Use it or lose it
- Details
- Category: Jim Northrup
- Published: 03 March 2013
By Jim Northrup
News From Indian Country
The following Ojibwemowin is the speech I read when I was in Washington D.C., it was done at the Reflecting pool near the Capital Building on December 19th, 2012. I thought it was so important I am sharing it now.

It is too bad the apology was buried in a defense appropriations bill. Dr. Rick Gresczyk gave me the Ojibwemowin words to say. I introduced myself in our language and translated what I said into English. I did not translate the reaction I had to the apology.
Nishwaasimidanaak ingodwaak midaaswi ashi niswi
1. Ingiw bekaanizijig, ingiw meyagizijig,
2. Ingiw gichi-mookomaanag
3. Ingiw enaakonigejig omaa Washtanong
4. Ingiw gaa-piindigegozijig
5, omaa Anishinaabewakiing
6, Owii-kaagiizo mawaan gakina
7. Anishinaaben miziwe
8. Omaa minising endaanijin
9. Gaa-pi-izhiwebizinid
10 Gaa-kiiwa nimawaad
11. Gaa-nisaawaad
12. Gaa-maji-doodawaad
13. Gaa-iniga'aawaad
14. Miiinawaa owii-miigwechiwenimaawaan
15. Miinawaa odapiitenimaawaan anishiaaben
16. Ogikendaanaawaan ono
17. Miinawaa ikidowag ono
18. Anishinaabeg gichi-mewinzha go
19. Gaa-asinjig omaa o'o minising
20 ogii-tibendaanaawaa o'o aki
21. Ogii-manaajitoonaawaa o'o aki
22. Weweni ogii-kanawendaanaawaa o'o aki
23. Miinawaa ogii-kizhaadaanaawaa
24. Apegish Gichi-ogima, Obama, makade giniw,
25. Black Eagle dazhindang o'o
26 O'o gaa-izhi-maji-doodawinjig
27. Anishinaabeg ji-ni-noojimomagak
28. O'o Anishinaabewaki
29. Onizhishin o'o maajitaang
30. Ji-wiidanokiimandiyang
31. Miinawaa ji-wiidookodaadiyang
32. Ji-onishishi tooyang
33. Gibimaadiziwinaanin
34 miinawaa gidakiiminaan
35. Anishaa sa go ganabaj
36. Mii zhigwa ishkwaa-mawadishiweng
37. Azhe-giiweg, giinawaa
I have decided to include the English translation of the speech I made. Any mistakes made in Ojibwe or English are mine alone. I would like to thank Dr. Gresczyk for his able assistance. I couldn't have done this without him.
8113.Š Nishwaasimidanaak ingodwaak midaaswi ashi niswi
1. Ingiw bekaanizijig, ingiw meyagizijig,
Those who are different, those who are strange
2. Ingiw gichi-mookomaanag
Those long knives
3. Ingiw enaakonigejig omaa Washtanong
Those who are law makers here in Washington
4. Ingiw gaa-piindigegozijig
Those who have moved into
5. omaa Anishinaabewakiing
Here in Indian Country
6. Owii-kaagiizo mawaan gakina
They intend to apologize to all
7. Anishinaaben miziwe
Indians everywhere
8. Omaa minising endaanijin
Who dwell on this island
9. Gaa-pi-izhiwebizinid
What has happened to them
10 Gaa-kiiwa nimawaad
Who have been lied to
11. Gaa-nisaawaad
Who have been killed
12. Gaa-maji-doodawaad
Who have been treated badly
13. Gaa-iniga'aawaad
Who have been injured
14. Miiinawaa owii-miigwechiwenimaawaan
And they want to thank them
15. Miinawaa odapiitenimaawaan anishiaaben
And respect them the Indian people
16. Ogikendaanaawaan ono
They know these things
17. Miinawaa ikidowag ono
And say these things
18. Anishinaabeg gichi-mewinzha go
The Indians who, a very long time
19. Gaa-asinjig omaa o'o minising
Ago were put here, on this island
20 ogii-tibendaanaawaa o'o aki
They owned this land
21. Ogii-manaajitoonaawaa o'o aki
They respected this land
22. Weweni ogii-kanawendaanaawaa o'o aki
They took care of this land carefully
23. Miinawaa ogii-kizhaadaanaawaa
And they defended this land
24. Apegish Gichi-ogimaa, Obama, makade giiniw,
I hope the President, Obama, Black Eagle,
25. dazhindang o'o
Talks about this:
26 O'o gaa-izhi-maji-doodawinjig
How mistreated
27. Anishinaabeg ji-ni-noojimomagak
The Indians were, in order
28. O'o Anishinaabewaki
That this Indian country heals
29. Onizhishin o'o maajitaang
Its good that there's a start
30. Ji-wiidanokiimandiyang
That we can work together
31. Miinawaa ji-wiidookodaadiyang
And help each other
32. Ji-onishishi tooyang
To make good
33. Gibimaadiziwinaanin
Our lives
34 miinawaa gidakiiminaan
And our lands
35. Anishaa sa go ganabaj
Maybe this is all in vain
36. Mii zhigwa ishkwaa-mawadishiweng
Now visiting is over
37. Azhe-giiweg, giinawaa
Go back home, you all
****
The 13 Moons pow wow at the Black Bear Casino was just good. Vendor space was limited so we were lucky to snag a space in which to sell my latest book, Rez Salute.
My wife Patricia wanted to wear her jingle dress and dance so I hired my grandson Bimose to help me. I met friends old and new.
One of the oldest friends I met was Larry Monchamp. We were neighbors when I was in the 9th grade in Lincoln Junior High way back in the 50s. One of the newest was a grad student from France named Caroline Laurent.
I later heard there were 30 drums and 300 dancers who came to Fond du Lac's Convention Center. This was the first time a pow wow was held here and I think there will be many more to follow.
As my wife was taking a break after dancing in the jingle dress competition she told me to stop her from ever entering another contest.
****
The voting is done and Dave "Porky" Tiesson won. My brother Russ asked for a recount so the Sawyer election isn't over yet .
****
Mii iw.
****
The views expressed in this column belong to the writer alone. They are not meant to represent this newspaper, the Reservation, Fonjalackers, or Caroline Laurent. Comments and bingo packs can be sent to FdL Follies, PO Box 16, Sawyer, MN 55780-0016 email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. facebook but not Twitter.
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