By Lee Obizaan Staples: Gaa-anishinaabemod and Melissa Baabiitawigiizhigookwe Boyd: Gaa-anishinaabewibii’ang
Booch gakina awiya gii-noondamogwen enigaa’igod nebowa a’aw gidanishinaabeminaan eni-aabajitood noongom. Aaniindi-go endanakiid a’aw Ansihinaabe, mii-go apane ezhi-noondawindwaa bagamibizowaad ingiw aakoziiwidaabaanag bi-maamiginind a’aw Anishinaabe gaa-onzaami-mamood i’iw gaawanaajikaagod a’aw bemaadizid; mii-go aanind ezhi-nisigod i’iw ayaabajitood.
I am sure everybody has heard how drugs have been so harmful to our people. Wherever Anishinaabe people live, ambulances are often heard, coming into our communities to pick up those who have overdosed on drugs; some have even died from these overdoses.
It is here that I am going to talk about why this is happening in our community. In a previous article, I talked about where the low self-worth and low self-esteem present in some of our Anishinaabe people comes from. The racism that causes this is still present today. We are pushed into assimilation without even realizing it by what we see and hear on our television sets. It’s like we are brainwashed not to value the beliefs, ceremonies and language that we have been given as Anishinaabe people. It causes us to abandon the ways that we were given as a people.
Mii dash imaa wii-ani-dazhindamaan wenjikaamagak wenji-izhiwebizid i’iw akeyaa a’aw gidanishinaabeminaan. Gayat nigii-tazhindaan gaa-onjikaamagadinig wenji-goopadenindizod a’aw Anishinaabe. Mii-go geyaabi aanind a’aw chimookomaan ezhi-aanawenimaad inow Anishinaaben. Wawaaj-igo mezinaateseg mii imaa bakaan ani-waabandamang i’iw akeyaa ezhi-wiikobinind a’aw Anishinaabe da-ni-izhi-bimiwidood i’iw bimaadizid. Mii-go gaye imaa wenjikaamagak ani-aanawendang nebowa a’aw Anishinaabe gaa-izhi-ina’oonigod da-izhitwaad.
Every Anishinaabe has a spirit or a soul; that Spirit is Anishinaabe. When we were put on this earth, we were given our own belief system: to put our tobacco every day, and we were also given our own language. When we follow the ways that we were given by the Manidoog, we are feeding our Spirit within which is Anishinaabe. This is what nurtures that spirit and brings peace to us within.
Gakina a’aw Anishinaabe ojichaagwan odayaawaan; Anishinaabewiwan inow ojichaagwan. Ishke dash i’iwapii gii-asigooyang omaa akiing, gigii-miinigoowizimin ge-izhitwaayang da-biindaakoojigeyang biinish gaye ge-inweyang. Ishke dash biminizha’amang o’ow akeyaa gaa-izhi-miinigoowiziyang da-izhitwaayang, gimino-doodawaanaan a’aw gijichaagonaan biinjina eyaawang. Mii iw wenda-minokaagod miinawaa wendinang a’aw Anishinaabe zakab izhi-ayaad imaa biinjina.
Every Anishinaabe has a spirit or a soul; that Spirit is Anishinaabe. When we were put on this earth, we were given our own belief system: to put our tobacco every day, and we were also given our own language. When we follow the ways that we were given by the Manidoog, we are feeding our Spirit within which is Anishinaabe. This is what nurtures that spirit and brings peace to us within.
Gidaa-zhawenimaanaanig ingiw gidanishinaabeminaanig eni-aabajitoojig wenda-inigaa’igowaad. Gaawiin eta-go wiinawaa gidaa-maji-inaasiwaanaanig. Ishke inow ogitiziimiwaan maagizhaa gaye gaa-nitaawigi’igowaajin gaawiin ogii-ayaangwaamigosiiwaan da-ni-apiitendamowaad miinawaa da-ni-ayaangwaami-aabajitoowaad i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-gikinoo’amaagoowiziyang da-ni-izhi-bimiwidooyang o’ow bimaadiziyang anishinaabewiyang.
We should have compassion for our fellow Anishinaabe who are using drugs. We need to realize that they are not solely responsible for their drug abuse, there are other factors involved. It’s their parents or foster parents who are responsible for this happening, for not strongly encouraging their children to value and to practice diligently our ways that we have been given as a people.
