This old story is both in Bodewadmimwen and Ojibwe…..the first section being in Potawatomi and then the English translation, then Ojibwe.
There is a recorded version to be found on the patreon.com/neaseno site
[1] Ngom zneget wigwaskek. Gi zhoshkwamget wigwas bnewi. Neshnabek bnewi gi-wenpenzek gi-wigwaskewat. Gi-mnozhoshkwamgek ga-wzhitowat gégo. Cho wgi-pitendansinawa.
[2] Abdek Nanabozho wgi-wabman jésh wigwasmtegon, dagnat nechis zhi mtegon.
[3] “Wenet apje. zaam gishgen,” kedo Nanabozho. “Da-wenpenze neshnabe je-wigwasket. nge-nena’ibdon. nwi-zneg’a nwech neshnabe je bnegwakwat. wi-kche-mikchewi. da-kche-nendan.”
[4] Nanabozho ga-je-kenonat gagjeganayan. Gi boni pnéshi. Nanabozho ga-je-debnat wkaden abje’at, ga-je-wawépodwat wigwas-mtegon gkebyégenet wnengwigenen o pnéshi zhi zhoshkwanek wigwas.
[5] Ga-je-majit mine Nanabozho megwémtekwakik gi-o-bokbnat gagindebé mtegosen, ga-je-wépodwat wiigwas-mtegon nekmek. Iw je gi-negapzet. Nekshe! Netem gi-mishkwya wigwaas. Mi sa gi-ne-wépodwegwat. Gi-nenagwet gé bij igwan wigwas zhi mtegon.
[6] Ekedot Nanabozho, “Neshnabe nomek da-dzhita je-ndowabdek zhoshkwanek wigwas. Nwech ogajiikendan mkek wigwas. Mii iwe wje-zhenagwek wigwas ngom ojiishigid wigwasi-mtek; Nanabozho gi-abjetot gwiigwanensan mine gii-pabashanzhe’waad gi-abjetot gagindebé mtegosen.
HOW THE BIRCH TREE GOT ITS MARKS
[1] Today it is difficult to harvest birchbark. Long ago the birchbark was smooth. The Indians long ago had an easy time when they harvested birchbark. It was perfectly smooth when they made things. They didn’t appreciate it.
[2] One time Nenabozho saw a grove of birch trees, and touched the trees with his bare finger.
[3] “It’s so very nice. It grows so plentiful,” said Nenabozho. “The Indian will have such an easy time when he picks the bark. I’ll fix it. I will make it harder for the Indian to to peel off the trunk. He’ll work hard. He’ll appreciate it.”
[4] Nenabozho spoke to the chickadee. The bird landed. Nenabozho grasped its legs, using [the bird] as he struck it against the birch trees repeatedly, leaving numerous small indentations with the bird’s wings on the smooth bark.
[5] And then Nenabozho went into the woods again, breaking balsam branches, whipping the birch trees all over. So it became brittle. See! The birchbark had been tough. And so he whipped them. And the marks even showed on the inside of the trees’ bark there.
[6] Nenabozho said, “Now the Indian will have to spend a long time searching for smooth birchbark. He’ll appreciate it more when he finds [good] birchbark. That’s why the birchbark looks the way it does now, as the birch tree bears the marks of the bird wings used by Nenabozho and the balsam boughs he used to whip them.
GAA-ONDINANG OJIISHIGID WIIGWAASI-MITIG
[1] Noongom zanagad wiigwaasiwikeng. Giizhooshkwaamagad wiigwaas mewinzha. Anishinaabeg mewinzha gii-wenipaniziwag gii-wiigwaasiwikewaad. Gii-minozhooshkwaamagak gaa-ozhitoowaad gegoo. Gaawiin ogiiapiitendanziinaawaa. [2] Aabiding Nenabozho ogii-waabamaan niibowa wiigwaasimitigoon, daanginaad binaakwaaninj imaa mitigoon. [3] “Onizhishin aapiji. Onzaam ginibigin,” ikido Nenabozho. “Da-wenipanizi anishinaabe izhi-wiigwaasiwiked. Nigananaa’ibidoon. Niwii-sanagi’aa nawaj anishinaabe izhibikwaakobinaad. Da-gichi-anokii. Odaa-gichi-inendaan.” [4] Nenabozho gaa-izhi-ganoonaad gijigaaneshiinyan. Giipagamised bineshiinh. Nenabozho gaa-izhi-debinaad okaading aabaji’aad, gaa-izhi-babakite’waad wiigwaasi-mitigoon nameshininid ogwiigwaniman awe bineshiinh imaa zhooshkwaanig wiigwaas. [5] Gaa-izhi-maajaad miinawaa Nenabozho megwaayaakwaang gii-o-bookobinaad zhingobiin mitigoonsan, gaa-izhi-bashanzhe’waad wiigwaasi-mitigoon gabe-ayi’ii. Mii go gii-nigaapizid. Naa! Nitam gii-mashkawi-ayaa wiigwaas. Mii go gii-ani-bashanzhe’windwaa. Gii-ininaagwad igaye awasayi’ii wiigwaas imaa mitigoon. [6] Ekidod Nenabozho, “Anishinaabe noomag daa-dazhitaa izhi-andawaabandang zhookwaanig wiigwaas. Nawaj ogajiikendaan mikang wiigwaas. Mii iwe wenji-izhinaagwak wiigwaas noongom ojiishigid wiigwaasi-mitig; Nenabozho gii-aabajitood gwiigwanensan miinawaa gii-pabashanzhe’waad gii-aabajitood zhingobiin mitigoonsan.
ANNA C. GIBBS 67
SPRING 2010 VOL. 7 / NO. 2 OSHKAABEWIS NATIVE JOURNAL
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