Arts and Crafts
Below is a list of things in simple and Plural forms
Singular Plural
Shabnegen – Needle Shabnegnen – Needles
Sebabis – Thread Sebabisen – Threads
Moshwagen – Scissors Mosh wagnen – Scissors
Bishagen – Leather Bishagnen – Leathers
Pegoyan – Cloth Material Pegoyanen – Cloth Materials
Zenba – Ribbon Zenabayek – Ribbons
Mdo mnes – Bead Mdo mne sek – Beads
Siy – Raw Hide Siyek – Hides
Megos – Awl Megosen – Awls
Weza wegzot (Brain Tanned hide)
Singular Plural
Biskowagen – Shirt Biskowagnen – Shirts
Mjegode – Dress Mje godeyen – Dresses
Mkesen – Moccasin Mkesnen – Moccasins
Asyan – Apron Asyanen – Aprons
Napshe bsowen – Earring Napshe bsonen – Earrings
BLACK ASH BASKET MAKING
WISGAK GOKBENAGNEN
Gokbenagen basket
Gokbenagnen baskets
Bapagnegawesh black ash tree
while you are pounding it
Wisgak black ash tree
Mtek tree
Mtegok trees
Mtegwakik forest
Koman knife
Ndo kman my knife
Gdo kman your knife
Komanen knives
Negek bark
Mozhwagen scissors (sing.)
Mozhwagnen scissors (pl.)
Gemsagen axe
Gemsagnen axes
Gemsagas hatchet
Kishkpojgen saw
Kishkpojgnen saws
Megos awl
Zhabnegen needle
Zhabnegnen needles
Bnegjigen spud knife for peeling logs
Gwenbejigen cant hook
describes turning over logs
Sebab rope
Sebabis thread
Zgegen nail
Zgegas small nail
Zgegasen small nails
Jikwegen shovel
Bgejegen hammer
Sebojgen file
Gon snow
Mkwem ice
Gishknekto stump
Bapagnege pounding black ash
Bapagaktegwen splints
Bapagaktegkiwen wefts
Bapagaktegshpemki upright splints
Biskea splitting the splint
Biskean I splint the splint
Wishpemishkos sweetgrass
Gashkean scraping
Wzhobyegewen dyes
Wzhobyegewnen paints
Enazwen color
Enazwenen colors
Mskwejibek blood root
Bapagakobjege binding, outer layer of bark
Sema tobacco
Gemwen song
Gemwenen songs
Engedewen pricing
Madmowen prayer
Najdowen prayer request
Dodaskewen more concerted prayer
Nwi gokbenage I will make a basket
Nwi bapagaknege I will pound black ash
Nwi ndewebna i bapagnegawesh
I will look for a black ash tree
Nwi gishktea i mteg
I will cut down that tree
Some New Words:
Wenpenet easy/cheap
Wenpengede it’s cheap (referring to price)
Wenpesh free
Wenpenzet someone who is cheap/easy
usually is reference to someone in a
derogatory manner…
Ni je engedek how much is it? (price)
Ni je engezwat how much are they?
Ni je engedmagoyen how much are they charging you?
Ni je engedmagoyek what are they charging you folks?
Ni je ode engedmen how much do you charge for this?
Ni je ode engedmet how much do you charge for this? (anim.)
Ni je node engedmen how much do you charge for these? (pl.)
Ni je gode engemdwa how much do you charge for these?
(anim.)
NEGDE COST
Wenpengede it’s cheap (price)
Wenpengeze it’s cheap (anim.)
Wenpengedenon they’re cheap (price)
Wenpengezwek they’re cheap (anim.)
Mesgede it’s expensive/overpriced
Mesgezo h/s is expensive/overpriced (anim.)
Mesgedenon they’re expensive/pricey
Mesgeswek they’r expensive/pricey (anim.)
Ni je ode da negde moyen
How much would you charge me for this?
The only time it would change to specifically anim. or inanim.
would be when you use plurals.
Ni je node danegde moyen (inanim.)
How much would you charge me for this?
Ni je gode danegde mowyen (anim.)
How much would you charge me for this?
Da could/should
E present tense
Ga past tense
Wa future tense
Ni pi je where
Zhya/shya to go some place/somewhere
Ni pi je eshyayen where are you going?
Ni pi je eshyat where is h/s going?
Ni pi je eshyawat where are they going?
Ni pi je eshyayek where are you folks going?