Ishke dash nebowa a’aw wenjida weshki-bimaadizid ezhi-webinang i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-miinigoowiziyang anishinaabewiyang. Nebowa odani-debwetawaan inow wayaabishkiiwen. Gaawiin gaye a’aw chi-mookomaan odayaanziin ge-minokaagowaad naa gaye ge-naadamaagowaad ingiw weshki-bimaadizijig. Ishke dash ingiw weshki-aya’aawijig dibishkoo-go gaagiiwozhitoowag, gaawiin odayaanziinaawaa ge-apenimowaad ge-naadamaagowaad.
A lot of our young people have been pushed to abandon our teachings as Anishinaabe. The larger society has had a strong influence on their lives. That larger society has nothing that offers them spiritual direction in their lives. Our younger generation are in limbo and do not always rely on our Anishinaabe ways for spiritual support in their lives and certainly do not find anything in that other world to guide them along.
Ishke mii-go imaa nisidawinaagwak misawendamowaad ingiw weshki-bimaadizijig wii-tibendaagoziwaad ingoji. Ishke imaa giwaabandaamin ezhi-inootawaawaad inow bakaan enaanzozhenijin bakaan ezhitwaanijin inow ikidowinan ayaabajitoonijin. Mii gaye imaa nebowa owiikobinigonaawaan wii-tibendaagoziwaad okwi’idiwaad weshki-bimaadizijig anooj dash imaa baa-maazhichigewaad. Mii imaa ge-apa’iwewaapan i’iw akeyaa iniw Manidoon gaa-izhi-miinigowaad da-ni-izhi-bimaadiziwaad Anishinaabewiwaad. Mii eta-go akeyaa ge-izhi-miigaadang miinawaa ge-izhi-noogishkaatood ani-onzaamiikang a’aw Anishinaabe wenda-noomige-apaginigod ge-ni-aabajitood, gidaa-ayaangwaamitoomin nawaj da-ni-mashkawaamagak gaa-izhi-miinigoowiziyang da-izhitwaayang.
We can see that our younger people have a desire to belong. What they do is adopt the way of speaking that comes from another culture or are easily influenced or drawn to become part of a gang. They will always feel like there is something missing. It’s only after they return to our Anishinaabe ways that they will have peace within. The only way to break the cycle of the drug abuse in our communities is to strengthen the presence of what we have been given as a people.
Ishke gakina awiya imaa ishkoniganing eyaad da-ni-naazikang aaniin igo akeyaa okwi’idid a’aw Anishinaabe ani-biindaakoojiged. Gakina a’aw Anishinaabe endanakiid miinawaa wenjiid imaa ishkoniganing oda-ni-ayaangwaami-aabaji’aan inow obiindaakoojiganan. Mii gaye gakina awiya odaa-ayaangwaamitoon da-ni-gikendang gidinwewininaan. Mii gaye ge-izhichigewaad ingiw weshki-bimaadizijig da-wawiinge-gikendamowaad i’iw akeyaa Anishinaabe ezhichiged ani-mamanidoowichiged biinish gaye i’iw gaagiigidowin ge-ni-aabajichigaadeg aaniin igo akeyaa a’aw Anishinaabe okwi’idid biindaakoojiged. Maa minik-igo imaa da-ni-dazhitaam da-ni-miigaajigaadeg ezhiwebizid a’aw Anishinaabe endanakiid.
All of those living within the reservation need to be encouraged to participate in our ceremonies. Everyone has to use their tobacco on a daily basis. Everyone should also learn our language to nurture that Anishinaabe Spirit within us. Our younger people have to work toward learning our ceremonies and to be able to do the talk that goes with these ceremonies. It is going to take some time to turn things around in our communities by strengthening the presence of our culture in the communities.
Ishke eshkam nebowa a’aw Anishinaabe gii-ani-ayaad gaa-apagijwebinang i’iw akeyaa gaa-izhi-miinigoowiziyang, mii iwapii eshkam nebowa gii-ani-ayaad a’aw Anishinaabe eni-aabajitood i’iw enigaa’igod naa anooj mayaazhichigewaad.
As we began to see the decreasing interest and participation of Anishinaabe people in our ceremonies, we are seeing the increasing negative impact it is having on our communities with the drug abuse and other dysfunctional behaviors escalating.
