Nimbawaadaan Akiing (I Dream a World)
Elise Mangan plays a buffalo drum Monday while Natalie Fields (center with mask) leads the Bel Canto choir in singing the world premiere of “Nimbawaadaan Akiing” by Noodin and Feay-Shaw at Beaver Dam High School. KELLY SIMON/Daily Citizen
This poem by Margaret Noodin was originally published in Poem-a-Day on March 20, 2021, by the Academy of American Poets. It appeared in American Poets Magazine vol. 61. It was also published on poets.org.
A choral arrangement of this song was made by Dr. Sheila Feay-Shaw and the song was performed by students at Beaver Dam High school in Wisconsin.
Listen to them sing: Nimbawaadaan Akiing-Choir Room
Nimbawaadaan akiing
I dream a world
atemagag biinaagami
of clean water
gete-mitigoog
ancient trees
gaye gwekaanimad
and changing winds.
Nimbawaadaan akiing
I dream a world
izhi-mikwendamang
of ones who remember
nandagikenindamang gaye
who seek the truth and
maamwidebwe’endamang waabang
believe in tomorrow together.
Nimbawaadaan akiing
I dream a world
izhi-biimiskobideg giizhigong
where our path in the sky
waabandamang naasaab
can be seen as clearly as
gaa-izhi-niibawid wiijibemaadizid
the place where our neighbor once stood.