Ni pi je eshyaygo where are we going?
Ni pi je ga shayen where did you go?
Ni pi je ga shyayek where did you folks go?
Ni pi je ga shyat where did h/s go?
Ni pi je ga shyawat where did they go?
Ni pi je ga shyaygo where did we go?
Ni pi je wa shyayen where are you going?
Ni pi je wa shyayek where are you folks going?
Ni pi je wa shyat where is h/s going?
Ni pi je wa shyawat where are they going?
Ni pi je wa shyaygo where are we going?
E present tense
Ga past tense
Wa future tense
Ni pi je where
Ni pi je eshayen where are you going?
Ni pi je wa shyayen where are you going?
Ni pi je ga shyayen where did you go?
Ni pi je eshyawat where are they going?
Ni je pi when
Ni je pi wa shyayen when are you going?
Ni je pi ga shayen when did you go?
Ni je pi ga shyawat when did they go?
Ni je pi wa shyawat when are they going?
BYE/BYA coming
Ni je pi when
Ni je pi wa byayen when are you coming?
Ni je pi wa byawat when are they coming?
Ni je pi wa byat when is h/s coming?
Ni je pi wa bme byayen when are you going to get here?
Ni je pi wa bme byawat when will they get here?
Ni je pi wa bme byat when will h/s get here?
Ni pi je wech byayen where did you come from?
Ni pi je wech byawat where are they coming from?
Ni pi je wech byet where did h/s come from?
where is h/s coming from?
Ni je pi ga byayen when did you get here?
Ni je pi ga byawat when did they get here?
Ni je pi ga byat when did h/s get here?
Ni je pi ga byayek when did you folks get here?
_____ wi byewak _______ is going to come.
_____ wi byek _______ and them are coming.
Ni je pi wa ne byayen ibe
When will you get there?
Ni je pi wa ne byawat ibe
When will they get there?
Ni je pi wa ne byat ibe
When will h/s get there?
Wegwni je wa byaygo
When will we get there?
Ni je weje byayen
Why are you here?
Ni je weje byat
Why is h/s here?
Ni je weje byawat
Why are they here?
Ni je shote weje byaygo
Why did we come here?
Gda you can/could
Da h/s could
Nda I could/we could
Nin nda bya
I could come over.
Gin gda bya
You could come over.
Win da bye
H/S sould come over.
Ninan nda byamen
We could come over.
Ginwa gda byam
You folks could come over.
Winwa da byek
They could come over.
Gi byewak ne
Did h/s gete here?
Gi byek ne
Did they get here?
Gwi bya ne
Are you coming over?
Wi byek ne
Are they coming over?
Wi byewak ne
Is h/s coming over?
Ni pi je where
Ni je pi when
Ode pi now
Wa/wegni what
Nokshe look at s.t/or someone
Wegwni je why
Gin you
Nin I
Win him/her/he/she
Ginan us (incl.)
Ninan us (excl.)
Winwa them (excl.)
Ginwa you folks (excl.)
Winwa them (excl.)
Some further miscellaneous notes:
Ni me en pry it up/to pry up…
This Land Is My Land…
Ode ke nin nde kim
Ode ke gin gde kim
Shote se California
Nash zhe shi New York mnestik
Shote se ni mskwa mtegwakik
Nash zhe shi mbik ekwabisek
Ode ke wech shechgadek
Ginan se ewiyawek
Gin mine ni ewiyawek
Ewiyawek gin mine nin
Some Further Words:
Nabjishk’genen slippers
Apte’wen cane
Gwi kwi ya Old Potawatomi settlement
near Green Bay
Zenba odan Ribbon town
South Bend
Ndewabjaye’k they are all searching for s.t.
Dowagiac
Jibdeben sit down
O jibdeben go sit down
Jibdebek sit down (pl.)
O jibdebek go sit down
_________ gego _________ don’t!
Egach keep quiet/settle down!
Egachyen keep quiet!
Egachyek Keep quiet (pl.)
Shkena jibdeben Geez sit down!
Shkena o jibdeben Geez go sit down!
Ahau Okay/all right/oh!
Ibe ngi ton I put it over there.
Eshi ngi sa I put h/h/it over there.
Ibe temget it’s over there.
Eshi bewak it’s over there.
Wawando ketgo gbenen what h/s was trying to see.
Ketwegbenen plural of the above.
Shede’a what I think?
Neaseno 