Color is a basic part of describing the world around us. There are two main ways to indicate a color in Anishinaabemowin.

The first way to indicate color is to add a small prefix to a word making it more descriptive. These color prefixes are understood across many regions and often relate to key scientific concepts. Several of the color prefixes represent a spectrum of color. For instance, “ozhaawashk” was traditionally used for blue, green and everything in between. Similarly “ozaaw” was traditionally used for the range of color that includes brown, gold and yellow.

For example:

makademakwa	= makade (black) + makwa (bear)
miskomakizinan	= misko (red) + makizinan (shoes)
waabojiig	= waab (white) + ojiig (fisher cat)
waabiwaazakonenjigan	= waabi (white) + waazakonenjigan (lamp)
ozhaawashkomikwam	= ozhaawashko (blue-green) + mikwam (ice)

 

It is important to know the color part of the word (the prefix) can be added many ways with slight variations but when it is added to a noun it becomes a single new word. Often an “o” or an “i” is added depending on the first letter in the word that follows.

The second way to indicate color is to consider the color a verb itself and talk about color as an action meaning something is “being a particular color.” These color words can be based on some of same prefixes commonly used by everyone, but they may also reflect a speaker’s personal perceptions. One of the words for “orange” is simply the word for the fruit turned into a verb. Blue might be “berry-blue” or “sky-blue.” Gray is “ash-colored” or “kaakazheaande.” You can create your own colors if you find the need to be very precise about the color of something.

To do this you use the following endings:

	–	aande as a Verb 1 when the object being described is a “maanda” or “o’o” noun
or
	–	aanzo as a Verb 2 when the object being described is a “maaba” or a “wa’aw” noun
or
	–	aanzhe as a Verb 1 when you are describing the color of a beam of light

 

For example:

• makwa makadewaanzo = the bear he/she is black
• makwag makadewaanzowag = the bears they are black
• makizin miskwaande = the shoe it is red shoe
• makizinan miskwaandenoon = the shoes they are red
• waabsihkaanzhe waazakonenjigan = white light given off by a lamp
• ozhaawashkaanzhe waasnoode = blue-green light of the aurora borealis

The same color prefixes are used with these verbs and the verbs are then completed to show who is being colored. A “w” is often used to connect the parts of the word.

In Anishinaabemowin colors are based on what we see in the world. Take a long look at a large body of water and you will see why “ozhaawashkwaa-” might mean everything in the spectrum from blue to green. Our modern world has tried to standardize these terms so “ozhaawashkwaa-” is typically used just for green now. Similarly, an “ozaawamiin” is the word for the fruit often used to make juice; “miin” is a blueberry; and “akakanzhe” literally means coal so these colors are actually describing a very specific shade. You can create your own colors this way: waawaabiganoojiinaande, gidagaakoonsaanzo, oginii-waabigwanaazhe etc . . . Try to make the language your own and use it often with friends and family!

Here is a table of examples:

naande – it is the color V1	naanzo – he/she is the color V2	naanzhe – the way a light is colored V1
Colors-1	Colors-2	Colors-3
akiiwaande wiigiwaam brown house	akiiwaanzo ma’iingan brown wolf	akiiwaanzhe brown light
miskowaande wiigiwaam red house	miskowaanzo ma’iingan red wolf	miskowaanzhe red light
ozaawaande wiigiwaam gold/brown house	ozaawaanzo ma’iingan gold/brown wolf	ozaawaanzhe gold/brown light
ozaawamiinagaanaande wiigiwaam orange house	ozaawamiinagaanaanzo ma’ingan orange wolf	ozaawamiinagaawaanzhe orange light
giisawaande wiigiwaam bright yellow house	giisawaanzo ma’iingan bright yellow wolf	giisawaanzhe bright yellow light
ozhaawashkwaande wiigiwaam green house	ozhaawashkwaanzo ma’iingan green wolf	ozhaawshkwaanzhe green light
giizhigowaande wiigiwaam blue house	giizhigowaanzo ma’iingan blue wolf	giizhigowaanzhe blue light
miinaande wiigiwaam purple house	miinaanzo ma’iingan purple wolf	miinaanzhe purple light
makaadewaande wiigiwaam black house	makaadewaanzo ma’iingan black wolf	makadewaanzhe black light
akakanzhewaande wiigiwaam gray house	akakanzhewaanzo ma’iingan grey wolf	akakanzhewaazhe grey light
waabishkaande wiigiwaam white house	waabishkaanzo ma’iingan white wolf	waabishkaanzhe white light

How to ask and reply about the color of something.

Aaniin	enaandeg	wiigiwam?		Akiiwaande	wiigiwam.
What	color is	the house?		It is brown,	the house.

 

Aaniin	enaandeg	wiigiwaman?		Akiiwaandenoon	wiigiwaman.
What	color are	the houses?		They are brown	houses.

 

Aaniin	enaanzod	ma’iingan?		Kaakazhewaanzo	ma’iingan.
What	color is	the wolf?		He is gray	the wolf.

 

Aaniin	enaanzowaad	ma’iinganag?		Kaakazhewaanzo	ma’iingan.
What	colors are	the wolves?		They are brown	wolves.

 

Aaniin	enaanzheg?		Ozhaawshkwaanzhe	jibwaa	wese’an.
What	color is the light?		The light is green	before	a tornado.

Practice sentences to translate and answer:

(Note both western and eastern variations below. There are some differences in spelling and pronunciation as well as the way we say “this,” “that,” “these” and “those.”)

1. Aaniin enaandeg o’o babiinzikawaagan? Aaniish enaandeg maanda biinzikawaagan?
2. Aaniin enaanzod a’aw gaazhag? Aanii enaanzod wa gaazhag?
3. Aaniin enaanzheg naawakweg? Aaniish enaanzheg naawakweg?
4. Aaniin enaanzowaad ingiw omakakiig? Aanii enaanzowaad geyeg omakakiig?
5. Aaniin enaazod wa’aw minjikaawan? Aanii enaazod maaba minjikaawan?
6. Aaniin enaandeg i’iw doopwin? Aanii enaandeg wi doopwin?
7. Aaniin enaandeg o’o mazina’igan-mashkimod? Aaniish enaandeg maanda mazina’igan-mashkimod
8. Aaniin enaanzheg anangoons? Aaniin enaanzheg anangoons?
9. Aaniin aanakwad enaandeg? Aaniish waankwad enaandeg?
10. Aaniin enaazod dibiki-giizis? Aanii enaazod dibiki-giizis?