Anishinaabay Inngohnigaywin
By Eli Baxter
Anishinaabay Innagohnigaywin
Indian Act
Anishinaabay Innagohnigaywin kaween geeabachichigaatayzinoon.
Anishinaabay Law was not used.
Weenawa peewatayg ogeeozhitoonawaa.
They, the visitors, are the ones who made it.
Kaaween geenawind kikeeozitoozeemin.
We did not make it.
Weenawaa otibayndanawaa.
They own it.
Keenaween dush kiweendamagohmin aneen mayaam chi bimatiziyung.
Then we are told exactly on how to live.
Kigeeweendamagohmin aneendi mayaam chi ozhitaayung.
We were told exactly where to live.
Kigeeinigohmin:
We were told:
Kaygoh kakitohkayn Anishinaabaymowin.
Don’t speak the Anishinaabay language.
Machi Manito ikitowin.
The Devil’s language.
Anishinaabayg ta izhitawug waybiniguning.
The Anishinaabayg will live on land that is not needed.
Anishinaabayg ta nakichiyaaguniwug.
The Anishinaabayg will be looked after.
Anishinaabay awaashishug ta otaabihnaaguniwug.
Anishinaabay children will be taken.
Waasug ta ishaawug chi kakinohmaguniwaach.
They will go far away to get taught.
Awaashishug chi kakitowaach Shaagunashsheemon.
The children will talk the English language.
Anishinabayg ta minosaywug.
Anishinaabayg will do well.
Anishinaabay bimatisiwin ta minoshin.
Anishinaabay life will be good.
Heahah koyuk!
Yeah right!
Anishinaabay Innagohnigaywin tawish kiweendamagohmin aneen chi bimatisiyung.
The Indian Act still tells us how to live.
Kiweendamaagohmin aneendi chi izhitaayung.
We are told where to live.
Ki inikohmin aneendi chi izhaayung chi kakinohmaagohyung.
We are told where to go to school.
Tawish awaashishug otaapinaaguniwug.
Still the children are being taken away.
Anishinaabay Innagohnigaywin ikitomagun kaween keenawind kitanaagahchiyaazee awaashish.
The Indian Act says that we can’t look after the child.
Anishinaabay awaashish taminosay ishitaach Shaagunaasheemoning otaynaang innagohnigaynaaniwon.
The Anishinaabay child will be fine living in the English town is being legislated.
Kiwoniyaayaan Anishinaabay awaashish.
We lose another Anishinaabay child.
Otaynaang bayzhigoh.
In town he/she is all alone.
Kaween otayaawaazeen omaamaamun, obaabaamun.
He/She does not have his/her mom, dad.
Weenaytaa ayaa.
He/She is the only one there.
Omisiwayndaan chi keewaych.
He/She wishes to go home.
Kaween kitaakeewayzee inaguniwih awaashish.
No you can’t go home the child is told.
Maagizoh taniminigway.
Maybe he/she will start drinking.
Ishkohtaywaaboh tahni minobohgohn.
Fire water will start to taste good.
Awaashish tanimaanzhisay.
The child will get into trouble.
Tanissaabahwah.
He/She will drown.
Taozhibeegaatay gohtahg Anishinaabay awaashish geenissaabahway.
It will be written that another Anishinaabay child drowned.
Weenah ogeetootaan chi nissaabahwaych?
Did he/she do this to drown?
Maagizoh awaynayn gohtuk geebeenchiwaybinaan zeebeekaang.
Maybe someone else threw him/her into the river.
Kaween kahgikayndazeemin.
We will not know.
Oway kikayndamin:
This we know:
Beegohbitootaa Anishinaabay Innagohkionigaywin.
Tear up the Indian Act.
Amay waytush:
So that:
Keenawind chi abachitooyung Anishinaabaymowin meenawaa.
We can use the Anishinaabay language again.
Meenawaa Anishinaabay awaashishug chi kakitowaach Anishinaabaymowin.
So that again the Anishinabay children will talk the Anishinaabay language.
Kageeishinitaawigiwaach Anishinaabay akeeng chi tasheekaywaach.
The place of birth in Anishinaabay land will be where they will live.
Keenawind kitibayndamin Anishinaabay bimaatisiwin.
We own the Anishinaabay life.
Keenawind ayta chibimiwitooyung oway Anishinaabay bimatisiwin.
We are the only ones that can carry this Anishinaabay life.
Kakina kaygoon Anishinaabay kikayndaasowin atay Anishinaabaymowining.
Everything in the Anishinaabay knowledge is in the Anishinaabay language.
Abachitootaa chi minosayung.
Let’s use it so that we can have a better life.
Ameeway pinamaa.
That is all for now.
Eli Baxter
Neen Anishinaabay Inini