Reasons we say Boozhoo

A-nishi-nabay Ka-kit-to-win-nun

Boozhoo. Ki-kaa-waan-naan-daan nah koo-ding a-neen-di kaa-on-gee-ma-gung o-way A-nishi-na-bay ka-ki-to-win; “boozhoo”? A-way-nayn neesh A-nishi-na-bayg ay-nun-gosh-ko-daa-ti-waach, “Boozhoo” i-kit-to-wag. Pay-shig a-way-nayn nin-gee-ween-da-moh-wig kaa-goh-nayn-dush a-on-ji-aa-ba-chi-too-yung o-way boozhoo ka-kit-to-win. Ki-gaa-way-tay-min-sha o-way ay-i-kit-to-yung boozhoo. Ki-kaa-kway-chi-maa-naan o-way-ti a-way-nayn; “Keen nah Na-na-boo-zhoo?” Ki-wee-ki-kayn-daa-min o-way-ti maa-gi-zhoh maa-ween Na-na-bush. A-mee-way tush ta-wish A-nishi-na-bayg o-gaa-noon-dos-koh-yaa-waan o-way-ti Ma-ni-toon Na-na-boo-zhoon. Ta-wish o-maa a-yaa. Keen-nah Na-na-boo-zhoo?

A-nishi-na-bay ka-kit-to-win-nun o-taa-yaa-naa-waa-gay-ween-a-waa o-taa-naang bi-maa-ti-si-win. Na-waa-gway-chi-gay-win o-taa-yaan-naa-waa kay-ween-na-waa.
A-mee-way-tush chi a-ba-chi-too-yung meen-na-waa A-nishi-na-bay-mo-win chi bi-mi-wi-too-yung, chi nee-gaan an-chi-too-yung A-nishi-na-bay ka-kit-to-win-nun. Waysh-kuch kaa-gee-pee-i-kit-to-waach ki-ta-way-maa-gun-nung meen-na-waa kaa-in-ni-taa-gos-si-min ay-kaa-kit-to-yung. Meen-na-waa A-nishi-na-bay ka-kit-to-yung a-ee tush meen-na-waa ka-ki-kayn-daa-min, ka-a-ba-chi-to-min, ka-ti-bayn-daa-min A-nishi-na-bay in-nayn-daa-mo-win-nun. A-mee-way-tush meen-na-waa ka-zhoon-kaa-tis-si-min, ka-mush-kaa-wi-zee-min, ka-a-nishi-na-bay bi-maa-tis-si-min a-ee tush meen-na-waa ka-minoh-bay-moh-min.

Ay-i-ni-om-bi-gee-yaan gaa-neen, a-ee-tush kay-kaa-in-ni-ka-ki-noh-maa-go-si-yaan, ay-in-ka-kayn-da-maan Shaa-gun-naa-shee-mon. ay-in-ni-kayn-da-maan Shaa-gun-naa-shee-mon a-gin-ji-gay-win ka-ween ningee waa-bun-da-zeen, kaa-ween ningee a-gin-da-zee aa-neen ko-yuk o-way O-jib-way ka-kit-to-win kaa-gee-pon-gee-maa-gung. Ningee-a-gin-daan Ojibwayg isha a-way-nayn-nug kaa-nita o-bway-wag o-mee-jim-waan a-ee tush kay a-neen ka-o-shi-too-waach o-ma-ki-sin-ni-waan. Ningee-ki-kayn-daan ka-ween o-way ko-yuk gee-in-ni-daa-koh-zi-noon. Ay-waan-naan-daa-maan o-way a-neendi Ojibway kaa-on-gee-ma-gung ningee-in-naan-daan A-nishi-na-bayg waysh-kuch pah-gaan o-gee-kee-in-ni-taa-goh-si-wug. Gee-i-kit-to-wug “O-zhi-bee-i-gay-wug”. A-mee-way pa-gaan A-nishi-na-bayg waysh-kuch kaa-gee-i-shi-ki-kayn-ni-maa-waach o-go-wayn-ni-wug A-nishi-na-bayg kaa-gee-o-zhi-bee-gay-waach ka-ki-na-goon wee-goh-sing. Ta-wish ki-ta-yaa-min o-way ki-kayn-daa-so-win.

