Lee Staples Gaa-Anishinaabemod Obizaan Melissa Boyd Baabiitawigiizhigookwe Gaa-anishinaabewibii’ang
Geget a’aw Anishinaabe wenda-chi-ina’oonwewizi i’iwapii miinigoowizid inow abinoojiiyensan, weweni dash odaa-doodawaan. Mii dash imaa wii- ani-dazhindamaan gaa-izhi-mino-doodawiwaad ingiw gechi-aya’aawijig gaa-nitaawigi’ijig. Gii- niiyo-giiziswagiziyaan, mii iwapii gii-maajii- ganawenimiwaad. Mii dash o’ow noongom wezhibii’amaan, mii imaa ani-dazhindamaan gaa-izhi- gikinoo’amawiwaad ingiw gaa-nitaawigi’ijig biinish gaye i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-mino-doodawiwaad gii- abinoojiinyiwiyaan.
It is a wonderful gift for Anishinaabe to be given a baby; therefore, they need to treat him or her with love and respect. I am going to talk about how well I was treated by those old people who raised me. Those old people started taking care of me when I was four months old. I am going to talk about what they taught me and how they took care of me as a baby.
Geget ingiw Manidoog ozhawenimaawaan inow anishinaabe-abinoojiinyensan. Gii-miinigoowizi a’aw Anishinaabe ge-ani-izhichiged gaabige ani- ininamawindwaa ingiw Manidoog inow asemaan ge-onjikaamagadinig dash a’aw abinoojiinyens ani- niigaaninind gaye inow odasemaan eni-inaabasonid inow Manidoon enabinid. Mii imaa ge-ondiniged a’aw abinoojiinyens da-ni-naadamaagoowizid oniigaaniiming.
The Manidoog have a lot of compassion for our Anishinaabe babies. The Anishinaabe were given ceremonies where the tobacco goes out soon after the birth of a child to the Manidoog. That tobacco goes out to wherever those Manidoog sit. That is where the baby will be given spiritual support in their future.
Azhigwa gaa-niiyo-gonagizid, mii iwapii asemaa naa wiisiniwin etamawaawaad oniijaanisiwaan wegitiziimijig.Miidashi’iwezhi-wiinjigaadegOshki- daangishkang i’iw aki a’aw abinoojiinh. Azhigwa gaa- kiizhiitaang apagizomind a’aw asemaa miinawaa i’iw wiisiniwin, mii dash imaa agwajiing ezhiwinind a’aw abinoojiinh atamawind iniw ozidensan imaa mitikamig. Mii dash i’iw oshki-daangishkang i’iw aki a’aw abinoojiinh miinawaa imaa ojichaagoshing imaa akiing.
It is on the fourth day after birth that the parents put down tobacco and food for their child. This ceremony held four days after the birth of the child is called, “Oshki-daangishkang i’iw aki a’aw abinoojiinh.” After the food and tobacco have been offered and sent to the Manidoog, the baby is then taken outside and his or her little feet are placed directly onto bare ground. This is where the child has first contact with the earth and where his or her spirit leaves an impression on the earth.
Ishke dash gayat imaa gii-apagizondamawaa inow asemaan a’aw Manidoo imaa eyaad omaa akiing. Ishke dash imaa azhigwa iniw ozidensan a’aw abinoojiinh oshki-daangishkamawind imaa akiing, mii dash inow Manidoon omaa akiing wenjiniketaagojin ininamaagod i’iw menidoowaadak biindigeshkaagod a’aw biibiiyens i’iw ge-naadamaagod oniigaaniiming.
At that point, the tobacco has already gone out to the Manidoo within the earth. So, when the baby’s little feet are placed on the ground, it is at that time that the Manidoo within the earth extends her hand gifting the baby with the spiritual energy that will assist the child in his or her future.
Mii gaye owapii ingiw wegitiziimijig wewiingezijig owiiyawen’enyikawaawaad inow onjiinisensiwaan. Mii dash owapii miinind a’aw abinoojiinh odizhinikaazowin. Mii imaa weweni ani-doodawind inow ojichaagwan enishinaabewinijin, mii imaa biinjina bemiwinaajin.
Also at that time, conscientious parents will give namesakes to their child. The baby is given an Anishinaabe name at this time. By giving the baby an Anishinaabe name, you are nurturing the Anishinaabe spirit within that child.
Ishke ingiw anishinaabebaneg gaa-ikidowaad, “Mawishkid a’aw abinoojiinh, mii imaa nandwewedang da-miinind da-anishinaabewinikaazod”. Mii gaye owapii ge-ni-miinigoowizid i’iw menidoowaadak ge-ni-naadamaagod oniigaaniiming miinawaa ge-ni-ayaawaajin wenjida inow Manidoon ge-ni- ganawenimigojin oniigaaniiming. Mii imaa ge- ondinang a’aw abinoojiinh gaa-onaabaminjig ge- owiiyawen’enyijin. Ishke ingiw akiwenziiyibaneg gaa-ikidowaad, “Gakina a’aw Anishinaabe odayaawaan inow Manidoon geniwenimigojin. Gaawiin da- bibizhaagiisiin omaa akiing ayaawaasig Manidoon zhewenimigojin a’aw Anishinaabe.
The elders said, “When a child cries a lot, they are asking to be given an Anishinaabe name.” It is through this ceremony that the baby is given spiritual nourishment for his or her future, and also at this time the baby is given Manidoog who will take special care of them. These Manidoog will be made available to the child by those selected as namesakes. Those old men said, “Every Anishinaabe has a Manidoo or Manidoog that watch over them. They would not exist on this earth without them.”
Ishke dash ingiw wewiiyawen’enyikawinjig, mii imaa inow asemaan miinawaa wiisiniwin gaa-atamawindwaa enaasamabiwaad. Ishke dash ingiw bebezhig gaa-onaabaminjig da- owiiyawen’enyiwaad inow abinoojiinyensan, mii dash owapii gii-kashkitoowaapan da-gii- apagizondamawaawaapan inow asemaan miinawaa iw wiisiniwin inow Manidoon genawenimigowaajin, da-gii-nanaandodamawaawaapan, “Daga ganawenimik miinawaa zhawenimik a’aw niwiiyawen’enh gaye.”
Those who have been selected as namesakes are given tobacco and a plate of food placed in front of them. Each of those chosen as namesakes for the child, if they were able to speak Ojibwe, would offer the tobacco and food placed in front of them to the Manidoog who take care of them asking, “Please take care of my new namesake and have compassion for him or her as well.”
Mii-go minik waa-ozhibii’igeyaan. Nawaj-igo ayaamagad i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-miinigoowizid a’aw Anishinaabe ge-ondinigenid inow oniijaanisan da- ni-naadamaagoowizinid oniigaaniiming. Ishke dash inendaagoziyaang inga-giizhiibii’aamin nawaj i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-miinigoowizid a’aw Anishinaabe.
This is all I am going to write for now. There are additional ceremonies that Anishinaabe were given to help their children in their future. If it is meant to be, we will finish writing about the other ways that Anishinaabe was helped.