Midaaswi Ozaawikosimaanensan Kitiganing (Ten Little Pumpkins in the Field)
Photos from Stephanie Lindstom’s 1st grade classroom at Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Song adaptation by Sheila Feay-Shaw
Sung by Sheila Feay-Shaw, Angela Uitz, Maurina Paradise, and Margaret Noodin
This song is based on Angel Band, a traditional children’s counting song based on an African American spiritual from the 1800’s. This version has been adapted to have Anishinaabemowin lyrics and help teach how to say something inanimate is located somewhere (ate) or something animate is located somewhere (ayaa); how to add an ending to say something is small (ens); and the numbers one through ten.
The song teaches students how to count animate objects which is different than counting inanimate objects. For beginning Ojibwe speakers it is important to learn to categorize nouns this way. Inanimate nouns always become plural with -an at the end. You will notice the number comes after the “to be” verb and the noun comes at the very end.

Bezhig ayaa, niizh ayaawag, niswi ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan,
There is one, there are two, there are three little pumpkins,
Niiwin ayaawag, naanan ayaawag, ingodwaaswi ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan.
There are four, there are five, there are six little pumpkins,
Niizhwaaswi ayaawag, nishwaaswi ayaawag, zhaangaswi ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan,
There are seven, there are eight, there are nine little pumpkins,
Midaaswi ayaawag mishiiminensag kitiganing.
There are ten little pumpkins in the field.
Midaaswi ayaawag, zhaangaaswi ayaawag, nishwaaswi ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan,
There are ten, there are nine, there are eight little pumpkins,
Niizhwaaswi ayaawag, ingodwaaswi ayaawag, naanan ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan,
There are seven, there are six, there are five little pumpkins,
Niiwin ayaawag, niswi ayaawag, niizh ayaawag ozaawikosimaanensan,
There are four, there are three, there are two little pumpkins,
Bezhig ayaa ozaawikosimaanensan kitiganing.
There is one little pumpkins in the field.