Halloween (Taase’ong)

Here are some phrases, a word list, and a story to translate about Halloween, a holiday with roots in many traditions around the world.

Younger children may simply find it fun to learn the way to say “trick or treat” and “thank you.”

Halloween Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat?
Gidaa-giibaazomin gemaa miinishin gegoo?
(Should I trick you or will you give me something?)

Halloween Thank You
Thank you (for giving me something)
Gimiigwechiwi’in gegoo gaa-miizhiyan!
(I thank you for giving me something!)

Most importantly, ayaangwamizin (be safe) and minwendaagozin (have fun)!

Talking About Wearing Costumes

Advanced students of all ages might enjoy learning to talk about their costumes. The first step is to know whether you are pretending to be someone else (like Spiderman or Princess Elsa) OR something that is an object (a piece of candy or a pumpkin).

The best way to know which category you are in is to look up the word in the dictionary. The dictionary will tell you if it is an “na” (animate noun) or “ni” (inanimate noun). So be careful if you are dressing as an apple or a cookie! These are both considered animate in many areas!

Then build your statement with izhinaagwi (to dress up as someone or something considered animate) or izhinaagotoon (to dress up as something) at the center and the pieces of language you need to say “I” or “you” or “they” and “doing it now” or “doing it in the past” or “doing it in the future.”

Examples:

Translating a story of Taase’ong (Word List)

Learn the words in this Word List to help you translate the story below and to play Taase’ong Bingo!

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Work on Your Vocabulary

To prepare for translating the story below and committing these words to memory (and just for some Halloween fun), download our new Taase'ong Bingo Game.
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Aanikanootan (Translate It)

After you have reviewed the word list, see if you can read the story below. Check your translation by opening the toggle.

Taase’ong Story

Miziwe akiing bemaadizijig omikwenimaawaan o’anikoobijiganiwaabaniin dagwaaging.

Ani ishkwaaj-giizhigad Binaakwe-giizis jibwaa Gashkadino-giizis maajtamigak bemaadizijig izhikonayewaad mii dash aanzinaago’idizowaad ji-gaazootawaawaad apii jiibayan mawadishigoowaad.

Gimiizhaanaanig ziinzibaakwadoonsan mewadishijig.

Giwaasakonebidoonaawaan.

Ozaawagoosimaning gimazinikodaanaawaan

Gidakonaashkawaanaanig majimanidoog, wiindigoog gaye Baagak.

Noongom gibabaa-izhaamin idamang “gidaa-giibaazomin gemaa miinishin gegoo.”

Mii dash idamang “gimiigwechiwi’in gegoo gaa-miizhiyan!”

Miziwe akiing bemaadizijig omikwenimaawaan o’anikobijiganiwaanibaniin dagwaaging.
All over the world people remember their passed ancestors in the fall.

Ani ishkwaaj-giizhigad Binaakwe-giizis jibwaa Gashkadino-giizis maajtamigak bemaadizijig izhikonayewaad mii dash aanzinaago’idizowaad ji-gaazootawaawaad apii jiibayan mawadishigoowaad.
On the last day of October before November starts people get dressed in a way that changes their appearance to hide from ghosts who are visiting others.

Gimiizhaanaanig ziinzibaakwadoonsan mewadishijig.
We give candy to visitors.

Giwaasakonebidoonaawaan.
We turn on lights.

Ozaawagoosimaning gimazinikodaanaawaan
We carve designs in pumpkins.

Gidakonaashkawaanaanig majimanidoog, wiindigoog gaye Baagak.
We chase away bad spirits, monsters and the Skeleton.

Noongom gibabaa-izhaamin idamang “gidaa-giibaazomin gemaa waa-miinishin gegoo.”
Today we go around saying “trick or treat” (should I trick you or will you give me something).

Mii dash idamang “gimiigwechiwi’in gegoo gaa-miizhiyan!”
Then we say “I thank you for giving me something!”

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