Dakonaagan (Cradleboards)
Cradleboards are a traditional Native American method mothers used to safely carry their infants in a way that allowed them to freely use their hands. Children are tightly swaddled to feel secure and fuss less and cradleboards help cultivate good posture. Cradleboards can show kinship and be passed through communities as gifts.
This beautiful cradleboard was made by Biskakone Greg Johnson and Alexandria Sulainis of Lac du Flambeau for their son, Baswewe.

The following sentences were written at the 15th Annual Language and Culture Camp in Manistee, Michigan for a workshop led by Judy Pamp.
You can listen/download the complete audio or listen to each section as you go along. Reading by Christy Bieber. [coming soon]
1. |
Apane igo |
ogii-inaabajitoonaawaan |
dakonaaganan |
Anishinaabeg. |
|
Always |
(in the past) they used |
the holding things |
Anishinaabe people. |
|
The people have always used cradleboards. |
2. |
Bebakaan |
igo |
gemaa |
daa-ezhi-ozhitoonaawaan |
dakonaaganan. |
|
Different |
very |
maybe |
they would make them |
cradleboards. |
|
Cradleboards could be made in many different ways. |
3. |
Mii |
gaa- |
ezhichigewaad |
Anishinaabeg |
minogi’aawaad |
abinoojiinyensan |
|
So |
this |
they did |
the people |
to raise them well |
the babies. |
|
This is what they people did to raise a baby well. |
4. |
Dakonaaganing |
abinoojiinyensan |
babaamiwizh’aawaad. |
|
In the cradleboard |
babies |
are carried around by them. |
|
They carried the babies around in the cradleboard. |
5. |
Gaye |
gaa-ezhichigewaad |
mii |
wii-noondaagenid, |
waabanjigenid |
miinawaa |
ani-gikendaasonid |
epiichi |
zaagi’igaazonid |
|
Also |
they did this |
so |
they will hear, |
see, |
and |
learn |
while |
they are loved. |
|
This also was done so babies would see things, hear things and learn while being loved by someone. |
6. |
Mii |
gaa- |
bi- |
ezhi- |
bimaadiziwaad. |
|
So |
(past) |
here |
the way |
they lived. |
|
So this is how they lived. |
7. |
Abinoojiinyensan |
gii-ganawenjigaazowan |
epiichi |
ayaanid |
dakonaaganing. |
|
The baby |
was cared for |
while |
being |
in the cradleboard. |
|
The baby was cared for while in the cradleboard. |
8. |
Mitigoonsan |
ogii- |
waaganaawaan |
ji-dakonaaganikewaad. |
|
Sticks |
(past) |
they bent them |
to make a cradleboard. |
|
They bent sticks to make a cradleboard. |
9. |
Ogii-aabajitoonaawaan |
asigobaan, |
wiigwaas |
miinawaa |
giizhik |
ji-dakonaaganikewaad. |
|
They used |
basswood, |
birchbark |
and |
cedar |
to make the cradleboard. |
|
They used basswood, birchbark and cedar to make the cradleboard. |
10. |
Nanigodinong |
ogii- |
mazinibiidoonaawaan. |
|
Sometimes |
(past) |
they decorated it. |
|
Sometimes they decorated it. |
11. |
Niigaan-inaabiwan |
ogaman |
megwaa |
abinoojiinyensan |
azheyaa-inaabinid. |
|
Forward looking |
the mother |
while |
the baby |
backward looking. |
|
As the mother is looking forward, the baby is looking back. |
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