Pah-gaan gay ningee in-ni-daa-gos-si-min ay-i-kit-to-yaang Potawatomiig A-nishi-na-bayg. Nin-gee-i-zi-kaan-naan-nug “Poh-ta-way-i-ni-ni-wag.” Poh-ta-way-i-ni-ni-wug gee-in-noh-so-wag chi bi-mi-wi-to-waach A-nishi-na-bay i-shi-chi-gay-win ki-kayn-daa-so-win. Ween-na-waa o-naa-kaa-chi-toon-na-waa A-nishi-na-bay ish-ko-tayn. A-nishi-na-bay ni-ga-mo-win-nun, ay-mi-chi-gay-win-nun, nee-mee-win-nun
a-ee tush ka-ki-na-kay-goon A-nishi-na-bay i-shi-chi-gay-win-nun o-gee-naa-guch-chi-toon-naa-waa. Ta-wish o-ki-kayn-daa-naa-waa o-way ki-kayn-daa-so-win.

Ko-ta-gi-yug a-nishi-na-bayg kaa-i-zi-ni-kaa-zo-waach Odawag non-gom pa-gaan ningee-i-ni-taa-gos-si-min ay-i-kit-to-yung Odawa. Ningee-in-naan-naan-nug A-taa-waa-i-ni-ni-wug. Gee-in-noh-si-wug chi ka-na-wayn-da-mo-waach A-nishi-na-bay a-taa-way-win.

A-ee tush kee-maa-won-gee-taa-ti-wug waysh-kuch A-nishi-na-bay o-taa-naa-ning chi mash-ka-wis-see-waach. A-mee-way ay-on-ji-gee-i-zhi-ni-kaa-zo-yung “Ni-swi
Ish-ko-tayg.”

A-mee-way tush non-gom ka-gee-shi-gung A-nishi-na-bayg chi-ki-kayn-daa-mo-waach ka-ki-na kay-goon o-way A-nishi-na-bay-mo-win. Meen-na-waa at-soh-kaan-nun a-ba-chi-to-taa a-waa-shi-shug chi ni-ki-kayn-daa-naa-waach A-nishi-na-bay bi-maa-ti-zi-win. Kay-ween-na-waa ta-ween-da-maa-gay-wug nee-gaan-ning.

Meeg-waych

Eli Baxter
Anishinabay Inini

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Anishinabay Words

Hello. Do you ever wonder once in a while where the Anishinabay word for “boozhoo” came from. When two Anishinabayg meet they say “Boozhoo”. One person told me why we use this word boozhoo word. We are asking a question when we use the word boozhoo. We are asking the person; “Are you Nanaboozhoo?” We want to know if he or she might be Nanabush. That is why the Anishinabayg still are looking for this Spirit Nanaboozhoo. He or she is still here. Are you Nanaboozhoo?

Anishinabay words have their historical life. They also have meanings. That is why we need to use the Anishinabay words again to carry them, to move the Anishinabay words forward. A long time ago the way our ancestors spoke we will again sound like them when we talk. Again when we use Anishinabay talk and then we will know, we will use it, we will own Anshinabay thoughts. That is why again we will have a strong life, we will be strong, we will have an anishinabay life and again we will be beautiful.

As I was growing up and as I was being educated, as I was learning the English language, as I was learning to read in English I didn’t see, I didn’t not read what was the correct meaning for the word Ojibway and where the word originated from. I read that Ojibway meant ones who over roast their food and how they make their moccasins. I knew that these meanings were not correct as the word did not sound like that. As I was wondering where the meaning Ojibway came from I thought how did the Anishinabayg along time ago sounded differently. They were saying, “people that write.” That is how a long time ago how the people knew these Anishinabayg as that write on birch bark. We still have this knowledge.

We also said Potawatomiig differently. We called them “the people that keep the fire.” Poh-ta-way-i-ni-ni-wug were the ones whose responsibility was the Anishinabay culture knowledge. They look after the Anishinabay fire. Anishinabay songs, prayers, dances and all of the Anishinabay culture; were looked after by them.
They still know this knowledge.

The other people that are called Odawag now we sounded different when we said Odawa. We called them, “the people who did commerce” Their responsibility was to look after the Anishinabay commerce.

They came together a long time ago in the Anishinbay history so that they could become stronger. That is how the term “Three Fires” came from.

That is why today the people should know everything about this Anishinabay language. Again we should use our traditional stories on our children so that they will learn the Anishinabay life. They will also tell them in the future.

Thank you.
Eli Baxter
Anishinaby Inini