Waasse Williams and Naeli Valerine

This song was created by students who worked with Renee Pfaller, Milwaukee Indian Community School Oneida Instructor and Margaret Noodin, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Anishinaabemowin Instructor. The girls wanted to sing about Spring and the rain and their Native pride.

In 2018 Monea Warrington contributed a Menominee verse and Ashley Rave worked with the teachers of the Hoocąk Waaziija Haci Language Division to create a Ho-Chunk verse.

We have posted three audio files for you to enjoy. The first version features Waase and Naeli singing the song the day they wrote it. The second version features students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee who represent many nations, singing the languages of Minowaki, “the good land” where they are currently earning their degrees. The third version contains the all of the verses (Bodwéwadmi was added later).

This version sung by Waasse Williams, Naeli Valerine and Margaret Noodin in Oneida and Ojibwe.

Oneida-Ojibwe

This version sung by students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee in Oneida, Ojibwe, Menominee and Ho-Chunk.

Water Song by All

This version sung by Margaret Noodin is an example teachers and students can use to learn all of the verses.

Ohnekanus Nibi Water Song

In Oneida

Ukwehuwe ni’i
Oneida I am

Loganolo
It is raining

Loganolese
really raining

Yoyanole ohnekanus
It is good the water

In Ojibwe

Anishinaabe nindaaw
Anishinaabe I am

gimewon
it is raining

chigimewon
really raining

minogame nibi
It is good the water

In Ho-Chunk

Hocąk waa’uaje
I am Ho-Chunk

Cąąk’eja nįįžu je
It is raining

Maašja nįįžu je
It is raining hard

Nįįna pįį
the water is good

In Menominee

Mamāceqtaw asāwean
Menominee I am

Kemēwan
Its raining

Kāēc-kemēwan
Very hard it is raining

Māēnow-āwew nepēw
Good it is water

In Bodwéwadmi

In Bodwéwadmi

Neshnabé ndaw
I am Neshnabe

Gmeya
It is raining

Chegmeya
It is really raining

Mnogme bish
The water is good