Ishke gaa-ikidowaad ingiw gaa-nitaawigi’ijig megwaa imaa gii-wenda-ozaamiikamaan gii-minikweyaan, mii o’ow gaa-izhiwaad, “Gaawiin gigii-inendaagozisiin da-ani-nishwanaajitooyan i’iw giwiiyaw megwaa omaa bimaadiziyan ani-aabajitooyan i’iw minikwewin. Ingiw Manidoog gigii-inenimigoog omaa da-ni-dazhiikaman gegoo megwaa maa ani-bibizhaagiiyan omaa akiing. Mii iw wiin ge-biminizha’aman megwaa imaa ayaayan omaa akiing.”
Those old people that raised me used to tell me when I was heavy into alcohol use, “You were not put on this earth to waste your life away using drugs and drinking. Those Manidoog had a reason for putting you on this earth. There is something that they want you to accomplish while you are here. It was not meant for you to waste your life by drinking and using drugs. Find out what was meant for you to pursue while you are here on Earth and go after it.”
Ishke nebowa ayaa a’aw Anishinaabe eni-gaadood gikenimaad inow besho enawemaajin eni-aabajitoonijin maagazhaa gaye eni-adaawaagenid enigaa’igod nebowa a’aw Anishinaabe. Gidaa-ayaangwaamimaanaanig da-maanaajimaawaad inow odinawemaaganiwaan ayaabajitoonijin miinawaa edaawaagenijin i’iw noongom wenda-noomige-apaginigowaad ingiw Anishinaabeg. Gaawiin odaa-inigaa’aasiwaawaan maanaajimaawaad, mii-go imaa da-mino-doodawaawaapan.
There are many Anishinaabe who are covering up the drug abuse that exists within their family and refuse to disclose those that might be dealing and selling drugs in their own family. We need to encourage these Anishinaabe to disclose this information to the police. They are not harming their relatives by telling, they are doing them a favor.
Maagizhaa maajiijigaazowaad megwaa dash iwidi gibaakwa’igaazowaad gemaa daa-moonendamoog ezhi-inigaa’idizowaad. Miinawaa gaye daa-wenda-gagwaansagendam a’aw Anishinaabe inow odinawemaaganan ani-ishkwaa-ayaanid miinawaa nisigonid ani-aabajitoonid, mii imaa eni-moonendang, maagizhaa gaye gawiin daa-gii-izhiwebasinoon maanaajimopan.
Ishke gaye a’aw eni-adaawaaged i’iw mayaanaadak nebowa-go Anishinaabe oda-nisigon, mii iw ge-onji-wiindamaagepan awiya gikenimaad adaawaagenid.
Just possibly while they are sitting in jail, they may realize the harm they are doing to themselves. If a relative of yours dies from drug abuse, you would feel bad especially when you realized you could have intervened by disclosing about their drug abuse to the police. If someone is selling drugs, there will be deaths caused by overdoses. This is why they should disclose to the police if they have a relative who is dealing drugs.
Mii iw booch gakina ezhi-bagosendamang, apegish ingiw neshwanaajitoojig owiiyawiwaan megwaa bimaadiziwaad noondawaawaad inow Manidoon da-madwe-ganoonigowaad ani-wiindamaagowaad, “Daga naa Noozis, naazikan a’aw Anishinaabe gaa-izhi-miinigoowizid. Gidaa-naadamaagon.” Mii eta-go iw akeyaa ge-izhi-maajitaawaapan da-ni-aanjitoowaad ezhi-bimaadiziwaad. Ani-biindaakoojigeyang gidaa-nandodamaagemin i’iw akeyaa da-naadamaagoowiziwaad miinawa da-bakibizhigaadeg minjiminigowaad ingiw Anishinaabeg gashkitoosigwaa da-boonitoowaad wenda-inigaa’igowaad.
It is everybody’s hope that there is an intervention from a higher level for those using drugs in our community. We hope that in some form or fashion that they hear the voice of the Manidoog saying, “Please, Grandchild, make use of the teachings that we have given to the Anishinaabe. It will help you”. It’s from there they may seek the help that is available in our ceremonies to change their lives. Let’s all ask for help for our Anishinaabe in need as we put our tobacco to be able to remove what is holding them down and that they be able to leave the drugs alone.