"Giishpin ganawendaman gidinawewininaan,

giga-ganawenimig aw aadizookaan gaa-ganawendang Anishinaabemowin,

If you take care of the language, the spirit keeper of the language will take care of you." - 2005 Tobasanakwut Kinew  

 

“We are not losing our language,

the language is losing us”- Anton Treur   

 

“Education is the key to the future” - Gilbert Smith.  

 

 

This work is compiled by Brian and Jason. It is not the intention to make you a fluent speaker, but to have a better understanding of the Ojibwe language. It is one who wants to learn who will receive the languae.

 

 

Brian

Boozhoo, Kedaadibibinens nindigoo. Wazhashk nindoodem. Nagaajawanang nindoonjii. As an Ojibwe speaking person I introduce myself in my first language. I introduce my spirit name which I am named after the hummingbird. I belong to the Muskrat Clan, which is a family based system used by the Ojibwe people.

My English name is Brian. I live on Naicatchewenin First Nation which is located in the Treaty # 3 territory. I am proud to be fluent in my language. I did teach grades one through eight, High School, College and University. I really enjoy teaching the language. niminwendam gikinoo'amaageyaan anishinaabemowin, niminwaabamaag abinoonjiiyag gaye ge gichi a-aya'aag ji-nitaa anishinaabemowad. It has been my intent to give back what was given to me, which is the language and along with the culture of the Ojibwe people.

 

 

 

Jason

Boozhoo nindinawemaaganag, memashkiwegaabow indigoo, bizhiw nindoodem, nigigoonsiminikaaning nindoonjii Jason niin nindizhinikaaz zhaaganaashiimong.  I call us all relatives because we all came from our Mother Earth.  I come from the lynx clan, and I am from nigigoonsiminikaaning.  My English name is Jason.  I chose to teach the Ojibwe language because I noticed at very young age, that we are not speaking our language and if nothing is done about it, soon we will lose all that we are.  One saying that sticks with me ever since I was 12 years old is, "If we lose our language, we will no longer be Ojibwe people; we will become descendants of Ojibwe people".  I hope that this site becomes useful to anyone interested in learning the language.


Miigwech.

 
 
  

Writing has just came along in the 30 years.  Although Ojibwe language has always been an oral language, writing it, seems to becoming more and more popular.  It makes sense to start writing the language since more of our elder are passing into the spirit world, taking their extensive vocabulary and

knowledge with them. 

 

 

 
 
 
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