Shingwauk Kaizhitaawaach Kakinohmaagaywigamig –Shingwauk Residential School

Shingwauk Kaizhitaawaach Kakinohmaagaywigamig

 

Shing-wauk Ka-i-zhi-taa-waach Ka-ki-noh-maa-gay-wi-ga-ming

nin-gee-a-si-goh-min pay-si-goh ka-in-ni-pahn-gi-shi-mooch  Mee-ni-gee-sis.

 

Waa-sug gee-pa-ta-gi-taa.

Nin-gee-boo-zi-ni-min o-taa-baan Nakina a-ee tush nin-gee-in-na-goh-tub-bi-min way-ti Ba-wi-tig-ong.

Nin-gee-i-zhaa-min way-ti pay-sig ni-nee-ta-wiss-im-mi-naan kee-pih-gee-way-bun ay-a-yaach ma-ka-tay-osh-keen-shig ay-gee-mee-ga-naa-gun-ni-which way-ti koh-tug ka-a-tayg  ka-i-zhi-taa-waach ka-ki-noh-maa-gay-win, Obi-zhi-go-kaang.

Ni-mi-shoo-mayns-i-mi-naan o-gee-in-naan Shoon-i-yaa-o-gi-maan ka-ween meen-a-waa chi i-zhaa-yaang Obi-zhi-go-kaang.

A-mee-way ay-on-chi-gee in-naa-koh-tub-bi-yaang Ba-wi-tig-ong.

 

A-mee-o-maa ka-gee-pa-sin-nin-gee-goh-yaan.

Nin-gee-a yaa-min-naa-bun ay-mi-chi-gay-wi-gam-i-gong.

Naa-bayns-ug a-wus-si-ni-kay-ee nin-gee-na-ma-tub-i-min.

I-kway-sayns-ug ko-tug a-wus-si-ni-kay-ee kee-na-ma-tub-i-wug.

Ween-gay nin-gee-mino-ki-zhay-aa-tis.

Way-way-ni nin-gee-na-ma-tub-bi-naa-bun.

Nin-gee-bin-naa-kway-wih neem-boh ni-bi nin-gee-aa-ba-chi-toon chi-a-yaa-yaan

kin-na-waynsh o-taa-naang shee-sheeb o-zowh.

Nin-gee-in-naym-dum ween-gay nin-gee-minoh-bay-ow way-way-ni-ay-na-ma-tub-i-naan, ay-ay-mi-chi-gay-yaan.

 

Ka-ween nin-gee-ni-soh-toh-taa-waa-see ay-mi-chi-gay-i-ni-ni ay-a-gin-dung kaa-mino-shing manzi-nay-i-gun.

Ka-ki-na a-waa-shi-shug o-gee-pi-sin-daan-na-waa a-gin-ji-gun-nun.

Ka-ki-na a-waa-shi-shug way-way-ni gee-na-ma-tub-i-wug.

Ka-ween ween ni-nee-taa-wis-i-bun.

Bi-zhi-shig kay-goon kee-too-tum chi-pah-pi-yung.

 

Pay-zhi-goh ni-nee-taa-wis-i-bun a-ee tush ka-ki-na neen weend a-wa-shi-shug ni-na-ma-tub-i-min mo-chi-sug, ki-chi A-ni-maa-kway kee-a-gin-chi-gay man-zi-nay-i-gun ta-ti-baa-chi-mon.

Kee-na-ma-tub-i ni-bay-win-na-gong.

Ki-chi-oh-bom-mun o-gee-a-yaa-nun.

Ma-goot pih-shi-shig o-gee-pih-si-gaan.

 

Pay-si-goh ay-in-noh-naa-goh-shing ni-ni-nee-taa-wis-i-bun o-taa-naang A-ni-maa-kway kee-i-shaa, un-naa-mung ni-bay-win-naa-gong , mo-chi-shug gee-bih-maa-goh-shin, ay-in-naa-bich ish-pih-ming A-ni-maa-kway o-ma-goot.

Ween-gay ni-wee-pah-pi-min.

Ka-ween wee-kaa nin-gee-ni-kee-ki-kayn-da-zeen o-way-ni-won a-gin-chi-gay-win-nun.

 

A-mee-way-tush ni-taa-yaa-min ay-mi-ch-gay-wi-gam-i-gong ay-mi-chi-gaych ay-mi-chi-gay-i-ni-ni.

Ni-nee-taa-wis-i-bun kee-in-naa-bi kaa-i-shi-na-ma-tub-i-waach i-kway-wug.

Kay-neen nin-gee-in-naab.

Nin-gee-waa-ba-maa ni-mi-sayns-im.

Ays-koh i-sayg ay-mi-chi-gay-win ni-nee-taa-wis-i-bun a-ee-tush neen nin-gee-i-goh-min chi-i-zhaa-yaang sa-kah-kin-ni-bee-i-gay-wi-gam-i-gong.

 

Ay-mi-chi-gay-i-ni-ni o-gee-a-yaan pus-sin-chee-wi-yaab.

“Kay-gon nayn-dush ay-on-chi-gee-kun-naa-waa-bum-mi-toh ik-way-wug may-goh ay-ay-mi-chi-gay-yaan?” kee-pee-gah-gi.

Ish-poh kaa-pus-sin-gee-goh-yaan nin-gee-maw.

 

A-mee-way pin-na-maa.

 

Meegwaych.

 

Eli Baxter

Anishinaabay Inini

 

 

Shingwauk Residential School

 

We were put in Shingwauk Residential School at the end of one August.

It was far away.

We got on a train in Nakina and we rode to Sault Ste. Marie.

We went there as one of our cousins came home with a black eye as he was in a fight there at the residential school, Pelican.

Our uncle told the government that we were not going again to Pelican.

That was the reason why we rode to Sault Ste. Marie.

 

This was where I got the strap on my hands.

We were in the chapel.

The boys, we were sitting on one side.

The girls were sitting on the other side.

I was very good in a pious manner.

I was sitting in a good manner.

I combed my hair with lots of water so that I can have the ducktail at the back for a longer time.

I was thinking of how really handsome I was, sitting there nicely praying.

 

I didn’t understand the preacher who was reading the good book.

All of the children listened to the readings.

All of the children were sitting nicely.

Not my late cousin.

He was always doing something to make us laugh.

 

Once my cousin and us children were sitting on the floor, a huge German woman was reading a storybook.

She sat on the bed.

She had huge legs.

She always had on a dress.

 

One evening my late cousin went behind the German woman, under the bed, on the floor laying down, looking up the German woman’s dress.

We really wanted to laugh.

I never knew what the stories were.

 

Well anyway we were sitting in church as the preacher was praying.

My cousin was looking at where the girls were sitting.

I looked too.

I saw my older sister.

After the church service my late cousin and I were told to go to the office.

 

The priest had the strap.

“Why were you looking at the girls while I was praying?” he yelled.

Before I got strapped on the hands I cried.

 

That is all for now.

 

Thank you.

Eli Baxter

Anishinaabay Inini