Anishinaabe Culture & Language

Gichi Onigaming Anishinaabemowin

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  North Shore Place Names

  Many of today's Minnesota place names retain their original Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) meaning.

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  Learn the Word of the Week

  Learn how to pronounce Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) words for common and seasonal phrases.

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  Nature Around Grand Portage

  Learn Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) names for amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, mammals, local plants, and phases of the moon.

 

 

Daga Anishinaabemodaa! (Let's Speak Anishinaabemowin!)

About Pronunciation:

Consonants have a similar pronunciation in Anishinaabemowin as English.
Vowels have the following pronunciation:

• a = the "u" in sun
• aa = the "a" in father
• e = the "ay" in day
• i = the "i" in sit
• ii = the "ee" in teeth
• o = the "o" in go
• oo = the "oo" in tooth

 

Visitors are greeted at the door in multiple languages, including Anishinaabemowin.

NPS Graphic / GM Spoto

Hear Some Spoken Language

Maajitaan* agwajiing - (Go Outside)

Places

• Gichi Onigamiing = Grand Portage
• Minong = Isle Royale
• gichigami* = Lake Superior

Conversation

• boozhoo* = hello
• miigwech* = thank you
• indizhinaakaaz* = I am called
• gigawaabamin miinawaa* = I'll see you again
• noongom* = today
• mewinzha* = a long time ago

Actions

• baapii* = he or she laughs
• bimose* = he or she walks along
• bimaadagaa* = he or she swims along
• gwaashkwani* = he or she jumps

Weather

• nibi* = water
• noodin* = wind
• ishkode* = fire
• giizhig* = sky
• mooka'am = sunrise, bangishimon = sunset
• aanakwad* = cloud, aanakwadoon* = clouds
• digow* = wave, digowag* = waves
• Aaniin enakamigad a'aw mikwam?* = What's Happening to the Ice?

Transportation

• jiimaan = boat/canoe, jiimaanan = boats/canoes
• abwi = paddle, abwiin = paddles
• miikana* = trail, miikanan* = trails
• asin* = stone, asiniig = stones
• minisan* = island

Plants

• wiigwaas = birchbark
• mashkodewashk, bashkodejiibik = sage
• mitig* = tree, mitigoog* = trees
• giizhik = a cedar tree, giizhikag = cedar trees
• aninaatig = a sugar maple, aninaatigoog = sugar maples
• miijim* = food

Animals

• zagime* = mosquito, zagimeg* = mosquitos
• amik = beaver, amikwag = beavers
• makwa* = Black bear, makwag* = Black bears
• migizi* = Bald eagle, migiziwag* = Bald eagles
• giigoonh = fish, giigoonyag = fish plural
• gayaashk* = gull, gayaashkwag* = gulls
• mooz = moose, moozoog = moose plural

*words marked with an asterisk*

*These recordings are courtesy of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The Ojibwemowin audios you are hearing were provided by Ranger Damon. Damon Gezhiibideg Panek is an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of White Earth Ojibwe and was a Park Ranger at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Before Gezhiibideg’s family “relocated” to White Earth in the 1860’s, they lived on Madeline Island and in the surrounding area. He currently lives on the Red Cliff Reservation with his family.

 

Cardinal Directions

• Zhaawan - South
• Giiwedin - North
• Waaban - East
• Ningaabii'an - West

Salutations

• Aaniin - Hi/Hello
• Gakina awiya - Everybody/All of you
• Minogizheb / Minogigizheb / Minogizhebawagad - Good morning (the last one is the whole sentence "it is a good morning")
• Nimbagosendaan mino-ayaayan noongom. I hope you are doing well today.
• Giga-waabamin - Bye (me to you)
• Giga-waabamininim - Bye (me to a bunch of you)
• Gimiigwechiwi'in - I thank you
• Gimiigwechiwi'ininim - I thank all of you (plural)

 

People of Grand Portage

 

Beaver Coloring Page

NPS Graphic / GM Spoto

Learn More

Coloring pages - interpretive lessons with some Anishinaabemowin