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The following introduction was written by Stacie Sheldon to introduce Sherman Alexie at Eastern Michigan University. It was translated by Howard Kimewon and was read by Stacie Sheldon.
| Sherman Alexie |
Anishinaabe aawe |
miinwaa |
wiidigemaagane |
miinwaa |
minowsaa dibinoojiiman. |
| Sherman Alexie |
is an Indian* |
and |
a husband |
and |
he is raising his kids. |
| Sherman Alexie is an Indian and a husband and a father raising his kids. |
| Aapichigwaa |
nitaa |
aadisooke. |
| Really |
the best |
he tells stories. |
| He is a gifted storyteller. |
| Niibina |
dibaadaan |
manadendamowin |
miinwaa |
Anishinaabeg |
ezhi kchi'nenendiwaad. |
| Many things |
he tells about |
sadness |
and |
Anishinaabe people |
how they love each other. |
| There are lessons about grief and love and reflecting back on one's self in his stories. |
| Anishinaabe |
dibaajimod |
batiinag |
baapwin |
giishpin gego |
sidaa'endamowin |
batiinag. |
| That Indian |
he tells about |
lots |
of laughter |
if something |
grief |
very much. |
| There is so much to laugh about in his work even when telling us something heart-breaking. |
| Kaa |
gwa aapchi |
wengwamizisii |
e-kidod wi |
Anishinaabe aawed |
maampii |
Chimookimankiing. |
| No |
really |
he is not careful (when) |
he speaks about it |
Indian to be |
here |
in America. |
| He could really hold back, play it safe and speak very carefully about being an Indian in this country, |
| kido |
gwa wa |
kidod |
| he says |
really |
talks |
| but he speaks his mind |
| onjidaa |
gwa |
pane |
pisdaagozi |
| on purpose |
really |
always |
he provokes |
| on purpose, he provokes people |
| miinaash |
bekan |
wii |
enendamowaad |
| and |
differently |
will |
they think |
| and challenges them to think in a new way. |
| He once said, "It's my job to beat the crap out of the world." |
| We would translate that as, |
| "Mii |
maampi |
getkamig |
gaa |
enji-sigoyaanh |
wii |
ba pogijikaazyaanh." |
| So |
here |
on earth |
will |
during my life |
will |
I make a disturbance. |
| "I was put here on earth to stir things up." |
* Note: Until he introduces himself as a member of another specific tribe, we see Mr. Alexie as one of us, as Anishinaabe, which means, "the original people."
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