Ditibiniganag Gichi-odaabaaning Ditibisewag (Wheels on the Bus)
“The Wheels on the Bus” is an American folk song written by Verna Hills in 1937. The Ojibwe version here is sung by students who live in Gichi-Onigaming and Cook County, Minnesota. The audio is intentionally slow and focused on learning the names for what we see on the bus and using the words for what they do.
Be sure to practice saying the nouns together before singing the songs and remember it’s more fun if you get silly and act it all out!
1.
Ditibiniganag gichi-odaabaaning ditibisewag
The wheels on the bus go around (and around)
ditibisewag, ditibisewag.
around (and around), around (and around).
Ditibiniganag gichi-odaabaaning ditibisewag
The wheels on the bus go around (and around)
miziwe-oodenang.
all over town.
2.
Ishkwaandeman gichi-odaabaaning baakinigaadewan
The doors on the bus open (and close)
gibaakogaadewa, baakinigaadewan.
(open) and close, open (and close).
Ishkwaandeman gichi-odaabaaning baakinigaadewan
The doors on the bus open (and close)
miziwe-oodenang.
all through the town.
3.
Gaashkaashkaa’iganan gichi-odaabaaning gaashkaashkaa’igaadewan
The wipers on the bus go swish (swish, swish)
gaashkaashkaa’igaadewan, gaashkaashkaa’igaadewan.
swish (swish, swish), swish (swish, swish).
Gaashkaashkaa’iganan gichi-odaabaaning gaashkaashkaa’igaadewan
The wipers on the bus go swish (swish, swish)
miziwe-oodenang.
all through the town.
4.
Madwejigan gichi-odaabaaning gichi-madwemagad
The horn on the bus makes a very big sound
gichi-madwemagad, gichi-madwemagad.
a very big sound, a very big sound.
Madwejigan gichi-odaabaaning gichi-madwemagad
The horn on the bus makes a very big sound
miziwe-oodenang.
all through the town.
5.
Oniijaanisag gichi-odaabaaning namadabiwag
The children on the bus, they sit down
niibawiwag, namadabiwag.
they stand up, they sit down.
Oniijaanisag gichi-odaabaaning namadabiwag
The children on the bus, they sit down
miziwe-oodenang.
all through the town.