Thanksgiving-0

Mino-Miigwechwigiizhigad (Happy Thanksgiving Day)

We can see the word “miigwe” (to give something) in the word “miigiwechiwi” (to give something to someone) so as we give thanks, we are recognizing there is something we have been given.

One of many wonderful things about Anishinaabe people is the tendency to see any one idea from multiple viewpoints. You may hear different stories about the same word and they may all be correct, or at least connected to old ideas in different ways. It is important to honor the ways fluent speakers see the language coming together.

As the year grows more quiet and the season of dagwaagin (fall) comes to a close, we gather to share our harvest and remember the ancestors who came before us and made our lives possible.

Because in the United States we are all given time off from school and work to think about the season and our shared history, here are some sentences and word lists to help you talk about the way you spend the day. There is also an activity for classrooms or language nests.

There are many ways to talk about giving, appreciating, and thanking others. All of them begin with identifying what is happening, who is doing it, and what relationships are being noted. Because Anishinaabe culture is not monolithic you will find that different Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi communities and people use different words for great spirit, creator, etc which are reflected below.

Before a meal it is important to remember the ancestors and relatives not with us. In some places a ghost plate is made by placing a very small amount of each item on the menu on a plate and setting it out in a special place. Then someone (or everyone) gives thanks, elders are served and everyone shares a meal together as a way of celebrating life and the cycle of another year.

Throughout planning and enjoying a feast, you have to keep in mind whether each food falls into the “o’o” / “maanda” or “wa’aw” / “maaba” category. Sometimes these categories are called “inanimate” and “animate” but they are not always logical and sometimes surprise us. You will notice in the lists below that a few words such as bakwezhigan (bread) and bread-related words are in both lists because people in different places came to see it differently. It can be helpful to simply learn the categories without worrying too much.

Inanimate Food

Animate Food

In Ojibwe, the word for pie is often cited as one of the longest possible words and it can indeed become quite long as all the features of pies are described. The two words below are common examples, but you may wish to challenge yourself by describing the pies on your own table.

Thanksgiving-4-1 miinan-baashkiminasigani-biitoosijigani-bakwezhigan – blueberry pie

Thanksgiving-4-2 ozaawagoosimanan-baashkiminasigani-biitoosijigani-bakwezhigan – pumpkin pie

Thanksgiving-4-3 wiishkobi-bakwezhigans – little sweet bread, used for many desserts: cookie, muffin, etc. . .\

*In class students can work on just saying the foods as singular, plural and sorting them into the right categories. Once students know the categories, they can move on to the phrases about cooking and tasting these foods.

Thanksgiving-5-1 minopogwad – something in the inanimate o’o / maanda category tastes good.
Thanksgiving-5-2 minopogozi – something in the animate wa’aw / maaba category tastes good.
Thanksgiving-5-3 Minopagwazi bakwezhigan. – It tastes good the bread.
Thanksgiving-5-4 Minopagwad mizisewiiyaas. – It tastes good the turkey.

After learning the food words, it can be fun to learn the words to set the table and share a harvest meal.

Table Things

Read the sentences below and see if you can translate them. Open the toggle to reveal the translation and see if you were correct.