On This Day

On this day, O beautiful Mother,
Miikawaadizi gigasheminaan

On this day we give thee our love;
Noongom gizaagigoo

Near thee, Madonna, fondly we hover,
Wiiji-ayaagoo dazhiikeyaang

Trusting thy gentle care to prove.
Babaamenimiyaang igo

1
On this day we ask to share,
Gigaagwejimigoo noongom

Dearest Mother, thy sweet care;
Gigasheminaan waangawiziyan

Aid us ere our feet astray
wiidokaawishinaanig

Wander from thy guiding way.
Ji-gwayak-bimaadiziyaang

2
Queen of Angels deign to hear
Ogimaakwe aanzheniig

Lisping children’s humble prayer
Bi-anami’etoogwaa

Young hearts gain o virgin pure
Oniijaanisimaag mii dash

Sweetly to thyself allure
Zhaawenimadwaa igo

In the Garden

1)
Nindodishiwe gitigaaning
I come to the garden alone

mindookaak imaa oginiing
while the dew is still on the rose

gaye bizindamaan biinjitawag
and the voice I hear falling on my ear

waabanda’id bezhigoyaan.
the Son of God discloses.

Chorus

Wiijibimosemid
And he walks with me

aanimitaagozi’id
and he talks with me

idaang dibendaagoziyaan
and he tells me I am his own

minawaanigwak
and the joy we share

maada’ookiiyaang
as we tarry there

maamakaadendaagwak igo.
none other has ever known.

2)
Apii minotaagozi mii
He speaks and the sound of his voice

booninagamowaad bineshiiyag
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing

miinawaa nagamowin gii-miizhid
and the melody that he gave to me

baswewesing indeying.
within my heart is ringing.

3)

Nindaa-wiiji’ayaaw’aa
I’d stay in the garden with him

dazhi-gitigaaning dibikong
though the night around me is falling

aanawi wiindamawid ji-maajaayaan
but he bids me go through the voice of woe

mii dash madwe-ganoozhid.
his voice to me is calling.

How Great Thou Art

(1)
O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder
Nimanidoo maamakaadeniminaan

consider all the works thy hands have made
gakina akiiwan ozhitooyan

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
anangoog gaye aanakwad chi-madweweg

thy power throughout the universe displayed
gimashkawiziiwin miziwe ayaag

Chorus:
Then sings my soul my Saviour God to thee
Ani-initaagwad sa go nindeng

how great thou art, how great thou art
gwetaamiikwendaagoziyan

Then sings my soul my Saviour God to thee
Ani-initaagwad sa go nindeng

how great thou art, how great thou art
gwetaamiikwendaagoziyan

(2)
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
Megwaayaakong gechi-bishigendaagwak,

and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
bineshiijyag mino’ amaazowaad,

when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
wajiwing gichi-minwaabaminaagwag

and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze
ziibiiwiwan chi-minwewejiwang

(3)
And when I think that God his son not sparing
Mikwendamaan gii-bagidenimaad

sent him to die I scarce can take it in
ogwisan imaa aazhideyaatigong

that on the cross my burden gladly bearing
bimoodaminid gakina baataaziwinan

he bled and died to take away my sin
ina’amaan gwetaamigoziyan

(4)
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
Apii go ogwiisan ninga-bi-gaganoonig

and take me home what joy shall fill my heart
giiwewizhid ninga-moojigendam

then I shall bow in humble adoration
ojijiingwanigaabawiitawag sa

and there proclaim my god how great thou art
nagamoyaan gechi-ishpenimag

America the Beautiful

1
O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain
Miikawaadad ishpaagiizhig, ozawaa-mashkosi

for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain!
gichi-miiniwajiwan, ishpayi’ii atenoon aki!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee
Gichi-mookomaan-aki! Gichi-debenjiged

and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
zhaawenimig imaa ayaayan besho gichigami.

2
O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern impassioned stress
Miikawaadad bimikawaanan waabandamang miziwe akiing

a thoroughfare for freedom beat, across the wilderness.
mii dash dibenindizowin atemigak omaa.

In the recording here, Jim and Margaret sing the first verse English and then Ojibwe, then the traditional third verse in English followed by the traditional verse two in Ojibwe.

America My Country Tis of Thee

1
My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty of thee I sing.
Anishinaabewaki, omaa minokamigaa nagamotamaan.

Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride
Noosinaanig ogii-nibowag, omaa akiing

from every mountainside let freedom ring.
mii noongom miziwe debenimoyang.

3
Our father’s God to thee
Author of liberty
To thee we sing
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light
Protect us by thy might
Great god our king

2
My native country thee, land of the noble free thy name I love.
Anishinaabewaki, dibendaagoziyaan zaagitooyaan.

I love they rocks and rills thy woods and templed hills
Nizaagi’aag asiniig miinawaa mitigwakiing

my heart with rapture thrills like that above.
mii jiikendamoyaan omaa akiing.

Jim Spry & Margaret Noodin. Photo by Janis Fairbanks.

This translation is partially based on one first published in 1910 in the Ojibwe Hymnal compiled by Rev. Edward Coley Kah-O-Sed, who was born on Walpole Island First Nation, Bkejwanong Territory, Ontario, Canada, in 1870, where there was a strong Anglican tradition at the time. He went to Miskwaagamiiwi Zaaga’iganing Red Lake Nation in Minnesota to work as an interpreter in 1894 and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1907 by James Dow Morrison, bishop of Duluth.

A version of this song has been used in many Ojibwe communities with Anglican, Catholic, Episcopal and Midewin traditions by the Ojibwe Hymn Singers. In the fall of 2024, their services were still regularly being requested via a Facebook page where they say the main function of their ministry “is to help families and friends that have had a death to go through the grieving process.”

These songs remain a lovely way to learn Ojibwemowin with examples of language use that all students can enjoy. For example, in this song, ”giiwoshkaw”, meaning “to follow someone back” appears as the participle “gaawoshkawang” inviting all of us to follow.

Amazing Grace

1
Gichi-zhawenjigewining
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound

Bimaaji’igooyang
That saved and set me free

Ningaagiibiinweniban igo
I once was lost but now am found

Noongom idash niwaab
Was blind but now I see

2
Ingii-zegiz imaa nindeng
Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear

O zhaawanjigewining
And Grace my fears releived

Nindaanjibizaaniz igo
How precious did that Grace appear

Gii-debweyindamaan
The hour I first believed

3
Niwaawiindamaag Gizhemanidoo
The Lord has promised good to me

Wii-apenimoyaan
His word my hope secures

Apane ganawenimid igo
He will my shield and portion be

Apiich bimaadiziyaan
As long as life endures

4
Niibowa bi-niizaanag igo
Through many dangers toils and snares

Nimbimizhaabawitoon
I have already come

Ningaa-de-dagwashimigoo
Tis Grace has brought me safe thus far

Owiidookaagewin
And Grace will lead me home

5
Apii gichi-gaa-bi-ayaayang
When we’ve been here then thousand years

Gii-wiijiwang debaasigeyang
Bright shining as the sun

Dibishkoo wii-gaawoshkawang
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Maamiikwaabandamang dash
Than when we’d first begun