Schoolcraft Sisters Sing an Ojibwe Sweetheart Song
To celebrate Women’s History Month and Poetry month in 2026, Curator & Public Historian, Barbara Bair assembled an exhibit of the work of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft at the Library of Congress. Bamewawagezhikaquay (Woman of the Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky) began writing poetry in English and Ojibwemowin and as Bair notes: “her poems reflect her love of nature and the songs, tales, and history of her Indigenous heritage. They also explore hope, faith, and delight, and the pain of grief, loss, and separation.
One of the songs Jane transcribed and translated is Ojibwe Ikwezens which was sung often by both Jane and her sister Charlotte. For more about Jane see https://ojibwe.net/songs/traditional/nindinendam-thinking/ For more about Charlotte see https://ojibwe.net/projects/namewin-prayer/
To see how the song has moved across time, there are three versions of the lyrics and two scores below.
Part 1: The lyrics as Jane transcribed them
1.
Aun dush ween do win ane
Gitchy Mocomaun aince
Caw awzhaw woh da modé
We yea, yea haw ha! &c
2.
Wah yaw bum maud e
Ojibway quaince un e
We maw jaw need e
We yea, yea haw ha! &c
3.
Omow e maun e
We nemoshain yun
We maw jaw need e
We yea, yea haw ha! &c
4.
Caw ween gush shá ween
Kin wainzh e we yea
O guh maw e maw seen
We yea, yea haw ha! &c
5.
Me gosh shá ween e yea
Ke bish quaw bam maud e
Tehe won ain e maud e
We yea, yea haw ha! &c
Part 2: The modern Ojibwe spelling of the lyrics
1.
Aan’ dash wiin daawin ani
Gichi-mookomaanens
Gaa-aazhawaadamoode
We yaa, ya haa ha (repeat)
2.
Wayaabamaad e
Ojibway ikwezens e
Wii-maajaanid e
We yaa, ya haa ha (repeat)
3.
Omawimaan e
Wiininimosheyan
Wii-maajaanid e
We yaa, ya haa ha (repeat)
4.
Gaawiin gosha wiin
Giiwenaazha’aad
Ogaa-mawimaansiin
We yaa, ya haa ha (repeat)
5.
Mii gosha wiin ayaad
Gabe ishkwa waabamad e
De-wanenimad e
We yaa, ya haa ha (repeat)