first it was really hard for me to be there. It was important that we march in single file. We were beaten if we made mistakes. All the Indian orphans were sent to school there at Tomah, that is the Winnebago, Ojibwe, and Menomini. I was eight years old at that time.
[3] There were boys dormitories just like in college. The boys dorms were off to the side of the school, and a similar building was there for the girls dormitories. I lived in the orphan hall, in the company of the orphans. I studied there before I was old enough to work. There were matrons and bosses too.
[4] I ran away. I was thirteen at the time we ran away, me and some other girls. My grandmother and grandfather looked after me after I returned home there at Boy River. They forbade me to go back there to Tomah. So, I started going to school there at Boy River, in the little schoolhouse. Those white farmers had a building near Boy River. They fixed it up to function as a school.
[5] That’s what happened when I went to school. We quit if we really wanted to. But I was sent back to Tomah after I quit going to school there at Boy River. So once again I ran away, going there to Mille Lacs. And there I met my husband. We were married. Then I abandoned my house at Boy Lake to live there at Mille Lacs. I gave birth five times, bearing five children. I lost four; only one is left.
My Relatives
[1] Now there’s a cemetery where I used to play when I was small. We were given allotments there, my older sister and I. I had one sister, but she grew up here in Cass Lake, as she was raised with her relative, Emma Bear. My parents were divorced. My father left, abandoning my mother. I didn’t see my father much, and I didn’t have a high opinion of him when I did see him. I told my grandmother, “I don’t like him.” “Why?” my grandmother asked me. “He’s your dad.” I told her, “I don’t like him, definitely not.”
[2] But my grandmother, grandfather, and I really loved each other a lot. Then some of my uncles wanted to raise me. My grandmother spoiled me; at least that’s what my uncles thought. I didn’t belong there, that’s what they thought. But I didn’t want to live where there were a lot of other children. I was happy living over there at my grandmother’s house.
[3] I had four maternal uncles and one elder brother. They were all family people, and they had a lot of kids. My uncles told me, “You’re getting more and more spoiled. You should be cared for properly. You should be a part [of our family].” I always fought his kids, and afterwards I would run away to hide from them over there at my grandmother’s house. Well then as my cousins grew up, they got stronger, and I had to be careful. I had many relatives, like the Mitchells and the Cummingses—boys, girls, little ones, big ones, skinny ones, fat ones, mean ones. As those boys got big, I didn’t fight them. They got stronger, and they got meaner than me. Then I fought the girls. That’s it.